In a sunlit upstairs nook of Adelaide Arcade, Pink Shorts Publishing has taken root as one of the city’s newest creative forces, an independent publishing company born out of friendship, persistence, and a shared belief that books belong everywhere, not just in Sydney or Melbourne.
Behind the imprint are Emily Hart and Margot Lloyd, two editors who met a decade ago at Wakefield Press and have since woven together experiences across the Australian publishing landscape before returning home.
Their careers took them down different but complementary paths. Margot headed to Brisbane, working closely with award-winning authors at University of Queensland Press and the literary journal Griffith Review. Emily moved to Melbourne, steering projects at Hardie Grant that ranged from prime ministers’ memoirs to celebrity chef cookbooks.
Between them, they’ve touched every corner of publishing, literary treasures, political heavyweights, and commercial bestsellers and yet it was the conversations at Adelaide Writers’ Week that kept circling back to the idea of starting something of their own in the city they both loved.
As a result, in 2025 Pink Shorts Publishing was officially born while several major buyouts were occurring that were halving the number of independent publishers in Australia.
Thanks to support from Renew Adelaide, their office now sits in the heart of Adelaide Arcade, a space that doubles as a workplace and book store where locals can browse shelves, buy books, and stop in for a chat.
Surrounded by other creative businesses, the pair are grateful to no longer be working from their kitchen tables.
Their vision is simple but ambitious, to make Pink Shorts Publishing a sustainable, integral part of Adelaide’s creative scene.
For Emily and Margot publishing South Australian stories that readers can be proud of rekindles the magic of long-form reading.
“In a world of endless scrolling and hyperlinks, the act of sitting down with a curated, considered story feels almost revolutionary.
“The industry often forgets the country exists outside of Sydney and Melbourne, and we wanted to change that. Words are important for everyone, not just writers.
“There’s something ‘back to the future’ about books,” both Emily and Margot say.
Alongside publishing two seasons of books each year, Pink Shorts is also expanding into professional development workshops, covering brand voice, plain English, and even editing for AI.
Their combined expertise sets them apart. Margot brings deep literary credentials, having worked with national treasures like Alison Lester, while Emily’s commercial background includes projects with figures like Malcolm Turnbull and Erin Phillips.
Together, they bridge the best of both worlds, serious literary craft and wide-reaching popular appeal.
Pink Shorts Publishing isn’t just a business, it’s a love letter to words, to Adelaide.
