Are you a fiction writer submitting to literary agents?
You’ve written your book and you’re ready to start sending it out to literary agents. So what do you need to think about to make sure your covering letter and synopsis represent you and the story you are telling as well as they can? In this online masterclass, literary agent Hannah Todd from Janklow & Nesbit UK will delve into the do’s and don’ts of writing covering letters and synopses.
Your cover letter is your first impression on an agent. Hannah will discuss what it needs to include from your pitch to comparison titles, and how to make it clear that you’ve done your research before approaching agents. Plus she’ll discuss what excites her in a submission package.
Hannah will also talk about what she is looking for in a synopsis, when she reads it in the review process and the importance of revealing your ending.
The session will end with a brief Q&A, so come ready with your questions on the submission process.
The masterclass will take place online via Teams. It will also be recorded so if you are unable to attend live, you'll be able to catch-up and access the recording for up to two weeks after the event has taken place.
Hannah is a literary agent representing writers of adult commercial fiction. She previously worked at the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, before joining Janklow & Nesbit in January 2025. Before she was an agent, Hannah worked as an editor in both independent and 'Big 5' publishers, including Avon, Head of Zeus and Bookouture. Her clients include Kirsty Greenwood, Charlie Gallagher and Leah Mercer.
I am looking for commercial fiction across the board, but with a particular focus on romance, SFF & mystery novels. Across all genres, I am drawn to books with exemplary characterisation and voice. I need to feel a real connection to your characters; whether I love them or loathe them, it's the strength of feeling that I am looking for. But don't let your characterisation overshadow the need for impeccable plot as I would love a page-turner that makes me feel as though I cannot put it down. We all want that 'just one more chapter!' feeling, and if you can make me laugh or cry then you're on to a winner!
I don't represent children's, middle-grade or YA fiction, so please only send in works of fiction for an adult audience.
At the moment I am really keen to find a brilliant fantasy writer. I especially love SFF that features an unlikely band of heroes, like the Six of Crows series by Leigh Bardugo, Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastard series, Becky Chambers' The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and T. Kingfisher's Nettle and Bone, so if you have something like this then please send it my way. I love a book with cosy themes/settings such as Heather Fawcett and TJ Klune, but also love some darkness and edge like that in T. Kingfisher's work, so I am happy to read across the full light-dark spectrum... but would stop before it got to full horror - that is not for me! I also love Baldur's Gate 3, Dimension 20 and D&D, so am very happy to see SFF that is inspired by RPGs in some way.
Make sure you have a clear USP and hook: If you are sending your reader to a magical academy, or if we're riding dragons or waving wands, that's great! But what makes your book feel different and fresh? An excellent voice is key, but what else makes your take on these tropes stand out? An example of a phenomenal book that has turned the magical academy trope on it's head, with layers of excellent world building, a unique magic system and plot twists galore is The Will of the Many by James Islington. If you have something crafted this beautifully then I would LOVE to see it.
I am also open to romantasy of varying spice levels, but would like this to be accessible to both romance and fantasy readers. For example, if you are in a real-world setting with fantastical characters or a fish-out-of-water trope on a secondary world. Have fun with the genre conventions, and show your love for the genre you're writing in!
For contemporary romance novels, I would love to read anything from romcoms to sweeping love stories that feel like they redefine the genre. For the romcoms, voice is so important. I need to feel as though I have just spent time with friends, and the chemistry has to be sizzling! I would particularly like romcoms with great disability rep and LGBTQIA+ stories that focus on the joy of falling in love. I enjoy everything from closed door romance to lots of chilli peppers, but the relationship at it's core has to take precedence for me to buy-in! I particularly love Emily Henry, Laura Wood and Abby Jiminez. In terms of a sweeping love story, I am always looking for a book that will make me laugh and cry; I want to experience the full gamut of feelings when wrapping myself in someone's love story. I am the person for the more commercial end of this spectrum, so think more Nicholas Sparks than Sally Rooney, and Bonnie Garmus rather than Gabrielle Zevin. In this space, I am a big fan of Emma Donoghue, Bonnie Garmus and Jojo Moyes.
Within crime and thrillers, I’m looking for high concept thrillers with an unsettling ‘it-could-happen-to-me’ feeling. The thing I would most like to find in this space is a book like Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton in both it's themes (real-world emotional suspense) and it's execution. In all areas of the crime/thriller space, I love to be genuinely shocked by a twist, but only if it feels as though I had a chance to see it coming… nothing is more unsatisfying than an off-page character turning up at the eleventh hour and being responsible for the crime!
I would also like to find a mystery series that feels like a real 'romp'. I am always looking for escapism in my fiction, and that extends to the mystery genre. If you can make something feel fun and intriguing, then I'm in!
I'm not someone for historical fiction, except for British historical saga novels in the vein of Nancy Revell, Katie Flynn, Rosie Goodwin and Kitty Neale. I'd really like to find a new brand in this space.
With regards to all genres, I am particularly interested in voices from underrepresented backgrounds: such as writers of colour, indigenous communities, the LGBTQIA+ community, and those with disabilities.
Things that aren't for me personally:
- Re-imaginings of the classics
- Books that feature characters putting on Shakespeare plays (the only one I've ever loved is Station Eleven!)
- Children's, middle-grade and YA
The workshop fee of £20 (incl. VAT) is payable in full online. Please note that payment instalment plans are available for all W&A events, writing courses and editing services. Contact W&A Admin on [email protected] so that we can find a payment schedule that works for you.
This is a live online event which will be presented using video conferencing software. Joining instructions and full guidance will be provided by the W&A Team a week before the event start-date. Please note, all event timings are in UK time.
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