Begins Saturday, July 18, 2026

Live Seminar via Zoom from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET

🌍 Class Times by Time Zone: Los Angeles (PT): 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM / Chicago (CT): 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM / New York (ET): 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM / London (BST): 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM / Berlin (CEST): 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

*A recording of this seminar will be made available to enrollees.

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.

Instructor Bio

Instructor Mark Owen Gottlieb is a highly-ranked literary agent in overall deals and other categories. Using that same initiative and insight for identifying talented writers, he is actively building his own client list of authors. Mark Gottlieb is excited to work directly with authors, helping to manage and grow their careers with all of the unique resources that are available at book publishing's leading literary agency, Trident Media Group. During his time at Trident Media Group, Mark Gottlieb has represented numerous New York Times bestselling authors, as well as award-winning authors, and has optioned and sold books to film and TV production companies. He previously ran the agency's audiobook department in addition to working in foreign rights. Mark Gottlieb is actively seeking submissions in all categories and genres and looking forward to bringing new and established authors to the curious minds of their future readers.

Who is this class for?

This online writing seminar is for writers at any stage—whether you're drafting a first manuscript, preparing to query, or revising a project for submission—who want to understand what the publishing market is actually looking for right now. It's ideal for fiction and nonfiction writers who want to align their work with current editorial tastes without sacrificing originality.

What to expect:

Publishing tastes evolve faster than most writers realize. In this live Zoom seminar, literary agent Mark Owen Gottlieb offers a clear-eyed look at what editors and imprints are actively seeking in 2026—and which once-popular trends are now facing resistance, fatigue, or outright rejection.

Drawing on current submissions, acquisitions meetings, and marketplace shifts, this online writing class breaks down emerging genre preferences, tonal expectations, and structural trends across fiction and nonfiction. Mark will also address common misconceptions about "hot trends" and why chasing yesterday's successes can actively hurt a submission.

Whether you're positioning a new project or revising an existing manuscript, this seminar will give you the insider perspective you need to make smarter, more strategic decisions about your work and your publishing path.

What are the writing goals?

In this seminar, students will gain a working understanding of the current acquisitions landscape across fiction and nonfiction. You'll leave with actionable insight into what editors are genuinely excited to acquire, which trends have peaked and why they're being passed on, how to future-proof your project without chasing the market, and how agents and editors evaluate originality versus familiarity.

COURSE OUTLINE

Session: What Editors Want in 2026 (and What They're Tired Of)

• What editors are genuinely excited to acquire right now
• Trends that have peaked—and why they're being passed on
• How to future-proof your project without chasing the market
• How agents and editors evaluate originality vs. familiarity
• Q&A with literary agent Mark Owen Gottlieb

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• A clear picture of what editors and imprints are actively acquiring in 2026 across fiction and nonfiction
• An understanding of which trends have peaked and why certain once-popular approaches are now being passed on
• Strategies for future-proofing your project without chasing the market
• Insight into how literary agents and editors evaluate the balance between originality and familiarity
• Practical guidance for positioning your manuscript to stand out in today's competitive publishing landscape

TESTIMONIALS:

“To find someone in the publishing world these days who possesses such style and grace…a throwback. Crown moldings and brass door knocker in a world of prefab housing.”

—Lesley Kagen, New York Times bestselling author

“He is professional, knowledgeable, and deeply cares about the careers of his clients. …I'm lucky to have Mark in my corner!”

—Alan Hlad, USA Today bestselling author

“My writing career would never have advanced as fast or as far without Mark's help.” —James Breakwell, bestselling author

“He goes above and beyond his work expectations by cultivating caring relationships with his clients, always expressing empathy and patience. He is kind, supportive and knows what he's doing.”

—Ruby Karp, author of Earth Hates Me

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS:

"I wanted to thank you for your time this weekend for the Hook and Query writing seminar. It's hard to know from reading articles alone what a query letter or pitch should look like." -Jed H., Workshop Student

"It was my absolute pleasure to meet you virtually on Saturday! Thank you for the wealth of detailed information and on-the-spot, yet carefully crafted critiques you shared with each of us— the experience is treasured, and invaluable." -Mica K., Workshop Student

"Saturday’s class opened my eyes to the mistakes of my query submissions, which boil down to two crucial elements: word count & comps. Soliciting a bloated manuscript with no comps outside of a couple of 20+ year-old movie references advertised a novice understanding of the publishing industry, making me a rightful candidate for the rejection pile." -William W., Workshop Student

"Thank you, Mark, for this wonderful workshop!" -Diane G., Workshop Student

“You gave me enough writing technique and marketing information to feel like I can get started with confidence. Thank you!” — Workshop Student

“Thank you for being so diligent, so focused and so professional in your approach to the class. I found the whole experience exceeded my most optimistic expectations.” — Workshop Student

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Tuition is $99 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

• Instructor: Mark Owen Gottlieb
• Begins Saturday, July 18, 2026
• Class will meet once via Zoom on Saturday, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET
• Tuition is $99 USD.