Authors/illustrators continue to impress at Literary Speed Dating

16.11.21

Thank you to all of our members who joined us for October's Literary Speed Dating event. Over two days the ASA hosted sessions with 18 publishers and 5 agents, facilitating 370 pitches from members across Australia.

We are thrilled to share that of these pitches, almost 44% received an expression of interest from a publisher or agent!

We’ve also been delighted to hear from previous attendees of Literary Speed Dating about their successes and subsequent publications. These include Filip Vukašin, Michelle Tom, Marg Hickey, Mali Cornish, and Shelley Burr. Shelley signed on with literary agent Sarah Mackenzie following a match at Literary Speed Dating, who went on to sell the rights to Shelley’s debut novel in a three-way auction.

Of her Literary Speed Dating experience, Shelley said:

“ASA Literary Speed Dating is one of the best opportunities out there for emerging Australian writers to connect with agents and publishers. I met my wonderful agent Sarah McKenzie at the December 2020 event, and less than six months later I was in talks with publishers. My crime fiction novel WAKE will come out with Hachette Australia on 31 May 2022. 

Even if I had not made a match, my participation in Literary Speed Dating would have been well worth it. It gave me the motivation to polish my pitch, and the real time feedback and reactions were invaluable. When it came time to pitch to publishers, I had a package ready to go, and the confidence that I had it right. 

The ASA do amazing work behind the scenes to make such a complex event flow seamlessly. I had technical difficulties during one pitch, and I was blown away by how the coordinator worked to ensure I would still get an opportunity to speak.”

Congratulations! Should you need any assistance or support regarding the next steps of your publishing journey, the ASA is here to help. Review our Frequently Asked Questions on the publishing industry, check out our series of articles on Questions to Ask your Publisher Before You Sign Your Contract, or review our standard contract templates.

This is not the end! We know that it can be disappointing not to make a match, but it does not mean that there may not be interest in your work in the future! There will be future Literary Speed Dating events in 2022, and, if you haven’t attended already, you could consider learning the art of a successful pitch by joining us for Pitch Perfect, our masterclass series that will teach you everything you need to know to prepare for, and nail, your pitch. Importantly, members who have attended Pitch Perfect training will be given early access to bookings for future Literary Speed Dating events.

We also encourage you to spend some time researching the right home for your work. You might like to browse the ASA’s Guide to the Australian Book Industry, which is a free resource for all members of the ASA, to find other publishers and agents to approach.

Alternatively, if you are uncertain about any aspects of the book industry, you are welcome to seek our advice to better understand how your book can fit into the market. As ever, we are only a phone call or email away if you need assistance.