Congratulations to all of our 2023 Pitch Wars Pitchers!
Our 2023 Pitch Wars Award Winners are:
🏅 Most Memorable: Terry Bursey
🏅 Most Prepared: Taylor Barrett
🏅 Most Marketable: Ashley Fitzpatrick and Michelle Clemens (a tie!)
From left to right: Cassandra Filice, Ashley Fitzpatrick, Jeremiah Jenkins, Vijayaraj Mahendraraj, Michelle Clemens, Julie Dwyer, Krysta Fitzpatrick, Terry Bursey
Not pictured: virtual Pitchers Taylor Barrett and Denise Tapper Blake
Thanks again to everyone who came out to support our 2023 Pitch Wars at Emera Innovation Exchange Conference Centre in downtown St. John’s.
It was certainly a night to remember! 🏆✨
Photo by Alick Tsui Photography – View all photos from our 2023 Pitch Wars event by clicking here.
Join us for Pitch Wars 2023!
Saturday, November 25, 6 p.m. – Pitch Wars
📍 In-person @ Emera Innovation Exchange Conference Centre in the Signal Hill Campus of Memorial University in downtown St. John’s
👥 Open to WritersNL Members + the general public. No registration required.
This highly anticipated event gives WritersNL Members a chance to present a two-minute pitch of their project to a panel of local publishers, putting their work in front of influential eyes and ears in Newfoundland and Labrador’s publishing industry. A smashing success since its inception in 2019, this event has helped numerous WritersNL Members to secure book deals.
Doors open at 6 p.m., and the on-site bar will be available as soon as doors open, so please consider joining us early to hang out with and get to know members of your fellow writing community! (Unable to attend in person? Catch the excitement via livestream on WritersNL’s Facebook page.)
This year’s Pitch Wars will be hosted by CBC’s Krissy Holmes.
Pitch Wars’ Panel of Publishers Announced
(November 10, 2023) – WritersNL is SO pleased to share more exciting news about our upcoming Pitch Wars event, returning to the gorgeous Emera Innovation Exchange Conference Centre in the Signal Hill Campus of Memorial University of Newfoundland in downtown St. John’s on Saturday, November 25 at 7 p.m.
Check out our 2023 Panel of Publishers and representatives (listed alphabetically by publishing company name):
After Books: Kelley Power
Boulder Books: Glenn Day
Breakwater Books Ltd.: Jocelyne Thomas
Engen Books: Matthew LeDrew
Flanker Press Ltd.: Jerry Cranford
Memorial University Press: Alison Carr
Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides: Marnie Parsons
Since its start in 2019, this event has helped numerous WritersNL Members to secure book deals. Your title could be next to hit the shelves after you pitch your project at our 2023 Pitch Wars!
WritersNL’s most highly anticipated event is back:
Apply now to participate in Pitch Wars 2023!
(October 27, 2023) – One of the most highly anticipated WritersNL events is coming back in late November… The countdown is on for Pitch Wars, our wildly successful pitching panel!
This is your chance to present a two-minute pitch of your project to a panel of local publishers, putting your work in front of influential eyes and ears in Newfoundland and Labrador’s publishing industry.
A smashing success since its inception in 2019, this event has helped numerous WritersNL Members to secure book deals. Your title could be next to hit the shelves after you pitch your project at our 2023 Pitch Wars – Keep reading to learn how you can apply!
Pitch Wars is returning to the gorgeous Emera Innovation Exchange Conference Centre in the Signal Hill Campus of Memorial University in downtown St. John’s on Saturday, November 25 at 7 p.m.
Doors open at 6 p.m., and the on-site bar will be available as soon as doors open, so please consider joining us early to hang out with and get to know members of your fellow writing community! (Unable to attend in person? Catch the excitement via livestream on WritersNL’s Facebook page.)
So how does Pitch Wars work? Who can participate?
Pitch Wars is aimed at individuals with complete works who are preparing to query (about to seek out publishers/agents).
• Fiction works should consist of a completed draft/manuscript. A full synopsis and an estimated word count will help the Publisher know what your game plan is.
• Non-Fiction works should be a complete proposal, with a sample chapter and a complete outline/synopsis, and an estimated word count. Mention your established sources and what they bring to this book. Be ready to explain why you’re the best person to write this story, and why people will want to read it.
• Poetry works should include a number of pages, notes on the overall theme/mood of the collection, and any additional details regarding what inspired you to write these poems and who would like to read them.
• Children’s/Young Adult books should consist of a completed draft/manuscript, with special attention to the accompanying artwork/illustrations, if available. Sample art should be included (viewable) to the Publishers. (Some publishers may have illustrators – keep an open mind!)
Our host will open the night and give a rundown of how Pitch Wars works for our audience members and folks tuning in at home before introducing our panel of publishers.
When selected, Pitchers will then present their two-minute pitches. Pitches will be timed and stopped with a whistle.
After each pitch, interested publishers will have time to ask questions to the Pitcher. Publishers will get three minutes to pose questions to the author.
After the three minutes of questioning, we will move on to the next Pitcher until we have heard all pitches.
Please note: only TEN submissions will be accepted for the 2023 event.
Submissions will be reviewed and selected by a WritersNL Committee.
Notes for Applicants to consider:
– Pitch Wars is open to WritersNL members only. (Interested writers can join WritersNL upon submitting their registration for Pitch Wars.)
– WritersNL Members who have participated in Pitch Wars as a Pitcher in 2022 and 2021 are ineligible to apply.
WritersNL Members who have participated in Pitch Wars as a Pitcher in 2020 and 2019 are eligible to apply.
Please note: Due to limited space coupled with our growing membership, preference will be given to WritersNL Members who have not previously participated in WritersNL’s Pitch Wars.
– Applicants will be able to present their pitch either virtually or in person.
– Pitchers are allowed to bring ONE poster to accompany their presentation. Poster size TBD. Handouts, props, and other items cannot be included in your two-minute verbal pitch, which must be delivered at the provided podium to ensure a smooth viewing experience for folks tuning in at home.
How to register for Pitch Wars:
Register for your chance to participate in Pitch Wars by emailing info@writersnl.ca with the subject line “WritersNL PITCH WARS” and the following information:
– your name
– email address
– the genre of your proposed work
– a one-sentence description of the project you will be pitching
– where you are located (please indicate if you would prefer to pitch your work in-person or virtually)
Deadline to register: 5 p.m. on Monday, November 13, 2023