How to Submit

The Agency is always looking to take on new authors but only accepts submissions by email. It aims to reply within a week.

Submissions should take the following form:

Non-fiction

  • 1 page mini-synopsis highlighting with bullet points what makes the book new and special with proposed word count and delivery date
  • 1 page on qualifications to write the book
  • 1 page with a few lines on the five most recent competing and comparable books giving author, title, publisher and date of publication together with a note on how the books relate to the author's own book
  • 1 page on sources used
  • 1 page on any specialist marketing outlets such as websites, organisations or magazines
  • 1/2 page synopsis per chapter
  • A sample chapter and, if appropriate, some photographs

Fiction

  • 1 page synopsis outlining the premise and overall narrative structure, with proposed word count and delivery date
  • 1 page author profile
  • 1 page with a few lines on five comparable books giving author, title, publisher and date of publication together with a note on how the books compare to the author's own book
  • 1 page on marketing opportunities, including the author's particular expertise, contacts and profile (including social media), and any specialist marketing outlets such as websites, organisations or magazines
  • Brief synopses of each chapter, about half a page each
  • Sample chapters, preferably the first three
The agency does not handle plays, poetry, academic books, spiritual or new age philosophy, science fiction and fantasy, children’s books or Young Adult or short stories.

Do I accept unpublished authors?

About half the list consists of previously unpublished writers and the agency takes considerable trouble assessing the several thousands of submissions each year.

What mistakes should I avoid when submitting work?

Don’t send blanket submissions clearly addressed to lots of agents at the same time, enquiry letters without SAEs or with foreign return postage on them, telephone enquiries, unsolicited complete manuscripts (especially those tightly packed), letters in green ink or in small envelopes or on lined notepaper and submissions that are badly-spelt, poorly-presented or ungrammatical.

Any advice for an author?

Be professional in your approach, be aware of the competing and comparable literature, learn your craft, accept advice and adapt, read widely, don't give up and find a good literary agent. Also read the Agent FAQs.