Sept. 29 Meet-up Guest Speaker: Tia Mele, Agent
Tia Mele, Agent
I opened Tia Rose Mele Literary Agency in 2023. I’m really excited to be building my list with fantastic MG, YA, and adult projects. I graduated from UConn in 2016 with a B.A. in English and from SNHU in 2017 with a M.A. in English and Creative Writing. I’m always looking for strong voices, characters I hate to love or love to hate, and books that can make me both laugh and cry. My first love is baseball, so I pay special attention to any book that features the sport.
Topic: Pitches and Synopses
You thought the hardest part about writing a book was writing the manuscript.
Wrong. Now the agent you're querying wants a pitch and a synopsis.
What? Squeeze my story into one page and (gasp!) three sentences?
Join us for our Monthly Meetup where Tia Mele of Tia Rose Mele Literary Agency will help us polish up those pitches and synopsis.
(Just in time for the pitch session at our Fall Harvest Writers and Illustrators Day)
The pitch is the perfect way to make your story sound irresistible in a few sentences. You can use the pitch during a pitch session with an agent, when at lunch at our conference with faculty members, when writing your query, and even in your synopsis.
You will have the opportunity to upload into the chat your pitch and/or synopsis during our meeting. Not all meeting attendees will have their work shared, but we can learn refining tricks from other writers' examples. Tia Mele will share with us what an agent is looking for and how to make your work shine.
Join us as Tia explains how to write an enticing pitch and an enticing Synopsis for your story.
When: Sunday, Sept. 29, 1:00-2:00
Where: Our meet-ups are virtual over zoom. The zoom link is provided in the bi-monthly email. If you'd like to be added to the email list, please contact Bev Plass at SoCal-RA@scbwi..org
Cost: Free
SoCal welcomes you to join our monthly meet-ups to connect with other creative people and hone your craft. We mingle, have guest speakers, and celebrate writer successes. We generally meet on the fourth Sunday of the month from 1:00-2:00. Sometimes we change the dates due to holidays or other SCBWI events. We break into critique groups immediately following, using the same zoom link.
Critique Groups
SoCal Writer's Group
SoCal Writers typically meet every fourth Sunday of the month via zoom immediately following the meet-up. The same zoom link is used for both meetings.
Inland Empire Writers Group
Inland Empire Writers meet every third Saturday of the month via zoom for meet-up and critique groups.
Illustrators Group
Illustrators typically meet every second Saturday of the month in person and via zoom (hybrid).
Writer Submission Guidelines:
Picture Book (PB)
Submission length - Send in one manuscript. 1,000 words or less.
Document type - Word document (NOT Pages or PDF.)
Document name - GENRE (PB), LAST NAME, FIRST, TITLE
Document formatting - Size 12 font, Times New Roman. Double spaced. 1 inch margin on all sides.
Document header - Title/author last name (on the far left) and page numbers (on the far right)
Middle Grade (MG) / Young Adult (YA)
Submission length - Send in five pages (double spaced)
Document type - Word document (NOT Pages or PDF.)
Document name - GENRE (MG/YA), LAST NAME, FIRST, TITLE
Document formatting - Size 12 font, Times New Roman. Double spaced. 1 inch margin on all sides.
Document header - Title/author last name (on the far left) and page numbers (on the far right)
Note: If you are submitting a chapter that is later in the novel (not chapter 1), it is helpful to provide a “here’s what has happened so far” summary. It is also helpful to the critiquer if you include a complete synopsis of the novel so they can judge the excerpt within the entire context of the novel. These are merely suggestions, not requirements, to help you maximize the quality of the feedback from your group. First-time submissions: It is highly recommended you attend a meeting once before participating in a critique group. That way, you will know the process we follow. It is important you know the process as this is a moment of vulnerability for members of the group. We want to guide and inspire, not crush our aspiring writers.
Future Meet-up Dates:
October 27 - Speaker: Carol Hughes (author): Comps, taglines, loglines, and jacket flaps
Topic: Query Letter Practice
November 24 - First Pages Panel
December- No Meeting due to holidays
January 26, 2025 Henry Lien
Feb 23, 2025 (pending SCBWI virtual national conf dates)
April 27, 2025
May 18, 2025
June 22, 2025
July 27, 2025 (pending SCBWI Nationals summer conference dates)
Aug 24, 2025
Sept 28, 2025
Oct 26, 2025
Nov 23, 2025