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NYC Literary Agents and Hollywood Insiders Seek Talent at Willamette Writers Conference

Ruth Witteried is the film coordinator for the conference, Grace Ledding from Agile Entertainment, Alex Budzinski from Stage Coach Entertainment and Jaqueline Gault from Jackel Entertainment

Portland, August 4th. Over 50 literary agents and Hollywood film managers were in Portland looking for the next breakthrough talent at the 43rd annual Willamette Writers Conference. Ruth Witteried, the film coordinator for the conference recruited among others: Grace Ledding from Agile Entertainment, Alex Budzinski from Stage Coach Entertainment and Jacqueline Gault from Jackal Films. The conference was August 3-5th at the Portland Airport Sheraton Hotel and attracted 850 people.

Andy Ross from Andy Ross Literary Agency and Laurie McLean, Literary Agent from Larsen Pomada

Stefan Feuerherdt, Willamette Writers Conference Chair and Bill Johnson Office Manager and Registration Chair for the nonprofit Willamette Writers

Writers Marcia Turnquist, Rod Gramer and Sue Sammons

Writers wait to pitch their books to literary agents.

Book sellers offer a variety of fiction and nonfiction, many written and signed by conference speakers.

Willamette Writers honored at the conference included, among others: Humanitarian Award, Mary Margaret Maitland; Distinguished NW Writer, David Guterson; Lifetime Achievement, Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

The conference offered over 100 workshops, panels, speeches, and a chance for pitching manuscripts.

According to a fact sheet distributed with the welcome packets, “Usually about 25 people acquire an agent to represent them, and three to six get published or have a script optioned at each conference.”

In the video below, Diana Page Jordan interviews agent Laurie McLean and author Marni Barnes who met at the at the 2010 conference.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.