Make the Perfect Online Pitch

Make the Perfect Online Pitch

Searching for a publisher for your completed manuscript? Sign up for Perfect Online Pitch. This is your opportunity to pitch your (polished) manuscript to a leading New Zealand publisher and, if successful, to submit your full manuscript. Open to NZSA Members only.

Key Dates

23 July: Making the Perfect Pitch WebWorkshop
Chaired by publishing expert Harriet Allan with Melanie Laville-Moore, Managing Director of Allen & Unwin NZ and Kate Stephenson, Senior Publisher at Hachette Aotearoa NZ, this will be your chance to up-skill before the pitching sessions.

We strongly recommend you attend this if you are thinking about taking part in Perfect Online Pitch. Anyone can attend the WebWorkshop, but please remember that the pitching programme itself is only for NZSA members.

Register for the WebWorkshop now

03 August – Perfect Online Pitch opens for applications
Closes on 05 August or as sessions become full.

24 – 27 August – Perfect Online Pitch

Early September – Participants told of pitch results
All participants will be told whether or not the publisher would like to move forward with seeing their manuscript or not.

Who can take part?

Only current NZSA members are able to take part in Perfect Online Pitch. Find out about membership here. Members only service badge

This is for polished, ready to publish manuscripts only. You will be competing against members who may have had their manuscript professionally assessed and have developed several drafts. If this is not you, consider whether you should keep working on your manuscript and apply to a future Perfect Online Pitch.

There is a $35 fee for those who are successful in securing a spot. This covers NZSA’s cost to run the programme.

Schedule of Publishers

View to 2026 Schedule

Each Publisher will hear only five pitches.

You may only apply to one publisher.

Please ensure that you read carefully what each publisher is looking for and when you will need to be available if you are successful in applying for a spot in Perfect Online Pitch. We also recommend you visit the publishers website and become familiar with their work.

How will Perfect Online Pitch work?

  • You will be allocated a 5-minute appointment, one-on-one, to pitch your completed work to your chosen publisher. This appointment will take place on Zoom on Monday – Thursday, 24-27 August 2026. Appointments will be available according to this schedule. 
  • Once booked in, we will add you to the pitching schedule for your chosen publisher and will email with Zoom meeting invitations and your individual appointment time one week before the event.
  • At the time of your appointment, you will be admitted to the meeting ‘room’ and will then have five minutes of pitching time with the publisher.
  • Screensharing will not be permitted during the five minutes – the appointments are intended to be elevator pitches, not presentations.
  • The publishers will have a ‘matching’ sheet for all the authors they meet on the day. If you are a ‘match’, you will be invited to send your manuscript (or other requested information) to the publisher after the event. We request that this advice will be sent by the NZSA within a week of the event.
  • Once material is submitted to the publisher, we request they advise you whether they are interested in pursuing a relationship with you within six months of the pitch date.
  • Please do not request publisher feedback or contact details during your five minutes.

Before booking

  • Do your research on publishers. Ensure you understand what kind of manuscripts the attending representatives are seeking and ensure you are comfortable pitching your work to them.
  • Only book into a pitching slot if the representative is seeking the kind of material you intend to pitch, i.e., do not pitch a picture book to a publisher seeking non-fiction.
  • Your pitch must be for a completed manuscript, not an idea. If you are successful in your pitch, the publisher 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 POP next year when your work is completed.
  • Ensure you are ready and available to attend your appointments. We will not schedule follow-up sessions with publishers if you cannot attend.
  • Booking cancellations must be received by 16 August. We are unable to amend the pitching schedules after this time and you will appear as a no-show for your appointment. If you decide not to attend, please consider others on the waiting list and advise us with as much notice as possible.

Application process and rules

  • Applications will open from 9am on Monday 3 August 2026 until midday on Wednesday 5 August 2026 (or when the limit is reached).
  • Apply to your chosen publisher. One pitch per person per round of Perfect Online Pitch. 
  • NZSA will confirm your application is complete and let you know if it has been successful, or if you are on the wait list.
  • If you have been told you have a spot, you must pay to confirm your entry. Payment must be made within 24 hours.
  • Once your entry has been submitted successfully, you will be emailed a copy of your entry. Please check your junk/spam folder if you don’t see the email.
  • There are limited places available with each publisher.
  • Once payment has been received, we will send you details about the pitching session.
  • Pitchers will be notified by Wednesday 12 August.
  • Pitching sessions will be held between Monday – Thursday, 24-27 August 2026.

Conditions

You must have:

  • A current NZSA Membership.
  • A completed, unpublished manuscript that can be provided (in full) to the publisher if requested.
  • A manuscript that matches the genre/readership that is being actively sought by the publisher.
  • Ability to use Zoom in a fast-paced environment (if you are a little rusty on Zoom or haven’t used it in a while, do a test run beforehand).
  • Paid the fee of $35
  • One pitch per person per round of Perfect Online Pitch. 

Exclusions

  • Previously self-published or traditionally published work.
  • Any manuscript you have previously submitted to the selected publisher.

 

Any tips for pitching?

  • You have a maximum of five minutes face-to-face time. Be as succinct and to the point as possible. Be flexible, as publishers may have questions for you during the five minutes.
  • Successful applications will be provided with the ASA Selling Your Manuscript resource.
  • We recommend everyone thinking of taking part in POP first attend the Pitching WebWorkshop!