The Shaw Agency

Submission guidelines

Submissions are made via the agency's Contact page, not by direct email. What to send: a cover letter of up to 300 words, the first 6 pages (about 3,000 words) of the novel and a synopsis of about 500 words. For non-fiction, send a detailed proposal, a chapter plan and one sample chapter. How to send it: fill in Name and Email on the Contact page. Under Subject, type the manuscript's title, genre and word length. Paste the submission into the Message block, checking that paragraphs and line spaces are present (type them in manually if they are missing). Other rules: there is no reading fee. Simultaneous submissions to other agents are fine. Do not include more material than requested. Do not send material about more than one book. Do not query or chase for a response, but do get back in touch via the Contact page if another agent has offered representation or asked to meet. It also helps to mention any past publication, writing prizes, mentoring by leading authors, or if the agency's name was given by a client or contact.