Agent Interview: Breaking the Class Ceiling in UK Publishing

Happy Friday Scribblers,

The team at Waterstones Harrow have named ‘Da’ by Arathi Menon one of their books of the year! Gorgeous signing with readers. And look what arrived at the FOTW office - evocative debut ‘The Whispering Jacarandas’ by Zahirra Dayal! On the 28th of August, allow us to transport you to Zimbabwe post independence - a tale of the messy bonds of sisterhood; of love and trauma. Pre-orders shipping now.

Join us on tour with Zahirra!

• Waterstones Arndale informal stock signing, meet and greet

• Serenity Booksellers, Stockport

• The Curious Cat Bookshop, Frodsham

• Waterstones Islington

• The Shoe Library, London

We can’t tell you how much we value your support for our debut authors - devour their books, tell them you connected with their words and leave a review/tell a friend/gift a copy - we’re proud to be unfunded, and we can only do it because of your passion as readers, big thanks!

If you enjoy this, let me know! An interview series could continue…

I never thought I’d become a literary agent. It wasn’t a career that was ever mentioned to me at school or university. I came into publishing from the writing and editing side, and over the years I saw how many brilliant writers didn’t feel that publishing was for people like them.

I read a lot, joined a local writing group, researched and took part in creative events and found networks of writers across the city. All this led to an MA in Writing. But I think any path where you engage with other writers and creatives helps.

I started working with writers from all sorts of backgrounds, accountants, security guards, taxi drivers, labourers, NHS workers, people in hospitality, parents and retired grandparents. Even people who’d studied creative writing often felt they had no real route into the industry.

Then I read the Common People: Breaking the Class Ceiling in UK Publishing report. It put into words a lot of what I’d experienced myself as a northern writer. There was evidence behind that feeling that the industry was still too London centric and that working class writers were facing barriers that had nothing to do with the quality of their writing.

I thought, well, we know how to edit, we know writers and we understand the creative community here, so perhaps we can do something about it.

And that became the Liverpool Literary Agency.

I didn’t come from the traditional agenting route, so there was definitely an element of learning on the job. I never had an internship at a London agency or a network of publishing contacts. But I did have experience as a writer and editor, an understanding of how manuscripts develop, and experience of PR, marketing, pitching and publishing my own books.

When we announced the agency, publishers and agents offered advice and mentorship. That was really encouraging because I never wanted this to be about creating a divide between the North and London.

The publishing industry has changed since we started in 2020. We’ve seen publishers establish northern offices and there’s more recognition now that talent isn’t concentrated around London. But there’s still work to do. You shouldn’t have to move to London, know the right people or have the confidence to walk into a particular place in order to have a publishing career.

I’m always so proud whenever we get a debut author a book deal. I know what that moment means to someone who perhaps never thought publishing was accessible to them in the first place.

We’ve had authors achieve some amazing things, including multi book deals, international translation rights and TV and film options. But I’m proud of all of our authors. Every book deal represents somebody’s work, often years of work, and getting that first book into the world is a huge achievement.