Sunday 24 January 2016

London Writers' Club notes from agent Laura Macdougall of Tibor Jones, plus Sam Eades Orion Publishing event 23 February 6.30-8.30pm and Write with an Agent session 28 January 10.30-1.30pm

London Writers' Club have generously shared the notes from their agent Laura Macdougall of Tibor Jones event in their latest newsletter, plus the details of two upcoming events with Sam Eades of Orion Publishing and the Write with an Agent session, full details below:


 

 
 
 
London Writers' Club
 
helping writers connect with agents & publishers
 
 
 
 
January 2016
 
Notes on January's event with agent Laura Macdougall of Tibor Jones.
 
Our first event of 2016 was with the agent, Laura Macdougall of Tibor Jones and Associates. 
 


 
She joined Tibor Jones in March 2015 (after  5 years at Hodder & Stoughton) and has been steadily building her list. Tibor Jones is a small team of agents based in Brixham. Their most famous client is Wilber Smith and they also represent a number of music journalists/musicians. The atmosphere is fun, laidback and collaborative.
 
Laura's current list is mostly made up of novelists (12 novelists, 3 or 4 non-fiction writers) but she is looking for more of both. 2 of those novelists came through the usual process - through the site - the remainder came through recommendations from friends/editors etc.  Contacts can be used!
 
Laura spends an hour a day reading the submissions sent to her - it's an important part of her day. However, the majority of her time is spent editing ms. and proposals.
 
Foreign rights are sold 'in house' and it's important to consider that different territories have different tastes.
 
What is Laura looking for?
Fiction - literary (books which Fourth Estate, Granta, Sceptre etc. would publisher) and then more commercial fiction - including Historical Fiction. And Crime.
 
Top tip - be persistent - it's a subjective industry!
 
What stands out in a submission letter?
Perfect spelling!
Formal but not overly
Get your research done on agents
Follow an agent's guidelines/rules
Have a great title. It's a selling tool!
 
Laura recently sold an historical crime series to Headline - editors could see beyond the perceived problems (of historical fiction not doing so well) and this happens all the time. So don't apologise for your work.
 
Non-fiction - cookery, travel, history, nature, narrative - quite a broad remit. She recently sold a book to Virago about genders/identity and is currently working on a book about relationships/friendships.
 


 
If you'd like to submit to Laura do mention you are part of the London Writers' Club community and you will get shifted to a higher place on her manuscript pile. All guidelines are on the Tibor Jones website here. 
 
Next event will be with TWO publishers
 
What: Event with publisher, Sam Eades of Orion Publishing and her colleague
 
When: 23 February, 6.30pm-8.30pm
 
Where: The Cube, Studio 5,  155 Commercial Street,  London E1 6BJ (nearest station is Shoreditch High St.)
 
 
 
Advance tickets: £20 for event plus a free copy of Write a Bestseller by Jacq Burns


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Or £15 for just the ticket. 
 
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Write with an Agent session
 
Three hour session £107.  (Join the club and receive theLondon Writers' Club Members' discounted price of £97.)
Venue: Central London    
When:   There will be just one session for this quarter. Thursday, January 28th, 10.30-1.30pm. 
 
 


 
Most writers need help somewhere on their journey. Here you will get help to plan your book, to start writing and keep going, or in the drafting, editing or pitching process.
These intimate sessions are a mix of one-to-one advice and taking action on that advice that will move you on from whatever stage you are now, to get your book written faster.
 
If you're finished your book and are ready to prepare your book proposal and synopsis or you want to create a platform for your book, you can do that here too. Jacq will read your synopsis or outline in advance ready to advice you as you improve your proposal and writing.
 
 
 
Book now for February's event with publisher
 Sam Eades of Orion Publishing
 
When
 
Tuesday,February 23
6.30-8.30pm
speaker will start at  6.45pm 
 
Where
 
The Cube, 155 Commercial Street, E1 6BJ (nearest station, Shoreditch High St.)
 
What
 
Spend an evening in the company of two publishers PLUS a chance to pitch your book one to one.
 
 
Members: free 
 
£20 for non-members for event plus a free copy of Write a Bestseller by Jacq Burns
 
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Why? 
 
'Informative, insightful and fun. I would recommend any aspiring writer to pop along'  Mark Morris, Speechwriter for NATO Secretary General.
 
 
 
 
 
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