Share Your News or Needs During the ASJA Conference Keynote on April 22

Do you have a business idea or event to promote? Are you raising money for a charity? Searching for a collaborator for a project? 

If so, you won’t want to miss CreativeMornings founder and CEO Tina Roth Eisenberg’s keynote speech during the 2026 ASJA virtual conference, “Freelancers’ Blueprint: Navigating a Shifting Landscape,” April 20-24, which will give attendees the opportunity to present a short pitch for a project, purpose, or passion.

The 30-second pitches are a staple of the regular meetups that Roth Eisenberg hosts around the world for self-employed creatives. She’s reprising the practice during her keynote on the third day of the conference, Wednesday, April 22 11 a.m. to noon Eastern time, moderated by ASJA Vice President Gabrielle Gayagoy Gonzalez.

Use this link to reserve a spot: Submit Your 30-Second Pitch Idea.

Keep reading to learn more about what this is and how to participate.

What are 30-Second Pitches?

A feature of many CreativeMornings breakfast lecture series gatherings, 30-second pitches are more personal in nature than the pitches presented during conference pitch slam sessions, where an attendee has a limited amount of time to describe an article or book idea to a specific editor or agent.

Roth Eisenberg’s keynote will consist of a short presentation, Q&A session moderated by Gonzalez, questions from the audience, and then the 30-second pitches. Attendees can pitch something about their writing, business, or personal life they want to share with the entire conference community. 

“It’s basically an opportunity to ask for whatever you want to manifest in your life right now,” Gonzalez said. Almost anything is fair game for a 30-second pitch, Gonzalez said, as long as it is “not promoting anything lewd, discriminatory, or otherwise inappropriate.” 

ASJA conference goers could use their time to:

• Ask for help finding sources for an article
• Promote their freelance niche or specialty
• Promote their editing, coaching, or marketing services
• Share a book or other project they’re working on
• Share a book or podcast they especially love
• Explain how they’re using AI – or why they aren’t
• Share an award or other honor they’ve received
• Raise awareness or money for a favorite charity
• Find a graphic designer or book cover designer to work with
• Spread the word about an awesome job, fellowship, or training opportunity
• Recommend an event or resource
• Advertise that they’re “single and ready to mingle”
• Find a forever home for a foster or rescue pet

For inspiration, see examples of 30-second pitches from CreativeMornings attendees here. 

How to Be Considered for a 30-Second Pitch

To be considered, use this link: Submit Your 30-Second Pitch Idea. Or send an email with your name and a short description of your 30-second pitch to asjaoffice@asja.org with the subject line “ASJA 30-Second Pitch.” 

When submitting a proposal for a pitch, please remember to include a call to action, such as an email address or website to check for more information.

If you are selected, you will have exactly 30 seconds to pitch live during Roth Eisenberg’s keynote, which takes place April 22, 11 a.m. to noon Eastern time.

The deadline to submit is April 16; selected participants will be notified by April 19. You must be registered for the conference to participate and can sign up here.

If selected, participants’ calls to action will also be shared in an ASJA Weekly newsletter after the conference.

More on the 2026 ASJA Conference

The 2026 ASJA virtual conference brings together writers, editors, and agents for three days of helpful sessions on freelance journalism, content writing, and nonfiction books. Client Connections 2026 is an opportunity to pitch editors, agents, and content agencies directly.

Find the full ASJA 2026 conference schedule and register here. To stay up to speed with ASJA news and events, subscribe to the ASJA Weekly newsletter, read the ASJA Confidential blog, or follow ASJA on Facebook or LinkedIn.