ASA launches international rights marketplace

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) has launched an international online rights marketplace, showcasing and selling writers' work to publishers around the world.

The service, for which some publishing professionals in the UK have already signed up, is a closed online forum for publishing professionals who can purchase rights or offer representation to authors. 

Authors, who are able to negotiate their sales directly through the platform, may already have published with unsold territories, or be looking for a buyer for a full, unpublished manuscript with all rights available, the ASA said. 

Many of the authors will not have published outside of Australia before, which, according to the ASA, "makes this an exciting opportunity to discover new talent, without having to travel for 24 hours".

If a publisher, scout or agent is interested in an author’s work, they should email the ASA, which will connect them directly to the author or illustrator. 

To date the International Marketplace has had over 150 entries. The pilot programme launched on 19th July and focuses on Adult Fiction, Poetry and Short Stories. Submissions for Children's and Young Adult categories are scheduled to open in January-February 2018, followed by Non-Fiction and Biography in April 2018. Other categories to follow later in 2018. 

Interested publishing professionals should email marketplace@asauthors.org.