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November 9, 2026

October 2026 VLSD results & takeaways

This October, 17 publishers and literary agents joined the ASA team over two days to hear 334 pitches from our authors. We are thrilled to report a 38% request rate at the second Virtual Literary Speed Dating event of 2026!

Our publishing representatives requested a broad range of genres for October’s event, and we continued to see a rise in interest across genres such as speculative fiction, thrillers, and romance. In non-fiction, narrative non-fiction continued its reign as the most popular sub-genre, though memoir was close behind, with a total of nine representatives seeking pitches from memoirists. 

The publishing representatives commented on how smooth and polished the pitches from our authors were, which is a brilliant testament to the hard work and research you all put into preparing your pitch – and this is particularly notable amongst those of you who have completed one of our flagship Pitch Perfect courses.

If your submission leads to something further, please keep us in the loop. News of your success always brightens our day, and you can help provide vital inspiration and motivation to other authors. If you find yourself in talks with a publisher or agent, you may find it helpful to access heavily subsidised legal advice through Authors Legals’ contract review service.

2026 key takeaways

What did we learn from this round?

We’re always looking for ways we can improve the experience of our Virtual Literary Speed Dating events for all involved, and we love being able to share the feedback we receive with you so you can apply it to your future endeavours. So, what are our key takeaways from the October event?

  • We know it can feel impossible to define your manuscript with one overarching genre, but we ask you to do so in the booking form for good reason. Publishers and agents expect authors to clearly know and understand their genre, and they will very quickly spot any uncertainty or misclassification. If you muddle your genre in your pitch because you haven’t researched it enough, or if you misclassify your manuscript to try and fit it in with what a publisher or agent is accepting, you will only undermine your work and yourself. When you do the work to correctly identify your genre before you embark on the pitching process, you will set yourself up for success.
  • Another perpetual pain point for authors is comparison titles, but again these are one of the essential elements of a pitch you cannot bypass. If you do not include your comp titles in your pitch, you will be asked for them. And if you cannot provide them, you are not demonstrating how unique your work is; rather, you are demonstrating that you do not read widely (be that within the genre you write or more broadly) and that you do not understand who you are writing for. One additional tip is to comp at least one other Australian book; it shows you are paying attention to the local market. 
  • Don’t rush your pitch. Three minutes may not feel like enough time to fit in everything you want to say, but take it from those on the receiving end: speaking rapid-fire to squeeze in as much as possible makes the pitch feel shorter than it is, because it’s harder to comprehend. Authors who slow down and refine the content of their pitch leave room for the publisher or agent to connect with their material, which is a step towards receiving a submission request.
  • Word count matters. A work of adult fiction is typically between 75,000 and 90,000 words, while works of genre fiction such as science fiction and fantasy are often longer, in the 100k+ range. There is of course some wiggle room, but if you are outside of your genre’s typical range by a large amount, re-consider whether your manuscript is ready to pitch. You can read more about word counts in our FAQs. 
  • Make sure the tone of your pitch accurately reflects the balance of the work you are pitching. If your three-minute pitch emphasises all the darker elements of your manuscript without bringing in the light, or vice versa, consider how you can refine your pitch to better portray the multifaceted nature of your work.
  • Don’t forget to tell us about you! You and your ‘why’ will be deeply embedded in your writing. Publishers and agents want to get to know the person behind the manuscript, so don’t be shy about sharing the interests and influences that have led you to pen this particular manuscript. 
  • Know why you’re specifically pitching to an agent and what you want them to do for you and your career. Keep in mind that if you have already submitted your manuscript to publishers, this will be a red mark against you if you then pitch it to an agent. An agent’s job is to share your work with targeted publishers. If you have already done this work, you’ve limited what the agent can do for you, and you’ve made it easy for them to say no.
  • If you’re concerned about how quickly pitching slots were booked out at this event, please know that we hear you, and that we’re working hard on ways to make the booking process less stressful and more equitable moving forward. 

What’s next if you didn’t make a match at this event?

We know how disheartening it can feel to not receive a request after plucking up the courage to put yourself and your work in front of an industry professional. It can also be confusing to hear ‘no’ after receiving a seemingly positive response in the pitch itself. But it’s vital to remember that there are always going to be things that influence someone’s decision which are beyond your control, and not all rejection is personal. You can deliver the perfect pitch but, if your work is slightly too similar to something that a representative has recently acquired, or if they know they only have so much wriggle room left in their schedule or budget, they have to make the decision to pass. 

This is why perseverance is key within the publishing industry. So long as you continue to seek out opportunities to learn and grow as an author, there will always be another publication opportunity waiting to present itself to you. Publishing a book is a marathon, not a sprint, and our pitching events are only one of many ways you can accomplish this goal. 

Perhaps your pitching experience has made you realise you’re not quite ready for the submission process, or that there is something about your pitch that isn’t landing the way you hoped. In this instance, you may benefit from professional guidance as you contemplate your next steps.

  • Do you feel your manuscript isn’t as developed or polished as it could be? Working with a mentor is a great way to troubleshoot problem areas and workshop alternative paths forward if you’re feeling stuck, while a manuscript assessment report can provide insight into the specific tasks you can undertake independently to make your manuscript more appealing to publishers, agents, and your audience of readers.
  • Are you eager to experiment with how your pitch is crafted and targeted to different publishers and agents? Watch our free video resource, Structuring your 3-minute pitch, to understand what else you could try to catch their attention, or sign up for one of our Pitch Perfect courses to gain comprehensive insight into Australian publishing and the submission process. You may also want to consider purchasing our Pitching your project resource. 
  • Are you wondering if you could change up or finesse your approach to the submission process and publication? A consultation with a publishing expert can answer any questions you may have about the industry’s machinations, genre and market expectations, or whether traditional publishing is for you.

If you’re ready and raring to give it another go, your next opportunity to pitch is coming soon! We will again host two sessions of Virtual Literary Speed Dating in 2027. Make sure you’re subscribed to our email newsletters so you don’t miss out on important updates. In the meantime, you can find a list of publishers, literary agents, and their submission guidelines in the ASA’s Book Industry Directory.

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