Pitch-O-Rama Prep Workshop & AMA
Thursday, April 2 at 12 – 1pm PDT
A FREE Virtual Event: REGISTER HERE
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!
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.
To register, please visit the event page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page!
Saturday, April 25, 2026, 8:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. PT
23 Years of Pitch-O-Rama Success!
Are you developing a concept for a new book? Do you have a manuscript in progress? Have you always wanted to publish that book you’ve been working on for years? If this sounds like you, we would love to invite you to Pitch-O-Rama 2026! Everyone is welcome to participate!
We are happy to announce we will be hosting the next Pitch-O-Rama as a virtual event on April 25th, 2026, where writers will be given the opportunity to pitch their works to agents and editors for publication.
New to Pitch-O-Rama? Pitch-O-Rama is an annual event where we bring in a set of publishing professionals to share their knowledge of the publishing industry. During the event, you will be able to practice your pitch with coaches and fellow writers, and then share that pitch with an expert who will provide advice on taking your writing project to the next level. A chance like this is an invaluable learning experience that could put you on the path to publication. We hope to see you there!
Testimonials from Past Participants
“Pitch-O-Rama was not only helpful, but fun, with lots of laughter, networking, and relevant information. As a newbie, I felt at home and am pitching the WNBA to my friends and colleagues. Go women writers! WNBA, you rock!” – Susan Allison
“I participated in the WNBA-SF Pitch-o-Rama in 2021. At the time, I’d almost completed my memoir, From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction. I worked hard on my pitch and three of the agents asked me to submit to them. Several months later, with the manuscript polished and ready to go, I did so. Even though other agents were interested, I signed with Anne Marie O’Farrell, whom I had met via the WNBA event. Working with both Anne Marie and Caroline Fanelli at her agency, I added an appendix to the manuscript, and they started submitting. Less than three months later, I signed with HCI (Health Communications Inc.), which specializes in recovery and self-help books.” – Mary Beth O’Connor
“I will always be incredibly grateful to WNBA for the Pitch-O-Rama. Several years ago, I was struggling to get an agent. I had a toddler at home, and I was sure I had missed the boat. Here in the Bay Area, there are many talented writers, but very little access to literary agents. There were big pitch conferences in New York and other parts of the US. But at the time, I couldn’t travel because I had such limited time and money as a new mom. I was pining away on my computer, querying agents and drowning in the isolation. I found out about the Pitch-O-Rama, and immediately registered.” – Aya De Leon
Special Pricing
Registration is $95 for WNBA-SF members and $145 for non-members! If you’d like to take advantage of member pricing, visit our website to learn more about the benefits of WNBA-SF membership and join the chapter’s community!
To register, please visit the event page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page!
Remember to follow WNBA-SF on Instagram @wnba_sanfrancisco to stay connected and current on our events, interviews, and other activities!
On March 26, join the Women’s National Book Association – San Francisco Chapter for a LinkedIn for Authors Lunch N Learn — a strategic conversation about using LinkedIn to grow your visibility, authority, and publishing opportunities.
Featuring Debra Eckerling, Jim Lauria, and Randy Peyser, this session will explore how LinkedIn can help you:
- Demonstrate expertise in your subject area
- Grow a professional audience aligned with your book
- Create momentum that supports proposals, pitches, and platform
- Build credibility before your book launches
- Attract agents, editors, podcasters, and collaborators
LinkedIn is one of the most powerful visibility tools available to nonfiction authors and thought leaders. When used intentionally, it becomes a relationship-building engine that supports your long-term publishing goals.
No matter what your stage in the publishing process, you’ll leave with practical strategies you can implement immediately.
Debra Eckerling is a goal strategist, author, and book proposal expert who helps writers transform their ideas into sellable book proposals. The founder of The DEB Method for goal-setting simplified, Debra specializes in guiding clients from concept to proposal with clarity, confidence, and direction. Debra is the author of Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals and 52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting, and hosts The Book Proposal Podcast and Book Proposals Simplified on Substack. She is also a regular contributor to and speaker for WritersDigest.com. Learn more at TheBookProposalExpert.com a
Jim Lauria is an international business executive, author, and water industry thought leader who has been an active LinkedIn member since 2004, building a community of over 12,000 followers and 4,500 subscribers to his LinkedIn newsletter To Know Water Is to Love Water. A chemical engineer by training, Jim has leveraged LinkedIn to establish himself as a leading voice in the water space publishing feature and cover articles for top industry publications, co-hosting the podcast Water We Talking About?, reviewing 75+ water books, and posting a daily water quote for over 500 consecutive days. He is also the author of How to Get Your Money Back From Big Companies and has used LinkedIn strategically to attract consulting clients, speaking engagements, and collaborations across the global water sector. Jim lives in Napa, California, and looks forward to sharing the practical LinkedIn strategies that have fueled his publishing and professional journey. Connect with him at linkedin.com/in/jimlauria.
Randy Peyser edits and ghostwrites books and gets authors book deals with literary agents and publishers. Her clients have been featured on Hallmark TV and Daily Mail TV, in Oprah, Cosmo and TIME Magazines, on the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller Lists, in airport bookstores and FedEx/Office and Office Max stores. She is the author of Crappy to Happy as featured in the movie, “Eat Pray Love”; The Power of Miracle Thinking; and The Write-a-Book Program. www.AuthorOneStop.comTo register, please visit the event page and fill out the form at the bottom of the page!
Perfect your book pitch with expert guidance!
Your Pitch. Perfected.
In this interactive Pitch Clinic, publisher Brenda Knight (Books that Save Lives) and book proposal strategist Debra Eckerling (TheBookProposalExpert.com) team up to help authors refine and strengthen their pitches in real time. Whether you’re preparing for a conference or Pitch-O-Rama; a meeting with an agent or publisher; or an email submission, this session will give you the tools and confidence to make your pitch stand out.
Brenda Knight, Publisher, Books That Save Lives, and President of WNBA-SF Chapter, is a longtime publisher and industry veteran, who draws on decades of experience acquiring and publishing bestselling and award-winning titles. She offers an insider-perspective on what agents and publishers are really looking for — and what makes a pitch irresistible.
Debra Eckerling, TheBookProposalExpert.com, brings her talent for helping writers clarify their ideas, define their audience, and communicate their book’s value with confidence. The author of Your Goal Guide and 52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting, Debra helps writers, entrepreneurs, and consultants turn their compelling book concepts into strong, strategic proposals that sell.
Together, Brenda and Debra provide practical feedback, actionable advice, and professional insights designed to help you pitch your book like a pro.
To learn more about Pitch Clinic, please visit the event page!
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B. Lynn Goodwin wrote three award-winning books, a YA called Talent, a sequel called Disrupted, plus a memoir titled Never Too Late: From Wannabe to Wife at 62. She writes author interviews, book reviews and articles for WriterAdvice, 
The Women’s National Book Association is now inviting members to participate as volunteer readers for the 2026 Great Group Reads (GGR) program!
