2025 Agent Roundtables

  • "I owe my writing career to Killer Nashville. I had sent the first draft of the novel, The Gallery of Beauties, to KN for a critique, and got the best input, so I resolved to go to the next conference. At that first conference, I learned so much, got acquainted and joined Sisters in Crime, pitched my first agent in a roundtable, and I was on my way to publication. I am grateful for all I've gotten from KN and recommend it to any new writers.”

    Nina Wachsman

  • “I got home yesterday from my first Killer Nashville, and I still feel like I’m flying. Thank you so much for the FANTASTIC conference. I met so many wonderful people and learned so much.”

    Lori Roberts Herbst

  • “As someone who hasn’t submitted to agents yet, the panel with the literary agents was one of my favorites. After attending it, I took the first pages of my manuscript to the Killer Nashville Agent / Editor Roundtable and received some great feedback, and also requests to see it once it is finished. Attending Killer Nashville helped me grow as a writer, and it inspired me to power through that first draft of my book.”

    Bonnie Bailey

AGENT ROUND TABLES - THE PROCESS

GET AN AGENT’S ATTENTION

We know how important seeing the right agent, editor, or publisher can be, and that’s why we give you ample opportunity to meet them at network dinners, lunches, social gatherings, and classroom sessions. Our goal is for you to reach your goals. However, we do provide a way for you to meet agents one-on-one to talk about YOUR work: the Killer Nashville Agent Round Tables.

Each round table will consist of five writers, one agent and a volunteer to read submissions. When submitting your offering, please remember the following:

  • We ask writers to provide a minimum of 7 copies of the first two pages of their manuscript for each member of the group to bring the day of their round table. Killer Nashville does not provide copying services; however, copying services are available for a fee in the guest business office of the hotel.

  • Please use double spacing with reasonable font sizing, such as 12 pt New Times Roman, with one-inch margins.

  • In the header area of the first page, include your name, book title, genre or subgenre, email address and/or phone number, and a one-sentence logline/description of the book to give the reader context. (Note: You may start the text at the top of the first page, rather than dropping down a number of lines to begin a chapter in standard manuscript format.)

After each manuscript is read, the agent will give constructive feedback on the pages. Each agent has been asked to keep comments instructional, helping writers see both their strengths and where they need to improve. Agents may request partial or full manuscripts if they think a manuscript has promise.

Since it is understood that these sessions are educational in nature, in practice, each session serves as a pitch without penalizing a writer whose work is not yet ready for representation or publication. In addition, each writer can learn from what is said to other authors.

Authors may register for as many sessions as they wish, however, multiple sessions with the same agent or editor are discouraged. You must be a four-day paid full registrant of the Killer Nashville Conference to participate in any Agent Round Tables. Each session is $49. 

Visit our Agent/Editor/Publisher page to see who is coming in 2025.

  • "My first experience at the conference was wonderful. I met so many nice people, everything ran as smoothly as possible, and I attained my goal of interesting an agent in seeing more of my work. The staff was as helpful as could be, the critiques were very useful, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself."

    Lucinda Gerlitz

  • “I met an editor at Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference and was able to pitch to her. She asked to see the whole manuscript, and two months later I had a contract.”

    Margaret Fenton

Our list of agents for the 2025 Killer Nashville International Writers' Conference is growing! Take a look at who is coming to Killer Nashville so far:

  • "I was able to meet with several agents and received multiple manuscript requests. But, what I found most astonishing, was when talking with agent Dean Krystek - who I met at the awards dinner - was when he told me that he was hoping to meet me - because you had told him about my submission and that he may be a good fit. I was blown away that you took the time to do that for me, someone you'd never met. Dean requested my manuscript!" 

    TJ Stecker

  • “I participated in two Killer Nashville Agent / Editor Roundtables. Although the editor didn’t feel the two pages I presented were a good fit for the line she represented, she kindly spent time with me after the session answering my questions. Two hours later, my second roundtable editor asked for the entire book from the same two pages. A few weeks later, she bought the book.”

    Debra Goldstein