UK literary agents who specialise in science fiction and fantasy

Mandyt said:
Thanks Harebrain-you've been a great help.I was just crossing off all the agents who said that so you've opened up a whole new world of possibilities.:)
Click to expand...


After finally finding an agent who's crazy about my MS (6 years in) I am despairing. She loved it but needed some fairly painless revisions to be made. I procrastinated for a a few months, then finally got down to it. I had left it too late though. She left the agency three months ago to set up a self-publishing company. I shall send it to her replacement at the agency but I am kicking myself so to all of you out there, if you have a bite don't let it get away. It's a hard lesson to learn. :(
 
Hugs on the near-miss, Mandy - but if she's given up agenting, you would have had the even greater heartbreak of getting an offer of representation only to be dropped because of her career change. It's not like she gave up agenting because she didn't have your manuscript. It would have happened whatever you did. Every cloud has a silver lining, right?

Still, it's a good warning. If an agent asks for an R&R (revise and resubmit) and you think their advice is good for the book - do it! But unless you think the advice is bang on the nail...keep submitting to other agents in the meantime. Someone else may prefer it the way it is.
 
goldenapples said:
Antony Harwood has responded to my email submissions on many occasions, mostly personally, and always promptly. :D Do try.
Click to expand...

The bad news is, it looks as though something has changed at Anthony Harwood after years of prompt and polite replies.

I sent AH an email query around the same time I posted this advice on the forum, but I haven't heard anything. What a shame. Checking my folders, I found the last prompt and polite rejection was in May 09, so maybe they've stopped replying with rejections. Sorry. :(
 
hmmm just checked out Zeno out of curiosity. I'm going to need a golden limo full of willing dancing girls and my own spaceship to consider any agent (handshake to the first who picks a reference there), but since they were getting so much mention, I thought I would have a squiz.

They lost me almost immediately I am afraid.

It's good to see a list of agents like this thread for those who wish to find such though. Thanks anyway guys!
 
i'll second that question - it's possible you can't actually get any clearer about what a prospective agent is looking for from looking at their sub reqs. and the client list is certainly impressive on its own.
 
lol because within those reqs i simply don't fit. (noting also that those reqs linked above are no longer valid as they are now CLOSED to submissions)

Aside from that, as an author you MUST learn to recognise upfront what kind of agent will suit you. I can tell from the way they explained the reqs they won't suit me. Lets leave it at that.

Of course, its a moot point as i'm on the other side of the planet!
 
ah well, next time they open, they'll most likely be after something completely different, rather than top-end fantasy. wait and see, wait and see.....
 
I didn't entirely fit their requirements as stated in the last open period, but they still took me on. Mind you, it did help that I had an offer on the table already... :)

Zeno do rep SF as well as fantasy, but I hear it's a hard sell at the moment. Like it or not, fantasy is where the money is...
 
Sorry, I'm new to this. I'd like to put my own post on to try and find a book. Can anyone help me with this?? I tried but it was just a blog and not a posting...help please
Thanks
 
goldenapples said:
Conville and Walsh turned around a submission in March this year in six weeks. Snowbooks managed four months for the same thing and Mic Cheetham five months. No sign of John Jarrold and Antony Harwood's rejections yet.
Click to expand...

I made a submission to John Jarrod back in May time and still haven't heard back. In that time, the submission guidelines have changed and he recommends contacting him within 24 hours if we haven't heard anything. Not entirely sure what to do there.
 
Anne Lyle said:
If he says to contact him if you haven't heard, then contact him - he doesn't bite :)

Sometimes emails get caught in spam traps, especially if they have attachments...
Click to expand...

I sent him my work. He replied almost instantly saying get back to me if you haven't heard in two weeks.

Two weeks went by. I sent him a friendly nudge email asking if he'd had a chance to read my work. No response.

Another week. another friendly email. No response.

Another week. Another nudge. No response.

I have now given up on Mr Jarrold. And I don't buy the whole 'spam trap' excuse. A guy whose living depended on electronic submissions and communication would not lose so much important email.
 
Hi everyone. This forum has been very helpful.
I have seen the websites of some agents and all of them ask for a cv to know a little about the writer. I know it is difficult for a new writer to get noticed, However, does the experience count for anything?
I'm in the process of writing a story, I think its good but I have NO experience at all. I don't even have a degree. My cv is very lame, finished high school and basically I'm a full time mum.
How can I compete with experienced writers? Any clues?
 
Hi Evester. Doubt that you need a degree, or a CV in terms of work experience. My CV submission was all about the books I liked, what I'd written (published or not), and where I placed myself in relation to others who are writing at the moment (not "I'm better than them", just "this is the kind of thing I do, and it's a bit like what he / she does, but different in this way". That helps a publisher / agent to know if it will sell. We can compete with experienced writers because we're good, just like they are (and not all of them are)!
 
Hello, evester, and welcome to the Chrons. Welcome, too, Irwin.

evester, I think you're misunderstanding what is meant by cv in this context. It's nothing to do with your academic ability or your career, other than how they impinge on your writing -- for instance, if you are writing a medical thriller the fact you are a doctor will be important. What they are looking for is publishing credits (ie if you have sold short stories to a magazine), and perhaps also a peg on which they can hang publicity -- so for instance, your novel arises from your experience as a partially-sighted person.

However, if you are only just "in the process of writing a story" then realistically you don't have to worry about this for at least another year, possibly a lot longer. First of all, you must finish the novel, then you will have to revise it -- and some first novels will go through a dozen revisions before they are ready for a publisher.

I suggest that you take some time reading through our threads in Aspiring Writers and get involved with us here, and we will help you all we can to get your work ready!
 
Just to add to Judge's comments; I've only been here a few weeks, but it is the best thing I have done:D

There's loads of good advice and ideas, it's supportive and honest which is, after all, what we need most.

Oh and one mum to another- ONLY a full time mum; it's a cv on its own.:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
Coragem Literary agents list Publishing 7
O Redrafting and literary agents/editors/publishers... Writing Discussion 9
Deke Question on literary agents Publishing 7
Brian G Turner Literary agents on Twitter Writing Resources 3
A Literary agents Publishing 12

Similar threads


Back
Top