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.
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.
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).
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.
Q: My child/sibling/parent/family member/best friend is disabled but I am not. Can I participate?
A: No.
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.
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.
Q: I won't be available to tweet during #PitchDis day/hours. What do I do?
A: No problem! Twitter has a schedule feature that allows you to schedule your pitches. Just make sure you set the right day and time. If you've never scheduled a tweet before, Twitter posted a short video showing you how here.
Q: Have the agents and editors participating in #PitchDis been vetted?
A: Since this is a public event, we're not able to vet agents and editors. Please do your research on any requesting agent or editor before submitting any information. Legitimate agents and publishers will never charge to review or edit your work.
Q: I'm an agent/acquiring editor. How do I participate?
A: We don't require registration and we're modeled after #DVpit and #PitMad in that likes = requests. For more information, please check out the Agent & Editor Info page.
Q: I'm not participating in the event, but I want to help. What can I do?
A:First of all, thank you! Before the event, you can help spread the word about #PitchDis. During the day of the event, you can help show your support by commenting on your favorite pitches (remember - don't "like" and don't use the hashtag when replying). Also, if you see anything on the #PitchDis feed that shouldn't be there (spam, buy ads, etc.) please report it to Twitter. Finally, support disabled creators by following them on Twitter and buying their books when they are published!
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.