The ASA has two offerings of our popular Pitch Perfect event series:
Please see the details for each offering by scrolling or click the links below.
Skip to Pitch Perfect: Picture Books
Do you want to know how to nail your pitch to publishers?
Join us for this multi-day course which is designed to show you what’s involved in submitting a manuscript to publishers and agents, how to pitch your book both as a written submission and at a pitching event, and will answer all your questions on how to find the best publication outcome for your work.
We will cover all steps of the process, including:
This course is oriented toward those writing for readers from middle grade through to adult fiction and non-fiction. It is not suitable for writers of children’s picture books.
At the conclusion of each session a detailed handout will be provided to all registered participants.
Previous attendees of this course have been quite successful at our Literary Speed Dating events. We strongly encourage all members who are intending to pitch at Literary Speed Dating to attend this course prior to pitching your work.
Filip Vukasin published his debut novel with Affirm Press in 2021.
Session 1:
What options are available to publish your book?
What kind of publisher suits your book [an overview of the landscape: independent, multinational, self-published]?
What kind of book have you written [genre: how to work it out and why you need to know]
Session 2:
How to prepare a successful pitch
Learn the essential ingredients in a simple template to use when verbally pitching your manuscript at events such as Virtual Literary Speed Dating
VLSD Q&A session
Session 3:
The role of literary agents and if you need one
How will you present your book to potential publishers? [Creating an effective outline: what to put in and what to leave out, how to describe the book you've written]
Session 4:
How and where will you send your manuscript? [Putting together a submission: dos and don’ts to improve your chances]
(Please note the order of the sessions may change without notice.)
Dr Emily Booth is the Strategic Director at Text Publishing, where she has worked across a number of different roles during the past twenty years.
Jodie Spiteri-James is the Professional Development and Events Manager at the ASA and has previously spent 20 years in publishing in Sales and Marketing and as a Managing Director.
4 sessions: $120 members / $240 non-members
The next Pitch Perfect course is taking place on 9, 16, 23 and 30 June 2023.
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Join us for Pitch Perfect with Erica Wagner to learn what’s involved in submitting a picture book manuscript to publishers and agents, how to pitch your book both as a written submission and at a pitching event, and how to find the best publication outcome for your work.
In this 90 minute session we will cover all steps of the submission process including:
This course is designed for Picture Book authors with a completed manuscript.
Erica Wagner has worked as an editor and publisher of books for children and young adults since 1988, including 10 years with Penguin Australia, one year starting a children’s list for Duffy & Snellgrove and 20 years with Allen & Unwin, working with many of Australia’s finest authors and illustrators. She is also a co-director of Twelve Panels Press. In 1999 she spent time in the USA on the Beatrice Davis Editorial Fellowship. In 2017 she was awarded the Dromkeen Medal and in 2020 the ABIA’s Pixie O’Harris Award for her outstanding contribution to Australian children's literature. In 2019 Erica co-facilitated, with Johanna Bell, the successful Octopus Story Camp for Top End artists and writers. Erica is now a freelance publishing consultant with a focus on collaborative book development projects.
$45 members / $90 non-members
The next Pitch Perfect: Picture Books event is taking place on 21 June 2023.
Book Pitch Perfect: Picture Books
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