Both Full and Associate ASA members are eligible to attend Virtual Literary Speed Dating if you have:

• A current, financial membership.
• An unpublished manuscript that can be provided (in full) to the publisher if requested.
• Confidence in using Zoom in a fast-paced environment.
• Read the attending publisher and agent information below carefully and are clear that the individual representing the publisher/agency is actively seeking your manuscript’s genre/readership.

Fiction and children’s authors: your pitch must be for a completed manuscript – not an idea –  that has not been pitched at two or more Literary Speed Dating events previously. If you are successful in your pitch, the publisher/agent will request to read your completed manuscript. If your manuscript is not complete or you are not comfortable in providing it at present, please continue working on your project and attend a Literary Speed Dating event at a later date when your work is completed.

Non-fiction authors: if your manuscript is in the genres of general, illustrated, and lifestyle non-fiction you do not need to pitch a completed manuscript – a chapter outline and sample will suffice. Writers of all other non-fiction genres – including memoir and biography – must pitch a completed manuscript.

These events are not location restricted. Members from all across the country and overseas are welcome to participate virtually.

Members will not be eligible to attend if:

• Your membership has expired or is unfinancial.
• The manuscript you intend to pitch has already been pitched four times at Virtual Literary Speed Dating events previously, i.e. members can book up to two pitches per Virtual Literary Speed Dating event but the manuscript cannot be pitched more than four times in total. You are welcome to pitch new manuscripts.
• You have self-published or previously published the work you intend to pitch. (Virtual Literary Speed Dating is designed for unpublished manuscripts only. Please see our FAQs here to understand more.)
• You have already submitted the manuscript to the publisher/agent you intend to book in with.

If you are uncertain about whether you are eligible or if it is appropriate to pitch, please contact us at [email protected] or 02 9211 1004 before booking.

Participants who have attended Pitch Perfect within three years will be given priority access to register for Virtual Literary Speed Dating. Participants will be emailed a link to access registrations early from the email address [email protected] at 10am exactly, so please check your junk/spam folder if you do not see it immediately.

Bookings open for all members 5 days after priority access is given. Dates for Pitch Perfect priority booking access and general booking access will be shared shortly. 

For tips on finding the right publisher or agent, please see our information hub.

Publishers and agents will only seek certain material at the event. Do not book into a pitching slot if the representative is not seeking the kind of material you intend to pitch, e.g. do not pitch a picture book to an agent seeking non-fiction. Research the attending publishers and agents carefully to ensure you understand what kind of manuscripts the attending representatives are seeking and to ensure you are comfortable pitching your work to them.

You will have a maximum of three minutes face-to-face time. Be as succinct and to the point as possible. Be flexible as the publishers and agents may have questions for you during the three minutes.

For the best chance for success, we encourage you to attend one of  our Pitch Perfect or Pitch Perfect Picture Books courses prior to pitching. You’ll receive an up-to-date snapshot of the publishing landscape today, learn how to describe your work and what you need to have ready before you pitch, and receive a template to structure your time. Plus you’ll get lots of tips on how to make the most of your 3 minutes. Those who attend Pitch Perfect or Pitch Perfect Picture Books are also given priority access to book for Literary Speed Dating.

After booking, you will receive access to the ASA’s video, ‘Structuring your 3-Minute Pitch’, which we have found, when followed, increases the chance of pitching success.