As a case study of the path to publication, From Manuscript to Marketplace offers candid talks between an author and members of their publishing team. In this event co-produced with the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, author Aaliyah Bilal discusses her forthcoming book of short stories, Temple Folk, with her agent Eric Simonoff (partner at WME) and acquiring editor Yahdon Israel (senior editor at Simon & Schuster).

The book deal began through social media and the manuscript quickly turned into a highly anticipated debut work of fiction. The trio will discuss the practicalities of how agents and editors find and acquire manuscripts and what authors should know about navigating the querying process today.

Temple Folk (Simon & Schuster) will release on July 4, 2023. This From Manuscript to Marketplace discussion will focus on acquisition, editorial, and the pre-publication process.