BPA's Blog
Author and literary agent Q&As, plus advice ranging from submissions to how to improve your craft.
Peggy Lee
Peggy manages Blue Pencil Agency’s editorial department, social media channels and blog. She completed a Master’s in Prose Fiction at the University of East Anglia, where she found a love for editing and decided to pursue a career working with words. Peggy has had stories published by Liar’s League, Every Day Fiction and Coffin Bell. She is currently working on two contemporary novels.
How Film Techniques Can Improve Your Writing
Imagine you were brushing your teeth or daydreaming on the underground this morning when suddenly you were hit with an amazing story idea. How might that story first come to you – in words and sentences or as images, like a film? You've probably discovered that you...
Escapism in Fiction: What is escapist fiction and how do you write it?
‘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
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?
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
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 has started...
21 Motivational Quotes from Today’s Top Authors
“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
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...
Ask an Agent: Samantha Brace from Peters Fraser + Dunlop
Sam Brace is an Agent building a list of crime and reading group fiction. Alongside working on her own list, Sam looks after podcasts for Peters Fraser + Dunlop. At PFD's digital-first imprint Agora Books, Sam launched the Lost the Plot Writers Competition as well as...
What are Comp Titles and How do you Choose Them?
What are Comp Titles? ‘Comp’ is short for ‘comparable’. Comp titles are published books that would appeal to a similar readership as your novel. It’s a good idea to mention two or three comp titles in your cover letter when you submit a novel to a literary agent. It’s...
Characterisation: BPA’s Advice for Novel Writers
Characterisation is everything in fiction. Readers love a compelling story, but only if a character’s emotional journey is at its core. Ray Bradbury says this: ‘Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to...
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