Pitch a Literary Agent LIVE - Registration Open
Some of RC1’s favorite literary agents are offering direct access, real feedback, and industry connections at our upcoming virtual summit. This is your chance to get your pitch and first pages in front a literary agent with a live 1-on-1 critique. The event includes:
1-to-1 Agent Critiques via Zoom
Snag a seat with one of our guest agents who will have read your pitch and first pages in advance.
Live Online Workshops & Panels
Learn exactly what agents look for, what makes a query irresistible, and how to stand out in a crowded inbox.
Tools to Use Again and Again
Full participants get access to RC1’s entire Total Story Accelerator curriculum, with best-in-class learning available 24/7.
Registration Is Open!
Critique slots are first come first serve. Register early for your first choice agent for your 1-on-1!
Watch Only
Not ready for agent critique but still want to learn? Sign up as a view-only participant.
$197
one-time payment
- All Live Group Sessions
- All Live Event Downloads
Pro Members
For serious writers actively querying their manuscript to agents and editors.
$347
one-time payment
- Self-Led Pre-Conference Workshop
- Pre-Conference Office Hours
- All Live Group Sessions
- All Live Event Downloads
- Agent Redlight Greenlight
- Agent 1-on-1
Non-Members
Your purchase includes a year of RC1 Pro, with everything that membership offers.
$447
one-time payment
- Everything Shown in Member Pricing
- PLUS RC1 Member Benefits:
- Monthly Agent Challenges
- Pro Feedback Forums
- Master Class Library
Not sure yet? Get more info via email.
Pre-Conference Activities
The DNA of a Compelling Chapter 1
Self-Paced | Turn in Pitch & Pages by October 15
An agent is about to read your opening scene. If your first sentence, paragraph, and page don’t hook them, the rest won’t matter. Learn what agents look for in an opening chapter, from character introduction and inciting incident to narrative voice and closing tension. You’ll have tips and tools to ensure your first chapter compels them to turn the page.
Optional Office Hours
Scheduled Bi-Weekly
Want to test-drive your pitch or a page from your manuscript? During Optional Office Hours, you can bring a page to read aloud, share your pitch, or ask craft and industry questions in a supportive group setting. Our team will offer live feedback and quick-hit advice so you leave with clear, actionable next steps to prep for the conference.
Saturday, October 18
Agent Red Light Green Light
9 – 10:30 a.m.
Take a peek behind the curtain of an agent’s decision-making process as our agent panel reads through participants’ initial pitches. In this high-energy session, agents will share whether they’d request more or pass—and most importantly, why. The panel will read as many pre-submitted pitches as possible, selected in conference sign-up order.
Session 1: Story Ideas That Sell
10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Before you type a single word, your story needs a concept that lines up with what publishers and readers love. In this session, we’ll break down the traits of commercially viable book ideas. Whether trendy or timeless, you’ll learn how to frame your concept so agents and publishers instantly see its potential in the current market.
Session 2: From Logline to Jacket Flap
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Your logline and jacket copy can make or break your pitch. This session shows you how to distill your story’s heart into a one-sentence hook, then expand it into a compelling pitch that would make a reader pull your book off the shelf. We’ll work through real examples to show how small changes can make big differences in grabbing attention.
Break
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Session 3: Packaging Your Pitch
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
In a winning query, every element of the pitch package works together as one irresistible submission. In this session, we’ll walk through how to organize and polish these elements so that they complement each other and make the strongest case for your book. You’ll learn to highlight your story’s unique appeal without overselling or underselling your work.
Session 4: Pitch, Polish, Repeat
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
This is the cycle that turns promising manuscripts into publishable books. Let’s dig into the iterative nature of revision, showing you how to pinpoint story problems, make targeted revisions, and head back out on query stronger each time.
Ask Us Anything: All Your Questions Answered
3:30 – 4:15 p.m.
Got questions about querying, pitching, or navigating the industry? This open Q&A is your chance to get answers directly from our workshop leaders. Bring your most burning questions and leave with clarity.
Work on Your Pitch!
4:15 – 5:00 p.m.
Now it’s your turn. Take what you’ve learned throughout the day and refine your pitch in preparation for tomorrow’s one-on-one agent session. Please note: The agents will have read your initial pitch and first pages. They’re expecting to discuss both and/or to critique your revised pitch live. We’ll be standing by with open office hours and our fingers crossed for you.
Friday, October 24 + Saturday, November 8
1-to-1 Pitch Sessions
October 24 | Alec Shane + Michaela Whatnall
November 8 | James Mustelier, Amy Bishop Wycisk, + Natalie Kimber
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
This is your moment. You’ll have a 15-minute private Zoom meeting with your pre-selected agent, who will have already read your pitch and sample pages. They’ll provide direct, actionable feedback on your work and, if they’re intrigued, may request more. Either way, you’ll walk away with insider insights to strengthen your path forward.
Level Up After the Conference
RC1 Members have 24/7 access to best-in-class learning. Our exclusive master class library walks you though every step in the novel writing process with a deep focus on creating market-ready fiction poised for a publishing sale. Writers who complete this coursework are consistently among the top performers in our entire ecosystem!
Video interviews with industry insiders
Written guides with pro tips and techniques
Worksheets to use with every new story
Story Ideas That Sell
Unforgettable Characters
Plotting with Malicious Intent
Scenes: The Building Blocks of Story
Discovering Voice
Dialogue Decoded
Advanced Worldbuilding
Pacing and Tension
Critical Revision
Querying for Success
The RC1 Transformation
Everything about Ready Chapter 1 is designed to help you become a market-ready writer without spending years stuck in a rejection cycle.
Beginning Writer
- "I don't know what story to write."
- "I'm working alone and losing steam."
- "My friends love my work but editors ghost me."
- "I've rewritten this novel 5 times with no requests."
- "I'm stuck in a cycle of rejection."
Market-Ready Writer
- "I have a market-fit story no one else can tell."
- "I found a supportive tribe of serious writers."
- "I know exactly what to revise and how."
- "I'm pitching polished work and getting requests."
- "I'm on a direct path to agents and editors."
Recent Sales by RC1 Writers
Publishers acquire books that are READY. Everything about the RC1 ecosystem pushes our writers to develop fresh, market-ready stories. It’s why top agents and editors actively engage with our community. We deliver the talent they’re looking to publish.
