3 Courses in Liverpool

Unlock the secrets of captivating crime fiction with our Writing Course: Characters and Story Development. Dive into the world of suspense, master character creation, and perfect your plotting and pacing. From dialogue mastery to investigative techniques, craft the ultimate crime narrative. Elevate your writing with expert guidance on complex narratives, twists, and polishing for publication. Join us on a thrilling journey from inspiration to publication in this comprehensive writing workshop.

LOOKING FOR: MG, YA, ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Thérèse is a Literary and Rights Agent at Susanna Lea Associates, @SLALondon. Born and raised in Belgium, on a diet of frites and Tintin she moved to England in her late teens with her family, then stayed in London to do a History degree and Masters at University College London. Having been brought up bilingual, translation rights seemed like her logical next step. She started off in the rights department at Bloomsbury Publishing, before hopping across the square to Ed Victor’s agency, and found experiencing both the publishing and agency side of publishing incredibly valuable. She has been building her own list of authors alongside selling translation rights since early 2016, which she has hugely enjoyed; working with authors right from the book’s conception, while also experiencing the thrill of selling her own authors’ works in the UK and US as well as in translation to publishers across the globe. In terms of adult fiction, Thérèse has a huge soft spot for historical fiction, having read Early Modern History at university, but is also very much on the hunt for crime/thrillers, bookclub, high-concept love stories and literary fiction. She loves strong female characters, in particular when they go through an evolution or journey as the story progresses and gradually find that inner strength. On the children’s fiction front, Thérèse is all about finding a fresh, new voice. She loves all things funny, fantasy and adventure – across lands, time and space, and involving strong friendships and strong lead characters - and wants to be transported straight away when reading a manuscript. She likes very vivid, well-crafted and imaginative worlds, such as stories set in a toy factory or in an underwater world. Thérèse would love some more adventures set in space, mysteries, quirky characters, explorers and imaginary friends. And last, but not least, in non-fiction, history features heavily in her interests, but Thérèse would also love to see books about big ideas, culture, sociology, science, anthropology and memoir. Anything that helps expand the mind and questions or informs the way in which we view ourselves, the world and how we fit into it, all written in an engaging and accessible manner. Thérèse would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 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, Thérèse 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 13th February 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, YA THRILLER Saskia Leach is an Agent's Assistant at Kate Nash Literary Agency and is currently training to become a Junior Agent. She graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London in 2020 with a BA degree in English and History, before joining Kate Nash Literary Agency in 2021. Saskia loves commercial fiction that features complex and dynamic characters and is fascinated by stories containing document inserts or written from multiple perspectives. Saskia enjoys commercial and book club fiction and is particularly looking for cosy crime from any period (whether contemporary like Janice Hallett and Richard Osman, traditional Golden Age murder mystery or historical), WW2 historical fiction in the vein of Heather Morris or Markus Zusak, twisty psychological thriller with a unique hook, LGBTQ+ romance, underrepresented voices and perspectives, YA thriller or romance, and locked-room thriller. Saskia would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first 2,500 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Saskia 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 to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice given in your Agent121. The submission deadline is: Monday 17th February 2025

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 17th February 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NEW ADULT Rebeka Finch is a Junior Agent at the Darley Anderson Literary Agency. Alongside assisting Darley on his list of authors, Rebeka is building her own list of romance and romantasy authors, specifically for the BookTok hungry new adult/20+ markets. She is on the hunt for messy, cheesy, heartbreaking, relatable, characters and stories with romance at the very heart of the narrative. For those writing romantasy, Rebeka is looking for books that strike the perfect balance of romance, pace, action and world-building, with series potential. Importantly, she looks for strong, diverse, brave and relatable characters in these settings. People that feel like both a friend, a champion and an ally. Rebeka 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, Rebeka 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 20th February 2025

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 and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. Submission Deadline: Thursday 6th March 2025

LOOKING FOR: MG, ADULT FICTION Jo Williamson has been in publishing for over 25 years. Having worked in Children’s books PR for Dorling Kindersley, HarperCollins and Orion, she started as an agent with Antony Harwood in 2008. She feels very privileged being with authors at the very start of their publishing journey and enjoys close working relationships with all her clients. From editorial help, general advice on the publishing world, guiding careers long-term and general cheerleading, she feels she has the perfect job. Although nothing is off limits and she loves being surprised by submissions. In middle grade children's fiction, Jo is particularly looking for books with heart, epic adventures with voice-led characters, and younger funny fiction with series potential.  In adult fiction, page-turning Commercial Women’s and Book Club fiction are right up Jo's street, including psychological suspense, thriller, cosy crime and books that don’t quite fit the mould. Above all, she wants stories that linger long after the final page has been read. Jo is not the right fit for police procedurals. Jo 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, Jo 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: Thursday 13th March 2025

LOOKING FOR: MG, YA, ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Una is a Rights Agent at Susanna Lea Associates and am starting to build a client list. She grew up in London and graduated from the University of Cambridge with a BA in English in 2021. At university, Una was particularly interested in contemporary West African and South Asian literature. She started as an agent's assistant at SLA London in 2022 and now handles some translation rights and provides support with editorial work and submissions. Una's favourite reads always set her at ease right away and draws her in with impressive and accessible storytelling, memorable characters or an original hook. Una enjoys writing which expands her worldview, makes her laugh out loud or keeps her on her toes with its twists and turns. She welcomes submissions from debut authors and would be keen to read across a wide range of genres and styles. She is looking for literary, upmarket and book club fiction, and is always drawn to stories that explores the challenges and complexities of love and relationships in all its forms —within families, between friends or in romantic relationships. Una loves the way in which familial relationships are dissected in The Wren, The Wren by Anne Enright and the impact of the local community in Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson. She is always drawn to novels with a strong sense of community, whether they are unified by geography, culture, or in other unexpected ways. Una has always loved reading international and translated fiction and welcomes submissions from authors writing contemporary fiction that engages with cultures and traditions from around the world, such as in voices of the deities in Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi or the subversive tales of Sayaka Murata. She is not looking for children’s or YA titles, science fiction or high-concept fantasy, but is open to submissions from authors writing in the speculative fiction space, and books with fantastical or otherworldly elements, be that magical realism or supernatural horror, such as Mona Awad's campus novel with a twist, Bunny. Una would also love to read more writing that engages with the natural world and reminds us of the limitations of human understanding. In non-fiction, Una enjoys books that furthers her understanding of wider societal issues — nature and the environment, culture, and little-known history. Her recent non-fiction favourites are Eve by Cat Bohannon, Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein and Unearthed by Claire Ratinon. Una would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 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, Una 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: Monday 10th March 2025

LOOKING FOR: YA/NA FANTASY, SFF, HORROR, ADULT FICTION John Baker (he/him) joined the Bell Lomax Moreton agency in 2019, cultivating a list shaped around his passion for science fiction, fantasy, and horror, though has lately also branched out into action/adventure fiction. John focuses on authors writing in the Adult, New Adult, and YA spaces. John leads the wider agency's film & TV desk, is the Secretary of the Association of Author’s Agents, and the co-chair of the AAA’s Bridge Committee. He also serves on the Kingston University MA Publishing Advisory Board. Under the umbrella of speculative fiction, John is looking for fantasy, science fiction, horror, romantasy, or literary speculative fiction. He has built a reputation as a champion of underrepresented voices and stories, be it from creators hailing from the global majority and their diasporas or neurodiverse authors, and naturally gravitates towards this kind of storytelling. In short, if he’s never read a story like yours before, he wants to see it. Adult fantasy: John loves beefy epic fantasy, especially non-Anglo Christian-inspired. Give him an immersive world, a fresh magical or mythic system, and an exciting cast of characters and he’ll be happy. He is a broad church in the genre so loves a political fantasy, swords and sorcery, courtly intrigue, monster hunting and dastardly villains. John is keen to find an urban fantasy that feels fresh and fun and he’s a sucker for a heroic quest narrative. He’s also very open to fantasy that isn’t easily categorised, but it is playing in that world. John is keenly hunting for more historical fantasy, especially inspired by modern history. He’s had fun with mythological retellings in the past, but as ever, let’s make sure it’s shining the spotlight on new stories. He would also love fantasy that centres on types of relationships less celebrated in fantasy, such as established and secure married couples, or siblings. NA/YA fantasy: In this genre, most importantly, John wants to have a good time, whether it’s swoon-worthy kisses in lush ball gowns, or gruesome gore and monsters, so send him pacy, plot-filled adventures. He’d love more books that teenage boys would love: Skullduggery Pleasant forever! Romantasy: The thriving new romantasy genre comes with its own set of challenges, so John wants to know what makes your romantasy different; what will set it out from the (very crowded!) market. Give it completely barmy stakes, cool and unique new settings, or a love story that will make your jaw drop. To be clear, he’s happily sorted for a human person meets a fae creature in the spooky woods. Also, cosmic romance is the genre of the future. Give him romantasy in space. Easy. Horror: John and horror are old friends. He loves horror inspired by myth and folklore, subversive weird horror that leaves your eyebrows in your hairline, historical horror that pulls from ghastly true stories, and anything that you’ll be reading with the light on. He also loves a gothic element and is particularly looking for horror with a strong romantic throughline, fun YA horror, and female & NB horror authors. Science fiction: SF is coming back! And John has been shouting about that. He loves to see an adventurous found-family romp through space or an epic, crunchy space opera. Speculative near-future is fun too, in the vein of Black Mirror’s more uplifting episodes, (e.g. San Junipero). He loves YA science fiction as well; the more creative the better. Literary: John is open to finding more rich magical realism or something character-led yet supernatural and would love a high-concept mystery, in the vein of Stuart Turton. He also loves spec fic that uses the speculative lightly as a way of confronting a deeper truth in society today. Weird stuff: John wants books that will blow people’s minds and defy categorisation. This is hard to describe, but think Gideon The Ninth, The Library At Mount Char, This Is How You Lose The Time War. John loves a pitch that leaves the editors baffled but intrigued. Action/Adventure, Historical Adventure, Espionage: John is branching out into non-speculative adventures, such as John Le Carré, Lee Child, Ian Flemming, and Mick Herron. More as his taste develops, but the hunt is on! Not looking for: military sci-fi or hard SF, or anything with biblical “character wakes up in purgatory/heaven/hell” narratives. The right comedic fantasy has yet to hit his inbox, but 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 5,000 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: Monday 10th March 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION / NON-FICTION Ciara McEllin is building her list as a Junior Agent at Watson Little. She reads widely across book club, upmarket and literary fiction. Within these areas, she is drawn to novels that examine family and relationship dynamics, sexuality, identity, and vulnerability. Ciara is keen to hear from writers who take a fresh approach to these themes, whether that be a new perspective on a traditional narrative or a focus on characters and voices that remain underrepresented: think Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday or Monkey Grip by Helen Garner. She will always want to read beautifully written novels with a strong sense of place, tangible characters and an essence that stays with you – living deep in your bones – long after you’ve finished reading. Recent reads Ciara has enjoyed include: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad, Close to Home by Michael Magee, Siblings by Brigitte Reimann, Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, The Idiot by Elif Batuman, Highway Blue by Ailsa McFarlane and My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley. At the moment Ciara is particularly eager to see: - Sexy, sensual and seductive stories that explore desire and sexual boundaries not often represented in literature such as Little Rabbit by Alyssa Songsiridej, Cleanness by Garth Greenwell and Mrs. S by K Patrick - An atmospheric and existential thriller in the vein of Intimacies by Katie Kitamura, In The Cut by Susanna Moore and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk - An intoxicating coming of-age-tale that captures the aliveness, intelligence and wildness of girlhood like Brutes by Dizz Tate, The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides and The Girls by Emma Cline - Books that are joyful or brutal, particularly those that are both, similar to Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel, Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan - Stories exploring an Australia or Ireland that is rarely seen in literature for example A Loving, Faithful Animal by Josephine Rowe and Wild Houses by Colin Barrett In non-fiction, Ciara enjoys narrative, memoir and essay collections. She is interested in hearing from experts, academics, critics and journalists writing about society, culture and food, and excited by writers seeking to revise, reshape or revolutionise the conversation in their area of expertise. Some of her favourite non-fiction titles include How To Survive A Plague by David France, The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye, the Living Autobiography Series by Deborah Levy, Last Witnesses: Unchildlike Stories by Svetlana Alexievich, King Kong Theory by Virginie Despentes; and she particularly enjoys the work of M.F.K Fisher, Annie Ernaux, Natalia Ginsburg and Helen Garner. Ciara is not looking for Children’s, YA or Fantasy. Ciara 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, Ciara 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 13th March 2025