How to find a literary agent with Juliet Mushens

An unmissable masterclass with leading literary agent Juliet Mushens, with advice on everything from editing your manuscript to preparing the perfect submissions package.

If you’re a new writer, the process of getting your novel into print might seem a bit daunting. This unique masterclass with leading literary agent Juliet Mushens will demystify the publishing process and reveal what agents look for in fiction submissions.

In the space of three hours, you’ll learn how to edit your manuscript, pitch your novel to an agent and prepare the perfect submissions package.

With plenty of time for questions and some practical activities, this is a class budding authors won’t want to miss.

Content

• What is a literary agent – what do they do and why do you need one?
• How to research potential agents and decide who might be the best person to represent you
• What do agents look for in submissions?
• How to write a killer cover letter and synopsis
• Expert advice on editing your manuscript
• Advice on pitching your book to agents – and giving it the best possible change of being accepted
• Discussion of pitches and blurbs for famous books
• Practical session – selected attendees volunteer to read aloud a short blurb for their book, with opportunity for feedback on the evening (see below for more info)
• Q&A

Class preparation

• You’re invited to bring along a short blurb or “elevator pitch” for your book, if you wish to do so. The blurb should be similar in style to the copy on the back cover of books in shops – and no more than one paragraph in length.
• Juliet will ask between two and five volunteers to share their blurb with the group, with opportunity for feedback.

Tutor profile

Juliet Mushens is a literary agent whose authors range from international bestsellers such as Jessie Burton (The Miniaturist and The Muse) to James Oswald, as well as social media favourites such as Very British Problems (@SoVeryBritish). Juliet is the co-founder of Caskie Mushens. She was highly commended in the literary agent of the year category by the Bookseller in 2015 and 2016, having been shortlisted in 2014. Her book Get Started in Writing Young Adult Fiction was published by Hodder in 2015. She tweets @mushenska.

Juliet will be joined by...

Lia Louis, author of Somewhere Close to Happy and the upcoming novel, Dear Emmie Blue, which will be published in 14 countries around the world.

Elodie Harper, an ITV journalist and the author of The Binding Song and The Death Knock, published by Hodder.

All Guardian Masterclasses are fully accessible but please contact us at masterclasses@theguardian.com if you have any queries or concerns.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website