New York Write to Pitch Reviews

"The conference was held at the Ripley-Grier Studios in Midtown Manhattan. I worked in Midtown for almost a decade. The area pulsed with vitality, exactly as I remember it. I was glad to be back. While we talked about writing and pitching in our class, we could hear a soprano and a pianist warming up. Classical music spilled out from another room. During breaks, we bumped into tap dancers and ballerinas, their outfits giving them away. While we lined up for our pitches, they did the same for their auditions. The creative energy and anxiety were palpable. It was great. I felt like I could do anything.

Attending the New York Write to Pitch conference is the best three-and-a-half-day investment I've made in my writing in a long time. I met a lot of interesting, smart, and creative people. I learned new things and unlearned” some misconceptions."

- Cindy Fazzi


"This conference experience was nothing short of an awakening for me... The session with Paula and Brendan Deneen was especially crucial in exposing critical flaws with my POV, protagonist and antagonist issues, and other necessary details for my pitch and within the story, which I realized in sharing with others later, I had tried to ignore or otherwise mask. One of the recurring things I shared with the other was that in the past, whenever I have had to make major revisions to my story, I've been angered and deterred from moving on, whereas now, after discovering I have even more intensive revisions to make, I am excited and filled with new energy."

- R. A. Savary


"Some hearts were broken and some treasured ideas were trashed by the faculty. But from the first hour of the first day, the faculty emphasized the cold facts and discouraging numbers of the trade, urging us to beat the odds by avoiding the errors and pitfalls of the amateurs. Now, there is some unavoidable tedium associated with such a gathering, when people are working on projects that seem silly or meaningless to you, but I found it helpful to pay attention to everyone's presentation in order to hone mine to a better polish. In doing so I discovered that the focus of my project needed to be compressed and a new angle of attack implemented. Honestly, I'm returning to work energized by the five days I spent and the aspiring writers I befriended."

- Burr Snyder from Algonkian Writer Conferences Reviews - Circa 2009 to 2012</a>


"The New York Write to Pitch Conference has opened my eyes to so many aspects of getting published that I wasn't aware of before or had heard contrary information that never ended up helping. The amount of effort Michael has put in to create a space where an author can feel part of a kindred group, be able to share their weirdest thoughts, and feel safe about feeling heard is just incredible."

- Meeta A. Pingle


"The New York pitch editors, especially Lyssa Keusch and Michelle Richter, were the most helpful professionals I've ever spoken to at a writer conference. Their advice helped me considerably, improved my hook and fortified my plot. After a long and often tiring trek through the world of New York Publishing and literary agents, the reality check worked. Thank you."

- Bonnie Carlins, writer and author


"I have been on a writing journey since 2014 and have invested thousands of dollars on the craft of writing. Until this moment, I can say with near certainty that most of that investing has been in vain.From the moment I read the first page of the New York Write to Pitch e-book, it has been one exploding lightbulb moment after another. Never have I seen things laid out in such a clear concise manner. Each time a new epiphany smacks me like an open-handed slap, I start on the first page of the manuscript and proceed with yet another draft. I have completed five more total revisions and feel almost prepared to step into the fray. Well done."

New York Write to Pitch e-Book

- Steve Dunn 


"Because of your conference I had 2 editors, one being Tessa Woodward, ask for my MS and/or pages and another forward my info to one of her associate editors at St. Martins. I was able to cross reference that with information on Publishers Marketplace and sent a query to an agent that worked with Tessa Woodward at Harper Collins. I sent her the first 50 pages and she was really excited about my work. She read the rest of it the next day and immediately sent me a contract. She is incredibly passionate about romance and my story. She is currently awaiting an answer from Rose Hillard at St. Martins. She thinks I have a long career ahead of me in romance writing and I am very excited to say the least. Her name is Emily Sylvan Kim and she is with The Prospect Agency."

- Amanda Greenfield


"A Life-Changing Experience - Leading to a Book Deal. If I could capture my experience at the New York Write to Pitch Conference in a single word, it would be "transformative." It's a unique blend of a supportive writing community and insightful mentorship that sparked a revolution in my writing approach. The preparatory reading assignments alone were worth their weight in gold. They stretched my understanding of narrative structure and character development, reshaping my own work. I can't emphasize enough the value they added to my writing journey... The standout element for me was the invaluable critique and guidance from the mentors."

- Crystal Rivera


"The Algonkian conference was pivotal in moving my career forward. While I went there thinking it was just a really cool way to meet publishing editors, it turned out to be a portal into so many other avenues of the publishing business. Because of the conference, I've signed with the agent of my dreams!"

- Dave McMenamin, Signed by Talcott Notch Literary Agency


"I have attended the New York Write to Pitch Conference and I've read this material in preparation for completing a manuscript. This is the best play-by-play book for novel writing. I particularly benefited from learning about the Core Wound, the Six Act Goal, and taking your time! Tons of information on developing your characters and setting, and creating memorable antagonists. Michael Neff has incredible knowledge of the publishing industry and novel writing. I would never have reached my goals without this."

- Laura Apperson

New York Write to Pitch e-Book


"Literary agent Paula Munier is clearly experienced in the written arts and has a gift for channeling that knowledge toward coaching and orienting hopeful writers. Paula may be firm in her advice, but she sweetens the medicine with doses of clear logic and insight, and I trusted her judgement. Her group was composed of kind and patient writers who, by and large, sustained the rhythm and pace of daily sessions by listening attentively to the discussions... Overall, I was very pleased with this conference. The experience was more workshop and hands on than a mere lecture series. Taking New York Write to Pitch seriously, jumping into the pre-event assignments, persevering through hours and hours of hands-on exercises, four days of pitching, re-working and re-pitching, and getting a sense of validation, made this conference a VERY good value for the money." 

Christopher M.


"I am now the biggest believer in the New York Pitch Conference. Post-conference, I re-vamped my pitch in keeping with workshop feedback. Also, revised the book to reflect new emphasis. Voila! Immediately I had 18 agents requesting the manuscript and ended up with four offers of representation. I signed with Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon this week and couldn't be happier. This would not have happened apart from my experience with Susan at the Pitch conference in June.

Thanks so much to you both. I am indebted!"

- Britt Staton

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