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MIN READ
Over two days in October, we were joined by 14 publishers and 9 literary agents for our final Virtual Literary Speed Dating event of 2025. The attending publishers and agents heard 435 pitches from 267 individual authors! We are pleased to report a 35% request rate following the October event.
As in our March event, the highest requested genre was commercial fiction, with authors of manuscripts from rom-coms to psychological thrillers demonstrating their work’s mass market appeal. Literary fiction and crime also proved popular, and we saw a significant increase in both pitches and requests for fantasy and romance. Narrative non-fiction was the most frequently requested non-fiction sub-category, followed by memoir — an impressive result given how tough the market for memoir is at present, and a testament to the incredible lives our members have lived and have chosen to share with the world. Meanwhile, middle grade fiction dominated the children’s genres.
We were delighted to host many returning publishers and agents, some of whom shared feedback that this was one of our best pitching events yet! The publishers and agents joining us for the first time were also incredibly impressed by the quality of our authors’ pitches. By all accounts, our authors made it very difficult for the representatives to narrow down their requests. We are enormously proud of all participants, and hope those who pitched feel a sense of achievement for taking this big step with their work, no matter the outcome.
We will be announcing the 2026 pitching event schedule shortly, so you can plan ahead and make the most of the opportunities a new year brings. But first, let’s look back at the 2025 pitching events and the brilliant achievements of our members.
This year saw the ASA host our two biggest Virtual Literary Speed Dating events to date, as well as launch Picture Book Matchmaker, a pitching event specifically for picture book authors, author-illustrators, and illustrators.
Across these three events:
Our team is always working to improve these pitching opportunities and make them as beneficial as possible for all participants. We also regularly update our recommendations on how to craft a pitch based on what we observe during these sessions.
So, what have we learned in 2025?
We have been delighted to learn that, since our March 2024 event, the following authors have been offered publishing contracts or agent representation following their pitch:
Books from these authors are available for sale from the end of this month and into 2026, and we heartily encourage you to seek them out. For information on the process from creation to pitch and publication, you can watch HarperCollins Australia’s ‘The Life of a Book’ video series about Rebecca Armitage’s forthcoming novel, The Heir Apparent — another Virtual Literary Speed Dating success story. Wani Uppal, who recently signed with Sarah McKenzie Literary Agency, has said of her Virtual Literary Speed Dating experience, ‘I’m so grateful to ASA for creating the opportunity that led to this. The speed dating event was such a turning point — it opened a door I didn’t even know was waiting for me.’
Following a 2023 pitch, we have also been thrilled to see Madeleine Cleary’s The Butterfly Women released this year to rave reviews from readers.
If you’ve pitched at a Literary Speed Dating event and have been picked up by a publisher or agent, don’t forget to get in touch with us so we can celebrate with you! Nothing gives the ASA team greater pleasure than to follow your work from Virtual Literary Speed Dating pitch, to seeing it in print in bookshops around Australia.
Finally, if you find yourself in talks with a publisher or agent following your pitch, get a contract review through Authors Legal, our specialised legal advice service.
We know it’s disappointing not to have your material requested, especially when you feel you delivered a strong pitch. There are many reasons why a publisher may decide not to proceed with your work, which may have little to do with the quality of your pitch, your manuscript, or how well you’ve presented yourself as an author. A ‘no’ is not a reflection of your individual work; far more often, it’s a reflection of what that particular publisher or agent already has coming up in their schedule, the constraints placed upon them by budgets, and the movements of the market.
However, participating in these events can help you learn more about your work, examine areas of improvement for your narrative/story you hadn’t previously considered, and identify your place in the market (and which publishers or agents are the best fit for it).
Professional guidance can be beneficial as you move forward:
It’s worthwhile finessing and experimenting with your pitch. We have recently updated the ASA’s video, Structuring your 3-minute pitch, to help you make the most of this opportunity, and our Pitch Perfect course offers a masterclass in the Australian publishing landscape and crafting a pitch. Publishers and agents have consistently remarked on the quality of the pitches by authors who have completed this course. An added bonus: Pitch Perfect participants gain priority booking access to Virtual Literary Speed Dating for three years following their booking!
Virtual Literary Speed Dating and Picture Book Matchmaker will return in 2026, with the schedule to be announced very soon. In the meantime, we encourage you to continue seeking out pitching and submission opportunities to find the right home for your work. A range of literary organisations and festivals host pitching events, and for written submissions you can find a list of publishers, literary agents, and their submission guidelines in the ASA’s Book Industry Directory.
