Literary Agency
We welcome manuscripts from new writers and established authors that captivate and engage us as avid readers as well as agents.
We are equally interested in fiction, non fiction and poetry collections, and all genres are welcomed. With fiction, the story must be first-rate, with strong lead characters, plenty of plot twists, a gripping sub plot and a clear, resounding message. Anything that falls outside of this remit will also be considered but do bear in mind it has to be pretty remarkable from the word go.
We favour topical non-fiction submissions that will both inform and enlighten, written in an appealing and accessible manner.
For Poetry Collections themed compilations work best but we are open to any submission that inspires, touches, or stirs us.
Submission Guidelines
In the first instance, please send us a query with a brief description of your intended novel, collection or book proposal. If your idea stands out then we will request the first three chapters, or five poems, along with a detailed synopsis to be sent by post. For those residing overseas you may send us the first ten pages of your manuscript in the body of an e-mail.
Due to security concerns, we will not respond to any e-mails with attachments. Please include any information that we request from you in the body of the e-mail.
All postal enquiries and submissions must include a self stamped addressed envelope for our consideration. No manuscripts will be returned without sufficient postage and packaging. For overseas queries please include International Reply Coupons (IRC) obtainable from your local post office.
You may also wish to include a self stamped addressed postcard to acknowledge receipt of your manuscript.
Please inform us if you have sent out multiple queries to other agents or if another agent is considering your work.
There are no reading fees incurred for this service.
What Happens Next?
If we request your full manuscript or collection you will need to send us a full author biography outlining any publications you may have, relevant courses undertaken or qualifications gained. In addition, you may wish to include any writing success online, competitions won, or any newsletters credited. Even minor writing achievements may be of interest to us.
We will need a one page outline that sells both your work and you as the author. This entails:
- A paragraph that introduces the work and summarises the piece succinctly;
- A brief description of the novel including the genre, theme, setting, length, and whether it is part of a series or a stand alone book. For poetry collections please specify the running theme;
- The reasons why the story will appeal to readers;
- A concluding commentary that introduces the writer along with the inspiration for writing the piece.
For non-fiction submissions, please include factors such as your research list, sources interviewed and a catalogue of books on similar topics currently on the market.
Time Frame
We consider every manuscript carefully that lands on our desk and we will do our best to get back to you within three months from your initial enquiry. However, due to the high volume of queries received the process may take longer. If you haven't heard from us within sixteen weeks do send us a gentle reminder by e-mail.
Contact Details
Send postal correspondence to:
Literary Agency Department
Chapter One Promotions
Babel Studios
82 Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE1 0AS
Or alternatively you can e-mail us.
We look forward to hearing from you.