Agency submission guidelines
Book submissions are made by email to submissions@sheilland.co.uk. Film, TV and theatre submissions follow separate guidelines and go to info@sheilland.co.uk.
Subject line: include the name of the agent being approached, the genre of the book, and the title.
Submit one work at a time. If more than one work exists, mention this in the cover letter and send the strongest work. Do not send original artwork or photographs by post.
Cover letter: a concise, typed cover letter including a short synopsis, a brief introduction of the writer (why and how long they have been writing, and whether they write in more than one genre or category). For non-fiction, explain why the subject was chosen and why the writer is suited to write about it.
Synopsis: for fiction, send a one-page synopsis of the full story, including significant twists and the ending. For non-fiction, send a brief outline of the subject, where it fits in the market, and why the writer is qualified to write about it.
CV: send a short CV covering relevant qualifications and any previous publications. A full job application style CV is not necessary.
Chapters: send the first three chapters, or around 50 pages, typed. Wait to be asked before sending the full manuscript.
Formatting: use at least 1.5 line spacing, margins, and pagination. Include the actual word count for completed works, or an estimated word count for proposals.
Self-published work: state where it is available, how many copies have sold, and which rights or territories remain available.
