Many SBWC attendees have gone on to publish their work because of the agents they met at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference. You will see some of these SBWC alums as panelists at the 2023 conference.
If your manuscript is complete and polished, and you think you’re ready for an agent to represent your work, read about the agents below and register for appointments with those who seem interested in your genre or already represent clients whose work you think is similar to your own.
Advance Submission is your chance to separate yourself from the thousands of queries received each year. Though SBWC has had many success stories in the past, we make no promises of representation, nor further interest in your manuscript.
We do, however, hope your appointments are a rewarding and enlightening experience, and at the very least, an opportunity to make personal and professional connections.
You must be registered for the conference to participate.
How it works
Register for the 6-day conference and then register to meet with one or more agents on the agent page, where you can click and read specifics on all 6 agents. We expect some will fill their schedules quickly, so register for your appointments early. You may submit to as many agents as you like. If the agent(s) you’ve picked are not available for reasons beyond our control, we will make sure you have an appointment with the next most appropriate agent. Remember each agent knows others in the business who might be more appropriate to represent your work.
Email the first 5 pages of your manuscript to info@sbwriters.com
The deadline for pages to be received is May 19. You may include a cover letter to each specific agent and a brief synopsis, if you wish. Formats accepted: Attached Word Doc or PDF.
Once you check into the conference on June 18, we’ll give you the details of your meeting arrangements. Your agents or editors will have read the pages before you meet and will come prepared to talk about your writing. This is a one-on-one meeting for 10 minutes, a chance for you to get personal feedback from an agent or editor. All meetings will take place Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
