About

Participants will explore the types of high-concept stories that are selling to major publishers in a variety of genres while also learning the importance of suitable comparables, market positioning, and a selling commercial title.

Participants will also study components of competitive execution that involve the opening hook of the novel from the first line to the first plot point, followed up by a presentation of strong plot outlining that includes inciting incident, plot points, major and minor reversals, complications, pinch points, and more. Participants will receive pre-event study materials that will assist in an understanding of core course elements as well as an online forum with optional pre-event assignments.

Instructor: Michael Neff is an agent, publisher, writer conference director, fiction editor and author. He is the director of the New York Pitch Conference, as well as other Algonkian events. He is the author of the literary political novel All the Dark We Will Not see, and creator and co-editor of Magician's Impossible forthcoming in 2017 from Macmillan. His short fiction has appeared in many literary journals including North American Review, The Literary Review, Pittsburgh Quarterly, Quarterly West, and Conjunctions. Michael also edits and publishes several popular literary journals including Del Sol Review, The Potomac Journal of Poetry and Politics, and Double Room. He is the owner and publisher of an independent literary press, Del Sol Press, as well as an agent and developmental editor for AEI Films and Books in LA.