London Book Fair – update 5

Today there are certainly fewer visitors at the Fair – i.e. it is pleasantly busy rather than crowded – but the Rights Centre remains mostly buzzing and I’ve been busy with meetings today and this is my first chance to blog. Boris Johnson gave the keynote address this morning at 10am and I would have be interested to pop into the conference centre to see it but I had a meeting. I have had a chance for a sit down lunch though today so it has not been completely mad.

What I’m most pleased about with the Fair so far is the mostly friendly and positive response I’ve had from editors. In many cases I have predicted which title(s) on my list they would be most interested in, but I’ve shown everyone the complete list and there have been a few surprises where editors have asked to see three chapters of something I wouldn’t have predicted. It was certainly a good move to have a summary of all the titles available from my clients and I’m really glad I prepared this list and had this to share with editors.

Times are clearly tough, however. Publishers are still acquiring, but the mood, with a few exceptions, is cautious.

London Book Fair – update 4

Yesterday I had a lovely sit down lunch in the Leith’s bar. Today I’ve just had a quick sandwich at my desk and now we’re half-way through the day it occurs to me the Fair is half over. So, all these meetings: who am I actually meeting? Editors at publishers mostly, but this morning I’ve had two interesting meetings with European sub-agents who told me a few things about their particular markets I didn’t know. I also had a great meeting with a UK editor who is keen to see a couple of things from my list. I am keeping detailed notes in my notebook. Book Fairs are not just about preparation and then the actual Fair, there is also all the follow-up.

I have a bit of free time this afternoon so I’m hoping to catch up with an editor in the Main Hall. She wasn’t able to be here yesterday so fingers crossed, as no doubt if she’s come today she will be great demand. Then later there is a networking reception in the Champagne Bar… (so yes, I’ll be there, Linda!) My last meeting today is at 5pm and then I have to leave straight away to get to my evening appointment, so I probably won’t be able to blog again until tomorrow.

London Book Fair – update 3

Day two is in full swing and I’m tired already! I did bring my full repertoire of foot sprays and creams to pamper my feet last night and had  an early night. I’m out this evening having what I suppose you would call a sociable meeting so today promises to be a long day. Yesterday all my meetings happened and I managed to do a few of the things on my “if I have time to…” extras list, so not a bad day all in all.

Yesterday I passed a small entourage of security men in plain clothes casing the joint in preparation for Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s anticipated visit tomorrow. The other interesting sight, which simply won’t be photographed for any official purpose,  is the vast huddle of book trade executives lounging on the Warwick Road entrance steps to the Exhibition Centre smoking in the sunshine. It promises to be an unseasonal 21 degrees centigrade today in London. Not that I’ll see much of it. I might have to have a non-smoking break…

London Book Fair – update 2

After the quiet opening of the Fair things started to get busy very quickly and the IRC is in full swing with back-to-back meetings happening at nearly all the tables. I just left my table for half an hour to meet a publisher at their table but I’m back now and have a few minutes before my next meeting so thought I would check out the Book Fair news and update my blog. According to The Bookseller UK publishers and agents are making the most of the Book Fair as they forecast fewer people may be going to Frankfurt in the autumn.

I managed to nip down to Earls Court Two this morning before my meetings started and caught up with a publisher at their stand. We grabbed a coffee and on my way out I noticed that James Patterson was speaking in the English PEN Cafe in front of a healthy audience. (Link to Book Brunch which has a photo.) Tomorrow morning I should have a bit more time in the morning to walk around the Fair and visit some publisher stands and hopefully check out some publishers from parts of the world I’m much less familiar with.

London Book Fair – update 1

Having sat down at my table in the IRC (International Rights Centre) and managed to get the wi fi working within 30 seconds I thought I’d blog from the Book Fair. I will try and post a couple of times a day during the Fair.

The Fair officially opens today (in about 5 minutes time according to the tannoy) but yesterday I along with a very international audience of around 100 people attended the pre-Fair Rights Workshop at the Earls Court Conference Centre. There was lots of useful tips, especially I think for those new to selling rights. Additionally, a very interesting opening session from Hugh Jones, Copyright Counsel at The Publishers Association outlined the different types of rights that authors and publishers have.

Authors have:

• Copyright, which in the UK lasts for life + 70 years and is automatic
• Moral rights, which includes the right of paternity (to be identified as the author) and integrity (the right to object to derogatory treatment of material). Moral rights are not automatic, however, and have to be asserted.
• Human rights, for example the right to privacy

Publishers have:

• Typographical copyright, which lasts for 25 years
• Database rights, a new right which lasts for 15 years
• Publication rights, granted by the author
• Human rights, for example freedom of expression

The tannoy has just declared the Book Fair open but it is very quiet on the edge of the IRC where I am sitting (not too far from the Champagne bar so perhaps it will get busier later). In my part of the hall there are only about one in ten tables occupied.

Fenella Miller new website

Agency author Fenella Miller has a new website. Fenella writes historical romance, often with elements of mystery, and sagas.

Available via Lulu is Miss Bennet and Mr Bingley, which returns to Jane Austen’s classic novel to give an insight into Pride and Prejudice’s second couple’s courtship and private thoughts. World Rights to Miss Bennet and Mr Bingley are available.

Her forthcoming Regency romance, Two Gentlemen From London, as Fenella-Jane Miller, will be published by Robert Hale in October.

Probably the worst time in the world…

… to be sending agents submissions. I seem to have received a good half dozen over the Easter weekend. However, the London Book Fair is next week, and with preparations, the Fair itself and then the aftermath. I have the least time in the world to consider submissions.

Please bear with me until normal service resumes sometime after the Book Fair.

Meeting prospective clients

I had an email today from a writer looking for an agent who wanted to potentially meet me at the London Book Fair. While on the one hand this might seem enterprising and a good idea from the writer’s point of view, from mine, it’s not. I’m not going to meet someone on the basis of a two line email. The writer enclosed no samples or information about her work, and without this I have nothing to judge whether we might wish to potentially work together or not.

Additionally I really don’t have time at the London Book Fair to meet with prospective clients, unless circumstances are exceptional. For a literary agent, the Fair is about the business of selling rights and the priority is meeting publishers and overseas agents.

I would encourage writers to visit the Book Fair and to take a look around and learn more about the business of publishing, but its not a forum to find a literary agent. If you do want to meet literary agents face to face then attend a writers conference where agents will be present. I shall be both at Winchester and the RNA Annual Conference in July and at either I would be more than happy to speak informally with writers seeking representation. At Winchester there is an official one-to-one appointments system, or otherwise just corner me in the bar.