Escapism in Fiction: What is escapist fiction and how do you write it?

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

‘Escapism’ is one of the publishing industry’s favourite buzz words at the moment, and we’ve heard many literary agents using it when recounting their chats with publishers at the London Book Fair 2023. It seems a lot of commissioning editors, and therefore agents,...

#BPAFavouriteLines: Why we Chose Them

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Many of our BPA First Novel Award and Pitch Prize judges say they’re looking for an attention-grabbing opening and a stand-out first line. The first line of your novel is undeniably important, but terms like ‘attention-grabbing’ can be easily misconstrued. That’s part...

When Should You Put a Book in the Drawer?

Monday, April 24, 2023

One of the questions that came up at our recent Q&A with literary agents Eve White and Ludo Cinelli was ‘How do you know when it’s time to give up on a novel?’ Ludo suggested that 25 agent submissions – the number made by the writer asking the question – wasn’t...

Ask an Agent: Rebeka Finch from Darley Anderson

Friday, March 31, 2023

Rebeka joined the Darley Anderson Literary Agency as Darley’s Assistant in November 2019. She enjoys reading submissions, particularly new adult, contemporary romance fiction, and fantasy/romantasy fiction, and working on the Agency’s social media. Rebeka...

21 Motivational Quotes from Today’s Top Authors

Monday, March 6, 2023

“I’m always hoping that I’ll offer something that will help someone who is feeling lost or unseen or desperate. I think literature has a power, it can rescue people at the right time.” – Diana Evans   “What you must do is write what you feel. Analyse your...

How to Edit Dialogue

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Dialogue is a crucial component of almost every novel and short story, but it’s rarely taught. Author Ayn Rand says, ‘The best, most natural dialogue is usually written as if the writer is listening to dictation. You might get stuck on any particular point and have to...