Pro Appointments
Professional appointments offer you a unique opportunity to connect one-on-one with industry experts.
Whether you're seeking guidance from agents, editors, or book coaches, these personalized consultations provide invaluable feedback and direction to help you refine your book project and move toward your publishing goals. By taking advantage of these appointments, you can make meaningful connections and gain insights tailored to your specific needs, maximizing the value of your conference experience.
All pro appointments, including 8-minute consults, are now available for booking.
Keep an eye on your email for the secure link and further instructions to be sent later this week.
All eligible attendees can book as many consultations as they want with the exception of agent and acquiring editor appointments which have a limit of one per person until 5pm on Thursday, February 6th.
Half-Hour Concierge Consultation
$100
This Premium Service is your inside track to the conference. Nina Amir, Diane Frank, Donna Levin, and Dr. Andy Jones are all long-time friends of the conference and well-connected in the literary and publishing communities. They will discuss your book, your long and short-term goals, and what you hope to get out of the conference. Then, they will help you make an immediate plan of action to get the most from your time spent with us. They can help you connect with the right people and information to move forward toward your publishing goals.
Our generous friends donate the $100 fee for these appointments to the conference for scholarships.
Meet them at their tables in the Seacliff Lobby upstairs from the Street Level at your appointed time.
In the event of cancellations, paid appointments will not be automatically refunded and will be granted upon request.
30-Minute Indie Editor Manuscript Reviews
$100
Our freelance editors are offering a limited number of paid 30-minute consultations, during which they will discuss with you a 5-page double-spaced excerpt from your work that you have submitted and that they have reviewed prior your appointment. It is a wonderful opportunity to have a professional spend a concentrated amount of time looking at your work, advising you, and teaching you how a professional editor reviews manuscript pages. We will connect you and the editor by email after you schedule the appointment so that you can send the pages in advance to the email address the editor prefers. We strongly advise attendees to try to schedule these before the conference, as there are limited time slots for this add-on and the editors would prefer to read your pages before the start of the conference. If you wait until the conference begins, please try to schedule this kind of appointment at least 24 hours in advance to give the editor time to review your work. (Some editors may not accept appointments without this much notice.)
In the event of cancellations, manuscript review appointments will not be refunded. If you can't make the appointment, the editor will be happy to make a phone or zoom appointment with you after the conference.
20-Minute Professional Photo Shoot
$50
While you're already dressed up and looking your professional best for the conference, why not update your media kit with some fresh headshots?
Conference Photographer Sari Singerman is offering a quick and affordable opportunity to get this author essential checked off your to-do list. The appointment fee is $50, and digital files of your favorites with unlimited usage rights will be $80 each. Check out her portfolio at sariphotography.com.
Meet her at her table in the Grand Foyer on the Street Level at your appointed time.
In the event of cancellations, paid appointments will not be automatically refunded and will be granted upon request.
8-Minute Agent or Acquiring Editor Pitch/Consult Appointment
$50
This is your opportunity to pitch your book, ask questions, and get feedback from a Literary Agent or an Acquiring Editor of a Publishing House.
Your first appointment is included in your registration.
Use the coupon code you receive via email in late January to the free booking.
Agent and acquiring editor bookings are limited to one per attendee in the weeks leading up to the conference.
Want to book additional agent appointments?
Additional appointments are $50. We'll lift the one appointment limit and open up agent appointments at 5 pm on the first day of the conference (Thursday, February 6th) after every registered attendee has the opportunity to book their first appointment. There will be helpers on-site between noon and 5 pm to assist anyone having trouble.
Check-in on the Pacific Level downstairs from the Street Level between 5 & 10 minutes before your appointment.
In the event of cancellations, paid appointments will not be automatically refunded and will be granted upon request.
8-Minute Indie Editor Consultation
Free for general admission attendees
This is your opportunity to get feedback from an independent editor on your first page, query, pitch, problem page, manuscript/plot in general, or any area of your book project relevant to an editor. You may use this opportunity to get help with something specific you're struggling with or to interview them as someone you may potentially hire to work with you long-term.
You may sign up for one of these appointments in advance. The additional appointments will be opened at 5 pm on the first day of the conference after every registered attendee has the opportunity to book their first appointment. There will be helpers on-site at the conference between Noon and 5 pm to assist anyone struggling with signing up.
Check-in on the Pacific Level downstairs from the Street Level between 5 & 10 minutes before your appointment.
8-Minute Book Coach Consultation
Free for general admission attendees
A baseball coach helps you stay focused and build skills to win at baseball. A Book Coach has the publishing experience and leadership training to help you stay focused, apply that focus to the necessary skill-building, and beat the odds to get your work published and connected with its audience. Sometimes we're our own barrier to success; a book coach can help you overcome that and any other barrier.
You may use this opportunity to get help with something specific you're struggling with or to interview them as someone you may potentially hire to work with you long-term. You may sign up for one of these appointments in advance. The additional appointments will be opened at 5 pm on the first day of the conference after every registered attendee has the opportunity to book their first appointment. There will be helpers on-site at the conference between Noon and 5 pm to assist anyone struggling with signing up.
Check-in on the Pacific Level downstairs from the Street Level between 5 & 10 minutes before your appointment.
8-Minute Publicist Consultation
Free for general admission attendees
This is your opportunity to pick the brain of a Publicist about your marketing plans for your book and yourself as an author. They can help you bring your promotional ideas into better focus and/or offer new suggestions to help you connect with your audience. You may use this opportunity to get help with something specific you're struggling with or to interview them as someone you may potentially hire to work with you long-term.
You may sign up for one of these appointments in advance. The additional appointments will be opened at 5 pm on the first day of the conference after every registered attendee has the opportunity to book their first appointment. There will be helpers on-site at the conference between Noon and 5 pm to assist anyone struggling with signing up.
Check-in on the Pacific Level downstairs from the Street Level between 5 & 10 minutes before your appointment.
8-Minute Self-Publishing Service Consultation
Free for general admission attendees
Our self-publishing service providers are happy to meet with you to evaluate your project and plans. When you're your own publisher, you always need to recruit help with some aspect of your projects, but it's often difficult to see where you need help and where you can DIY or maybe learn more to DIY. You may use this opportunity to get help with something specific you're struggling with or learn more about their services or interview them as someone you may potentially hire to work with you long-term.
You may sign up for one of these appointments in advance. The additional appointments will be opened at 5 pm on the first day of the conference after every registered attendee has the opportunity to book their first appointment. There will be helpers on-site at the conference between Noon and 5 pm to assist anyone struggling with signing up.
Check-in on the Pacific Level downstairs from the Street Level between 5 & 10 minutes before your appointment.