Pitch, Polish, and Publish: Edinburgh Women’s Fiction Festival’s Agent Speed Dating for Writers
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- July 21, 2025
The Edinburgh Women’s Fiction Festival this autumn is once again giving aspiring writers the chance to take their work to the next level with a standout event tailored specifically for those ready to pitch their stories.
Have you got a finished manuscript but don’t know what to do next? Do you dream of being the next Emily Henry, Mike Gayle, Kate Mosse, Jilly Cooper or David Nicholls? Take the next step in your writing journey in this fast-paced agent speed dating event and get feedback on your story from three industry professionals.
Agent Speed Dating returns featuring ten agents, on Friday 26th September, offering unpublished writers a rare opportunity to connect directly with agents and editors from across the publishing industry. Following the success of last year’s sold-out event, this year’s format gives participants the chance to submit their cover letter (maximum one page), synopsis (maximum one page), and first 1,000 words in advance, before delivering a live pitch to three professionals in short, focused 1:1 sessions.
There are no guarantees of representation or publication—just clear, candid feedback from people who read manuscripts for a living. This is a way to cut through the noise, sharpen your pitch, and better understand what agents are really looking for.
This event is open to writers of all genders, backgrounds, and experience levels. The participating agents were chosen because they represent authors in the broad genre of women’s fiction, extending to contemporary or historical fiction, commercial or literary titles, books that include elements of romance, mystery, and magical realism, and focus on character-driven stories. However, many of the agents represent a wide range of genres beyond women’s fiction.
Whether you’re writing your first novel or refining your third, Agent Speed Dating is a chance to test your material and hear what’s working—and what’s not—directly from the people who shape the bookshelves. Spaces are limited and expected to book fast.
Lucy Elizabeth Kelly, an aspiring writer who attended this event last year said; “The Agent Speed Dating was the most useful 30-minute session of my writing career to date, so thank you very much for the incredible opportunity (and for extending the deadline so I could get something in!). I hope to join again next year!”
The Agent Speed Dating event offers half hour time slots, booked in advance, where participants meet 3 agents back-to-back between 1:00 and 2:50 pm, on Friday, 26th September 2025. You will be invited to pitch your cover note, synopsis and first 1,000 words beforehand. Get ready for fast-paced 10-minute sessions with three publishing professionals.
The Edinburgh Women’s Fiction Festival also features writing workshops and author panels. It runs across Friday 26th and Saturday 27th September 2025 at Christ Church Morningside in Edinburgh. For the full list of the ten agents participating and to book please visit www.edwomensficfest.co.uk.
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