1/C & W has the combined appeal of the uniqueness of a smaller agency with the back up of the huge machine of Curtis Brown.
2/There are 7 primary agents and they are known for nurturing debut talent and new voices.
3/Katie reads and considers each submission carefully and collaborates with authors on the editorial process.
4/She represents a great range of fiction and non fiction but emphasises the importance of voice and the international appeal.
5/She loves campus novels with a twist and quirky coming of age stories. Food novels – think Sweet Bitter. She likes memoirs that read like novels eg The Glass Castle and they don’t have to be written in a linear timeline. Check out Educated as well.
6/We asked her to define voice – it takes us into a character’s head. Crafting a personality. Not simply important in a first person narrative, but also books written in the third person.
7/C & W is hugely collaborative between agents/assistants/interns and outside readers. They have monthly meetings to discuss submission strategy and swap tips.
8/Query tips – tell an editor why you are approaching them – make the personal connection.
9/Katie’s authors come – 50/50 – from unsolicited and from festivals/creative writing schools/magazine/short stories (so get out there with your writing!).
10/Finally if you are pitching face to face, know your book. Check out the pitch parties on Twitter eg #mwl and start tweeting/pitching with the hashtags.