LITERARY AGENCY SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Clare Coombes is open to submissions as of 1st October 2024. Laura Bennett is open to submissions as of 1st November 2024.

Please use submissions@liverpool-literary.agency

Please see the About section for further details on each agent’s preferences and submission window.

We receive a high volume of manuscripts and therefore only consider those that follow our submission guidelines. If you send work outside the submission window then it won’t be read.

We regret that we can’t reply with feedback as we don’t have the time to do this, but we do send an autoreply with writing resources you will hopefully find helpful. If you do not hear from us within 12 weeks, then please assume that your manuscript is not quite right for us, and we wish you all the best.

  • Clare accepts submissions from writers born, or now living in, the North of England. This is defined for the purpose of submissions as the area from the southern boundaries of Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Yorkshire (West, South and East) up to the Scottish border and including Northumberland and Cumbria. The only exceptions are writers coming through our Jericho Writers or I AM in Print programmes and sessions.

  • Laura accepts submissions from anywhere in the UK and Ireland. The only exceptions are writers coming through our Jericho Writers or I AM in Print programmes and sessions.

  • As the agency side of our business, this is a commission only service, meaning that there are no upfront charges and payment takes place as part of your publishing deal.

  • What we accept: adult fiction of all genres and YA fantasy/sci-fi. Please note that Young Adult fiction is only accepted by Laura Bennett in the Fantasy (including Urban), SF, Dystopian, Steampunk, Post-Apocalyptic genres. Laura accepts both Adult and YA in these areas.

  • What we currently DON’T accept: scripts, non-fiction, poetry, picture books, children’s books, chapter books, short stories and YA fiction outside the sci-fi/fantasy genres as noted above.

  • Please do not just submit to us for feedback on ideas or an early draft. You should have a full manuscript ready if we request this, and we do offer a mentoring service if you need help working on your book. 

  • Don’t send a first draft. We advise sharing your manuscript with beta readers and critique partners (these could be readers and writers from writing groups, book clubs or any courses you go on) to explore the strengths and weaknesses of your story.

  • You are welcome to submit to other agents simultaneously, but let us know if you are signed up by someone else during the submission process. 

  • We will be in touch if we see potential in your manuscript. If you do not hear from us within 12 weeks, then please assume that your manuscript is not quite right for us, and we wish you all the best.

What to send us:

  • Please send us a cover email including: about you, the book genre, blurb, inspirations, comparable authors and titles and why your book will stand out. 

  • Attach your synopsis (you'll find a useful guide to writing one at Writers & Artists) and first three chapters (or first 5,000 words) in a Word document with numbered pages.

  • Please do not post your manuscript to us. 

  • Send all submissions to submissions@liverpool-literary.agency