Thursday, April 2 at 12 – 1pm PDT
Online via Zoom
Pre-Pitch Coaching Session
Registration is free for anyone already signed up for Pitch-O-Rama 2026. If you haven’t, prices are $10 for WNBA-SF members and $25 for non-members, so register today to secure your spot in both events!
We are VERY excited to hold our sixth virtual Pitch-O-Rama which is looking to be a fabulous event with new agents and editors including those from the New York publishing world. And, since it is virtual, we have many new writers joining us, hailing from all over the country and even a couple of international guests. We have received many questions and suggestions which resulted in this Pre Pitch session.
WNBA-SF stalwarts who have run Pitch-O-Rama for many years will tell you what to expect, tips and strategies for inspired pitching, and how to get the most from this mini-writers conference.
Hosted by WNBASF Chapter President and award-winning publisher Brenda Knight, this event will feature experts who can answer any question you have, so make your list now! She will share what editors and agents are looking for, and how to position your project so it will garner real interest from acquiring editors and literary agents.
Steeped in Pitch-O-Rama history, Kate Farrell will offer insight into effective pitches and the kind of good advice only an experienced author and pitch event coordinator can provide.
Another Pitch-O-Rama veteran and expert on excellent first impressions, Judy M. Baker helps authors present their books professionally on Zoom, manage pre-pitch nerves, and deliver compelling pitches that make agents and publishers want to hear more.
There’s the book you’ve written and the book a publisher will buy. Are they the same book? Learn how yours can be one that will attract an agent and a publishing deal!
Agent Paul Levine will speak to what literary agents need to know from your pitch and what they are looking for. Offering a wide range of services to clients, Levine opened and operated the Paul S. Levine Literary Agency in Los Angeles.
Goal setting expert Debra Eckerling will share tips for networking in the fast-moving, virtual space.
Every year, writers find agents, get publishing deals and get excellent feedback that advances their writing careers. This year, it can be you!
REGISTER HERE!
April 2 – Pitch-O-Rama Prep Workshop
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Distinguished Panelists
Brenda Knight, author of Women of the Beat Generation, began her publishing career at HarperCollins working with luminaries including Paolo Coehlo, Marianne Williamson, Mark Nepo, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Knight was awarded IndieFab’s Publisher of the Year at the American Library Association in 2014. She is the author of Random Acts of Kindness, Be a Good in the World, and Women of the Beat Generation which won the American Book Award. She is President of WNBA-SF Chapter.
Kate Farrell, author, storyteller, and educator founded the Word Weaving Storytelling Project and published numerous educational materials on storytelling. She has contributed to and edited award-winning anthologies of personal narrative. Her award-winning new book is a how-to guide on the art of storytelling for adults, Story Power: Secrets to Creating, Crafting, and Telling Memorable Stories. She offers workshops on storytelling and the heroine’s journey for libraries and writing groups here.
Debra Eckerling is The Book Proposal Expert, a book proposal specialist who helps authors clarify their message, develop their content, and craft proposals that get noticed. She is the author of Your Goal Guide and 52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting, host of GoalChat and the Book Proposal Podcast, and the creator of The DEB Method for goal-setting simplified. Debra has spent years helping writers, entrepreneurs, and experts turn their ideas into compelling book plans that get noticed by agents and publishers. Learn more at TheBookProposalExpert.com
Judy M. Baker is the creator of the Buzzworthy Book Experience. She has coached hundreds of authors, guiding them from “where do I start” to “how do I make money from my books?” since 2011. “Marketing is a conversation and everyone is in sales” are lessons she learned when working with wine pioneer Robert Mondavi. Presentations to the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association, Redwood Writers, Napa Valley Writers, Women’s National Book Association, and the Bay Area Consultants Networks have earned praise. Judy wrote and self-published her first book at 16. Her stories and poetry appear in anthologies from CWC Press, Redwood Writers Press, and Napa Valley Writers. Judy is Immediate Past President of Redwood Writers, the largest chapter of the California Writers Clubs. She also served as president of the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association.
Paul S. Levine “wears two hats:” he is a lawyer (www.paulslevine.com) and a literary agent (www.paulslevinelit.com). Mr. Levine has practiced entertainment law for more than 40 years and established his first solo practice in 1992. Seeing an underserved niche on the West Coast, he decided early on to focus on serving book authors. Seeking to expand the range of services he could offer his clients to include the representation of books, Levine opened The Paul S. Levine Literary Agency in 1996, which he has recently expanded. With a preference for politically and socially important works, he represents more than 200 book authors, the vast majority of whom are new, unpublished, or self-published writers. For Levine, the most rewarding moment is holding his client’s published book in his hands at a well-attended book signing and seeing the smile on his client’s face. Enjoying public speaking and teaching, Levine presents extensively at writers’ conferences throughout the country and at entertainment law-related classes and seminars.
Remember to take advantage of this unique opportunity to pitch your book idea to agents, publishers, and editors by registering for Pitch-O-Rama 2026!
Brenda Knight is a distinguished publishing professional with more than 25 years of experience, currently serving as Publisher at Books That Save Lives and President of the Women’s National Book Association, San Francisco Chapter. Starting at HarperCollins, she worked with luminaries like Paulo Coelho, Deepak Chopra, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, honing her editorial expertise. In 2015, she was named IndieFab’s Publisher of the Year for her innovative leadership.
Debra Eckerling is a goal strategist, author, and book proposal expert who helps writers, entrepreneurs, and consultants transform their ideas into sellable books. The founder of The DEB Method for goal-setting simplified, Debra specializes in guiding clients from concept to proposal with clarity, confidence, and direction. With more than two decades of experience leading workshops, coaching thought leaders, and consulting with organizations, Debra has a knack for helping busy professionals develop, organize, and articulate their ideas in a way that resonates.
