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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING SUBMISSIONS TO THE MCKERNAN AGENCY
Thank you for visiting the website of the McKernan Agency. If after reading our profiles and our client list you feel that we might be the right agency for you then please take a minute to read our submission guidelines below.
Please note that, as a small agency with an established client list, we are only able to offer representation to authors whose work a) we feel passionate about and b) we feel has significant commercial potential that we as an agency will be able to help realize.
If after considering your work we feel unable to offer representation this does not necessarily mean that the work is not, objectively speaking, a good piece of writing. It simply means that we don't feel that we are best placed to help you with it, and that it would be in your interests to find an agency that better suits your needs.
Please understand too that our guidelines are there for a reason: they help us to manage the large number of submissions that we receive (currently in the region of 50-60 per week) on our limited resources. We devote as much time as we possibly can to giving each submission the consideration that it deserves. So please do read the following guidelines carefully before submitting: not only does this make our lives much easier, but it enables your work to have the optimal chance of success.
FAQs
Do you accept unsolicited submissions?
Yes. Many of our clients are referred to us, but we are are happy to consider all submissions, whether from established or previously unpublished authors. All submissions are judged by the same criteria: namely whether the work submitted is an outstanding example of its genre, has broad commercial appeal, and fits well with our current interests and our existing client lists.
We are not considering submissions in the following genres: romance, paranormal, short stories, poetry, misery memoir, chick lit, reference or self-help.
We also do not represent original scripts for television, film, radio or theatre, although Capel & Land handle film, tv and radio rights on our behalf for clients whom we represent.
Do you represent children's books?
Yes, but we are extremely selective in this area: we are only looking for novels for teens/ young adults, preferably with series potential, and only from authors dedicated to a career in children's fiction.
What form should my submission take?
Please use the form provided on our contacts page. If we feel that we might be an appropriate agency for your work then we will contact you by email to request the full manuscript.
Can I make a submission by post/ in person at your Edinburgh offices?
No. All submissions should be made electronically, through our contacts page. We do not have the resources to return or acknowledge material sent through the post, regardless of whether an SAE is included, and we can take no responsibility for manuscripts sent to us. Please do not send in original copies of your manuscript, as unsolicited submissions may be disposed of unread.
Do you have any formatting guidelines?
Yes. Plain text is fine for the initial submission through our contacts page. If we request a full manuscript or proposal then, in line with industry standards, we will require it to be as a single Word, .odt or .rtf file (not .pdf), and for the text to be double spaced and at 12pt type size. Your name and the title of the work should be inserted on every page and the entire work should be numbered.
What should my proposal for my non-fiction book look like?
Each proposal is different and there is no rigid 'one size fits all' model for a successful book proposal. Common elements will be an introduction explaining why the book is necessary, a short synopsis, a detailed chapter outline, a discussion of comparative books currently in the market, and a professional biography detailing your background, credentials and publishing history. You should essentially looking to answer three questions: what the book is about, why there is a gap in the market for it, and why you are the right person to write it.
How long will a reply take?
We consider every submission that we receive in strict order of receipt. When you submit your work via our contacts page you will receive an automatic notification that we have received it. We will normally contact you within six weeks if we decide that we would like to see more of your work, though please do allow up to three months during busy periods. Once we receive the full manuscript or proposal, we will contact you within a further three months if we feel we will be able to offer you representation.
I'd like to speak to you/ meet with you to discuss my work. When is a good time to call/ how can I arrange a meeting?
As it's impossible to judge the quality of writing from a conversation alone, we don't speak to or meet with an author unless we have first read their complete manuscript or proposal. Please submit your work through the contacts page first, and if we feel that we may be able to help then we will contact you to arrange a meeting at your convenience.
What sort of feedback can I expect/ whom should I contact to follow up on my submission?
We are a small agency whose primary commitments are to our existing clients, and our resources are mostly directed towards work on their behalf. As such, whilst we are very happy to consider new submissions, we are not able to enter into correspondence with non-clients regarding their work, regardless of whether we have requested the full manuscript or not.
But I'm looking for advice and feedback on my work!
In that case please consider carefully whether you are really looking for a literary agent at this stage. In common with other literary agencies, we are looking for work of exceptionally high quality. We will only offer representation to authors whose work is an outstanding example of its genre and is ready (or nearly ready) for publication in the extremely competitive general market.
If, following our assessment of your work, we feel unable to offer representation, then we will not be able to offer feedback or advice.
If what you are mainly looking for at this stage is detailed constructive criticism of your work, or advice about your writing in general, then perhaps consider whether you want a literary consultancy rather than an agency. A leading example is The Writing Room, a separate business run by Maggie McKernan. You can find their webpage here. Details of other literary consultancies can be found in books such as The Writers' and Artists' Handbook.
Do bear in mind that engaging the services of a literary consultancy will not guarantee you representation and publication as such. What it does guarantee is the opportunity for any writer to receive the kind of detailed editorial attention that a published writer would expect: advice on the marketability of the work and its literary and commercial merits, and constructive criticism targeted at helping the writer to identify and improve on any individual areas of weakness.
Other possible avenues for honing your skills as a writer include joining a writers' group, or enrolling on a creative writing course at a college or university.
Most important of all, though, is to read and continue to read widely, particular the best of what is being published in your chosen genre. The great 19th century cultural critic Matthew Arnold advocated as a means of self-improvement:
"...a pursuit of our total perfection by means of getting to know, on all the matters which most concern us, the best which has been thought and said in the world, and, through this knowledge, turning a stream of fresh and free thought upon our stock notions and habits..."
An anathema to the 21st century 'get rich & famous quick' culture as exemplified by Big Brother and The X Factor, perhaps. But no less worthwhile for it: successful writers invariably show a deep awareness of their genre, the context in which they are writing and their target audience.
On that lofty note, may we wish you all the best with your literary endeavours, and we do hope that you will consider the McKernan Agency as your representatives in this challenging but ultimately rewarding industry. Despite our stern admonishments regarding the vagaries of publishing, there is nothing we love better than the thrill of discovering a truly original and exciting piece of new work submitted to us - it is, indeed, the life-blood of the publishing world.
Maggie McKernan and Edwin Hawkes
May 2009
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