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Member only guide to the Australian book industry.
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Our Virtual Literary Speed Dating event this July was our busiest to date! We were joined by 15 publishers and 7 literary agents and we saw a record number of booked out sessions. Over the course of two packed days, the attending publishers and agents heard a total of 402 pitches from 258 authors. In this bustling round, 34% of attending authors received an expression of interest from a publisher or agent.
The highest requested genres were crime fiction and commercial fiction, followed by historical and literary fiction. Outside of adult fiction, narrative non-fiction and children’s middle grade fiction were the most popular, though memoir and picture books also garnered great interest.
Each and every one of the publishers and agents communicated how impressed they were with the overall quality of the pitches, and many of them told us how much fun they had!
If your material was requested and you receive positive news from the publisher or agent, make sure you keep us in the loop! Everyone loves to find good news in their inbox, and our team particularly loves to learn of and celebrate your success.
It can be disheartening when your work isn’t requested after your pitch, but it isn’t necessarily an indication of the quality of your pitch or your manuscript. It simply means that this may not have been the right time or the right match for your work.
Perhaps this pitching experience has you reconsidering whether your manuscript is ready to send out into the world. If so, you can seek professional advice and support through our services. A manuscript assessment will give you an objective insight into whether your manuscript is at a publishable standard, while a mentorship will afford you time with an experienced author who will read your work, listen to your questions and concerns, and advise you on your options as you move forward with your manuscript.
If you feel your pitch has room for improvement and you haven’t previously attended our Pitch Perfect course, this is a fantastic avenue to explore. This comprehensive course is designed to provide valuable insight into Australia’s publishing landscape and equip you with the information and tools you need to finesse your pitch. This knowledge can also help you identify which publishers and agents you may want to pitch to — this research is vital to ensure you don’t end up pitching to an unsuitable representative.
We run Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect: Picture Books in the lead up to each Virtual Literary Speed Dating event. Those who have enrolled in the Pitch Perfect course in the prior three years also gain access to priority registration for the Virtual Literary Speed Dating event.
If you’re ready to pitch your work, the next Virtual Literary Speed Dating event is scheduled for 30 October and 1 November 2024. Keep an eye on our newsletter, News from the ASA, for updates regarding the list of attending publishers and agents and when bookings will open.
There are also various other pitching and submission opportunities available to authors. You can browse the ASA’s Book Industry Directory to find a list of Australian trade publishers and their submission guidelines. Or if you are uncertain about how your book can fit into the market, you might like to consider a one-on-one consultation with an industry expert via our Publishing Consultancy Service. And, of course, our free Member Advice Service is always open if you are unsure about your next steps.
