AI & the Slush Pile: Transforming Manuscript Evaluation and Onboarding

The book publishing industry is undergoing a major transformation with the rise of artificial intelligence. In this webinar, we’ll dive into one of the most pressing topics for publishers today: how AI is revolutionizing the manuscript evaluation and submission process.

For Publishers & Literary Agents:
Discover how AI can help you efficiently screen submissions, allowing you to focus on the manuscripts with the greatest potential while reducing time spent on those that don’t meet your needs. Learn about the tools available today and best practices for seamlessly integrating them into your existing processes—all without sacrificing editorial quality.

For Authors:
Want your manuscript to stand out in a crowded slush pile? We’ll guide you on how to optimize your submissions to avoid being unfairly flagged by AI systems and ensure that your work receives the attention it deserves.

Who Should Attend?

• Acquisition editors in publishing houses
• Literary agents looking to streamline their submission process
• Authors and editors eager to understand AI’s impact on manuscript submissions
• Publishing operations managers exploring AI’s role in their workflow

What You’ll Learn:

• Current AI Tools in Manuscript Evaluation: Get up to speed on the latest AI technologies used by publishers to screen submissions.
• Maintaining Editorial Quality with AI: Learn how to integrate AI screening while ensuring the human touch isn’t lost.
• Training AI for Genre-Specific Content: Understand the best practices for fine-tuning AI systems to recognize the nuances of different genres.
• AI Metrics for Manuscript Evaluation: Gain insights into the key metrics AI uses to assess potential and how to leverage them for better decision-making.
• Submission Optimization Strategies for Authors: Tips on crafting submissions that AI systems will flag positively.
• Ethical and Transparent AI Review: Explore the ethical implications of AI-assisted reviews and how to maintain transparency in the process.
• Cost-Benefit Analysis: A closer look at the financial impact of AI implementation in the evaluation process.
• Integration with Existing Systems: How to seamlessly integrate AI into your current manuscript submission infrastructure.

Don’t miss this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and understand how AI is reshaping the way manuscripts are evaluated and submitted.

Register now to secure your spot!

Speakers for this session include Jeevan Sivasubramaniam, Managing Director, Editorial at Berrett-Koehler Publishers; Regina Brooks, Founder & President, Serendipity Literary Agency; and writer, literary historian, and data scientist, Laura B. McGrath.

Jeevan has primary responsibility for the administration of the editorial department and overseeing all publication projects at Berrett-Koehler. This entails communications with all other departments as well as authors and editors and numerous other responsibilities that he claims are frankly too boring to list and that you'll forget anyway.

The current President of the Association of American Literary Agents, Regina is the founder and CEO of Serendipity Literary Agency in New York, New York. She was named one of Publishers Weekly 2024 people of the year. She is a member of the board of directors for AWP, the Association of Writers and Writing Programs. Her agency has represented and established a diverse base of award-winning clients in adult and young adult fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature. Follow her at @serendipitylit.

hosted by Thad McIlroy, The Future of Publishing

Thad is a digital publishing analyst and author. His site, The Future of Publishing, provides in-depth coverage of book publishing industry trends, currently focusing on the intersection of AI with book authoring and publishing. McIlroy is also a partner in Publishing Technology Partners, and a contributing editor to Publishers Weekly. His latest book is The AI Revolution in Book Publishing: A Concise Guide to Navigating Artificial Intelligence for Writers and Publishers.