For those on the outside trying to break in, the publishing industry can be opaque. Unwritten rules, changing industry standards and exclusionary practices can make the process challenging to navigate, most particularly for authors of marginalized backgrounds. #PitBLK is here to help demystify things for you by aggregating useful tips and tools from publishing professionals. On this page, we’ll also include a running list of mentorship programs, notable writers workshops and other reputable resources that are available to unagented authors. Mentorships can provide you with long term 1-on-1 guidance and support from those further along in the publishing journey. We’ll continue to update this page with new resources. For now, enjoy! 

Queries 101: 

• 10 Things To Do Before Your Query by Bookends Literary
• Resources + Query Tips + Successful Query Samples by Eric Smith

Navigating Offers of Rep: 

• How To Know If An Agent Is Reputable - By Bookends Literary 
• Questions You Might Not Know To Ask A Literary Agent by Bookends Literary 
• The Cheat Sheet on Moving Forward After an Agent Offer by Sami Ellis 

Tips for the perfect pitch: 

• 3 Ways to Write the Perfect Twitter Pitch by Sara Seitz 

Mentorship Programs for Unagented Authors and other Resources:

• Rogue Mentor: “Rogue Mentor is a volunteer-run program that provides flexible, accessible, and inclusive mentorship opportunities for members of the writing community.” TWITTER WEBSITE 
• DVMentor: “The DVinc Mentorship Program is a 6-month period (June 1 - December 1) during which published and agented book creators who identify as marginalized will volunteer to mentor other self-identifying, unagented and marginalized book creators, one-on-one.” TWITTER WEBSITE
• WriteMentor: “WriteMentor started as a summer mentoring programme, and has since grown into a year-round team of leading authors offering 1-2-1 and group mentoring, as well as editorial services, for writers of Picture Books, Chapter Books, Teen, Middle Grade, and Young Adult.” TWITTER WEBSITE
• AuthorMentorMatch: “Pairs aspiring writers with completed manuscripts with experienced authors for mentorship. Currently we offer mentorships for middle grade, young adult, and adult manuscripts.” TWITTER WEBSITE
• We Need Diverse Books: A mentorship program supporting “diverse creators early in their career by pairing them with an experienced children’s author or illustrator.”​​ TWITTER WEBSITE
• LitUp by Reese’s Book Club: “A writer’s fellowship for unpublished, underrepresented women.”  WEBSITE
• Tin House: “Publisher of award-winning fiction, nonfiction, and poetry & home to a renowned writers’ workshop.” TWITTER WEBSITE
• RevPit: “A contest for authors by editors with the aim of presenting agent-ready manuscripts. Watch for details about our annual contest and mini-events.” TWITTER WEBSITENew Paragraph