This event is now SOLD OUT. Please email events@writersandartists.co.uk to be added to the waiting list.
Are you writing a book for publication but unsure of how to find an agent? Get the inside track on the submission process from leading UK literary agents at this intimate half-day event in the heart of literary London
Held in the historic surrounds of Bloomsbury Publishing, home to authors including Margaret Atwood, Kamila Shamsie, Benjamin Myers and Sarah J. Maas, 'How to Hook an Agent' is your chance to meet and work with UK literary agents, who will help develop your pitch and offer all of the guidance you and your book need to have the best possible chance of success.
The event is designed for writers preparing to embark upon the process of seeking representation, or those looking for pointers after having already queried a number of agents.
Attendees can expect to be placed in small workshop groups, with all agents invited on the day spending time with each group to discuss the role that the agent plays for the writer, trends within the current publishing marketplace, and also offer plenty of practical guidance on how to grab the attention of a prospective agent via the submission package (covering letter, synopsis and opening three chapters).
All writers in attendance will enjoy a ten-minute 'speed-dating' session with an agent, while there will also be opportunities throughout to network with their writing peers.
Schedule
09.00-09.30: Registration and welcome breakfast
09.30-10.15: Seminar 1 - The role of a literary agent
10.20-11.05: Seminar 2 - The covering letter and how to pitch your book
11.15-12.00: Seminar 3 - Is my book ready? The synopsis and opening chapters
12.20-13.30: Agent one-to-one sessions
More agents to be announced soon!
Sarah Such founded Sarah Such Literary Agency in 2007. Her previous roles have included publicity and marketing manager at Chatto & Windus, publicity director at Penguin Books UK, senior editor at Hodder & Stoughton and editorial director at Duckworth. She has been shortlisted for Literary Agent of the Year at the British Book Awards three times. Sarah was a judge for Mslexia’s 2017 first novel competition and the London Short Story competition 2018. Follow her on Twitter at @sarahsuch and at sarahsuchliteraryagency.tumblr.com
Sandra Sawicka joined the Marjacq Scripts in 2014. Her main interests are genre fiction (SFF, speculative, crime, horror) and YA. She also handles translation rights for all authors represented by Marjacq. Follow her on Twitter @sansawicka
Juliet Garcia joined Felicity Bryan Associates in 2021, after finishing a degree in English Literature at Oxford University and interning at a small, independent publishing house. She is the first reader for all the agency’s submissions, co-runs the FBA New Voices mentorship scheme for underrepresented writers, and is also starting to build her own select list of fiction and non-fiction. Juliet is especially drawn to lush, eerie historical fiction, propulsive character-driven literary fiction, and timely narrative non-fiction that shines a light on subcultures or engages with the complex issues facing modern life. You can follow her on Twitter at @julietgarcia22.
Honor Spreckley joined RCW in 2019 having previously worked for The Hay Festival. She works with Sam Copeland and Georgia Garrett and is building her own list.
Honor is open to all adult submissions but is particularly looking for literary fiction, book club and commercial women's fiction. RCW is a literary agency representing a diverse range of bestselling and prize-winning authors from across the world and has an unrivalled reputation for discovering and nurturing new writers.
This event is priced at £175 (incl. VAT). This fee is payable in full online, though please note that payment instalment plans are available for all W&A events, writing courses and editing services. Contact W&A Admin on events@writersandartists.co.uk so that we can find a payment schedule that works for you.
If this event is Sold Out, please look out for more How to Hook an Agent dates by visiting our Events homepage. If you would like to be added to the waiting list for this particular event, please email events@writersandartists.co.uk and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
To view our event refund and cancellation policy, please click here.
Accessible to All
It’s of real importance to Writers & Artists that our events and courses remain accessible to all.
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As part of our accessibility scheme, one bursary place is available for this event. Please visit our bursaries page for further information about how to apply for future bursaries.
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This event will take place at the offices of Bloomsbury Publishing, which is fully accessible. If you’d like to attend but have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility, then please email AccessWA@bloomsbury.com
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Joining instructions and full guidance will be circulated by W&A Admin in the days leading up to the date of the event.
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Supplementary materials will be made available to all participants on the day of the event. This will include written text and visuals. Please contact us in advance so that we can make arrangements to be sure all documents appear in a format that works for you.
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There will be no recording of this event, so please be sure to bring a notebook or laptop to make the notes you need.
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Food will be provided at this event. Please be sure to respond to the joining instruction emails from W&A Admin if you have any dietary requirements