Agony Agent Twitter Surgery

To have your manuscript picked up by a traditional publishing house and turned into a real-life, sold-in-bookstores, hold-in-your-hands-and-weep book is the dream of most writers. However, actually getting there can seem just as unlikely a prospect as it seems an attractive one.

With this in mind, we’ve teamed up with A.M. Heath literary agency (@amheathltd) for a Twitter Agony Agent session, in an effort to answer all the questions you may have. Whatever you want to know - whether that’s how to find a literary agent, the submission process, query letters or what happens after your book is picked up by an agent – they can give you the answers.

The Twitter surgery will take place on Wednesday 15th May between 4pm and 5pm GMT. Make sure you’re there to tweet your questions with the hashtag #agonyagents. Below you can find some more information about the agents who will be involved in the session.

Victoria Hobbs @victoriajhobbs

After seven years at Toby Eady Associates, I joined A.M.Heath in 1999. In my time as an agent I have taken great delight in working with lighthouse obsessives, professional blackjack players, writers of historical adventure, novelists - both literary and commercial - biographers, academics and cooks. Among these there are Sunday Times Bestsellers and prize-winners. I am always looking for new voices and am particularly excited by new literary fiction.

Euan Thorneycroft @euanthorneycrof

I have been at A.M.Heath since 2005, having previously worked at Curtis Brown for seven years. I represent a broad range of fiction from the literary to the more commercial. I particularly like writing with some or all of the following; a unique voice, a compelling story and an original concept. I have a strong interest in crime and thrillers. I also represent a range of non-fiction writers, mostly in the area of memoir and biography, with a particular interest in all sports (esp. climbing literature). I have been a committee member of the Association of Authors' Agents as well as serving as the external examiner on one of the country’s leading creative writing courses.

Oli Munson @oliagent

After nine years at the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency, I joined A.M.Heath in 2012. My client list includes award-winning, bestselling authors of crime, suspense and speculative fiction and I’m always on the hunt for novels with high concept plots, compelling characters and interesting locations: books that stand at the crossroads of different genres. On the non-fiction front, I also enjoy sports writing and reportage. I’ve given talks to various writers' groups both home and abroad, university courses and international book fairs as well as being a Frankfurt Book Fair Fellow in 2010.

Julia Churchill @juliachurchill

I joined AM Heath in 2013 as Children's Agent, after four years building up the UK side of the Greenhouse Literary Agency, and six years at the Darley Anderson Agency where I started the children's book side of the list. I'm lucky to represent some fabulous writers, but I'm always on the treasure hunt for new writing talent and consider the slushpile to be the greatest place on earth. I'm looking for debut and established authors with storytelling magic, from picture book texts right up to YA fiction.

Charlie Brotherstone @charliebroagent

I have been at A.M. Heath since 2008 and am always on the lookout for exciting new voices. Working with debut writers and launching their careers has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of the job. I love writers whose powerful prose, brilliant storytelling, or unique vision (preferably all three) can totally immerse the reader. It is a broad church and I have written about my tastes in more detail on the Agent Hunter website, but I would particularly love to receive commercial and literary fiction, reading group fiction, upmarket crime and psychological thrillers. On the non-fiction side my main interests are in politics, history, music and sport.

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