Dearest Readers:

Thank you all so much for following the #dvpit journey throughout the years. As we close out 2023, I wanted to take a moment to share some difficult news. 

When I started #dvpit in 2016, I didn’t think I’d spend 8 years pouring much of my heart and soul into it—but I wouldn’t change it for anything. I have felt so honored to be the creator of this pitch event and blessed to have had so many incredibly generous volunteers give their already-limited time and energy to keeping #dvpit going and supporting me and the #dvpit mission. For so long, it’s been a magical and fulfilling experience. It has given me so much, and I can see that it’s given a lot to the community as well.

We’ve seen so many successes and breakthroughs, even as the industry itself was slow to catch up. And it still is. But all around us, the community has been fighting back with more of our voices rising up and demanding to be heard. 

But the last 8 years have also been very hard. I have fed endless hours into keeping the event going, at the expense of my mental health. Recently, we lost our original platform and worked so, so hard to find the right replacement and to build a space that could sustain the community. Our last #dvpit was amazing although not without hiccups—feedback has always been important to us, and we want to listen carefully.

And as social media and AI continue to mutate and change how we connect and share ideas, in this time of uncertainty, we have decided to put #dvpit on an indefinite hiatus. This pause will allow us to reevaluate the needs of the community (and our role in it) from a renewed perspective, and take stock of recent events so we can reimagine what’s possible in the future—and to make way for fresh minds to bring forth ideas! The work is not done. 

So, it’s goodbye for now, but hopefully not forever. The Discord server will remain open for the time being, with gratitude and credit to the fantastic volunteers who have kept it functioning since the start. Everyone is welcome to stay and continue to join. We want the community to thrive.

Please look out for each other. 

Thank you for being here. 

Much love, 

Beth 

#DVpit was an annual pitching event for un-agented, self-identifying historically marginalized authors & illustrators.

Our Discord community forum remains open for the foreseeable future. To join, please click here.

Disclaimer: As #DVpit has grown, unaffiliated groups/accounts have appropriated the hashtag and logo without authorization. Please note that if an event or giveaway is endorsed by or affiliated with #DVpit, it will be clearly stated here or on our social media. Any other programs, services, or events not represented on this website or on the official twitter account are outside our control and supervision.