What’s Popping at Client Connections 2026

If you’re looking for media outlets or content marketing publishers to write for or literary agents to pitch nonfiction book ideas (and what independent writer isn’t?), you’ll want to know the latest, exciting updates about the American Society of Journalists and Authors virtual Client Connections event immediately following the April 20-22 Virtual Annual Conference.

For the uninitiated, Client Connections lets professional members who register get one-on-one “speed dating” sessions with editors, content marketers and literary agents to pitch ideas and themselves. When the stars align, the meetings lead to assignments, contracts and income. The nine-minute virtual meetings run from 2 pm ET to 5 pm ET April 23 and 24.

Who’s Coming to Client Connections
My fellow Client Connections co-chairs, Cari Shane and Ka Bannon, and our fantastic team have been working furiously to sign up clients. Although procrastinating prospects won’t commit until closer to the event, already 20 terrific pros have registered — some participated in Client Connections before and others are newbies. They include:

AARP, The Magazine/AARP Bulletin
Amplify Publishing Group
Atlanta Magazine
Boston College Magazine
Consumers’ Checkbook
Nordlyset Literary Agency
Professor Media Group (Alcohol Professor, Cheese Professor, Chocolate Professor)
Religion News Service
Rita Rosenkranz Literary Agency
Scientific American

How to Sign Up for Client Connections
Professional ASJA members who want to participate in Client Connections 2026 should first register on the ASJA site. The cost is $79 when bundled with conference registration and $139 for Client Connections alone. The regular rate for the conference, available through April 5, is $309 for members; after that, it’s $329. You can register for Client Connections through April 12.

Once you’ve registered, the next step is entering our Client Connections lottery which takes place between 9 a.m. ET Sunday April 5 and 11:59 p.m. ET Sunday April 12. That’s when you’ll tell us which clients you’d like to meet; it’s your wish list, if you will. But, as they say, “you can’t win if you don’t play.” We’ll run the lottery starting Monday April 13, a blind, computer supported matching process. The Client Connections chairs will notify you about your meetings no later than Thursday April 16 (providing a little good news after Tax Day). That will give you a week to get ready for your meetings.

Our “How to Prepare for Client Connections” Zoom Prep
On Monday April 13 from 4 pm ET to 5 pm ET, we’ll hold a Zoom prep call for the ASJA members registered for Client Connections (the Zoom link will arrive in your email box in coming weeks). During the Zoom, Cari, Ka and I will offer our best advice to make your meetings successful, explain how the AirMeet platform for the virtual meetings will work and answer your questions. This Zoom prep isn’t mandatory, but ASJA members who attended it last year told us they found it extremely helpful.

More to Come!
We’ll be continually adding names of newly registered clients for Client Connections on the ASJA website, so be sure to keep checking to see who’s coming. We hope you’ll join us at Client Connections 2026.