LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Sian Ellis-Martin joined Blake Friedmann in 2018 and is building a list of fiction and non-fiction at the agency. With regards to fiction, Sian is looking for commercial, upmarket and accessible literary novels. She always wants to be completely absorbed by the world of the novel, to jump into the character’s life and be swept into the narrative as if she’s been there all along. She’s drawn in by compelling characters and relationships, and loves stories with a mystery or question at the heart of them. She’s open to these ideas being explored in a variety of ways, but at the moment, she’d particularly like to find an epic love story, a fun, queer rom-com with an unusual setting or pitch, and/or a sweeping family saga. She leans more towards contemporary settings but does enjoy a historical backdrop too. In non-fiction, she’s looking for narrative non-fiction, history from different perspectives and books that make complicated ideas around things like politics and literature more accessible. Her favourite type of non-fiction book is the one that makes you interested in something or someone you’d never thought you would be. She’d also love to find cookery and food books too, particularly cuisines that are less visible in the book world, or budget cooking. She’s not currently taking on YA, children’s, fantasy or science fiction projects. Sian would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 - 2 page synopsis and the first three chapters (or 5,000 words) of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Sian is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline 20and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. Submission Deadline: Monday 11 November 2024
FAA Level 1 Award In Awareness Of First Aid For Mental Health (RQF) Classroom (4.5 hour course), Virtual (2 x 2 ½ hour sessions) Gives learners a good awareness of Mental Health First Aid Gives learners the skills to start that difficult conversation Course Contents: What is Mental Health? Why people develop mental health conditions What the role of a mental health first aider is Knowing how to provide advice and practical support Knowing how to recognise and manage stress Recognising a range of mental health conditions: Depression Anxiety Psychosis Eating disorders Suicide Self-harm Benefits of this course: 37% of all work-related ill-health is due to mental health problems Problems with mental health cover 45% of all working days lost A whopping 12.8 million working days, or 49, 042 years, were lost due to mental health problems in 2018/19 602,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2018/19 One in four people will have a mental health problem at some point during their lives Whether work is causing or aggravating mental health problems, employers have a legal responsibility towards their employees Work-related mental health issues must to be assessed to measure the levels of risk to staff Where a risk is identified, steps must be taken to remove it or reduce it as far as reasonably practicable This half day course gives people a good awareness of mental health in the workplace For a more complete introduction, see our full day First Aid for Mental Health or two day Supervising First Aid for Mental Health courses Accredited, Ofqual regulated qualification This Awareness of Mental Health First Aid Course is a nationally recognised, Ofqual regulated qualification accredited by First Aid Awards. This means that you can be rest assured that your Mental Health First Aid Certificates fulfil the upcoming legal requirements and are a very good way to make sure you and your employees have a supporting workplace to deal with staff's mental health conditions. The Ofqual Register number for this course is 603/3768/0
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Kate Walsh has built up many years of agenting experience across her own list, and another senior agent's list at United Agents for 9 years before parting ways and going it alone for a while. Fiction-wise, she works on a hugely broad list for expansive commercial genre fiction and is on the lookout for historical fiction, upmarket women’s fiction, clever commercial thrillers, romance and some SFF, particularly those with a dystopian slant, or earth-bound science fiction, however that comes. Kate will also look at YA, though is not the right fit for high fantasy. On the non-fiction side, Kate has worked with an impressive list of clients across the commercial spectrum. She's on the lookout mainly (although not exclusively) for music titles, history and broad-spectrum popular science, but is open to anything that feels like a fresh and original way of looking at the world. She is especially drawn to 20th and 21st century affairs, and welcomes anything from anyone willing to speculate on what comes next. Kate would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the opening three chapters (max 5,000 words). (In addition to the paid sessions, Kate is offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 14 November 2024
Free Level 3 QLS Endorsed Certificate | CPD Accredited | 120 CPD Points | Advanced Learning Materials | Lifetime Access
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Clare set up the Liverpool Literary Agency in 2020 to help address inequality and underrepresentation in the publishing industry. With more than 15 years’ experience of writing and editing professionally, including the publication of two novels, Definitions (2015) and We Are of Dust (2018 - which has received development funding from the Liverpool Film Office for a TV adaptation), she has developed an in-depth knowledge of what commissioning editors and publishers expect to see from a submitted manuscript. With a background in PR and marketing, alongside teaching on creative writing programmes, Clare also has extensive experience in pitching and promoting writers and has been nominated for the Romantic Novelist Association Agent of the Year Award! Clare would love to see historical fiction, crime fiction, psychological thrillers and women’s fiction, but she is open to all great writing with a strong hook in any area (excluding non-fiction, children’s and YA). She actively encourages submissions from writers who have been traditionally under-represented. Clare would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Clare is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 14 November 2024
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Marilia Savvides founded The Plot Agency in 2024. She began her career in publishing at Peters Fraser and Dunlop, where she spent eight years, first as International Rights Agent, and later as Literary Agent, building her own list of authors. In 2019, she joined 42MP, where she worked as Literary Agent for four years, helping to launch and set up the Book Division. She is particularly interested in fiction that is beautifully written and cleverly constructed, but still accessible to a wide readership. She is often drawn to darker tales that weave together excellent characters and an impossible-to-put-down story, from immersive book club novels with a splash of suspense, crime and thrillers, accessible horror, and speculative, genre-bending or dystopian stories. She also adores smart, witty contemporary rom-com in the style of Emily Henry. In the thriller, crime and mystery space she is interested in most areas, except military thrillers and organised crime/ mafia / mob stories. Big hooks and clever set ups are a big bonus! She adores Karin Slaughter (especially her standalone novels) and Gillian Flynn. In the book club / reading group space, she’s particularly drawn to fiction in the vein of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng, and absolutely fell in love with Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll, both for the incredible voice, and the exquisite use of structure and time. Complicated family dynamics, empathetic and smart approaches to controversial issues, stand out protagonists (like Elizabeth Zott in Lessons in Chemistry or Bernadette in Where D’You Go Bernadette), long buried secrets, complicity, the road to justice, and impossible decisions, are all themes she finds herself drawn to. In the horror space, she’s a sucker for amazing female-centric stories in the vein of Yellowjackets, and the kind of contemporary, accessible horror that Stephen King always nails. She wants to get lost in a world that feels within reach of ours. In the speculative and dystopian spaces, she’s interested in genius ideas that set up big questions or reflect the most broken (and sometimes hidden) parts of society. She loves Octavia Butler, Margaret Atwood, George Orwell, and also adored The Leftovers, Station Eleven, Wanderers, and The Power. The what-ifs of life and fiction fascinate her. In the grounded sci-fi space, she’d love to find a smart, immersive, and accessible story like The Martian. She doesn’t represent fantasy or romantasy. In regards to sci-fi, unless it’s very grounded and has crossover potential to a mainstream audience, it’s not for her. In the romance space, she’s particularly drawn to smart, complex and witty characters, where the chemistry is jumping off the page. She loves contemporary settings and all the tropes, though the voice and characters must come first to make the reading experience fully immersive. She wants to be cackling, and rooting for the characters with all her heart. She is very hands-on editorially, and loves working with her authors to shape their manuscripts, and brainstorm ideas. The best part of the job is discovering debut authors, and helping them find a home for their books. Marilia would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 - 2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single Word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Marilia is kindly offering one free session for low income/underrepresented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 11 November 2024
LOOKING FOR: NON-FICTION Eli Keren started his publishing career at Curtis Brown before joining United Agents as an assistant in 2016. In 2021 he became an associate literary agent, representing a growing list of clients across fiction and non-fiction, actively seeking books that are going to make a positive impact in the world in some way, big or small. His role as an agent at Curious Minds Literary Agency began in 2024. Before working in books, Eli was a research scientist designing and synthesising novel drugs (white coat and everything), and science books remain a particular passion of his. In 2022 he wrote and taught a HOW TO WRITE A PROPOSAL course, and in 2023 was elected treasurer of the Association of Authors’ Agents, and in 2024 he judged the inaugural Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship. Eli specialises in helping academics, scientists and researchers to bring their area of expertise to the mass-market in authoritative, ideas-led books in the fields of smart science and current affairs. He is particularly interested in popular science and cultural history, as well as issues-led books and social justice. Eli only occasionally works with memoir. He is very keen to see non-fiction LGBTQ+ themed books. He enjoys books written by writers who are obsessed with a niche subject and skilled enough communicators to make others fall in love with their subject too. Ultimately he wants to find books that are going to change the world for the better. Eli would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 -2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Eli is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 14 November 2024
LOOKING FOR: YA/NA FANTASY, SFF, HORROR, ADULT FICTION John joined the agency in 2019 where, as a junior agent, he is focusing on building his own small, cultivated list, shaped around his passion for Science Fiction and Fantasy, alongside providing administrative support across the agency. John also leads the film & TV desk for the wider agency and is on the Association of Author’s Agent’s Bridge Committee. John is building a small but unique list of authors, who all share a passion for subverting expectations and creating rich new worlds of adventure. John is looking for anything under the broad church of SFF, from literary to pulpy, high fantasy to gritty urban, but he would especially love to hear from anyone under-represented in the genre, particularly neurodiverse writers. John is also keen to grow his horror list, but definitely in the vein of psychological terror more than straight gore-fest. In particular, John is looking for lush and inventive YA/NA fantasy, science fiction and horror, especially stories that challenge the tropes and expectations of the genre. He would love some near-future sci-fi or speculative, in the vein of Black Mirror‘s more uplifting episodes, (e.g. San Junipero), or a high-concept rom-com like Palm Springs. He’s also on the hunt for some grounded speculative takes on modern-day professions, such as medicine, law, policing, politics, espionage, and international relations. After falling head over heels for his first romantasy, John is keen to see more cosy low-stakes, high-charm stories, or sweeping fantastical love stories (not adverse to a bit of spice), especially from under-represented backgrounds. John is still searching for his beefy epic fantasy, but it needs to be breaking the mould in some way, Sanderson will always be the best at being Sanderson. Anything building from a Non-Anglo-Christian cultural background would be a great start. Horror-wise, gothic will always be a favourite and he loves a mythologically inspired scarefest. He’s keen to read an intelligent creature feature from the POV of the monster, or even something with a strong romantic element amongst all the gore. He’s open to projects at the more literary end of the spectrum, a rich magical realism, or something character-led yet supernatural and would love a high-concept mystery, in the vein of Stuart Turton. He’s not the best agent for military sci-fi or hard-SF and the right comedic fantasy has yet to hit his inbox, (please don’t comp Douglas Adams or Sir Terry). John would like you to submit a covering letter, 1-2 page synopsis and the first three chapters (or 10,000 words whichever is longest) of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, John is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Friday 8 November 2024