New York Pitch Conference
The New York Pitch Conference is the only writer conference focused entirely on novel development and pitching novels and story concepts to acquisition editors from major publishing houses in New York. Founded by author and editor Michael Neff, the conference is held four times a year in New York, New York. The event is led by professional workshop leaders who are also authors: Paula Munier, Ann Garvin, and Susan Breen, among others. Participating acquisition editors come from distinguished publishing houses and imprints such as Henry Holt, Crooked Lane, Tor Books, Harper Collins, Del Rey, St. Martins, Random House, and Penguin Putnam.
The New York Pitch Conference promotes nascent authors working in the genres of commercial and literary fiction, serious and light women's fiction, historical fiction, mystery/thriller and detective, young adult and middle grade, all types of fantasy and science fiction, as well as select memoir and narrative nonfiction.
Prior to the start of the pitch conference, writers are given pre-conference pitch exercises and readings. Assignments are designed to help writers perfect the pitch, as well as the story and plot, by forcing focus on those elements that make for a strong novel, especially one that will attract the attention of editors and agents.