Pitch Me! Agent and Publisher Introduction Program
Connecting Australian writers with agents and publishers, this program is open to writers from Varuna’s recent fellowship and masterclass programs, creating opportunities for those seeking a publishing contract or agency agreement.
Applications are now closed
Residency dates: 2026
Places: Two writers will be selected.
Who should apply: Writers who have been awarded a Varuna fellowship in 2023, 2024 or 2025 will be invited to apply in late 2025
Fees: There is no application fee for this program. You will be paid a $2,000 development payment for use in editorial or mentoring advice, or for helping find time and space to concentrate on writing.
FAQ: Please read FAQs before you apply.
Designed to connect Australian writers with industry leaders, all submissions to Pitch Me! will be read by one publisher and one agent, who will select two writers for this award. Each writer will receive:
An extended editorial conversation with either an agent or a publisher, focusing on developing work with a view to publication
A $2,000 development payment. This payment can be used for editorial or mentoring advice, or for helping find time and space to concentrate on writing
A one-week residency at Varuna, including all food and a prepared evening meal, with uninterrupted time to write in your own private studio, and the companionship of your fellow writers.
Pitch Me! is open to all Varuna fellowship recipients and masterclass participants from the past 24 months. The list of eligible programs will be included in the FAQ. Work must be unpublished and uncontracted to an agent or publisher. If you have previously submitted your work to Pitch Me! it must have progressed substantially in the last year.
HOW TO APPLY
You will need to submit a synopsis of your completed manuscript along with the first three chapters, up to 10,000 words. If your first chapters are quite short, you may submit more than three chapters, but please note that a total of 10,000 words is the limit.
For poetry, you need to send us a selection of 10 poems; for plays and screen plays you may send a sample of 10 pages, or more if it doesn’t exceed 10,000 words; for graphic novels a sample of 10 pages; for children’s picture books you may send us a full manuscript.
If requested, you need to have a complete draft available. Work must be unpublished and uncontracted to an agent or publisher.
Aviva Tuffield, UQP
YOUR PUBLISHER
In 2023/24, our publisher was Aviva Tuffield from UQP.
Aviva has worked in Australian publishing for more than twenty years, including at Black Inc, Affirm Press and Scribe Publications. She was a co-founder and the inaugural executive director of the Stella Prize. At UQP she is proud to work with many prize-winning authors, including Tony Birch, Sarah Holland-Batt, Ellen van Neerven, Mirandi Riwoe, Evelyn Araluen and George Haddad.
YOUR AGENT
Grace Heifetz, Left Bank Literary
In 2023/2024, the publishing agent for this program was Grace Heifetz of Left Bank Literary.
Grace has worked in the industry for over 20 years, holding a number of roles at Curtis Brown before she started her own agency in 2019. Her clients include authors such as Chris Hammer, Bri Lee, Emily Maguire and Nakkiah Lui. She is also the Chair of The Australian FNPOC (First Nations and People of Colour) Publishing Internship program (Open Book).
UPCOMING FELLOWSHIPS, COURSES AND EVENTS
