Hello, writers!

It's time for your next 2026 Agents & Editors Conference update! It's about six weeks away, and we're so excited to see you. In this email, you'll find important information about purchasing a consultation appointment with our stellar lineup of visiting agents and editors, along with other important information and reminders to help you and us plan and prepare for the big weekend.

Thank you in advance for reading all of the information here. There's many more updates to come, including more details about the official program, so be sure to add us to your contacts and keep an eye on your inbox.

See you soon!

Evan

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J Evan Parks

Executive Director

As a reminder, consultations are 10-minute one-on-one meetings with our featured agents and editors, a great opportunity to verbally pitch your work to an industry professional.

Please see below for slightly revised instructions on when and how many consultations will be made available for purchase.

If you registered for the conference BEFORE April 1, your window for claiming a complimentary consultation slot has now passed. The preference form was sent directly to your inbox at 12:00 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 22, and it was closed on Wednesday, May 9 at 5:00 PM CDT.

If we did not receive a preference form from you, you are still entitled to purchase a consultation and will receive the purchase form tomorrow, Wednesday May 13 at 12:00 PM CDT.

If we did receive a preference form from you, you will have an opportunity to purchase a second consultation on Monday, May 18 at 12:00 PM CDT.

If you registered APRIL 1st OR LATER, you will have the option of purchasing up one (1) consultation for $50 from Wednesday, May 13 through Monday, May 18. The form to provide us with your preferences and to make payment will be sent directly to your inbox tomorrow, Wednesday May 13 at 12:00 PM CDT.

Beginning Monday, May 18, all conference attendees will have an opportunity to purchase an additional consultation. The form to provide us with your preferences and to make payment will be sent to all registered attendees at 12:00 PM CDT on Monday, May 18.

This final form will remain open until all consultation appointments are filled.

Please note: Consultations will be assigned in the order in which completed forms are received. Once an agent or editor's appointment slots are filled, we will do our best to remove them from the form as promptly as possible. We hope this advanced notice of when the forms will be opened and sent to you will help you prepare and plan accordingly. You can find more information on the featured agents and editors attending the conference here and here, but we also highly recommend doing your own independent research to determine who may be the best fit for you. You can expect to receive your appointment details, including the date and time of your appointment(s) and who you will be meeting with, in late May or early June.

The following agents’ consultation slots are full: Jem Chambers-Black, Elizabeth Copps, Barbara Jones. Also, due to an unforeseen conflict, Will Evans is no longer able to participate in the conference, and is thus unable to offer consultations. 

Any questions? Now's the time to ask! But first, take a look at our FAQs. If you still have a question after you've read through the FAQs, email us at wlt@writersleague.org.

"Practice Makes Pitch Perfect" Presentation + Pitch Lab

Save the date! All 2026 A&E Conference attendees are invited to join us for a special pre-conference program on Tuesday, June 16, at 6:30 PM CDT on Zoom. We’ll start with a “Practice Makes Pitch Perfect” presentation aimed at helping you refine your pitch so that you have a concise and compelling response to “Tell me about your project” during the big weekend. Our presenters will go over the ABCs (really, the 4Cs) of pitching. From what to include in a short “elevator” pitch (tip: don’t really pitch in the elevator) to the additional talking points you’ll want to have at the ready, plus dos and don’ts and plenty of time for answers to your burning questions.

After the presentation, we’ll move into a Pitch Lab, which will include small breakout group opportunities to practice your pitch with other writers (which means you’ll also have the chance to meet some fellow attendees ahead of the big weekend).

No need to register or RSVP. all conference attendees have access to this session (a link to join the webinar will be sent the week of June 8). And if you can’t make the live event, don’t worry! The “Practice Makes Pitch Perfect” presentation will be recorded and a link to the recording will be shared with you the day after the event takes place.

Our presenters for the “Practice Makes Pitch Perfect” presentation are Lance Fitzgerald, VP of Content and Business Development at Penguin Random House Audio, & Becka Oliver, Director of Talent at Kevin Anderson & Associates.

Closing Luncheon

The 2026 Agents & Editors Conference will conclude on Sunday, June 28 with a closing luncheon, an opportunity to reflect on the weekend and to say goodbye to all your new conference friends. This luncheon is free with advanced RSVP. To reserve a seat at this luncheon, please RSVP here.

The deadline to RSVP for this luncheon is 11:59 PM CT on Friday, June 19, 2026. 

Keynote Luncheon

“All I Ever Wanted to Do Was Drive Tractor: From the Cotton Fields of West Texas to the New York Times Bestseller List” with Stephen Graham Jones

Join us for a special conference luncheon featuring an address by Stephen Graham Jones. All luncheon attendees will receive a three-course meal plus a complimentary copy of Buffalo Hunter Hunter, with a signing line to follow Stephen’s remarks. This is a ticketed event and seating is limited. Tickets are $60 per person.

Learn more and register here.

Required Attendee Form 

If you haven't already, please fill out this form at your earliest convenience. We will use the information on this form to print your conference name badge and to communicate with you ahead of the event, so please ensure that it is accurate and submitted in a timely manner.

Conference Hotel

The Hyatt Regency Austin is the 2026 conference hotel. The guest rooms offer spectacular views of Town Lake, downtown Austin, and the Hill Country. Rooms are available at a special group rate of $215/night (single or double) plus tax. The cut-off to register at this special rate is June 4, 2026, while rooms remain available. To reserve your room at the Hyatt Regency, click here. 

If you have any questions regarding the reservation system, we suggest you contact the Hyatt directly at 512-477-1234, but you're also welcome to reach out to us and we'll do our best to help. 

Any questions? Now's the time to ask! But first, take a look at our FAQs. If you still have a question after you've read through the FAQs, email us at wlt@writersleague.org.

WLT programming is supported in part by funding from our generous sponsors.