The Rod Hall AgencyThe Rod Hall Agency was formed in May 1997 to represent playwrights and screenwriters, writers who also direct, directors and stage and screen rights in selected novels.
Specialises in writers for stage, screen and radio but also deals in TV and film rights in novels and non-fiction and represents writer/directors. Email synopsis and intro in first instance, with a showreel if you are a writer/director.
No reading fee.
was formed in May 1997 to represent playwrights and screenwriters, writers who also direct, directors and stage and screen rights in selected novels. Read more
Accepts full-length MSS, scripts for T.V and theatre; also novels, fiction and non-fiction. Represents screenwriters. Agents cover film, TV and theatre as well as literature.
Does not welcome unsolicited material but enquiries are accepted in writing.
No reading fee for synopsis, plays or screenplays, but a fee is charged for full-length MSS. Return postage required. Read more
Agents for the negotiation of all rights in fiction, general non-fiction, children's fiction and picture books, plays, film and TV scripts (home 15%, USA/translation 20%, scripts 10%). Represented in all foreign markets. Preliminary letter and return postage Read more
Represents fiction and general non-fiction, children's books, scripts for film, television and theatre. Does not represent poetry, short stories, academic or text books.
(Home 15%, Overseas 20%).
Submission Guidelines: Not currently accepting new submissions. Please refer to our website for updates.
The company employs a staff of 12 people across the different departments. Based in Dublin’s city center, Lisa Richards has been at the heart of the Irish arts and entertainment industry for over fifteen years and represents some of the finest creative talent in Ireland.
Handles fiction and general non-fiction. Approach with proposal and sample chapter for non-fiction and 3-4 chapters and synopsis for fiction (sae essential).
No reading fee. Overseas associate The Marsh Agency for translation rights. Fiction and non-fiction, but represents these for film/TV rights as well.
Also represents actors and playwrights.
was founded in 1989 by Lisa and Richard Cook. Read more
'The creative process is open to all. I don't believe in some magical creative gift, the exclusive possession of a few, nor need it concern big or sophisticated ideas. On the contrary, creativity may depend upon the recognition that our own thoughts and ideas are as valid as anyone else's; something which we knew as children, and which we were taught to unlearn. Read more
Open to unpublished and unagented writers from around the world.
No entry fee
Prize:
Prize of £3,000; publication with Tortoise Media; literary representation by RCW literary agent Laurence Laluyaux and other prizes
Fern Press and How to Academy have partnered on a new essay award worth £3,000, in association with Tortoise Media, for unpublished authors.
Fern Press was launched by Vintage last year, while the annual non-fiction essay prize is "for those working at the frontier of creativity and thought", organisers said. Read more
It's not a pretty word, 'blurb'; it smacks of nonsense, or slightly less than entirely honest marketing. Which is unfortunate, because a blurb is a useful and necessary thing; without it, your book is at risk of being a blank text, what you might call a closed book. Read more
'You want to write the twist so that it doesn't suddenly come out of nowhere. I tried to see a few things so that (the reader) thinks, of course! But it is hard to get that balance I think, of trying to get a twist in that is unguessable but not too "out there"... Writing in lockdown, 'So that was a bit of freedom in a way, I didn't have any expectations almost.
'You want to write the twist so that it doesn't suddenly come out of nowhere. I tried to see a few things so that (the reader) thinks, of course! But it is hard to get that balance I think, of trying to get a twist in that is unguessable but not too "out there". Read more
Waterstones managing director James Daunt said social media is reinforcing the reading of "proper" paper books among young people.
Mr Daunt, who is also chief executive of Barnes & Noble, said social media trends such as 'BookTok' on TikTok had been "hugely positive", as he was made a CBE for his services to publishing by the Princess Royal.
A new generation of romance novel consumers has moved a long-standing three-way conversation between reader, writer and publisher onto social media, industry insiders say, speeding up an already fast-moving segment of the publishing world.
When you are next visiting a bookstore, and find your way to the children's section, you might be forgiven for thinking that there is no longer such a thing as a children's author. Instead, you will be ambushed by piles of books blazoned with the names of actors, singers, comedians, DJs and people who generously exhibit themselves on social media.
A federal judge in California this week dismissed four of six claims made by authors in a now consolidated lawsuit alleging that Open AI infringes their copyrights. But the court gave the authors a month to amend their complaint, and the suit's core claim of direct infringement-which Open AI did not seek to dismiss-remains active.
For budding authors, the submissions process can be daunting. For anyone with little understanding of the publishing industry and how it works, it can be even more so. And for anyone whose writing sits outside of the established ideas of genre, style or content, it can be utterly baffling as to how to present that to an agent or publisher.
'All writers are liars. They twist events to suit themselves. They make use of their own tragedies to make a better story... They are terrible people.'
Children's creativity
'The creative process is open to all. I don't believe in some magical creative gift, the exclusive possession of a few, nor need it concern big or sophisticated ideas. On the contrary, creativity may depend upon the recognition that our own thoughts and ideas are as valid as anyone else's; something which we knew as children, and which we were taught to unlearn. Read more