This event is for writers with a finished or near-finished manuscript ready to query agents and editors. Get live agent feedback, insider workshops, and limited 1-on-1 critique slots at our virtual Agent Summit.
Registration is open. Critique slots are limited and always sell out.
REGISTRATION CLOSED - SOLD OUT
Join our email list for notifications about our next summit. Email list members ☝ get first pick during agent selection and early bird pricing (save $100+). Bonus! You’ll get immediate access to the Writers Roadmap for free. This ebook guide walks through every step in the publishing process from your big idea to your first book deal.
Agents & Editors Taking Pitch Meetings
Sasha Landauer
Writers House
Sasha represents adult fiction and nonfiction with a focus on strong voice and narrative momentum. She gravitates toward upmarket and commercial fiction as well as select nonfiction, and is not seeking children’s or YA projects.
Jesse Byrd
Moonbeam Literary & Media
Co-founder of Moonbeam Literary & Media, Jesse champions children’s and family-centric storytelling across books and media. He is especially drawn to projects that uplift young readers and support diverse voices through inclusive creative development.
Sera Rivers
Speilburg Literary Agency
Sera represents middle grade, young adult, and select adult fiction, with an emphasis on emotionally resonant, voice-driven stories. She is especially interested in speculative, contemporary, and culturally grounded work, and is not seeking picture books by authors alone.
James Mustelier
The Bent Agency
James represents adult and YA fiction and nonfiction with a strong narrative hook and sharp execution. He gravitates toward mysteries, thrillers, speculative fiction, and culturally grounded nonfiction, and is less interested in epic fantasy or overly experimental prose.
Melanie Figueroa
Root Literary
Melanie represents middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction, with a love for immersive, voice-forward storytelling. She is drawn to genre-blending work with emotional depth and crossover appeal, and does not represent nonfiction or picture books.
Josh Sippie
HarperAlley (Editor)
Josh is an editor at HarperAlley focused on graphic novels and manga for all ages. He looks for visually dynamic, reader-engaging comics and, while not a fit to acquire traditional prose manuscripts, he loves to talk story with writers of all genres.
Linda Camacho
Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency
Linda represents children’s, YA, and adult fiction across a wide range of genres, from romance and fantasy to horror and upmarket fiction. She is open to picture books from author-illustrators, but does not represent early readers, poetry, or screenplays.
Ryan Van Cleave
Bushel & Peck (Editor)
Ryan is the Editorial Director at Bushel & Peck Books, where he focuses on innovative and beautiful “kidlit” for readers of all ages. Known in the industry as The Picture Book Doctor, he is always on the prowl for fresh stories to acquire and professional connections with talented authors.
Alice Speilburg
Speilburg Literary
Founder of Speilburg Literary, Alice represents a wide range of commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. She is particularly drawn to stories with a strong sense of place, unique voices, and historical or mystery elements, and is not currently looking for science fiction or fantasy.
Tianna Kelly
Neighborhood Literary
Tianna represents MG, YA, and adult fiction with high-stakes hooks and commercial appeal. She is especially drawn to contemporary stories, romances, and speculative fiction that feature underrepresented voices, and is less interested in quiet, internal character studies or hard sci-fi.
Eva Scalzo
Speilburg Literary
Eva is a senior agent specializing in romance across all subgenres, as well as YA and adult fiction. She looks for strong character development and a guaranteed HEA/HFN. She is particularly fond of sports romance and diverse contemporary stories, and does not represent nonfiction.
Julia Kim
The Rights Factory
Julia is looking for literary fiction, upmarket fiction, and select genre fiction (crime, mystery, speculative, horror, historical) as well as a wide range of nonfiction topics including history, politics, current affairs, women’s issues, self-help, travel, true crime, psychology, memoir, health, fitness and more.
Additional Faculty
TBA
Additional Faculty
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Additional Faculty
TBA
Registration is Open
Our event includes:
Pre-Conference Office Hours
Practice your pitch with pro assistance from publishing industry veterans.Live Agent-Led Workshops
Learn exactly what publishers are looking for, what makes a query irresistible, and how to stand out in a crowded inbox.
1-to-1 Agent Meeting via Zoom
After the conference, you’ll have a week to polish your work before submitting to your selected agent or editor ahead of your 1-on-1.Join the waitlist to receive a confirmation email followed by updates as we add more faculty and prepare to open early bird registration.
See What Past Attendees Are Saying:
Presented by: Readerful & RC1
Ready Chapter 1 is a worldwide writing community turning the next generation of storytellers into market-ready writers. This year, we welcome Readerful as our event sponsor. Readerful is a new digital publishing platform launching in 2026 where any writer at any stage can post their stories, build an audience, and turn fans into funders BEFORE the book is published.
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.
