It can mean a lot of things - I would say it’s normally meant to be a polite and standard way of saying ‘no’ so within that can mean ‘you show promise but it needs too much work’ or ‘great idea but not executed well enough’ #askagent

Starting with "Dear Sir" or "Dear Agent" and it is obvious the same email has been sent around the block to multiple agencies. We call these spam submissions. #AskAgent

When presenting an author with multiple offers, we look at how they would fit on the list, what sort of marketing spend has been promised, how the imprint intends to market the book. There are a lot of factors to consider, not just the money! #AskAgent

Because we read so many submissions, we really like it when the author has clearly read our submissions guidelines and done a bit of research into the agency. I usually go straight to the sample. #AskAgent

The pitch is not a make or break for me. I tend to dive straight into the writing first and engage with the pitch second. #AskAgent

It’s based on that work but I absolutely love to know future ideas #askagent

I would think about the book after this one - where do you want your career to go? If you want someone to help you achieve longterm goals, and who can keep an eye out for your legal rights, then snag an agent! #AskAgent

Opening with dialogue is quite common (and can work very well). #AskAgent

One of my biggest clients (now a NYT bestseller!) started on Wattpad - the key question always though is why will people buy this when they can read it for free? #askagent

I would say look at their submission guidelines and see if they are still within the window of getting back to you. Snowed, yes, but still signing! #askagent

I'd try agents first because you may not know all the opportunities for your book. #AskAgent

Sometimes I reject based on the cover letter - I would say an average cover letter is fine (it doesn’t need to be WOW!), but some highlight crucial issues with the plot/genre/writing level #askagent

Not at all! We represent a number of authors who live overseas. #AskAgent

Occasionally but not often - this is largely down to the size of my list and I did a lot more when I was building a list #askagent

Yes! It can be a great way to find new talent from outside my bubble. #AskAgent

Nope - I work over Zoom/email/phone. #askagent

I’d be intrigued to know why you’d like that? Small and indie presses are great and sometimes the best place for a book but equally some big 5 publishers are great too! #askagent

Probably waking up from a dream #askagent

So ‘slush pile’ literally just means ‘unsolicited submissions’, it isn’t mean to sound derogatory! I would say that the pitches which attract my attention most quickly have a clear hook (like... We Need to Talk About Kevin or Room!) but the writing is obv key too #askagent

It totally depends: what is the advance/royalties/sales strategy/track record - and which publisher feels the best ‘fit’ for the author. All those things add up! #askagent