Saturday, June 12th, 2027

Live Seminar Via Zoom from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET

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

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

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

Led by an industry-leading literary agent at Trident Media Group, Mark Owen Gottlieb.

Instructor Mark Owen Gottlieb is a highly-ranked literary agent in overall deals and other categories. He is actively building his client list of authors using that same initiative and insight for identifying talented writers. Mark Gottlieb is excited to work directly with authors, helping to manage and grow their careers with all of the unique resources available at book publishing's leading literary agency, Trident Media Group. At Trident Media Group, Mark Gottlieb has represented numerous New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors. He has optioned and sold books to film and TV production companies. He previously ran the agency's audiobook department and worked 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 workshop is for fiction and nonfiction writers at all levels who have a finished or nearly finished manuscript and are preparing to submit to literary agents. If you have polished your query letter and now face a request for a synopsis and your first ten pages, this seminar covers the requirements no one ever really taught you. Newer writers building their first submission package and experienced writers whose packages keep stalling are equally welcome.

What to expect:

You've polished your query letter. Then the agent writes back asking for a synopsis and your first ten pages, and suddenly you're facing requirements no one ever really taught you. This Zoom writing class covers the parts of the submission package that writers ask about most and that craft classes almost never touch.

We'll start with the synopsis, the piece that trips up the largest number of writers: what it's actually for, why it isn't a book report, how to compress a novel into a single page without flattening it, and how to handle the ending. (Yes, you reveal it.) From there we'll turn to the sample pages — not how to write them, but how to select, format, and frame them so the package arrives looking deliberate rather than improvised. Which pages do you send when an agent asks for ten? What does a professional submission look like on the page before anyone has read a word of it?

Along the way: before-and-after examples, the common mistakes that sink otherwise strong packages, and a working framework you can apply to your own manuscript the same week. You'll learn these submission strategies directly from a working literary agent who reads these packages every day and can tell you exactly what lands and what gets passed over.

What are the writing goals?

In this course, students will draft a one-page synopsis of their own project and leave with a submission-package checklist to run against before they send. Students will also learn to select, format, and frame sample pages to professional standards, and will work from before-and-after examples and a repeatable framework they can apply to their own manuscript the same week.

COURSE OUTLINE

Session 1: The Synopsis — What a synopsis is actually for and why it isn't a book report; how to compress a novel into a single page without flattening it; how to handle the ending (yes, you reveal it); before-and-after examples of synopses that work and synopses that don't.

Session 2: The Sample Pages and the Complete Package — How to select, format, and frame your pages; which pages to send when an agent asks for ten; what a professional submission looks like on the page before anyone has read a word of it; the common mistakes that sink otherwise strong packages; and a working framework and checklist to apply to your own manuscript.

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• A drafted one-page synopsis of your own project
• A submission-package checklist to run against before you send
• A clear understanding of what a synopsis is for, and how to compress a novel to a single page without flattening it
• Practical guidance on handling the ending, the single question writers ask about most
• A method for selecting, formatting, and framing sample pages so your package arrives looking deliberate
• Knowledge of the common mistakes that sink otherwise strong submission packages, drawn from a working agent's inbox

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 never would have advanced as fast or as far without Mark's help." — James Breakwell, bestselling author

"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

"You gave me enough writing technique and marketing information to feel like I can get started with confidence. Thank you!" — Former 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, June 12th, 2027
• Class will meet once via Zoom on Saturday, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
• Session 1 will be 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM ET
• 15-minute break between sessions
• Session 2 will be 1:55 PM – 3:00 PM ET
• Seminar is fully ONLINE and meets via Zoom
• Tuition is $99 USD.