The Blake Friedmann Literary Agency will open its virtual doors next week, with a series of events dedicated to “demystifying” publishing and agency and supporting writers seeking representation.
From 14and In March, the agency will host a week of #AskAgent live sessions, advice videos, agent blogs and book giveaways on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The agency said it aims to offer “information and transparency” with key objectives on how book deals work, how to navigate the submission process and find an agent, how an author and agent work together, understand the publishing process and earn an income as an author.
All of Blake Friedmann’s book agents, Isobel Dixon, Juliet Pickering, Kate Burke, Samuel Hodder and Sian Ellis-Martin, will be actively involved throughout the week, hoping to answer as many questions as possible from published writers and questioners, as well as anyone. wanting to enter the industry.
Open Week will also offer three writers feedback on their submission packages via a 20-minute virtual meeting with associate agent Ellis-Martin in April. More information on how to submit for this opportunity will be revealed during the open house week.
Burke, Literary Agent and Director at Blake Friedmann, said, “We hope our first open week will be helpful, insightful and encouraging for writers, who are at the heart of publishing and the world of books. We are committed to being accessible at Blake Friedmann and supporting writers who fear the publishing industry is inaccessible to them.
“It’s clear from social media and the questions our agents hear when they speak at schools, writers’ groups and festivals, that people still have a lot of questions about what agents do and how it all works. in terms of money, deals and rights.. So for some time now we have been thinking about how we can help demystify these topics in an honest and engaging way, using our public platforms.
“We want to encourage everyone who writes to submit to us, being transparent about who we are as an agency and as individual agents, and we hope our open week will spark conversation, provide practical advice and inspire new writings, and which we can repeat this week every year in the future.
The agency will share all the details on their website blakefriedmann.frwith new content posted throughout Open Week on the agency’s website and social media, using the hashtag #BFLAOpenWeek.
This author-focused effort follows Blake Friedmann’s Carole Blake Open Doors project, launched in 2017 to encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to enter the industry.