"Don’t send something that you think needs more work"
How to submit your book pitch to top non-fiction agent, Emma Bal.
Emma Bal knows non-fiction. After a decade in publishing houses, she joined top literary agency Madeleine Milburn in 2021, working with journalists, academics, and experts to cultivate lasting writing careers. Read on to find out how to write your best book proposal, and get it in front of Emma.
Tell us more about your role as a literary agent
I work closely with writers like academics and journalists to help them develop their book project into an exciting prospect for publishers. My first job is to be a smart and thoughtful collaborator and engage deeply in their research and ideas from the very early stages of a book proposal; I use my extensive knowledge of the non-fiction space to help them hone their pitch into something original and appealing.
Once I am working with an author, I start building a list of editors who I think would be interested in the book so I am well primed when it comes to submission, pitching and championing the writers I rep with editors in the UK and US.
Once we have a book deal in place, I am there to help drive and demystify the long publishing process, to support the author and make sure that the best job is being done throughout editorial, copy creation, cover briefing, campaign planning up to publication and beyond.
A literary agent is ideally in partnership with their authors in the long term, and that long view of their work, reputation and what’s next, is an important part of what I do. I will always advise my authors on what I think is in their best interest and not just be a yes woman.