Ask the Industry Expert: Literary Agent Diana Beaumont

It's a great pleasure to welcome literary agent Diana Beaumont to the RNA blog today. Diana joined Marjacq Scripts in 2017.  She started agenting with Rupert Heath Literary Agency in 2011 before moving to UTA. Before that she was senior commissioning editor at Transworld. Diana was chosen as one of The Bookseller’s Rising Stars of 2012.

Diana is chatting with Helena Fairfax. Welcome, both!

Hello, Diana! Please tell us a little about the Marjacq Scripts, how long it’s been established, and how you came to join?

Marjacq Scripts was founded in 1974 and is a full service boutique literary agency. There are five agents plus our MD and we all specialise in different areas, although there is some overlap which is incredibly helpful. We work in a very collaborative way and it’s an exciting time to be part of the team as we have expanded significantly in recent years. I joined this year. I have known Phil Patterson – who heads up the book department as far as there is a formal hierarchy – since I was a commissioning editor at Transworld. I like and respect him very much and the same applies to my colleagues, so it seemed like a good fit.

What genres do you represent?

Women’s commercial fiction (although it does annoy me that we have to specify this!), reading group fiction, crime, thrillers and cover memoir, cookery and lifestyle when it comes to non-fiction. As an agency we also cover literary fiction and non-fiction, genre and speculative fiction, true crime, children’s and YA.

What is it you are looking for when a manuscript lands on your desk? Are there any specific plots or themes you’d like to see?

I think the voice always has to resonate with you but the combination of a strong hook and plot is a winner for me. I get incredibly excited when it all comes together in that way. I am interested in motherhood, looking to take on more diverse voices and am drawn towards strong female/feminist central characters, but also like to keep an open mind.

Have you noticed any particular trends in romance in the past year or so, and if so, what do you think publishers are looking for at the moment?

There have been a number of novels coming out that would appeal to fans of Jojo Moyes – they cover dark subjects with a light touch so that humour sits alongside the sadness. They play on the emotions so that you laugh and cry. I am looking forward to seeing How to be Happy, by Eva Woods, launch in February 2018 from Little,Brown which is perfect for that audience. I can’t wait, either, for the paperback publication of Hot Mess, by Lucy Vine, from Orion which subverts the traditional rom com and reassesses attitudes to being single amongst millennials in a hilarious way and is, I hope, ahead of the curve, as well as providing a much needed laugh. Look Magazine said it was even better than Bridget Jones!  There seems to be an interest in what could have been: from Kate Atkinson to Kate Eberlen’s Miss You and Laura Barnett’s The Versions of Us. Publishers are also keen on upmarket sagas with family secrets or an element of mystery at the moment and the line between romantic fiction and psychological suspense is sometimes blurred, as the latter has been so successful of late. I wonder also whether there will also be a desire for pure escapist fun in such uncertain times.

Do you ever find authors outside the slush pile? If so, how?

Yes. Sometimes clients are kind enough to recommend others but I have also taken on a crime writer, Roz Watkins, who I met at The Festival of Writing in York. When it comes to non-fiction I have approached people direct.

What advice would you give someone submitting to you?

Take a look at my list and see if it fits, broadly, with the other books I represent. Follow the submission guidelines. Put lots of effort into your cover letter and make sure that the title, elevator pitch, further information about the book and author biography are as strong as possible – we get hundreds of submissions, so a good letter really makes a difference. It is also important to have a sense of where your book fits into the market. We don’t expect you to be experts but to show professionalism and savvy – it is both a business and creative relationship after all. It’s always worth looking round bookshops and reading as much as you can. Spell my name correctly. And, finally, make sure you’ve finished the book and that it is as polished as it can be.

What’s your favourite romance novel of all time?

I have an abiding love for The Pursuit of Love, by Nancy Mitford, but must also throw in Jane Eyre and Rebecca for good measure.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I wish I indulged in wildly imaginative pastimes like flamenco, potholing or skydiving but I most enjoy eating, reading, bathing, films, theatre and the company of good friends.

If you could describe your working-day in just three words, what would they be?

Never the same.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions, Diana. We love your list of spare time activities!

If you've enjoyed Diana's interview, or have any questions or comments at all, please let us know. We'd love to hear from you!

About Helena

Helena Fairfax is a romance author and editor. Her latest release is a feel good summer romance called Felicity at the Cross Hotel. You can find out more about Helena's books and her editing services on her website www.helenafairfax.com

If you would like to write for the RNA blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com

Chatting with Publishers: Dominic Wakeford

We welcome Natalie Kleinman with the second in our new series for the RNA blog, 'Chatting With Publishers'. This month Natalie chats with Dominic Wakeford, Commissioning Editor, Piatkus Fiction.

Welcome to the blog, Dominic, and thank you for agreeing to answer my questions.

Can you tell us something about your journey to your present job?

My first job in publishing was in the ebooks team at Random House, which just so happened to coincide with their publication of the  Fifty Shades trilogy – a baptism of fire! This was the first time I came into contact with the romance genre, and having recently completed an English Lit degree and studying the canon for three years, it came as a relief to work on engaging and addictive commercial fiction. After a couple of years at PRH I became an editorial assistant at an independent publisher, Constable & Robinson, who were later acquired by Little, Brown. From there I joined the Piatkus Fiction imprint in January 2015 as a Junior Editor and have recently been promoted to Commissioning Editor.

What is a typical day like as a busy editor – if there is such a thing as a typical day?

Most people think that editors sit around reading and marking up manuscripts in red pen – if only! Like most of my colleagues I’m glued to my emails for much of the day, but will try and fit in some submission reading too around meetings, speaking to authors and agents and tweeting about our forthcoming publications. When I’m working on a manuscript I prefer to lock myself away in our quiet room as we work open plan and so it can be quite hard to concentrate out on the floor. I also handle the desk editing for our imprint, which involves collating proofs and liaising with freelancers. If it’s a really good day, I’ll have a lunch meeting – my favourite perk of the job!

Have you ever wanted to write a book?

I’ve started a couple of things (in my iPhone notes!) but no, I don’t really think I’m cut out for it – which makes me respect what my authors do so much more. I’m a big film fan though so would quite like to try writing a screenplay.

When not surrounded by books in your job what do you like to read for leisure?

I have catholic tastes and don’t like to confine myself to a particular genre, but I’d say my preferred fiction sits at the commercial end of literary. I try to mix old and new, though of course there’s never enough time to read everything I want to. I’m a keen cook so will happily curl up with a cookbook as well.

What are you looking for at present?

I’m on the lookout for romance fiction of all kinds, as well as commercial women’s fiction with a strong voice, memorable characters and sparkling writing – books that allow me to escape daily life and be transported to extraordinary places. A particular focus of my acquiring has been bringing previously self-published authors onto the list, including bestsellers Tillie Cole and Kelly Elliott.

If you receive a submission that is not a genre you handle, do you pass it to another editor in your company?

Absolutely – one of the nicest things about working at Little, Brown is the collegiate atmosphere and so we all have a pretty good idea of what our fellow editors are looking for.

Does your company accept un-agented submissions?

We don’t, but part of my acquisition brief is to seek out previously self-published authors whom I will approach directly if there’s potential to work with them.

Do you have a crystal ball? What do you feel will be then next ‘big thing’?

I wish I did! The most interesting thing about the book publishing industry is how cyclical it is – certain genres which had been going down (paranormal, for example) are coming right back up again, which is great as we’re able to mine our enormous backlist and hopefully introduce old titles to new readers. The recent trend in sports-themed romance doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon, and it’s been refreshing to see the return of good romantic suspense as well.

If you have one piece of advice to give to anyone submitting a manuscript, what would it be?

Try to make your submission as targeted as possible, and if you see yourself in the same vein as an existing author on a publisher’s list, say so – it’s often one of the main things we consider when taking on new work. As I said before we don’t take unagented submissions, but if you need help getting an agent an invaluable resource I always direct people to is the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook, which is updated annually and provides a list of agents and their preferred genres etc. It’s also worth carefully reading the submission guidelines that agents and publishers include on our websites – it’s a waste of everyone’s time if you submit a romance novel to someone who exclusively handles non-fiction!

What a lot of very useful information you have provided us with, Dom. Thank you so much for joining us today – and if you ever want any guinea pigs to sample your culinary skills just put out a call to RNA members. I’m sure you’d have a lot of takers.

About Natalie:

Natalie Kleinman writes contemporary and historical romance novels and has thrown a bit of a mystery into the mix in her current wip. She is accumulating a nice collection of Regency works to help with her research. You can follow her blog at http://nataliekleinman.blogspot.co.uk/

Thank you Natalie! 
If you would like to write for the RNA blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com

Meet The Publisher: Catherine Burke of Sphere

Welcome back to Sally Quilford who this month is talking with Catherine Burke of Sphere.

Catherine has worked in publishing for fifteen years, first as a bookseller at BCA (Book Club Associates), then as an Editor at Harlequin Mills & Boon where she ran the MIRA list and published the RNA anthology, Loves Me, Loves Me Not.

In 2010, Catherine was approached to join Little, Brown Book Group as Editorial Director and she is

now publisher of their commercial imprint Sphere and Executive Director for Group Rights and Hachette Audio UK. Catherine told us, “Sphere publish many wonderful authors across all genres, including RoNA winners and nominees including Elizabeth Chadwick, Jenny Colgan, Emma Fraser, Carole Matthews and the much-missed Catherine King.”

How many titles does your company publish each year and where are your books sold?

Little, Brown Book Group has an incredibly diverse list of fiction and non-fiction titles and we publish approximately 1700 titles per year. At Sphere, we publish around 180 novels per year, across all commercial genres.

What do you look for in a romantic novel?

Characters I believe in, a conflict that must be overcome, a story that leaves me in tears – I am partial to a weep!

How might writers improve their chances of being published by you?

Read, read and read some more. Know what it is that you love about your favourite books and write the book you want to read. 

What reason might you reject a novel/author?

If it doesn’t compel me to keep reading – I look for real page-turning, immersive qualities in the novels I publish.

How long can writers expect to wait for a response to their submissions? This includes acknowledgements or acceptances/rejections.

We work directly with agents and we would aim to be back in touch with an agent within two weeks of receiving the submission – often sooner.

How do you see the future for writers of romance and the romance publishing industry in general?

Love absolutely does conquer all and readers are always going to want to read romantic fiction – I can’t imagine fiction without love and romance, it’s an absolute fundamental of life itself! As for the wider industry, it’s hugely exciting to see the variety of ways readers choose to enjoy their romantic fiction now – whether through audio downloads or CDs, ebooks, HBs or PBs – all routes are open and the genre has never been more in demand. There are some sensational authors out there and incredibly talented new authors emerging, too.

Do you attend RNA events? (so that our readers might have the chance to meet you)

I was at the RNA Conference last year and regularly attend the RoNAs and the Summer and Winter RNA Parties. If you spot me, please do come and say hello!

Thank you, Catherine, for those informative answers. 

If you have anything you want to ask Catherine, please feel free to do so in the comments and I will point her in your direction.

Sally Quilford:

Sally is the author of over 20 novels, all involving a central romance, with a bit of intrigue on the side. 

You can read more about Sally here.

The RNA blog is brought to you by,

Elaine Everest & Natalie Kleinman

If you would like to write for the blog please get in touch on elaineeverest@aol.com

Ask the Industry Expert: David Haviland

We welcome back Helena Fairfax with the second in her series of interviews with prominent literary agents.

A few weeks ago I attended talk by Andrew Lownie at the Ilkley Literature Festival on the subject of ‘How to Pitch to an Agent.’ You can find details of Andrew Lownie’s excellent and informative talk in my write-up on my blog.  Andrew Lownie represents non-fiction at the Andrew Lownie Agency. Afterwards I approached David Haviland, who represents fiction at the agency, and was delighted when he agreed to be interviewed for the RNA.

Thanks for dropping in, David. Please tell us a little about the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency, how long you’ve been with the agency, and how you came to join.

I’ve been a literary agent for almost three years now. Before that I was an author, editor and ghostwriter, producing books for big publishers such as Harper Collins, Penguin, and Little Brown. Andrew Lownie was my agent, and as I became more involved in developing projects within the agency, it felt like a natural move to become an agent myself. The agency comprises just the two of us, with Andrew handling all the non-fiction, while I handle the fiction. Andrew has been the top-selling agent in the world for each of the last four years, and shortlisted for ‘Agent of the Year’ at the British Bookseller Awards for the last three years running, while I haven’t.

What do enjoy most about your job? And least?

The most exciting thing is discovering a brilliant new author in the slush pile, getting further into their manuscript, and finding that it really delivers right to the end. Even selling the book isn’t nearly as much fun as that moment of discovery. And what do I enjoy least? Going through contracts is pretty tedious (but important).

What is it you are looking for when a manuscript lands on your desk? Are there any specific plots or themes you’d like to see?

I cover all genres of adult fiction, so I’m not looking for any particular plot, theme or genre. Instead, I’m looking for storytelling skill. Writing a novel is more of a technical craft than many people imagine, and while most rules can be broken, they can rarely be broken successfully by someone who isn’t already intimately familiar with them. If a writer hasn’t thought carefully about things like tenses, character perspective, and psychic distance (regardless of whether or not they use this particular jargon), it’s usually going to be obvious on the first page, and not in a good way.

Where do you find your new authors, and how?

Most of my authors are debut novelists, who’ve come from the slush pile. I’m also lucky to be part of a major, well-established literary agency, which means authors also come through recommendations and Andrew’s huge network of contacts.

What advice would you give someone submitting to you?

Don’t rush to submit. Instead, take the time to edit and improve the work, over and over again, until your worst enemy couldn’t find a flaw. In the current market, publishers are extremely cautious, particularly when it comes to debut authors, which means that we as agents have to be just as picky. Too often, I’m sent half-decent novels by writers who have obvious talent, but have submitted too soon. In those cases, all I can do is pass.

What benefits do you feel an agent can offer an author?

It is possible to find success as an author through self-publishing, but very rare. For everyone else, an agent is crucial. An agent will develop the book, provide expert advice, reach publishers, improve terms and contracts, develop additional options such as translation, audio, film and television, and much more. I receive lots of submissions from authors who have self-published quite successfully, but who nonetheless recognise that working with an agent can open up many more opportunities.

Romance is the biggest-selling genre in publishing, and yet the one taken least seriously by the mainstream. Why do you think this is? And how do you think romance authors can address the negative perception?

I’ve always felt that there is an unhealthy snobbery towards genre writing, not just within publishing but within our culture as a whole. On the other hand, the popularity of romance with readers means there are bound to be more second-rate romance novels, purely because so many are produced. My advice to romance writers is to focus on the theme, and the characters’ emotional journeys, not just the plot. A common flaw in romance novels is that the plot twists and turns as it should, with obstacles and break-ups, but this is achieved through coincidences and confusion, rather than meaningful conflict between the characters. What is the real friction between the couple, that means they may not be able to make the relationship work?

What’s your favourite romance novel of all time?

The Remains of the Day.

Apart from your own authors, which book have you enjoyed most in the past twelve months, and why?

My reading is quite eclectic; in recent months I’ve particular enjoyed Blake Morrison’s The Last Weekend, Jesse Armstrong’s Love, Sex and Other Foreign Policy Goals, and Being Mortal by Atul Gawande.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I’ve become a pretty obsessive runner. Running is quite an odd hobby, in that people who aren’t into it think you must be quite mad, which isn’t really true of, say, tennis.

If you could describe your working-day in just three words, what would they be?

Varied, challenging, rewarding, innumerate.

Thanks so much for your thoughtful answers, David. I particularly enjoyed your point about the importance of focusing on the emotional conflict in romance writing – something my reader in the RNA’s New Writers’ Scheme taught me very well!

Links:

Andrew Lownie Literary Agency

David Haviland Twitter

If you’ve enjoyed David’s interview, or have any questions or comments at all, please let us know. We’d love to hear from you.

Helena Fairfax writes contemporary romance novels. Her latest release is a romantic suspense novella called Palace of Deception. 

You can find out more on Helena’s website www.helenafairfax.com

Another great interview, Helena, thank you!

The RNA blog is brought to you by,

Elaine Everest & Natalie Kleinman

Would you like to write for the RNA blog? Please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com