 ABOUT THE AGENT:
Madison Potter is an associate agent at P.S. Literary Agency. She has agented for the last five years at Olswanger Literary, where she most enjoyed being a strong advocate for her clients. Following a BA in journalism, she copyedited various print publications within the wellness industry, reviewed titles for Publishers Weekly, and purchased children’s literature for a New York bookstore. Outside of publishing, her background has focused on digital marketing for both global brands and nonprofit organizations. When not living in fictionalized worlds, she enjoys cooking with her husband and pairing long walks with folksy playlists. Claiming the Name: Olivia O’Sullivan on What It Means to Call Yourself a Writer Before the Deal7/31/2026
 There’s a quiet but seismic moment in every writer’s life when someone else looks at them and says the word first: writer. Not “aspiring.” Not “hopeful.” Just writer.
For Olivia O’Sullivan, that moment arrived in a WhatsApp voice message from a friend abroad. It landed with unexpected weight. She was still unpublished, still querying, still wrestling with the gap between the stories she was writing and the ones she hoped would one day sit on a shelf. Yet the simple act of being named shifted something. She began to claim the title for herself—not as presumption, but as permission. In the pieces that follow, Olivia answers a series of searching questions about the unpublished season: what it has cost her, what it has revealed, and what it continues to teach her about identity, kindness, patience, and the long work of becoming.  ABOUT THE AGENT:
A former book scout turned book agent, Sarah Kelleher loves nothing more than getting lost in a great read! After thirteen years at the preeminent Maria B. Campbell Associates, where she served as the Vice President and Director of Young Adult & Children’s Scouting, she is thrilled to work on the flip side of the industry, representing authors from a multitude of backgrounds. She is open to working with authors in the Adult, New Adult, and Young Adult fiction spaces, across many genres! With more than a decade of experience in the industry as a professional book spotter, she has a wealth of information when it comes to the US and international publishing markets, as well as the book-to-film industry. Plus she is a speed reading demon (seriously it’s her superpower!).  There is a particular kind of courage required to keep writing when the inner critic is loud, when praise feels dangerous, and when the manuscript has taken so long that shame starts whispering about wasted years.
In this candid conversation, Tanara McCauley traces the quieter victories that have sustained her: a husband’s two-word refusal to let her quit, a hard-won belief that imperfect stories still enlarge hearts, and a personal mantra that life—and the books we pull from it—can be both beautiful and wild even when the road remains uncertain. If you've ever questioned your writing journey (who hasn't?), this one's for you. Tanara's hard-won wisdom will remind you that you're not alone and that sometimes your uncertain road just might produce your best book yet.  ABOUT THE AGENT:
Sophie Sheumaker is now an associate agent at BookEnds Literary Agency, where she also assists in the global rights department. She studied writing, literature, and publishing at Emerson College, graduating in the spring of 2023, and has been building her list of authors and illustrators since 2024. She can be found at the library checking out more books than she could ever possibly read, crocheting like it's a full-time job, or taking her anxiety-ridden dog for a walk through the streets of Boston. She is a firm believer that everyone should read children's books, walnuts should never be in banana bread, and the 2005 Pride and Prejudice is better than the BBC version. Reclaiming Ground: Zachary Porter on Voice, the Right to Want, and What the Mountains Still Hold7/24/2026
 Zachary Porter lives on a reclaimed strip mine in Eastern Kentucky, raising his family on ground that was once taken and is still being cultivated. He writes the same way—pulling story from scarred earth, refusing the easy tragic tropes so often assigned to his mountains and his people.
In this conversation, Zach speaks about the long habit of keeping his ambitions hidden, the grief that finally forced him to sit still, and the slow work of reclaiming both his voice and the right to want a writing life out loud. What emerges is a portrait of a writer learning that the ground beneath him, and the story rising from it, were worth claiming all along. If you’ve ever struggled to hold onto hope, doubted whether your voice is enough, or wondered if the ground you’re writing from is worthy of a story, Zach’s words will feel like someone finally naming what you thought you carried alone.  ABOUT THE AGENT:
Stuti Shah is an Associate Literary Agent and Film & TV Associate Agent at the The Rights Factory. She brings a unique combination of publishing experience and legal training to her work. A licensed lawyer in both Ontario and India, Stuti also holds a Diploma in Intellectual Property Law, and has undertaken the Publishing course at Toronto Metropolitan University. Prior to joining The Rights Factory, Stuti worked in international rights at Transatlantic Agency, advising on publishing contracts and collaborating with authors, publishers, and co-agents across domestic and international markets, giving her a close look at what makes a project stand out and a deal work for everyone at the table. Before moving into publishing, she practiced at a top-tier law firm, and that experience has shaped how she reviews deals and advocates for her clients. When Stuti believes in a project, she is a fierce and dedicated advocate for it, in her authors' corner at every stage of their publishing journey. Stuti is based in Toronto. She serves on the Board of Directors of BIPOC Publishing in Canada and, when she's not advocating for her authors, she's usually at the theatre, on a comedy stage performing stand-up, or on her yoga mat.  Dr. Elizabeth McKinnon is a medical examiner who brings the precision, gravity, and unexpected humanity of death investigation into her mystery novels. She blends forensic intrigue with comedic romance and dark humor, illuminating a vital yet often misunderstood profession while exploring its emotional complexities.
In this conversation, McKinnon speaks about the quiet costs of the writing life, the tension between medicine and art, and what it takes to keep creating while holding a full and demanding life.  ABOUT THE AGENT:
Tommy Dean is now a literary agent at Talcott Notch, specializing in mystery, suspense, thrillers, crime fiction, and upmarket fiction with danger and secrets. He gravitates towards stories with deep emotional resonance, with characters who come to life through their actions and responses to the world around them. He is searching for stories that investigate the mysteries of being human. He is always interested in clear stakes, surprise endings, and stories that make him forget the outside world.  In this Writing Day Workshops Q&A, award-winning author Peter Leavell opens up about the important lessons he’s learned on the writing journey. From winning major awards early in his career to navigating revision and the realities of the business side, Peter shares honest, practical wisdom that will both inspire and equip you.
With warmth and vulnerability, he speaks about handling the pressure that came with early success, reconciling what you love with what the market wants, and protecting your creative energy. You’ll also discover the core truth that still guides how he writes every single day, and how it can shift the way you approach your own work. |