Registration Ends March 27
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.
Feedback sessions on Pitch and VIP tracks are limited and will sell out. Registration includes one (1) agent feedback session.
👩🎓 Education Track
- Includes Annual Membership ($129)
- Live Summit Workshop Access
- Agent Red/Green Light Panel
- Pre-Conference Office Hours
- 1-on-1 Agent Feedback
- Pitch & Pages Expert Review
- 1-on-1 Coaching Call
👩🎓 Education Track
- Live Summit Workshop Access
- Agent Green Light Panel
- Pre-Conference Office Hours
- 1-on-1 Agent Feedback
- Pitch & Pages Expert Review
- 1-on-1 Coaching Call
Not ready to decide? Join our email list ☝ to learn more about the summit and our amazing faculty. Bonus! You’ll get 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
TBA
Additional Faculty
TBA
Conference Schedule:
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Session 1: First Pages Dos and Don’ts with Alice Speilburg, Founder of Speilburg Literary
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. EST
The opening pages of a manuscript often determine whether an agent or editor will read two paragraphs, two chapters, or the full manuscript before making a decision on an author’s work. Literary Agent Alice Speilburg will offer insight to the way she and other industry professionals read sample chapters– what they look for, what makes them cringe, and what makes them jump up with excitement. Perfect for those who are about to send out their work for the first time, attendees will leave the workshop with a better understanding of common pitfalls and opening scenes to avoid, the keys to a compelling hook, and a strong start on how to craft an irresistible opening page.
Session 2: Craft Compelling First Pages with Tommy Dead, Agent at Rosecliff Literary
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EST
You’ve learned what to avoid in your opening pages. You’ve learned what elements to include. Now, learn how to do it. Between his work as an editor of literary magazines and now as an assistant agent, Tommy Dead is passionate about giving writers the tools they need to make their stories shine.
Break
Noon. – 1:00 p.m. ESTAgent Red Light Green Light w. Linda Camacho (Galt & Zacker) and Tianna Kelly (Neighborhood Literary)
1 – 2:30 p.m. EST
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 3: Query Dos and Don’ts with Linda Camacho of Galt & Zacker
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. EST
What makes an agent request pages, and what makes them pass? Drawing on two decades of experience, Linda Camacho of Galt & Zacker Literary Agency will share the dos and don’ts of crafting a stand-out query that positions your manuscript for success.
Session 4: Ask an Agent w. Sara Megibow, President of Megibow Literary Agency
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. EST
Sara will start by addressing questions she wishes writers would ask about the craft of writing and the querying process. She’ll then open the floor for a Q&A, giving attendees the chance to get their own questions answered.
Ask Us Anything: All Your Questions Answered
4:30 – 5:00 p.m. EST
Got questions about querying, pitching, or navigating the industry? This open Q&A is your chance to get answers directly from Fred and Sarah. Bring your most burning questions and leave with clarity.
Saturday, April 18, 2026
1-to-1 Pitch Sessions
1 p.m. – 5 p.m. EST
This is your moment. You’ll have a 15-minute, private Zoom meeting with your pre-selected agent, who will have already read your 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 verbal and written insider insights to strengthen your path forward.
We cannot guarantee what 15-minute slot you will be assigned on April 18. Please make sure that you are available any time between 1 – 5 pm EST before signing up for a slot.
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.
