One of the best bits of my job

November 4, 2009 by Cressida Downing (Editorial Consultant)
Filed under: Literary Agents, Writing Advice 

CressidaDowningI recently read a novel for a literary agent, then sent her my initial report, and just now she rang me to discuss my thoughts.

The author was obviously talented – and the agent was working on this, his first novel, with him.

His style was good and his plot was very different and interesting, I said. However neither of us felt that the characters’ motivation shaped the plot realistically.

The agent and I discussed how we thought he should change things, and it was exactly what I enjoy doing most, taking a novel and extending it, throwing out ideas and bringing more coherence to the work as a whole.

Nothing beats talking about a novel, thinking through a character and adding elements to a plot. Why not get together with another author and take it in turns to just play with the ideas you have. And if you’ve registered on this site you can always search the user profiles to find other writers who are working in a similar area to yours.

Good luck!

Cressida
(editorial consultant)

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Comments

6 Comments on One of the best bits of my job

  1. Alex on Nov 9, 2009 at 11:18am

    2. This is great advice and has often worked for me. However, I think it’s equally important to ensure you don’t “talk it out” as Hemingway said.

  2. Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) on Nov 9, 2009 at 13:31pm

    3. Alex – that’s a good point. Keep it general, and don’t feel the urge to elaborate so much that the creative juices run dry!

    Cressi

  3. James Ward on Nov 23, 2009 at 12:54pm

    4. I’ve just finished and printed off a copy of my first manuscript.
    I have been tinkering with it for so long on my PC it has grown from eighty nine thousand words, to one hundred thousand and I felt if I didn’t print a copy soon, it would still be there in another twelve years.

    Now I have to craft a covering/introduction letter, is there a set format for such a letter and what information is a must to add for an agent, without running into inside leg measurements?

  4. Cressida Downing (Editorial Consultant) on Nov 26, 2009 at 23:23pm

    5. Hi James,

    I am writing a further blog post on the very important covering letter shortly – so look out for that – it should answer some of your questions.

  5. nina on Nov 28, 2009 at 13:06pm

    6. Hi Cressi,
    I completed a novel with a theme that is important to women – how not to be. The sad point of the story is that the heroin learns how not to be too late and is forced to spent the second part of her life to correct her mistakes as a mother….because coreecting mistakes in rearing children can take a span and work of a whole life. It is quite autobiographic. It is interesting which was once sad by an Virago editor but back then it was too long. Now it is shorter and edited, but now I can’t find an agent. Could you or some friendly writer soul provide me with some addresses and/or email contacts? Who can help me to get into contact with an agency? Why is it so difficult to find one? HELP!!!
    Love
    Nina
    kette.nina@gmail.com

  6. Cressida Downing (Editorial Consultant) on Dec 4, 2009 at 12:43pm

    7. Hi Nina,

    This website is a great place to start! Go to the Listings section to the left of the page, click on ‘quick search’, and look for ‘agents’ in the drop-down box. This will give you over 300 contact details of agents.

    Good luck with your revamped book!

    Cressida

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