Thursday, May 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m. ET
Penguin Random House, 1745 Broadway (between 55th & 56th Streets), Cerf-Lane Room, NYC
$20 for WMG members and partner organizations; $25 for non-members; $10 for active Scholars
Many authors and publishing insiders know this shortcut to a big book deal: publish a standout essay in a major outlet like The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, or New York Magazine. It’s far easier to write and publish a brilliant three-page piece than a 300-page book. And that single article, whether fiction or nonfiction, can attract literary agents and editors to you, saving years of searching and rejection and fast-tracking your path to a deal.
The challenge is knowing what to write, how to shape the article, where to submit, and how to make the most of the opportunity once it’s published. In this panel, agents, authors, and editors will break down how it really works and how to turn one great piece into real momentum.
Meet the speakers:
Judy Batalion, originally from Montreal, studied at Harvard, then moved to London to purse a PhD in Art History. She’s written for The Washington Post, Vogue, Salon, and The New York Times, where an essay launched her debut memoir, White Walls: A Memoir of Motherhood, Daughterhood and the Mess in Between. Her second book, The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos, was a New York Times bestseller and won a Jewish Book Award. Her debut novel, The Last Woman of Warsaw, is just out from Dutton. Judy lives in New York with her husband and three kids.
Tiffanie Drayton, originally from Trinidad, is a writer, ghostwriter, mom of two in New Jersey, and a divorce coach who helps women navigate life transitions with clarity and power. She is the author of Black American Refugee: Escaping the Narcissism of the American Dream, based on her viral New York Times Opinion piece. Tiffanie work explores identity, race, and reinvention, guiding women toward more intentional and liberated lives. Follow her on Instagram at @draytontiffanie.
Brooklynite Miya (Mee-ya) Lee is the editor of Modern Love projects at The New York Times, where she evaluates and edits submissions to Modern Love and Tiny Love Stories. She is involved in all other aspects of the franchise, from podcast to television. She’s co-editor of Tiny Love Stories: True Tales of Love in 100 Words or Less from Artisan Press. Before joining the Times, Miya interned at Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Art21, and The Delacorte Review at the Columbia Journalism School.
Kate McKean is a literary agent at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency in Brooklyn. She earned her MA in Fiction Writing at the University of Southern Mississippi. Her work has appeared in Poets & Writers, Electric Literature, and Catapult, and her book, Write Through It: An Insider's Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life, was published by Simon Element. Next month, Sourcebooks will publish her picture book, Pay Attention to Me. She writes the Agents & Books newsletter at agentsandbooks.com. Kate lives in Brooklyn with her husband, kid, and many books.
Danielle Perez was an executive editor at Penguin Random House, where she worked at Berkley, Bantam, and Dutton. She has more than 20 years' experience acquiring and editing fiction and nonfiction by many New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors, including Deanna Raybourn, Simone St. James, Fiona Barton, Patti Callahan Henry, Rita Mae Brown, Jordan Belfort, James Van Praagh, and Susan Shapiro. Danielle is now a freelance editor in Manhattan, where she lives with her husband and their dog.
Meet the moderator:
Susan Shapiro is the bestselling author/coauthor of books her family hates, like The Bosnia List, Lighting Up, and Five Men Who Broke My Heart (from PRH), which was recently optioned for a movie. She writes for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Slate, Salon, Newsweek, The Cut, Wired, Oprah Daily, and The New Yorker. She lives with her husband in Greenwich Village and has taught writing at NYU, The New School, and Columbia University’s MFA program, using her practical guides, Byline Bible and Book Bible, to help students of all ages publish. Follow Susan on Instagram @profsue123 or email Profsue123@gmail.com.
Refunds available up to 48 hours before the event. No refunds for cancellations made within 48 hours of the event.
