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Pitch Perfect

How to prepare yourself for the submission process

Do you want to nail your pitch to publishers and literary agents?

Our four-week Pitch Perfect course is designed to teach you how. You’ll discover how the submission process works, how to craft your pitch, and how to find the best publication outcome for your book.

We will cover all steps of the process, including:

  • Identifying the right home for your book
  • The role of publishers and the differences between multinationals, independents, and self-publishing
  • The role of literary agents
  • How to describe your manuscript succinctly
  • How to prepare your submission materials
  • The various submission opportunities and pathways to publication available

At the conclusion of each session, a detailed handout document will be provided to all registered participants.

Who is this for?

  • Fiction authors with a completed manuscript
  • Authors of general, illustrated, or lifestyle non-fiction with a concept or manuscript in progress
  • Authors of all other non-fiction genres, including memoir and biography, with a completed manuscript
  • Authors of junior, middle grade, and YA fiction with a completed manuscript
  • Authors of children's non-fiction for ages 8+ with a completed manuscript

Pitch Perfect will set you up for success when submitting your work to publishers and agents in written form and attending pitching events, such as those hosted by organisations like the ASA and Romance Writers of Australia, and by writers’ festivals. You can find a list of publishers, literary agents, and their submission guidelines in the ASA’s Book Industry Directory here.

Previous participants of this course have stood out to and been highly praised by the attending publishers and agents at our Virtual Literary Speed Dating events. We strongly encourage all members who intend to pitch at Literary Speed Dating attend this course prior to pitching their work. Plus, Pitch Perfect attendees gain priority booking access to Virtual Literary Speed Dating for three years following their booking.

Course outline

Session 1

  • What kind of publisher suits your book?
  • An overview of the publishing landscape: independent, multinational, small publishers.

Session 2

  • Literary agents and what they do.
  • How to describe the book you've written – where does it belong, and why?
  • How to identify your genre, and why you need to know.
  • What else is in your market slot? Comparative titles and why they’re useful.

Session 3

  • Submitting your manuscript: putting together everything you’ve learnt to give yourself the best chance of success.
  • Dos and don’ts to improve your chances.

Session 4

  • How to prepare a successful three-minute pitch.
  • How to write your 300-word synopsis.
  • The ASA’s Virtual Literary Speed Dating event: How it works and what to expect.
  • Q&A session with the ASA.

About the Presenters

Dr. Emily Booth is the Strategic Director at Text Publishing, where she has worked across a number of different roles during the past twenty years.

Kate Adams is the Professional Development and Events Manager at the ASA, a role which includes management of the Virtual Literary Speed Dating events.

Can't make it to the live session?

No problem! Everyone booked in to this event will be emailed a link and passcode to access the recording afterwards. This recording will be available to view for 10 days after the live session. This also means that if you wish to revisit the session after attending it live to take further notes, you can do so!

After 10 days, the link will expire and the recording will no longer be available to view.

Will there be an opportunity to pitch my work at an ASA Literary Speed Dating event after this course?

Yes! Our Pitch Perfect courses always precede our Virtual Literary Speed Dating events.

The Virtual Literary Speed Dating event following this Pitch Perfect course is scheduled for Wednesday 22 and Friday 24 October 2025

Stay tuned to our events newsletter for updates.