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The 2026 Indiana Writing Workshop: March 7, 2026

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After successful past writers conferences in Indiana and across the country, Writing Day Workshops is excited to announce The 2026 Indiana Writing Workshop — a full-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing conference in Indianapolis, IN on Saturday, March 7, 2026.

This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more. Note that there are limited seats at the event (150 total). All questions about the event regarding schedule, details and registration are answered below. Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Indiana Writing Workshop! We are very proud of our many success stories where attendees sign with agents following events — see our growing list of success stories here.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next IWW is an in-person event happening in Indianapolis on Saturday, March 7, 2026. See you there.)

To register, click the button above, or email Chuck at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com and tell him you’re interested in the Indiana event.

WHAT IS IT?

This is a special one-day in-person “How to Get Published” writing workshop on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Indianapolis Downtown. In other words, it’s one day full of classes and advice designed to give you the best instruction concerning how to get your writing & books published. We’ll discuss your publishing opportunities today, how to write queries & pitches, how to market yourself and your books, what makes an agent/editor stop reading your manuscript, and more. No matter what you’re writing — fiction or nonfiction — the day’s classes will help point you in the right direction. Writers of all genres are welcome.

This event is designed to squeeze as much into one day of learning as possible. You can ask any questions you like during the classes, and get your specific concerns addressed. We will have literary agents onsite to give feedback and take pitches from writers, as well. This year’s agent and editor faculty so far includes:

  • literary agent Sarah Fisk (The Tobias Agency)
  • literary agent Vicky Weber (Creative Media Agency) 
  • literary agent Dean Krystek (Wordlink)
  • literary agent Rachel Estep (D4E0 Literary)
  • literary agent Amanda Wooden (SBR Media)
  • literary agent Elisa Moles (Painted Fire Literary)
  • literary agent Hailey Stephens (Arthouse Literary)
  • and possibly more to come

By the end of the day, you will have all the tools you need to move forward on your writing journey. This independent event is organized by coordinator Chuck Sambuchino of Writing Day Workshops. E-mail Chuck to register for the event at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com and tell him you’re interested in the Indianapolis event. Special thanks to some amazing local writing groups who are assisting us with facilitating the day — including Speed City Sisters in Crime, and the Pen to Paper Meetup Group.

To register, click the button above, or email Chuck at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com and tell him you’re interested in the Indiana event.

EVENT LOCATION & DETAILS:

9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, March 7, 2026 — at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Indianapolis Downtown, 110 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next IWW is an in-person event happening in Indianapolis on Saturday, March 7, 2026. See you there.)

THIS YEAR’S SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS (MARCH 7, 2026):

8:30 – 9:30: Check-in and registration at the event location.

9:30 – 10:30: Tackling the Dreaded Query Letter. This will discuss the dreaded query letter, and how to write one that will get the attention of an agent or editor.

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10:45 – 11:50: The Perfect Plot. In this workshop, writers will understand essential plot beats and expectations that you will need to map out a cohesive and captivating story.

11:50 – 1:15: Lunch is on your own during these 85 minutes.

1:15 – 2:30: “Writers Got Talent”—a Page 1 Critique Fest, with participating literary agents and editors. In the vein of “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent,” this is a chance to get your first page read (anonymously — no bylines given) with attending agents commenting on what was liked or not liked about the submission. Get expert feedback on your incredibly important first page, and know if your writing has what it needs to keep readers’ attention. All attendees are welcome to bring pages to the event for this session, and we will choose pages at random for the workshop for as long as time lasts. All submissions should be fiction or memoir—no prescriptive nonfiction or picture books, please. Do not send your pages in advance. You will bring printed copies with you, and instructions will be sent out approximately one week before the event.

2:45 – 3:45: Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. This workshop will cover more than 50 points for consideration before submitting to an agent, editor, or indie publisher, such as how to sharpen dialogue and prose, improving characterization, complicating plot, and much more.

4:00 – 5:00: What Happens After an Agent Offers Representation? Getting an agent is an incredible feat, but this is only the beginning. There are so many things that happen after you receive an offer of representation.

At 5 p.m., the day is done. Speakers may make themselves available for a short while to sign any books for attendees.

Agent & Editor Pitching: All throughout the day.

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PITCH AN AGENT OR EDITOR:

Amanda Wooden is a literary agent with SBR Media. “I am open to all sub tropes of Romance (contemporary, sports, new adult, suspense, etc.), Romantasy, Young Adult Romance, Women’s Fiction and more. I am looking for strong authors whose writing is unique and marketable. I may consider other genres/tropes outside of those listed. I am also open to health & sports nonfiction.” Learn more about Amanda here.

Dean Krystek is a literary agent at Wordlink. Dean is looking for authors with distinctive voices whose narratives invoke a strong sense of time and place and whose stories create a memorable reading experience. He’d like to see mysteries (whodunit, cozy); sci-fi (space opera, dystopian, alternate history, time travel); psychological suspense; thrillers; military fiction (character-driven pieces; favoring post-WWII. *Vietnam*). In YA he would like to see mysteries, paranormal, sci-fi, coming-of-age, and suspense with writing that stirs the imagination and caters to the young reader’s sense of wonder and adventure. Learn more about Dean here.

Sarah N. Fisk is a literary agent with The Tobias Literary Agency, and is open to pitches for young adult of all genres, middle grade of all genres, adult romance, science fiction, fantasy, speculative fiction, and select nonfiction (see wishlist for more specifics). They also take pitches for mysteries and thrillers via conferences only. Sarah especially loves fiction that is compulsively readable and social justice issues woven into commercial plots. Particular areas of interest include atmospheric fantasies, speculative mysteries, books that challenge societal norms, especially gender norms. Learn more about Sarah here.

Rachel Estep is a literary agent with D4EO Literary Agency. She is seeking: literary fiction; mainstream fiction; all types of middle grade and young adult (especially that centers underrepresented voices); voicey, high-stakes psychological thrillers; stories that mess with your head in the best way; gothic fiction that blends deep senses of foreboding with modern themes; true crime projects that dig deeper than the headlines and center empathy alongside the horror; queer romcoms that bring the banter, the swoon, the spice, and a whole lot of heart; historical fiction driven by complex, unforgettable women in the style of Marie Benedict. Learn more about Rachel here.

Elisa Moles is a literary agent with Painted Fire Literary Agency. She is seeking: Especially interested in upmarket fiction. “In one word, what defines fantastic fiction narrative? Consequences. Consequences give structure. And stories with cohesive and creative structures, true to each writer’s background and voice, stand the test of time beyond the trendy topics and gimmicks of the day. I especially love psychologically complex characters. I’m looking for distinctive and compassionate voices who are telling organically unexpected stories in a wide variety of styles and genres. Surprise me.” Things you should NOT pitch her include: nonfiction, poetry, children’s books, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, screenplays, westerns, horror, nihilist, or erotic work. Learn more about Elisa here.

Hailey Stephens is a literary agent with Arthouse Literary. In general, Hailey is only looking for Adult novels, but she will selectively take on Middle Grade books if the manuscript will inspire a passion for reading. She would also love to champion authors from rural areas, especially authors from BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and/or any other community that tends to be overlooked in rural areas. (This doesn’t mean the manuscript itself has to be based in a rural setting, although she always appreciates a good rural horror.) For Literary, Upmarket, and Contemporary fiction, Hailey wants vivid stories that pull the reader in right away, immersing them in the work the author has created. For thriller and horror, she wants stories that linger in the corners of the mind, with characters that feel like they’re in the room with the reader (for better or worse). Hailey will also selectively take on Adult Romance, and is hopeful there are still love story tropes out there that can be discovered or re-explored in a way that redefines the genre. In nonfiction, she is looking for both trade and literary proposals. She is especially interested in memoirs that play with the concept of time and structure. Learn more about Hailey here.

Vicky Weber is a literary agent with Creative Media Agency. In adult and young adult fiction, she seeks: horror, psychological suspense, thrillers, commercial, upmarket, historical, women’s fiction, romance, fantasy (dark/high/epic), magical realism, speculative, and paranormal/supernatural. In middle grade and picture books, she seeks highly giftable, commercial fiction with a strong voice—stories that feel like they always should have been on the shelf. Learn more about Vicky here.

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ADDED ONLINE PITCHING: To ensure that writers have a robust and diverse lineup of agents & editors to pitch, 2026 Indiana Writing Workshop attendees will have the ability to also pitch literary agents at the Writing Day Workshops *online* event that follows the 2026 IWW on our calendar.

That event is the 2026 Online Ohio Writing Workshop, April 10-11, 2026, which will have 30-40 agents taking one-on-one Zoom virtual pitches.

This means that 2026 IWW attendees can have access to pitching all those online Ohio agents — pitches still at $29 each — without being a formal registrant for the online April 2026 OWW. (That said, if you want to formally register for the April 10-11 OWW and have access to all classes and panels, let us know, as there is a discount for confirmed Indiana attendees.)

If you are interested in this added pitching opportunity, the first step is to get formally registered for Indiana. Following the IWW conferences on March 7, 2026, we will be in touch with all Indiana attendees and ask them if they want to partake in pitching online agents at the 2026 OWW (April 10-11). At that time, you can communicate your pitch requests and purchase meeting time.

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        More 2026 agents to be announced as they are confirmed. You can sign up for pitches at any time, or switch pitches at any time, so long as the agent in question still has appointments open.

These one-on-one meetings are an amazing chance to pitch your book face-to-face with an agent, and get personal, individual feedback on your pitch/concept. If the agent likes your pitch, they’ll request to see part/all of your book — sending you straight past the slush pile. It also gives you an intimate chance to meet with an agent and pick their brain with any questions on your mind.

(Please note that Agent/Editor Pitching is an add-on, separate aspect of the day, for only those who sign up. Spaces are limited for these premium meetings, and pricing/detail is explained below.)

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PRICING:

$169 — EARLY BIRD base price for registration to the 2026 IWW and access to all workshops, all day. As of fall 2025, registration is now OPEN.

To register, click the button above, or email Chuck at WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com and tell him you’re interested in the Indiana event.

Add $29 — to secure a 10-minute one-on-one meeting with any of our literary agents or editors in attendance. Use this special meeting as a chance to pitch your work and get professional feedback on your pitch. (Spaces limited.) If they wish, attendees are free to sign up for multiple 10-minute pitch sessions at $29/session — pitching multiple individuals, or securing 20 minutes to pitch one person rather than the usual 10. Here are four quick testimonials regarding writers who have signed with literary agents after pitching them at prior Writing Day Workshops events. (Our bigger, growing list of success stories an be seen here.)

“I met Mai Nguyen at the Toronto Writing Workshop
and sold her manuscript to Simon & Schuster for six figures.”
– literary agent Carly Watters of P.S. Literary Agency

“I signed Sarah G. Pierce from the Seattle Writing Workshop,
and we recently sold her book to Orbit/Redhook.”
– literary agent Pam Gruber of Highline Literary Collective

“I met Amber Cowie at a Writing Day Workshops conference. We sold
her best-selling crime novel to Lake Union / Amazon.”
– literary agent Gordon Warnock of Fuse Literary

“I met my client, Dana Corbit Nussio, at the Michigan Writing Workshop.
Dana signed a new three-book contract with Harlequin Romantic Suspense.”
– literary agent Rachel Beck of Liza Dawson Associates

“I signed Nedda Lewers from a Writing Day Workshops event. Her debut
novel from Putnam Children’s was an Indie’s Introduce Best Book of 2024.”
– literary agent Kelly Dyksterhouse of Tobias Literary Agency

Add $69 — for an in-depth, personal critique of your one-page query letter from Chuck Sambuchino, one of the day’s instructors. (This rate is a special event value for Indiana Writing Workshop attendees only.) Registrants are encouraged to take advantage of the specially-priced critique, so they can send out their query letter with confidence following the workshop. Also, if you are meeting with an agent at the event, you’re essentially speaking your query letter aloud to them. Wouldn’t it be wise to give that query letter (i.e., your pitch) one great edit before that meeting?

Add $89 — for an in-depth personal critique of the first 10 pages of your novel. Spaces with faculty for these critiques are very limited, and participating attendees will either 1) get an in-person meeting at the workshop, if the faculty member is attending the live event, or 2) get a 10-minute phone call with the faculty member, and have notes passed along via email, if the critiquer is not attending the live event. Options:

  • All adult fiction genres and categories (except for sci-fi) (virtual critiques): Faculty member Tayler Hill, an author and publishing house assistant, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
  • Romance, women’s fiction, domestic suspense, and young adult fiction (virtual critiques): Faculty member Swati Hegde, an author and freelance editor, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
  • Memoir, as well as children’s picture books (virtual critiques): Faculty member Eve Porinchak, a published author and former agent, will get your work in advance, critique your picture book (or 10 pages if it’s memoir), meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime around the workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting. If you submit a picture book, it must be 1,000 words or fewer (can have illustrations or not).
  • All types of adult fiction (except erotica); all types of young adult fiction and middle grade; Christian fiction; screenplays and TV scripts (virtual critiques): Faculty member Jaimie Engle, a screenwriter, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, talk with you virtually (Zoom/phone) for 15 minutes workshop to discuss her thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
  • Science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, young adult SFF, urban fantasy (virtual critiques): Faculty member Wesley Chu, a published novelist, will get your work in advance, critique the first 10 double-spaced pages of your book, meet with you online (Zoom, etc.) or by phone for 15 minutes sometime before the workshop to discuss his thoughts, and pass along written critique notes before or after the meeting.
  • More critique options possibly forthcoming

How to pay/register —

To register, click the button above. Or reach out to workshop organizer Chuck Sambuchino via email: WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com. He will pass along registration information to you, and give instructions on how to pay by credit card, PayPal, or check. Once payment is complete, you will have a reserved seat at the event. The IWW will send out periodic e-mail updates to all registered attendees with any & all news about the event. Because Chuck plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Indiana workshop specifically.

REGISTRATION:

Because of limited space at the venue (Embassy Suites by Hilton Indianapolis Downtown), the workshop can only allow 150 registrants, unless spacing issues change. For this reason, we encourage you to book sooner rather than later.

(Please note that this is an in-person event. We at Writing Day Workshops plan both online/virtual as well as in-person events. This next IWW is an in-person event happening in Indianapolis on Saturday, March 7, 2026. See you there.)

Are spaces still available? Yes, we still have spaces available. We will announce RIGHT HERE, at this point on this web page, when all spaces are taken. If you do not see a note right here saying how all spaces are booked, then yes, we still have room, and you are encouraged to register.

How to Register:

To register, click the button above. Or reach out to workshop organizer Chuck Sambuchino via email: WritingDayWorkshops@gmail.com. He will pass along registration information to you, and give instructions on how to pay by credit card, PayPal, or check. Once payment is complete, you will have a reserved seat at the event. The IWW will send out periodic e-mail updates to all registered attendees with any & all news about the event. Because Chuck plans different workshops, make sure you note that you’re inquiring about the Indiana workshop specifically.

Refunds: If you sign up for the event and have to cancel for any reason at any time, you will receive 50% of your total payment back [sent by check or PayPal]. The other 50% is nonrefundable and will not be returned, and helps the workshop ensure that only those truly interested in the limited spacing sign up for the event. (Please note that query editing payments and manuscript editing payments are completely non-refundable if the instructor has already edited your work.)

Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Indiana Writing Workshop.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Vicky Weber of Creative Media Agency

Vicky Weber is a literary agent with Creative Media Agency.

I’m a former elementary school teacher turned children’s book author and literary agent. I represent commercial fiction – board books through adult – but specialize in children’s literature.

In all manuscripts, I want intensity in the writing. (Give me all the feels!) I want to be dropped into the moment and experience the story alongside the characters. Character development and emotional arcs go hand-in-hand with the plot. If a book is high-concept, commercial fiction with beautiful, literary-leaning prose, it’s probably up my alley.

In adult and young adult fiction, she seeks: horror, psychological suspense, thrillers, commercial, upmarket, historical, women’s fiction, romance, fantasy (dark/high/epic), magical realism, speculative, and paranormal/supernatural. In middle grade and picture books, she seeks highly giftable, commercial fiction with a strong voice—stories that feel like they always should have been on the shelf

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Hailey Stephens of Arthouse Literary

Hailey Stephens is a literary agent with Arthouse Literary.

Hailey is an avid reader, writer, and editor with a bachelor’s degree in English-Writing from Illinois Wesleyan University, as well as a master’s in Writing and Publishing from DePaul University. She is especially interested in uplifting diverse artists from rural communities that may be overlooked by such a metropolis-based industry.

While Hailey’s reading tastes include almost everything (she currently favors romance, literary fiction, and creative memoirs), her writing is focused on both creative nonfiction and psychological/supernatural horror. When not reading or writing, Hailey enjoys exploring her many hobbies. She’s a baker, hiker, puzzler, gamer (board games, card games, D&D, video games-she’s open to it all!), cross-stitcher, and so much more.

She is seeking:

In general, Hailey is only looking for Adult novels, but she will selectively take on Middle Grade books if the manuscript will inspire a passion for reading the way books like FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull, PERCY JACKSON by Rick Riordan, SKELETON CREEK by Patrick Carman, and PRINCESS ACADEMY by Shannon Hale did for young Hailey. She would also love to champion authors from rural areas, especially authors from BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, and/or any other community that tends to be overlooked in rural areas. (This doesn’t mean the manuscript itself has to be based in a rural setting, although she always appreciates a good rural horror.)

For Literary, Upmarket, and Contemporary fiction, Hailey wants vivid stories that pull the reader in right away, immersing them in the work the author has created. The voice should be earnest and make readers feel intertwined with the characters. She would love to champion works that are as devastatingly honest and impactful as ROOTLESS by Krystle Zara Appiah, THE BLUEST EYE by Toni Morrison, and THE WEDDING PEOPLE by Alison Espach all are.

For thriller and horror, she wants stories that linger in the corners of the mind, with characters that feel like they’re in the room with the reader (for better or worse). Hailey is always chasing the high left behind from reading HOUSE OF LEAVES by Mark Z. Danielewski. She aspires to feel as involved in the narrative as she did while reading Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN. She wants manuscripts that get hearts and minds racing, but they should not ever include gratuitous violence or gore.

Hailey will also selectively take on Adult Romance, and is hopeful there are still love story tropes out there that can be discovered or re-explored in a way that redefines the genre.

In nonfiction, she is looking for both trade and literary proposals. She is especially interested in memoirs that play with the concept of time and structure like THE FACE series published by Restless Books, EVIDENCE OF V by Sheila O’Connor, and DEAR MEMORY by Victoria Chang. She would also be very interested in cookbooks of all kinds.

Hailey is always looking for a great love (in any sense of the word) story, but what she really needs in a manuscript is content that changes the minds and lives of its readers in unexpected ways. While the stories she represents do not necessarily need to have a happy ending, she is focused on finding manuscripts that inspire positive community and discussion for years to come. (In other words, a book with strong potential to cultivate a thriving fandom!)

What she doesn’t want: Poetry, Picture Books, Children’s Books, Erotica/Romances where being “spicy” is one of the main draws, Historical Fiction, YA Fiction, Legal Procedurals, Fantasy

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Dean Krystek of Wordlink

Dean Krystek is a literary agent at Wordlink.

Dean, a Pittsburgh native, holds a BA in English from the University of South Carolina. After a successful career in the Army that took him from the sizzling heat of Vietnam to the cool interior of Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado, Dean retired as a Sergeant Major. Afterward, he held numerous positions in the private sector and state & federal government, including participating in Operation Enduring Freedom as a Department of Defense subject matter expert training the Afghanistan national army for several years. When he finally turned his attention from wars to words, he brought WordLink, an agency begun in New Zealand by a college friend, to Pennsylvania.

Dean is looking for authors with distinctive voices whose narratives invoke a strong sense of time and place and whose stories create a memorable reading experience. He’d like to see mysteries (whodunit, cozy); sci-fi (space opera, dystopian, alternate history, time travel); psychological suspense; thrillers; military fiction (character-driven pieces; favoring post-WWII. **Vietnam**). In YA he would like to see mysteries, paranormal, sci-fi, coming-of-age, and suspense with writing that stirs the imagination and caters to the young reader’s sense of wonder and adventure.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Sarah N. Fisk of The Tobias Literary Agency

Sarah N. Fisk is a literary agent with The Tobias Literary Agency.

Sarah is a former mechanical engineer who made the switch to publishing in 2011. They have worked in the publishing industry as an editorial assistant, author’s assistant, publicist, and art director. Sarah is a former Pitch Wars mentor, board member, and Agent Liaison. They host the podcast Queries, Qualms, & Quirks and have a passion for spreadsheets.

They love books that challenge societal norms, especially gender norms. They have a personal interest in stories featuring queer characters or characters with disability, neurodiversity, chronic illness, or mental health challenges. Great or complicated sibling relationships are their kryptonite. They also enjoy intriguing villains, mysteries woven into other genres, characters they can’t get out of their head, and smart heroines.

Basics:

  • Young Adult (all fiction genres)
  • Middle Grade (all fiction genres)
  • Adult Romance
  • Adult Science Fiction, Fantasy, and everything under the speculative fiction umbrella except hard, genre horror
  • Select Adult nonfiction

Particular Areas of Interest:

  • atmospheric fantasies or contemporary stories that feel like atmospheric fantasies
  • speculative mysteries or mysteries woven into other genres
  • books that challenge societal norms, especially gender norms
  • personal interest in stories featuring queer characters
  • personal interest in characters with disability, neurodiversity, chronic illness, or mental health challenges
  • great or complicated sibling relationships (think: siblings who will kill for each other or kill each other (or both!))
  • authentic small town, southern, or midwestern settings
  • intriguing villains
  • characters I can’t get out of my head
  • smart heroines
  • con artists who are not cis men
  • books that are compulsively readable
  • social justice issues woven into commercial plots
  • themes: anticapitalist, pro-labor, conservationism, anti-disaster capitalism, etc

For Adult SFF

  • I especially love grounded fantasy and near-future sci-fi.
  • I am particularly looking for books with a strong hook and plot, but also very strong writing (aka upmarket SFF)
  • No Military Sci-Fi, please
  • Not for me: anything that comps Game of Thrones, Goblin Emperor, or a Memory Called Empire

For Adult Romance

  • Pretty much all subgenres that are traditionally published
    • but historical needs to have a high concept, a nice hook, and/or a great voice for me
  • I prefer romance books with a medium or high heat level, or a lot of sexual tension
  • No pregnancy or baby-based storylines, please (it’s not triggering, I’m just not interested!)
  • Romance has a happy romantic ending, by definition

For nonfiction

  • Primarily interested in books with a social justice angle, progressive thought leadership OR
  • Books that provide a new perspective on culture, food, current affairs, finance, food, history, science, nature, or relationships.
  • Author platform is very important
  • Especially interested in disabled or neurodiverse creators, especially those writing from an intersectional lens
  • If the book could’ve been an older You’re Wrong About episode, I’d like to see it
  • Other areas of interest: scam/fraud, capitalism, labor interests, chronic illness, environmental/climate change, cryptids, non-murder mysteries, relationship equity, or books that make me FASCINATED with a topic I previously didn’t care about (a la THE JOY OF SWEAT)
  • Nos: parenting, religion, memoirs without one of the first two bullet points.

Not for me:

  • Hardcore genre horror (horror elements are ok! Horror in MG is great)
  • I am not interested in stories that center around who gets to rule an empire
  • I cannot read stories that center around sexual assault or have on-the-page rape scenes
  • Graphic Novels
  • Portal fantasies unless it’s really unique
  • Stories set in recent historical times (80s, 90s, aughts) need to have a solid reason for the time period for me
  • Any adult genres not listed above (i.e. non-speculative books need to be genre romance. other adult genres that “have a romance” are not for me.)
  • Disabled characters who serve solely as an able-bodied main character’s catalyst.
  • If the main motivation is related to being a parent, it’s probably not for me.
  • Romances between a minor and a non-minor that are not critiqued on-the-page

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Rachel Estep of D4EO Literary Agency

Rachel Estep is a literary agent with D4EO Literary Agency.

She is seeking: literary fiction; mainstream fiction; all types of middle grade and young adult (especially that centers underrepresented voices); voicey, high-stakes psychological thrillers; stories that mess with your head in the best way; gothic fiction that blends deep senses of foreboding with modern themes; true crime projects that dig deeper than the headlines and center empathy alongside the horror; queer romcoms that bring the banter, the swoon, the spice, and a whole lot of heart; historical fiction driven by complex, unforgettable women in the style of Marie Benedict.

Rachel brings a passion for sharp storytelling, vibrant voices, and fierce author advocacy. A lifelong book lover, Rachel’s path to publishing began with a pandemic-era BookTok and led to her role as a bookseller, event coordinator, and now agent. She lives on a small Ohio homestead with her husband, two kids, her parents, and an entire animal kingdom that includes dogs, cats, ducks, and a turkey. As a Jewish and Bisexual woman raised in the Midwest, and now a mom to a disabled and medically fragile child, Rachel is deeply committed to uplifting underrepresented voices and helping storytellers thrive.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Amanda Wooden of SBR Media

Amanda Wooden is a literary agent with SBR Media.

“I am open to all sub tropes of Romance (contemporary, sports, new adult, suspense, etc.), Romantasy, Young Adult Romance, Women’s Fiction and more. I am looking for strong authors whose writing is unique and marketable. I may consider other genres/tropes outside of those listed. I am also open to health & sports nonfiction.”

Amanda found her love for reading when her husband was deployed in 2013, and it has continued to grow over the years. She has been a book reviewer, blogger, Author PA, graphic designer, and more. Her continued love of working with authors and helping them grow is what led her to becoming a literary agent at SBR Media.

When not reading or working, Amanda has four very busy kids at home in Kentucky. Her husband of over 20 years has now retired from the military and they love to go to baseball games, camping, and of course follow their kids to all of their school and sporting events.

Get to Know an Agent in Attendance: Elisa Moles of Painted Fire Literary Agency

Elisa Moles is a literary agent with Painted Fire Literary Agency.

She is seeking: Especially interested in upmarket fiction. “In one word, what defines fantastic fiction narrative? Consequences. Consequences give structure. And stories with cohesive and creative structures, true to each writer’s background and voice, stand the test of time beyond the trendy topics and gimmicks of the day. I especially love psychologically complex characters. I’m looking for distinctive and compassionate voices who are telling organically unexpected stories in a wide variety of styles and genres. Surprise me.”

Please do not send: nonfiction, poetry, children’s books, middle grade, YA, graphic novels, screenplays, westerns, horror, nihilist, or erotic work.

A graduate of the Denver Publishing Institute, Elisa has fifteen years of distinctive experience coaching, developing, and elevating artists of all types. Her background in academia (with a doctorate in music performance and literature) has given her a comfort with diverse settings and voices, a critical eye, and an ability to “find the gap” in the marketplace for the written word. An agent must come to each writer on an individual basis, dependent upon their particular skills, personalities, needs, and aspirations. Working on art demands a tailored experience. This methodical process requires a true love for the hero’s journey that every artist travels. Elisa has a long history of editing and developing writers; currently, in the nonfiction sphere, she is an editor at The Collective, an online quarterly publication for musicians and artists that prizes critical writing, diverse thinking, and underrepresented voices. As a classical musician, Elisa has always understood what it takes for artist professionals to succeed; she has built Painted Fire to be an agency whose goal is not only to sell books, but to provide writers with the tools and community they need to maintain a lifestyle of creative productivity. There is a cacophony of content — a creative and empathetic representative acts to make sure the right work is heard above the noise.

“Needless to say, we are an equal opportunity agency and welcome submissions from all backgrounds, walks of life, and experience paradigms.”

No previously self-published works please.

Tips For Pitching Your Book at the 2026 IWW

If you are coming to the 2026 Indiana Writing Workshop, you may be thinking about pitching our agent-in-attendance or editor-in-attendance. An in-person pitch is an excellent way to get an agent excited about both you and your work. Here are some tips (from a previous year’s instructor, Chuck Sambuchino) that will help you pitch your work effectively at the event during a 10-minute consultation. Chuck advises that you should:

  • Try to keep your pitch to 90 seconds. Keeping your pitch concise and short is beneficial because 1) it shows you are in command of the story and what your book is about; and 2) it allows plenty of time for back-and-forth discussion between you and the agent. Note: If you’re writing nonfiction, and therefore have to speak plenty about yourself and your platform, then your pitch can certainly run longer.
  • Practice before you get to the event. Say your pitch out loud, and even try it out on fellow writers. Feedback from peers will help you figure out if your pitch is confusing, or missing critical elements. Remember to focus on what makes your story unique. Mystery novels, for example, all follow a similar formula — so the elements that make yours unique and interesting will need to shine during the pitch to make your book stand out.
  • Do not give away the ending. If you pick up a DVD for Die Hard, does it say “John McClane wins at the end”? No. Because if it did, you wouldn’t buy the movie. Pitches are designed to leave the ending unanswered, much like the back of any DVD box you read.
  • Have some questions ready. 10 minutes is plenty of time to pitch and discuss your book, so there is a good chance you will be done pitching early. At that point, you are free to ask the agent questions about writing, publishing or craft. The meeting is both a pitch session and a consultation, so feel free to ask whatever you like as long as it pertains to writing.
  • Remember to hit the big beats of a pitch. Everyone’s pitch will be different, but the main elements to hit are 1) introducing the main character(s) and telling us about them, 2) saying what goes wrong that sets the story into motion, 3) explaining how the main character sets off to make things right and solve the problem, 4) explaining the stakes — i.e., what happens if the main character fails, and 5) ending with an unclear wrap-up.