Nine literary agents currently open to submissions and what they are looking for
Plus, latest news, events and opportunities for writers and journalists
Hello to my fellow wordsmiths,
Before I begin, just a reminder about the news events and opportunities at the final section of this email.. some good ones this week including how to apply for the Telegraph Editorial Graduate programme and the Bath Novel Prize.
Also please share this post - everyone is welcome (and it’s free)..
Anyway, how are you? Let’s take a breath together - we need to look after ourselves. I have finally taken some leave and I have to admit - I’m exhausted. Anyone else feel like their head is spinning? Time, finally, to think about Christmas or at least choose a tree. But I’m a little impressed with myself as, despite my gnat-like attention span for crafting, I manage to revive our distinctly dead wedding wreath - which originally adorned the door of our venue in August - by liberating some holly from our countryside hedge. A gust of wind might take it down though so I quickly took a picture.
*Update* - there’s essentially a freezing rain and wind storm outside so I’m not holding my breath!
Anyway, until today I’ve been working but I also spent one evening with an ITN crew in my house for a documentary interview - and the next speaking at event for public relation professionals about innovation in journalism.
I enjoy these sort of things but after working at the weekend and through Mon-Wed your girl is tired. But annual leave without going anywhere means one thing (not including cleaning or tree trimming!) which is time to get querying the novel. So I thought I’d save you scrolling and share what a selection of literary agents are looking for - which may help you too if you are sending out those dreaded queries. All of the following nine were open to submissions as I pressed go!
Sheila Crowley (Curtis Brown): ‘I would love to find a novel with the unforgettable plot and depth of character of Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. I also love compulsive thriller, mystery and suspense stories that continue to challenge the genre, such as The Only Suspect by Louise Candlish and The Last Party by Clare Mackintosh, both of which are wonderfully clever and twisty.’
Ludo Cinelli (Eve White Literary Agency): ‘The books I love might challenge me with their ideas and style, but they might also be a simple story beautifully told. I do this job because of the variety, the excitement, and the potential it offers.’
Hannah Todd (Madeleine Milburn Lit Agency): Commercial fiction across all genres including women’s fiction; police procedurals; clever thrillers; cosy crime; romantic comedies; accessible historical fiction focusing on 20th century and including dual timeline novels; sagas; emotional issues-led fiction. If you can make her laugh, cry or fall in love then you’re onto a winner!
Laetitia Rutherford (Watson Little) Literary and upmarket fiction - not crime fiction. ’I am open to queries from writers with timely subject matter, propulsive narratives, and irresistible style whether accessible or more playful and ambitious of form. I am looking for fresh, bold, and beautiful voices, preferably contemporary settings, and with the international appeal that comes from a brilliant central idea or little heard cultural standpoint. At the moment, I am particularly open to novels with surreal or fantastical or fabulist aspects. If historical, let your novel speak for today.’
Marina Pass (The Soho Agency): Marina is looking for strong hooks, compelling writing and unforgettable characters. She reads across all genres in fiction, except for sci-fi, and she gravitates towards stories told through a female lens. She would also love to see beautifully-written and compelling narrative non-fiction.
Caroline Wood (Felicity Bryan Associates): ‘I am actively looking for original, character driven debuts. I love books that transport me to a different time or place, books that have a secret or mystery at the heart of them, books about family and relationships, books that leave me with something to ponder.’
Judith Murray (Greene and Heaton): ‘I want to read about humanity being altruistic and courageous and visionary – and overcoming the terrifying challenges of our current world and changing our future for the better for all of us. I want fiction that helps me be optimistic and hopeful and resilient. But I also want to be distracted, and taken out of myself and my own head and away from my own fears and worries and tiny first world life problems more than ever. And I want a good laugh too sometimes.’
Jodie Hodges (United Agents): ‘I love picture books and young fiction. I enjoy the rules and the boundaries the formats tend to impose. Seeing creators conjure up stories that generate laughter, conversation or love of a character so deep that the World Book Day costume is a given; that demand repeat readings without the adult reader feeling it a chore while working within these boundaries is pure magic. I’ll always be keen to see classic storytelling for 8-12s be it an adventure, a fantasy, historical, domestic, a comedy.’
Tanera Simons (Darley Anderson): Tanera has always been a huge fan of commercial fiction, with a particular interest in romantic comedies and sweeping love stories. She is open to all submissions that could be described as book club, rom-com, romance, up-lit, or historical fiction, and always wants to see standout voices, memorable characters, and stories that will make you laugh or cry (or both!) in her inbox.
News, events and opportunities
The Bath Novel award 2024 is now open for entries and the prize fund has been upped to £5,000. The Bath Novel Award is a £5,000 international prize for un-agented emerging novelists. One longlistee will also win a £1,800 place on online course Edit Your Novel the Professional Way from longlist prize co-sponsors Professional Writing Academy and Cornerstones Literary Consultancy. Entry is £29.99 per novel with sponsored places available for writers on a low income. Submissions until 31st May 2024.
BBC is ‘neighbour from hell’ say local news publishers (via Press Gazette): The UK's biggest commercial regional news publishers are fighting back back against the BBC’s rollout of 34 local news websites.
The Book Vault birthday party: The Book Vault bookshop in Barnsley, Yorkshire, is holding a party all day on Saturday December 16 with authors, giveaways and plenty of fun. Authors on hand will include Write Reject Repeat Q&A alumna Milly Johnson, who will sign copies of The Happiest Ever After.
The Telegraph Editorial Graduate programme/ Journo Resources: Journo Resources has a complete guide to applying for this programme, plus lots of invaluable help for journalists and job opportunities.
BBC Comedy commissioning - short form development opportunities: Now open for applications from UK-based production companies, there are two strands to get involved in. The first is character development - will be non-broadcast and aimed at writer/performers to try things out away from audience pressures and broadcast expectation. And comedy short films - these will be more fully formed and for showing off your work and will be broadcast on BBC iPlayer and other BBC platforms. (Link in headline).
Have a lovely week - Nicola x
It's great that you are covering both book publishing and journalism. V closely linked but rarely written about together!
Thanks Louise, it always seems mad the two are not discussed in the same space - so hopefully others will agree. Also, I'm not sure I can divide the two when I exist for both!