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August 20, 2025

Match made: Picture Book Matchmaker results are in

Our Literary Speed Dating events have been popular with picture book authors over the years, but the interest in our debut Picture Book Matchmaker event — a new pitching opportunity specifically for picture book authors, author-illustrators, and illustrators — has been truly phenomenal. Applications to this event opened to ASA members in June and we received a whopping 202 individual applications. 

These applications underwent the assessment and ‘matchmaking’ process with publisher Rachel Bin Salleh and author-illustrator Gus Gordon, who assessed the submitted materials on their potential and readiness for publication, and best fit for the attending publishers and agents. This process resulted in a total of 84 picture book creators being invited to pitch at Picture Book Matchmaker. Of these, 67 were authors and 5 were author-illustrators who went on to pitch their manuscripts, and 12 were ASA Style File illustrators who presented their portfolios. 

Six children’s publishers and 2 agents met with these creators across the 2 days of the event (31 July and 1 August). The feedback from the attending publishers and agents has been resoundingly positive and we are thrilled to report that, of those pitches, 50% received an expression of interest from a publisher or agent following the event!

This achievement is particularly notable considering the challenges facing the Australian picture book market and how limited publishing opportunities for creators have become. This is a point we heard reiterated by many of the attending publishers and one of the driving forces behind the ASA’s creation of this new pitching opportunity. In a publishing landscape where submission opportunities are few and far between, being able to meet and discuss your work face to face (albeit virtually) is one way we can help ensure our picture book authors, author-illustrators, and illustrators get their foot in the door. 

It has been a total joy to host this new opportunity for our members, particularly as we were able to invite our ASA Style File illustrators to participate in one of our pitching events for the first time. We have learned a lot along the way and we’re already looking forward to fine-tuning the 2026 event to make it bigger and better for all involved.

What did we learn from Picture Book Matchmaker?

  • There are evergreen concepts for picture books, but it’s always important to come up with a unique approach to them. It’s not that publishers aren’t looking for these stories, but it’s up to the creator to find a fresh take or distinctive hook — and this means doing research and knowing what is already out there in the market.
  • Publishers like to learn the personal motivation behind the work and connect with creators on this level, and this is especially true in the children’s space where stories are often highly emotive and stem from relatable real-life experiences.
  • Although many of the attending publishers were seeking Australian content at this pitching event, they also noted how important it is to think about international audiences for picture books. How easy will it be to translate your characters, setting, and concept into different markets?
  • There are specific questions publishers and agents want answered from an illustrator’s pitch, including: What kind of stories do you see suiting your style? What are your preferred mediums? Do you have experience with animation or other graphic storytelling forms? Do you write as well, and do you have any story concepts or repeating characters?

What can you do to improve your chances of finding the right match?

The picture book market is highly competitive and rejection can be dispiriting, but persevering, doing your research, and crafting a manuscript with a great hook — or developing a portfolio of illustrations that targets a particular publisher or agency — can help you find the right home for your work. 

If your manuscript is not as ready for the submissions process as you first thought, or you feel you would benefit from professional advice on how to increase its appeal to publishers, you can consider enlisting the help of a picture book expert. Picture book manuscript assessments are available and offer a comprehensive report detailing the strengths and weaknesses of your manuscript. There are also a range of mentorship options for picture book creators, where you can work closely with a mentor on your manuscript or portfolio, ask questions, and learn from their extensive experience. Both services can also help you identify your work’s place within the market, which will help you strengthen your pitch and identify who you should target your submissions to.

Of course, we recommend our Pitch Perfect: Picture Books course to any picture book creator approaching the submissions process and events like Picture Book Matchmaker! If you haven’t yet completed this course, it’s an opportunity to learn about the Australian publishing landscape for picture books, which functions very differently to the broader publishing industry. The more you know, the better equipped you will be to meet your perfect publishing match.

If you’re uncertain about any aspects of the picture book industry, or would like to be pointed in the right direction for your next steps, you can find answers to your questions by using our free Member Advice.

Are there other pitching opportunities available?

Picture Book Matchmaker will return in early 2026! And our Virtual Literary Speed Dating event for writers of fiction, poetry, on-fiction and children’s (excluding picture books) books is set for October this year. In the meantime, we encourage you to continue seeking out pitching and submission opportunities. There are other pitching events hosted by organisations and by writers’ festivals, and you can find a list of publishers, literary agents, and their submission guidelines in the ASA’s Book Industry Directory.

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