Kate Nash

I would tell you to be prepared to write 3 to 4 books in a genre. #AskAgent

It is all about the writing. I don't read the letter until I have read and liked the sample. #AskAgent

I would only have another read if I had told the author I would first time around. I am almost always rejecting on the story per se, not the shaping of it. #AskAgent

Yes all the time. #AskAgent

I am not seeing this at the moment but it is difficult to predict anything with great certainly at the moment. #AskAgent

It depends if I can see a clear strategy for the book - and the author agrees of course. #AskAgent

Novels should be well known, doesn't matter to me how recent. TV comps are also great. #AskAgent

Yes 12-18 months is typical unless it is a digital first (i.e. ebook gets released first) in which case could be as quick as six months. #AskAgent

Short is great for me. One paragraph. Just a line about your story and another on why you are approaching the agency. #AskAgent

Keep thinking until you have something that sounds zingy enough for submissions. Once you have an agent they will help, your eventual publisher too. Don't worry too much. I love brainstorming titles. #AskAgent

Sometimes it could be better for authors to go to specialist local history publishers. However, I would suggest send it in to my colleague @JustinNashLit for a look since "niche" might mean "quirky but actually mainstream". #AskAgent

Writing to me starting "Dear Sir" or indeed with no greeting at all on the cover letter. I may just assume it is spam. #AskAgent

Run a mile. For my sakes if not yours. It's a close relationship based a good deal on trust. As my old boss used to say, "try to only work with people you could go to the pub with." #AskAgent

The tougher the times the more likeable the characters - so in my view I feel right now we are heading into a phase where we really do want to like our characters. #AskAgent

Worked for a publisher and realised agenting was the better job since you can work with the same authors across publishers and potentially for the whole of their careers (if they will have me obv.) #AskAgent

Could be. One of my authors uses a pen name for fiction only because she writes very specialist academic books under her real name and it might get confusing. #AskAgent

Not a hard rule. My "hard rule" is that the opening page has to have characterisation. #AskAgent

I have seen a few but not too many. #AskAgent

If your agency is a member of the AAA then there should be no restrictions on an author moving on along with their agent. #AskAgent

Your book is either plot led or it is character led. If plot led then it does need a central and compelling plot, yes. #AskAgent