• •Thursday 16 April, 10AM – 4:30PM
  • •Online via Zoom
  • •Tickets here from $30

Back by popular demand! Inside the Publishing House is a unique, virtual conference that takes you behind the scenes at one of Australia’s biggest publishing houses, Hachette Australia.  

Hachette Australia represents an array of A-list international and local authors, publishing around 100 new Australian titles every year. Its stellar line-up of local authors includes bestselling two-time Golden Dagger winner and ABIA Fiction winner Michael Robotham; Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks; Australia’s bestselling non-fiction writer and favourite storyteller Peter FitzSimons and New York Times bestselling novelist Natasha Lester; critically acclaimed author Dr Michael Mohammed Ahmed and the ABIA, CBCA and NSW Premier’s award-winning Davina Bell.  

Throughout this day-long program, you will have the chance to learn about the how to go from writer to author, the intricacies of the book publishing journey from pitch to publication and you will hear from publishers, editors, publicists, marketers, production and salespeople, who will all help demystify the ins and outs of the publishing house for writers and for those interested in a career in publishing. You will also be able to ask questions at each panel.

We’ve got a full lineup of publishers and seasoned literary pros appearing at Inside the Publishing House this year, so check out the full event schedule below!

Got questions? Check out the Inside the Publishing House FAQs for all the answers.

Places are extremely limited so book your tickets today!

Book Tickets

Inside the Publishing 2026 Full Day Program

10am – Welcome

Kick off the day with a warm welcome and a bit of housekeeping from the Hachette Publishing Director and EWF CEO, who will outline the program and help get you settled in for the day ahead, before the first session starts.  

Joel Naoum, Publishing Director Hachette Australia and Jess Zanoni, Artistic Director & Co-CEO Emerging Writers’ Festival  

10.10am – From writing to publishing

Writing is art, publishing is a business. How do you manage the two?

How do you decide when to take the next step towards publication? What can you do to gain attention? Do you need an agent?  What role do writing prizes play? Includes rolling Q&A of publisher and audience questions.  

 Alex Sawyer, Richell Prize-winning author, whose debut novel Rat Daniels is out in July in conversation with Vanessa Radnidge, Head of Non-Fiction and Literary at Hachette Australia.

10.50am Break

11.00am – It takes a village – the many different skills that go into publishing a book

Step foot inside the publishing house and uncover what the people collaborating with writers and illustrators do. Meet members of the Hachette team from across editorial, production, sales, publicity and marketing and find out how they work with writers.  In this session, you’ll find out all about what goes into getting a book out there, once you have finished your fabulous manuscript. Hear from the people who make it all happen. Includes 20-minute Q&A.  

 Joel Naoum, Publishing Director, in discussion with Chris Sims, National Account Manager; Emily Lighezzolo, Publicity Manager; Kirstin Corcoran, Senior Campaign Manager; Rebecca Allen, Deputy Managing Editor; Jenny Topham, Deputy Production Manager.  

11.45am Lunch

12.15pm – What Publishers Want (with Q&A)

What are the insider tips and tricks that will make it more likely that a publisher will read your manuscript? What little thing might just be what snags you a book deal? What are publishers looking for when they acquire a manuscript? How do you pitch your book and yourself effectively? This session will cover just what these publishers want! Includes 20-minute Q&A at the end.  

Rebecca Allen, Editorial Manager, in discussion with Jeanmarie Morosin, Head of Children’s Publishing; Rebecca Saunders, Head of Fiction, Sophie Hamley Publisher of Non-Fiction and Fiction.

1.15pm Break

1.30pm – Pitch Perfect

Ahead of the pitching sessions, learn how to whip your pitch into shape. Hachette Fiction and Non-Fiction Publisher Sophie Hamley will lead this pitching masterclass. Find out the must-haves for a successful pitch and the pitfalls to avoid. In a specially designed workshop, Sophie will run through the mechanics of pitching and pitch documents, with all your questions answered along the way. This masterclass will give you an incredible opportunity to work on your pitch under the guidance of an industry leader, including bespoke advice, instruction and insights. Includes rolling Q&A.  

With: Sophie Hamley, Hachette Publisher  

2.30pm Break

2.45pm – Pitch Time! Sessions with Hachette Publishers

The time has come – this session is your chance to put what you’ve learned into practice and pitch your manuscript to the Hachette team! Publishers are always on the lookout for new and exciting voices, so here’s your chance to show them yours. Members of the Hachette team will be listening to your 5-minute pitches as a professional development exercise for you and with the potential to be much, much more!

Joel Naom, Publishing Director

Chrysoula Aiello, Senior Editor

Vanessa Radnidge, Head of Literary

Sophie Hamley, Publisher

Rebecca Allen, Deputy Managing Editor

Annie Zhang, Editor

Lee Moir, Editor

Emma Rafferty, Managing Editor

Jacquie Brown, Senior Editor

4.30pm – Inside the Publishing House concludes

Tickets are now available, with limited spots for Pitch Time! sessions, so book your tickets today!
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Want to read more about Hachette Australia?

Find out more about getting published with Hachette Australia here.