Sketch and Scribe Festival

04/06/2026

📢Let’s meet some of the Pitch Pro Session publishers seeking new talent!
📚
HACHETTE - Jean-Marie Morosin is the Head of Children’s Publishing at Hachette Australia. Hachette publish fiction and non-fiction picture books such as Spare Kisses (Pip Harry) + Wear a Purple Poppy (Fiona White)
📚
THAMES & HUDSON - Fay Helfenbaum is a senior editor at Thames & Hudson Australia. Fay is open to any genre with original subject matter but her wishlist includes non-fiction picture books and non-fiction middle-grade, illustrated non-fiction with science, environmental or art subject matter, authors from underrepresented backgrounds. Think Here Come the Cousins (Hutchins) Once I was a Giant (Sworder) and We Live in a Bus (Petzold)
📚
SCHOLASTIC - Kate Wenban has been working in the publishing industry for 20 years, most of those as an editor at Scholastic Australia. In that time, she’s edited Australian picture books, middle grade illustrated fiction and junior fiction—including Ella Diaries, Minutes of Danger, Liars, Fartboy and Daring Delly. She brings a wealth of knowledge, insight and encouragement to every session. Scholastic publish many fun rhyming picture books with animal characters such as Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas (Blabey) and Otto’s INK-credible First Day of School (Mather)
📚
PENGUIN - Amy Thomas is a commissioning editor for Penguin Random House working on books ranging from picture books through to junior fiction, middle-grade and YA titles such as A Ghost in My Suitcase (Wang), The 113th Assistant Librarian (Wilson, Goodnight Joeys (Treml) and seasonal titles such as Howl-o-Ween (Bowd).
🎟️
Pitch Pro Sessions $55each on sale 9am 28 June.

📢Must hold Event 1 or 2 ticket to purchase.

Check out more publishers/agents https://🔗www.sketchandscribefest.com/program-on-line

Link in bio🔗

28/05/2026

‼️3 SPOTS LEFT‼️
🩷💙🩷💙🩷💙🩷
Our talented publisher & Coach
CHREN BYNG is flying down from Sydney to assess, COACH & workshop your manuscripts.
✅HARDIE GRANT are huge supporters of emerging talent ✍️🎨
⭐️Chren Byng is Senior Publisher at HARDIE GRANT CHILDRENS with over 20years in the publishing industry⭐️
Coach Camp tix are live and ON SALE 🎟️
IN-PERSON ONLY

📣MOST publishers sold out so do not delay.

✅Receive written assessments on manuscripts & illustrations from one of Australia’s top kidlit publishers

✅Workshop redrafts with your publisher

✅+ a 2nd round of feedback

✅A pitch pro workshop to get you submission ready

✅Submission invitation to your Coach

✅Ocean view venue & fully catered - in-person only

📆September 6th

Link in bio 🔗

23/05/2026

‼️A SEAT WITH KATE IS AVAILABLE ‼️
✨WHO WILL BE THE LUCKY LAST✨

Our talented publisher & Coach
Kate Whitfield from ALLEN&UNWIN has ALMOST SOLD OUT 😆
💙🩷💙🩷💙
PSA: Coach Camp tix are almost SOLD OUT📆

📣We have many publishers almost sold out so do not delay.

✅Receive written assessments on manuscripts & illustrations from one of Australia’s top kidlit publishers

✅Workshop redrafts with your publisher

✅+ a 2nd round of feedback

✅A pitch pro workshop to get you submission ready

✅Submission invitation to your Coach

✅Ocean view venue & fully catered

✅in person only ✨

📆September 6th

Link in bio 🔗

21/05/2026

MG & YA STORY LOVERS! Do you have a manuscript you’ve started or even finished that needs an assessment and next step direction? This is for you!
2 SPOTS LEFT!
PLEASE DON’t miss out on working with this powerhouse publisher 📚
Last year the Campers FIZZED over Kate’s clear assessments & editorial direction✨
🎇
Our Coach
KATE WHITFIELD Senior Editor at A&U is selling fast
💙🩷💙🩷💙
Festivals are the only way to meet this publisher ✨ the 2025 Coach Camp feedback from campers was exceptional. Kate gives very detailed structural assessments and direction on next steps for your manuscript draft plus an invitation to personally receive your submission to A&U🥳

📣We have many publishers sold out so do not delay.

✅Receive a written assessment on manuscripts from one of Australia’s top kidlit publishers

✅Workshop redrafts with your publisher

✅+ a 2nd round of feedback

✅A pitch pro workshop to get you submission ready

✅Submission invitation to your Coach

✅Ocean view venue & fully catered

✅In-person only✨

📆September 6th

Link in bio 🔗

17/05/2026

A little update from the Sketch ‘n Scribe Fest chaos dept 👀
We’ve pushed the Pitch Pro Session ticket release date out to June 28
❓Why you ask❓
We have a HUGE list of publishers and agents to choose from and are still
ADDING MORE TO THE LIST!
‼️❣️‼️‼️❣️‼️
🎟️Pitch Pro Session ticket sales go live – 9am 28 June AEST.
Trust us… it’s worth the wait.
ℹ️Pitch Pro Session website page with session times live Mon 1 June.
✨Must hold Event ticket 1 or 2 to add-on Pitch Pro Sessions.
# www.sketchandscribefest.com

17/05/2026

08/05/2026

Hey Story Lovers 📚 the FIRST PAGES WRITING COMPETITION is open for entries!
🥉This year there are 3 categories with
3 amazing assessment prizes from our publishing house reps 📖

Last year, emerging writer won the picture book category and shares her experience with us…💬
“Taking part in the 2025 Sketch and Scribe Festival was an incredibly rewarding experience. Winning the ‘First Pages’ competition in the picture book category gave me a huge confidence boost especially as it was judged by Alyson O’Brien from Little Book Press and other established authors, whom I admire. As my prize, I received a mini-mentorship session with Alyson, who generously shared her time and valuable publishing insights. Alyson took my manuscript to acquisitions, and although it wasn’t the right fit for her list at this time, her feedback that she could see it being published one day meant a lot. I highly recommend this fresh new festival to anyone looking to invest in their writing craft. I will be back again for this year’s festival!”

🎟️Entries are $25 - participants must hold event 1 or 2 ticket.
✅More information here
https://www.sketchandscribefest.com/first-pages-writing-competition
Start writing ✍️ ✨