One of the most important relationships in the field of publishing is that between the author and the literary agent. They will be your first point-of-call, your introduction to the industry, your “middle-man” between yourself and your publishing house. Typically, the first step to getting a story published is to gain the interest of an agent, and this can be tricker than you might think.
Laura Bennett is a literary agent based in Liverpool, specialising in both adult and YA science-fiction and fantasy. I recently conducted a small interview with Laura, asking five important questions for the interest of unpublished, debut writers.
What makes a manuscript stand out to you?
A really strong voice! I have to feel that this is a story that could only be told by that person, and that they are real. Little things can make that happen – phrases and words that only the character would say, or the way they describe things, or the little comments they make. I love when world-building is done this way.
What is the significance of the query letter?
It means we can see at a glance if a manuscript is likely to be right for us. When you’re getting hundreds of submissions, sometimes there isn’t a lot of time to go through them and it’s really helpful to be able to see right away if something is (for example) the right genre, age category, length, etc. I also like to know a little bit about the writer!
What are some common mistakes that writers make when querying manuscripts?
Doing it too soon – make sure it’s polished!
Not knowing the genre – making it too long or too short, or the language pitched at the wrong age.
Not researching the people they’re sending it to enough and sending a genre they don’t cover.
Are there any popular trends in the publishing industry right now?
I can only speak for SFF, but romance is still a big one. Cosy fantasy. Horror seems to be having a resurgence!
What advice can you give to students looking to build a career through their writing?
Persevere. You’re going to get a lot of criticism and rejections – learn what you can from them and then move on. Don’t stop. The next thing could be the big one.
Amelia Rodgers