Professional Development – Pitching workshop
21 October @ 10:00 - 11:30 BST
Join Olivia Chapman as she leads this 90-minute online workshop teaching you the practical ways to talk about your work, and pitch it to agents, editors, and producers.
In order to participate fully, you will need to have a complete story / poetry collection (in whatever form) which you can discuss from start to finish. You will learn skills that can be transferred to any other story, but to get the most out of the workshop, it will be helpful to just focus on a single story you can finesse.
Although you do not need to be published to attend, you do need to have a complete manuscript to be able to base your pitch on.
Places are limited and subject to availability.
#SoAatHome Professional Development events – free for SoA Members
As of Feb 2025, #SoAatHome professional development sessions will continue to be free as a member benefit. However, for non-members, the price is £35 including VAT.
Not a member? Sign up here with our special #SoAatHome offer and get 20 per cent off for the first year of membership – use code SOAATHOME20.
Accordion Content
Access 20% off your first year of membership of the SoA with discount code SOAATHOME20Â
The Society of Authors is the UK’s biggest trade union for authors – representing more than 12,000 writers, illustrators, translators and other creative practitioners.Â
Our standard subscription rate is just £32.50 per quarter (£22.75 for students).Â
As an SoA member, you’ll get:Â
- Access to all our #SoAatHome events for free including the Professional Development sessions usually charged at £35 from Feb 2025Â
- Access to all our Feel Good Friday and Industry Insider events which are usually charged £5 from Feb 2025Â
- Access all #SoAatHome Vimeo professional development recordings so you can catch up in your own timeÂ
- Access Unlimited one-to-one professional adviceÂ
- Membership of our online and real-world professional networks and special interest groupsÂ
- A range of member-only discounts, including books, insurance and travelÂ
- And much moreÂ
‘It was a surprisingly lovely way to meet fellow writers in a friendly, warm surrounding perfectly hosted by the SoA staff. Thank you for all the introductions, the welcome and the nourishment!’  – attendee from SoA in Person: Autumn New Members’ Party 2024Â
JOIN NOWÂ |Â PRICING
Programme
- Welcome, introductions and housekeeping from Lilly Brend-Fish – Events Manager, SoA (3 mins)
- Workshop lead by Olivia Chapman (60 mins)
— This workshop will include a series of break rooms with other attendees where you will have the opportunity to practice your pitching skills to the group.Â
- Comfort break (5 mins)
- Q&A with audience (20 mins)
- Summary and closing comments (2 mins)
Who is this session for?
This workshop is intended for prose writers (both fiction and non-fiction) and scriptwriters. The content can be adapted for poetry but works best if your poetry collection is themed or can be pulled together to be discussed in broader terms than individual poems
What will this session cover?
- How to put across the best of your story in the most engaging way possible, whilst allowing your passion for your work to come across.
- How to structure your pitch and talk confidently and clearly about the plot and genre.
- There will be time to practise your pitch with other writers during the session if you wish.
Send us your questions
If you would like to send questions in advance, email LBrendfish@societyofauthors.org with ‘Pitching workshop’ in the subject header. We will prioritise questions sent in advance and answer as many as we can from the audience on the day.
#SoAatHome Fundraising Bookshop
Browse our virtual Bookshop.org store featuring books by authors and speakers taking part in the #SoAatHome. When you make a purchase using our affiliate links, a percentage will go to the Society of Authors’ Access Fund, giving authors support for travel, subsistence, childcare or access needs for events, residencies, and retreats.
The Line-up
Olivia Chapman
Olivia (Liv) Chapman is an experienced event manager, programmer, event facilitator and workshop leader. She has worked in publishing and on festivals and writer development projects across the country and has helped hundreds of writers to have confidence in their ability to present their stories to others.
Website: https://livchapman.co.uk/ | X: @liv_chapman
Need to know
Accessibility
- Attendees will have the option to turn on the live transcript, to watch with subtitles
- If you require BSL interpretation for this event, please email events@societyofauthors.org
Before the event
- Once registered, you will be sent a confirmation email with the Zoom link
- If the confirmation email doesn’t arrive in your inbox, please check your junk/spam email folder
- Please add events@societyofauthors.org to your Safe Senders list so you receive our confirmation and reminder emails
During the event
- This online event will take place on Zoom Meetings; you will be visible on screen if you keep your camera on during the session. You will be able to ask your questions by putting them in the Zoom chat.
- This event will be recorded and you may be on screen
- Attendees have the option to turn on the live transcript
- This event is 90 minutes
After the event
- Hashtag for this event: #SoAatHome
- SoA Members and paid attendees of this event will be able to catch the recording on our Vimeo channel (password protected) or members can access via the SoA website.
Booking
SoA Members: Please use the ‘Register – SoA Members’ form below and provide your details, including your membership number. If you’re unsure of your SoA ID, please email info@societyofauthors.org.
Non-members: Choose one of the two ticket options below, complete the registration form, then fill out the billing info to finalise your payment.
For event or registration questions, email events@societyofauthors.org.
SoA Members – Free
Non-Members – £35
Accordion Content
Access 20% off your first year of membership of the SoA with discount code SOAATHOME20Â
The Society of Authors is the UK’s biggest trade union for authors – representing more than 12,000 writers, illustrators, translators and other creative practitioners.Â
Our standard subscription rate is just £32.50 per quarter (£22.75 for students).Â
As an SoA member, you’ll get:Â
- Access to all our #SoAatHome events for free including the Professional Development sessions usually charged at £35 from Feb 2025Â
- Access to all our Feel Good Friday and Industry Insider events which are usually charged £5 from Feb 2025Â
- Access all #SoAatHome Vimeo professional development recordings so you can catch up in your own timeÂ
- Access Unlimited one-to-one professional adviceÂ
- Membership of our online and real-world professional networks and special interest groupsÂ
- A range of member-only discounts, including books, insurance and travelÂ
- And much moreÂ
‘It was a surprisingly lovely way to meet fellow writers in a friendly, warm surrounding perfectly hosted by the SoA staff. Thank you for all the introductions, the welcome and the nourishment!’  – attendee from SoA in Person: Autumn New Members’ Party 2024Â
JOIN NOWÂ |Â PRICING
Accordion Content
Giving authors support for travel, subsistence, childcare or access needs for events, residencies, and retreats
Every contribution helps us ensure that these needs and costs aren’t barriers to authors wishing to access events.
If you are in a position to help, please donate via the link below. If you are an author facing access issues, please click here to see if we can help.
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Register - SoA Member
Please use the booking form to register for this event.
Please email
events@societyofauthors.org if you have any questions.
