JUNE WEBINAR SERIES: Comp Titles & Query Wrangling 101
Jun 16, 2026 - Jun 18, 2026
Austin Public Library: University Hills Branch; Room: East-Central
June brings you back-to-back webinars, in-person & online + recordings! 6/16: Beyond "X Meets Y": Crafting Effective Comp Titles & 6/18: Query Wrangling 101: A Systematic Approach to Submission Sanity
Webinars
June 16th: IN-PERSON WEBINAR: Beyond "X Meets Y": Crafting Effective Comp Titles
Beyond "X Meets Y": Crafting Effective Comp Titles - Having trouble with comp titles? This workshop dives into how to find the best comp titles for your book to elevate your pitch. We'll cover how to search for relevant and powerful pairs, best practices, and what to do if your book feels like it's un-compable. With an effective strategy to approach comp titles and a collaborative brainstorm session, you'll leave this workshop with the right tools to set you up for success. There will be a Q&A as part of the workshop as well.
June 18th: ONLINE WEBINAR: Query Wrangling 101: A Systematic Approach to Submission Sanity
Querying is overwhelming, but a good tracking system can change the game. Learn the systems and tools to track submissions, stay organized, and reduce stress. Walk away with customizable templates and a duplicable plan to query with confidence!
Meet Our Faculty!
Monica Rodriguez
Monica Rodriguez is a literary agent and the Director of Brand Management at Context Literary Agency. Her mission as an agent is to help uplift underrepresented voices in publishing, specifically within the Latinx community. She’s mentored authors at The Writing Barn and is a faculty member at The Manuscript Academy and at the Gotham Writers Workshop. In children’s literature, she focuses on MG, YA & Graphic Novels. She also represents illustrators and comic artists. Monica is also a first-gen, Mexican-American author. Her love for books can be traced back to elementary school, where the best days were spent attending book fairs and author readings. She enjoys writing about self-love and family dynamics. Her writing online covers similar themes in movies & tv shows and her words have been published in HipLatina and LatinaMediaCo. She runs a self-love journey podcast called Find A Lovely Life.
Shanna Upchurch
Shanna Upchurch lives outside Dallas with a bunch of chickens and children. Her debut picture book, The Honeybee Highway, will be published by Disney Planet Possible in April 2026. Her middle grade duology from Simon & Schuster Atheneum, currently titled A Garden Lost, will hit shelves in 2027 and 2028. Shanna is an MBA-turned-writer who loves building systems to help writers stay organized, confident, and sane throughout the querying process.