Q: I'm neurodivergent. Can I enter #PitchDis?
A: Yes! Individuals who self-identify as neurodivergent, and those who are chronically ill, are welcome to participate.
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Q: I'm disabled, but my project isn't #OwnVoices. Can I still pitch?
A: Yes. While we want and need to have more authentic disabled characters in books, it's vital that more disabled authors are published. However, if you are writing about a different disability from yours, or characters from a marginalized group you are not a part of, it's strongly recommended that you have at least one sensitivity reader from that group before pitching.
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Q: I don't have an agent, but I am querying/have sent materials to agents. Can I participate?
A: Yes! You can participate as long as you're unagented and you're not pitching previously published works (that includes self-published books).
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Q: I'm not disabled, but I write disabled characters. Can I participate?
A: No. The purpose of the event is to showcase pitches from disabled authors, as we've been (and still are) incredibly underrepresented in the publishing industry.
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Q: My child/sibling/parent/family member/best friend is disabled but I am not. Can I participate?
A: No.
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Q: My child/sibling/parent/family member/best friend has a disability, and I write characters with that disability. Would that be considered #OwnVoices?
A: A resounding no on this one. #OwnVoices means that the author is part of the same underrepresented or marginalized group as at least one of their main characters. If you're not in that group, it's not #OwnVoices.
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Q: I have/am ___________ (specific disability). Can I pitch?
A: If you self-identify as disabled, neurodivergent, and/or chronically ill, you can pitch. Decisions regarding eligibility are up to you.
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Q: I'm an agent/acquiring editor. How do I participate?
A: First of all, thank you! please check out the Agent & Editor Info page for our Google form where you can register for the event. You will be able to access the pitches and make requests via a password-protected section of our site September 23-25.
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If you have any questions that weren't addressed here, please feel free to reach out by emailing contactpitchdis@gmail.com. You can also tweet or direct message @PitchDis or tweet @DespinaKarras on Twitter.