Closed to submissions

The Kate Nash Literary Agency is now closed to new submissions until 1st December 2009.

If you have an outstanding submission with the Agency, thank you for your patience. Kate Nash reads all submissions personally but will be taking a maternity leave break over the next few weeks.

Submissions update

Because of holidays and recent conferences, I’m running very behind in considering submissions. Please be aware that you may not have a response to your submission until mid to late August. Normal service should resume in September.

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.

Should I use a pen name?

When querying an agent, no. When you send in your sample chapters and synopsis, I am looking only at the writing, not the writer. It does not matter:
- whether you are male or female
- how old you are
- what you do for a living (if anything)
- whether you have three heads or a penchant for musical keyrings, etc.

Thus, there is no need to disguise yourself with a faux name. I’d prefer to be sure that the person querying me is a real person, and therefore name, address and telephone number please.

One month in…

As we draw towards the end of January, it seems like a good time to look back and review where I’m up to in getting the agency up and running.

I have three clients and have had the chance to meet up with them and discuss and agree immediate and longer term plans. (I’m waiting until my client list numbers five or six before making an announcement to the trade about whom I am representing.) I’ve started to work with two writers on revisions that I think will get their scripts to the stage that they are ready to be sent out. I also got back to two other writers whom I have not offered representation to with revision suggestions. I’d be delighted to have the chance to consider again their revised or new work.

I have started to meet and introduce myself to several editors at different publishers and have started to find out what they are currently looking to buy. I have negotiated a new contract for one of my clients. I have prepared outlines and approaches to several publishers with two scripts I have that are ready to market.

I have spent a lot of time considering submissions. I have considered about thirty queries, of which I have requested to see eight full scripts. Five fulls I have made decisions on, and there are three still sitting on The Pile.

I have started to work with a couple of readers, although I have also read all the submissions myself.

I’ve given an interview to a writing magazine and have been invited to give two talks to writers later in the year.

I have also been sorting out initial plans for the London Book Fair in April. This is the major UK publishing trade fair and the best opportunity to meet with international publishers face to face.

“In the office”

Today I was “in the office” all day, as if that promised a relatively relaxed day of catching up on emails, paperwork and reading. In fact I seem to have spent most of the day on the telephone, speaking with publishers, authors and a new writer I’m hoping to take on as a client. Thus I’ve managed only a few emails, no paperwork and certainly no reading.

“The pile”, as I refer to the pile of full manuscripts that I’ve requested to read in full, has reduced but expanded with two new additions this week, so I’m still at three. I also have five or six outstanding queries, and I really hope to have time tomorrow to give these attention before the week finishes. I think this is inevitably going to be a bottleneck: I only have one pair of eyes. Literary agencies often use readers and this is something I’m looking into but at the moment I guess I’m trying to build my list quickly and I know I trust my own judgment.

Address and telephone number

A couple of writers who have queried me so far have not included their address and telephone number. Although I ask for initial approaches via email, I would still like to receive the same information as if you were querying by post. That is, a letter of introduction, a synopsis and first three chapters (or 50 pages). Everything should be pasted into the body of the email.

Why would I like to know a writer’s address? Firstly, I’d like to know for a start whether you’re in the UK or overseas, and secondly I’m nosey. Telephone number(s) are even more critical because, if I’m interested to take things further, or I have some questions that are better suited to a phone conversation than email, there’s a fair chance I’m going to ring you!

Early days

I’ve decided to start the agency as a sole trader as my experience with a limited company is that it only makes sense if you have a certain turnover and the way the book trade works it’s going to be a while before that happens. An agent only gets paid when their clients get paid and preparing and selling scripts takes time.

Yesterday I gave an interview to a magazine about setting up the agency. Not sure when it will be out but I do want to get the word out and find great writers to work with. Submission guidelines are on the ‘About’ page here if you would like to submit or know anyone looking for representation.

In the meantime I have been putting the word out via word of mouth and have had numerous queries and currently have five full scripts waiting to be read. If yours is one of the five, sorry… I am hoping to get through them as quickly as possible but the ones I am really interested in I am reading with my editors hat on and making notes and this all takes time.