WNBA-SF Author Platform
Thursday, April 16 at 12 pm PDT
FREE Virtual Event: Register Here!
Unable to attend? No worries. Register anyway and receive the replay!
A strong author platform is a key component of securing a book deal — and an essential part of a successful pitch. Join the Women’s National Book Association – San Francisco Chapter for a Lunch N Learn focused on how to build, position, and communicate your platform in ways that resonate with agents and publishers.
In our final ramp up to our virtual Pitch-O-Rama, this session will explore how platform factors into pitching your book and why publishing professionals are looking beyond the idea to the audience behind it. Featuring Debra Eckerling, Dr. Judith Briles, Kat Neff, and Kim Stewart, the discussion will cover what platform really means, how to demonstrate your reach and authority, and how to present it effectively in both proposals and live pitches.
Whether you are preparing for Pitch-o-Rama, querying agents, or refining your proposal, this session offers practical, industry-informed guidance to strengthen your position.
About the Speakers
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 a
Dr. Judith Briles is the award-winning and best-selling author of 48 books earning over 60 book awards and recently awarded the Author Laureate honor. To date, her books have been translated into 17 countries with over 1,000,000 copies sold! Judith’s books, and work, have been featured in over 1,500 radio and TV shows. She is the host of the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing podcast that has received over 21 million downloads, posts less than three minute “how to publish and market” videos daily on her YouTube channel Dr. Judith Briles-The Book Shepherd and is the founder of the Colorado’s Authors’ Hall of Fame. Today, she will explore the wide, wide world of book marketing that leads to author success … that is, if you do it.
With more than 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, Kat Neff has built a career spanning sales, marketing, and publicity. She has served on educational panels, contributed to industry programming, and held leadership roles within organizations such as the Minnesota Book Publishing Roundtable, bringing a wealth of knowledge in book promotion and media relations. Kat offers a practical, insider perspective on how authors can successfully position themselves and their work in today’s competitive publishing landscape.
Kim Stewart is a book marketing strategist for nonfiction authors and host of the Book Marketing Mania podcast. She helps you reach more readers as a podcast host and guest. When she’s not strategizing with clients or binge listening to podcasts, you’ll find her enjoying family time and indulging in coffee, caramel and Friends reruns. kimstewartmarketing.
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!
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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