Writing and pitching advice from inside a literary agency
BY Discoveries
14th Dec 2022
CBC and Curtis Brown are proud to be partnering with the Women’s Prize Trust and Audible to run Discoveries, a unique writing development prize and programme, which offers practical support and encouragement to aspiring female novelists of all ages and backgrounds, from across the UK and Ireland.
This week we’re hearing from some of the brilliant Curtis Brown team members working behind the scenes on Discoveries 2023. Literary agent Jess Molloy (who represents Sui Annukka, winner of Discoveries 2022), associate agent Rosie Pierce, associate agent Ciara Finan and agent’s assistant Annabel White. Read on for their pitching tips, reading recommendations and advice for writers planning to enter the Discoveries 2023 – deadline 15 Jan.
What first sparked your passion for books and reading?
Jess: I have always enjoyed stories – my dad used to make up amazing stories to tell us at bedtime and reading was definitely encouraged in my house growing up and it was also encouraged at my primary school – I remember fastidiously filling out my reading record book each week! As I got older I really enjoyed the escapism of reading and my favourite feeling is when you find a book that you can’t stop thinking about, and which makes you desperate for the next moment you can pick it up and slip back into that story.
Ciara: When I was a child, I actually really hated reading. My teachers told my parents it’s because I got bored of all the “’small words’ but I fear that maybe was a kind way around saying I just wasn’t a very good reader! Anyway, that all changed when I found the perfect book (in this case The Northern Lights). The right kind of book can persuade even the most hesitant of readers. After that, I went the other way completely, ie. reading when I should have been doing my homework, or sleeping. And since then that love has remained and brought me to where I am today – working with amazing writers at the very start of their publishing journey.
Rosie: I can’t really remember ever not reading. That’s not to say I was reading War and Peace aged three and more to say I have a bad memory. But the books I grew up reading – by writers like Jacqueline Wilson, Malorie Blackman, Michael Morpurgo, R. L. Stine (all the greats) – sparked a love of good storytelling that has brought me here!
Annabel: The first book I can remember loving is Eva Ibbotson's Star of Kazan. My mum read it to my sisters and me on the on our way to Disneyland and I can remember the four of us welling up when Herr Egghart shouted, 'She is not your mother!' at the end. I read as many Eva Ibbotson books as I could get my hands on after that, and even now I'd consider any book that has me crying on public transport a win. Chanel Miller's astonishing memoir Know My Name had me in constant tears and I was full-on ugly crying mid-flight as I finished Chris Whitaker's We Begin at the End. The idea that words on a page can evoke such a strong emotional reaction is kind of magical and my passion for books and reading is re-sparked every time I find a book that has me laughing, crying or anything in between.
What are some common pitfalls you see in submissions from new writers? Do you have any advice on how they can be avoided?
Jess: Clunky exposition is one of my pet peeves and I feel like it can really ruin the flow of otherwise great writing, and take you out of the story. It can be hard trying to fill in context and background for your reader but I would recommend coming back to the age old wisdom of ‘show, don’t tell!’
Keep the pitch punchy. The agent doesn't need a play-by-play of your entire novel, we just want to see believable characters and a nice hook, then your writing should do the rest.
Ciara: Firstly, before submitting your work, make sure you’re as happy and confident as you can be with it. You don’t want to have any doubts or hesitations once you press ‘send’.
Then, make sure to carve out some time to carefully research the agents you want to submit to and spend time thinking about who would be the perfect fit for your work. Don’t do a blanket submission that will feel impersonal to whoever is going to receive it.
Finally, I think it’s really important to focus on your cover letter when it comes time to submitting to agents. This will be the first thing an agent reads about your novel so make sure it’s engaging, clear and enticing!
Rosie: My advice would be: remember to bring in all the senses, especially when world building. Drawing on the smells and sounds of a place can bring it to life as much as a description of its appearance.
Annabel: Given the number of submissions that agents receive, to be successful yours really needs to stand out. No-fluff pitch letters are definitely important. The pitch letter is the first thing the agent sees and when it's too lengthy, it's an instant deterrent. Over-complicated plots and characters that feel over-done or trope-like are another no-no for me.
What books have you enjoyed reading this year?
Jess: Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan which I devoured in one sitting. Delphi by Clare Pollard which I’m currently reading and completely obsessed with.
Ciara: Some of my favourite books I’ve read this year are Babel by R. F. Kuang, Outlawed by Anna North, The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell and A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers.
Rosie: My favourites this year have been: My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley, Tomorrow and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Trust by Hernan Diaz and Slow Horses by Mick Herron.
Annabel: So many! My favourite book of the year has been Saba Sams' Send Nudes, a short story collection that spans club toilets, tinder dates and drenched musical festivals. It's gritty and tender and beautifully written. If I could find a novel just like it, it would be amazing. Julia May Jonas's Vladimir is also a brilliant read. I've only recently come across Akwaeke Emezi's books, but I loved The Death of Vivek Oji and I'm very excited to read their newest novel, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty. Emma Rosenblum's Bad Summer People has also been a recent favourite of mine. It's a juicy Desperate-Housewives-meets-Fire-Island debut publishing next June.
You’re part of the 2023 Discoveries team and one of the readers for the prize. What’s your favourite part of working on the programme?
Jess: The best part is being so involved in something which is actively encouraging new writers to put themselves out there – there’s nothing more exciting than reading through the submissions and feeling that immediate buzz when a piece of writing grabs you and you instantly know the Author is going to be someone special. Playing a small part in the early stages of the careers of writers is such a privilege.
Ciara: Firstly, I love working with this terrific team of incredible women - they are all so inspiring, warm and intelligent! I’m also so grateful to get the change to discover fresh, interesting and unheard voices.
Rosie: Getting to read such an eclectic and exciting range of submissions.
Annabel: I've been very fortunate in that I'm working on outreach for the prize this year. It's an exciting part of the team to be involved in as we've had discussions with the Women's Prize on the ways we can reach more entrants and diversify the writers who are entering the competition. It's really important to us that women of all backgrounds, ages and experiences enter the competition and we're particularly keen for new voices and stories that historically haven't been told. Generally, I love what Discoveries stands for. It's hard to write a novel to completion, polish it and find an agent off your own back. We don't ask for a polished novel nor one that's even finished, and I hope that the competition is able to give writers who may just have an idea and 10,000 words on the page the validation and encouragement to keep going, whether they're longlisted, shortlisted or the winning writer.
What will you be looking for from entrants when reading for Discoveries?
Jess: Something confident and brave, a style of voice I haven’t heard before and a setting that completely immerses me.
Ciara: I’m always drawn to writing that has a very distinctive voice, and draws me in from the first line. I also want to find unforgettable characters that challenge my way of thinking.
Rosie: I am not looking for any one thing in particular. The material doesn’t need to be super polished, just have that spark that keeps me reading – an unusual or unpredictable voice, a plot that hooks me in, or a character that feels totally alive.
Annabel: The most important thing to me when reading submissions is voice. Thinking back to some of my favourite books, the plot, character and genre have varied a lot and I don't have a strict 'type' when it comes to the stories I like to read. Really what I'm looking for is sharp, witty writing from the first word. The opening paragraph, let alone the opening line, is the biggest sign for me of whether I'm going to be hooked by a submission.
Get unmissable advice on preparing your entry to Discoveries in this post: How to prepare your submission to Discoveries 2023.
Best of luck preparing your submission to Discoveries 2023. We’re so excited to read your work!