Because First Impressions Matter
March 4-7, 2027
Your query letter, synopsis, and first 10 pages carry enormous weight. Make them as good as they can be.
A craft-focused workshop to help you reconnect with your writing and build strong foundations.
Rather than focusing primarily on pitching strategy, this workshop approaches submission materials in craft.
The goal is to help writers understand how their story is being presented—and how to sharpen those opening materials so the work stands out.
Who The Submission Workshop is For
This workshop is ideal for writers who:
Are preparing to query agents or submit their work more widely
Want focused feedback on the first ten pages of a novel
Need help clarifying the core arc of their story through a synopsis
Want to strengthen the hook and narrative promise of their project
Are comfortable receiving thoughtful critique in a small-group environment
Participants should already have a completed draft or a strong opening section of their manuscript and be ready to engage seriously with revision.
What You’ll Work On
During the workshop, participants will receive feedback and guidance from faculty instructors and their small-group cohort on:
Query Letters
Clarifying the central hook of the story
Identifying the core conflict and stakes
Presenting the project clearly and concisely
Synopses
Articulating the full narrative arc of the novel
Highlighting character motivations and turning points
Distilling complex plots into a clear narrative overview
First 10 Pages
Strengthening the opening scene
Establishing voice and point of view
Introducing character, stakes, and setting effectively
Building narrative momentum that encourages readers to keep going
By the end of the workshop, writers will leave with a stronger submission package—and a clearer understanding of how their story begins.
Meet The Faculty
Shannon Lechon
Literary Agent | Fuse Literary
Shannon is an associate agent with Azantian Literary Agency. She began her career with literary agency internships at P.S. Literary and Cake Creative, as well as an editorial internship with Penguin Random House. She holds dual bachelor's degrees in criminology and English from Florida State University and a master's in publishing from New York University.
Vicky Weber
Literary Agent | Fuse Literary
Vicky Weber is a Literary Agent at Fuse Literary, representing picture books through adult fiction. She came to agenting from the author’s side, which shapes how she runs her list.
Before Fuse, Vicky started at The Purcell Agency in 2022, was promoted to agent in 2023. Most recently she was a literary agent and subsidiary rights manager at Creative Media Agency, where she handled audio, educational licensing, reprint, digital, and book club rights.
She is also a children’s author, a former PreK–5 music and STEAM teacher, and the founder of At Home Author, a coaching platform for aspiring kidlit writers. She’s ghostwritten more than 40 projects and writes adult fiction under a pen name. She lives outside Chicago with her family and an unreasonable number of horror audiobooks.
Sam Farkas
Global Rights Director & Literary Agent | Jill Grinberg Literary
Sam Farkas grew up in South Jersey and attended the College of William & Mary, where she received her B.A. in History and English. Post college, she moved to New York City to intern with Maria B. Campbell Associates, and it was there she discovered her love for collaborating with agents and publishers around the world. She worked in the rights division at Penguin where she was involved in major international publishing events for authors such as John Green, Anna Dewdney, and more before she joined the JGLM team in 2018. An avid traveler, Sam has been to 14 countries spanning 4 continents, and dreams of visiting them all.
Check back for additional faculty announcements!
The Submission Package Workshop takes place over four days and combines focused critique sessions with opportunities to learn from faculty and connect with fellow writers.
Workshop critique sessions are offered in two time blocks — morning (9:30 AM ET) and evening (5:30 PM ET) — to make participation accessible across time zones. Each participant will be assigned to one time block and will attend all critique sessions with their group at that time.
Below is an example of how the workshop weekend is structured.
Sample Workshop Schedule
Day One — Opening Events
5:30 PM ET — Welcome Ceremony
6:15 PM ET — Faculty Q&A (1 hour)
Following the Q&A — Welcome Social
Day Two — Excerpt Workshop
Morning Group: 9:30 AM ET (4 hours)
Evening Group: 5:30 PM ET (4 hours)
Day Three — Synopsis & Query Workshop
Morning Group: 9:30 AM ET
Evening Group: 5:30 PM ET
Synopsis Workshop (2.5 hours)
Break (15 minutes)
Query Workshop (1 hour 45 minutes)
Day Four — Reflection & Craft
Morning Group: 9:30 AM ET
Evening Group: 5:30 PM ET
General Sessions - All
Session Recap & Lessons Learned (90 minutes)
Community Sessions (All Participants)
12:30 PM ET — Faculty Craft Class
1:30 PM ET — Faculty Keynote Address
3:00 PM ET — Closing Ceremony
Pricing
Super Early Bird
Apply by Oct 8
$224
$274
Regular
Apply by Jan 10
$324
$374
Late
Apply by Jan 15
$374
$424
Futurescapes Alumni
Regular Admit
$274
Early Bird
Apply by Oct 31
$324
Tuition payment plans are available
Ready to Apply?
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. You’ll select your preferred faculty mentor when you apply. Some faculty may fill before others.
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You’ll have the option to list alternate choices. We’ll work to place you with the best possible fit.
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Craft classes and the keynote will be recorded. Critique sessions will not be recorded to protect privacy (unless requested by entire cohort).
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Your registration allows us to compensate faculty fairly.
The registration fee & all other payments for this workshop are nonrefundable.