Submissions
Alex Adsett Literary represents an amazing group of talented authors. While we are a small agency, we punch above our weight and we are looking to grow. We have a focus on commercial and genre fiction, alongside a growing list of award winning literary fiction and narrative non-fiction.
Submission Guidelines
Although we are always looking for amazing works, we are not accepting open submissions. We are a small Australian agency, and we simply can’t handle the number of manuscripts we receive from an open submission policy. Before submitting, please make sure you have met the submission criteria and what the individual agent is looking for.
The Rules: You are welcome to submit if:
1. You have been invited to submit pursuant to a formal or informal pitch to one of our agents, or we have met you at an event or speaking engagement, or
2. Someone we know and trust has personally got in touch with us and recommended you, or
3. You are an author from an under-represented background – including First Nations, authors of colour, authors with disability, or authors from varied socio-economic circumstances. Open to authors in Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific or SE Asia only.
AND, your manuscript meets the What We Are Looking For criteria below.
Submissions to Alex
Alex is currently looking for:
- Rom Com
- Crime & mystery
- Romance/fantasy, romance/mystery, or romance/historical (all spice levels)
- Commercial adult fiction
- Literary fiction with a strong narrative,
- Narrative non-fiction with a great hook,
- Science fiction & fantasy
- YA fiction
- All of the above by authors from underrepresented backgrounds.
Alex is not accepting right now: urban fantasy, dystopia, middle grade, junior fic or picture books. She is probably never going to be accepting memoir, poetry, mind body spirit, or adult satire.
Emerging agent LISA FULLER is currently helping Alex with Childrens’ and YA list. Please mark any submissions for Lisa to her attention.
If you have complied with the submission guidelines and what Alex is looking for, please submit here
Submissions to Rochelle
Rochelle is looking for:
- Commercial Fiction
- Memoir
- Fantasy and science Fiction,
- Rom Com
- Crime and mystery
- Childrens picture books
- Junior fiction
- Middle grade fiction.
Please send submissions to Rochelle here:
Submissions to Abigail
Abigail is currently looking for:
- science fiction & fantasy (and any sub-genres of these)
- rom coms (and romance crossovers. Eg: romance/fantasy, romance/mystery, or romance/historical)
- crime, mystery, thriller
- “cosy” -fantasy, -crime, -romance
- commercial adult fiction (in any genre)
- YA fiction (genre or contemporary)
- Middle grade and junior fiction (genre or contemporary)
- All of the above by authors from underrepresented backgrounds.
Abigail is currently not accepting:
Pleases send submissions to Abigail via her submission portal.
Please ensure the manuscript is as polished as you can make it. The first draft is almost never going to be the best or final draft, so if you haven’t already, edit, edit, edit. In most cases, you will only have the one opportunity to make a good first impression with an agent or a publisher, make sure that opportunity counts.
Only submit to one agent at a time, and only once with each manuscript, unless requested otherwise.
What we are looking for
Along with our personal wishlists, as an agency, we want stories we fall in love with – a powerful voice, a certain something that makes a work stand apart from the crowd, stories that we can lose ourselves in, and make us forget we’re even reading. We want great stories, told well. Stories that will change the world for the better. And we want to work with the authors who have those stories.
What we’re NOT looking for
- anything racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise intended to offend, harm, or silence marginalised people.
- romance where the hero would, in any other novel, be tried for domestic abuse (dubcon is not for us)
- Any works that have already been self-published, or are in a series with self-published books.
Response Times
If you are invited to submit, we need to warn you that we are not speedy. The average time for a response is three months, and when we are overwhelmed, it can take longer. We will endeavour to acknowledge your submission upon receipt, and please chase us up if you have not heard from us after three months. We do not mind if you submit your manuscript to other agents or publishers, but please tell us before you accept another offer – you never know, we might have just been about to make an offer ourselves. If we let you know we are going to read your submission, silence is never an indication of our lack of interest.
The Deal
If your manuscript is accepted for representation, our agents will submit your work to suitable trade publishers in Australia and overseas, negotiate your contract, and collect royalties on your behalf from publishers, review royalty statements and remit royalties to you (less our commission).
Agency services are distinct from the consultancy and contract advisory services we otherwise provide. If you appoint AAL to represent you and your manuscript to publishers, a 15% commission will be deducted from any deal that is initiated by AAPS, whereas if AAPS is only reviewing or negotiating your existing contract offer, a one off flat fee will be charged. You will never be charged for both contract services and agency services.
As an agency client, you will never be charged up-front fees. Be wary of any agent who both takes a commission and charges you an up-front fee. For example, you should never be asked to pay a reading fee or manuscript assessment fee as well as a commission on your income as an author.
Alex Adsett Literary or its employees receive no financial reward from publishers for directing your manuscript to them (except via your commission) and, if we have been unsuccessful in partnering you with a commercial publisher, you may terminate the agency agreement before exploring any other publishing or self-publishing options.
Do you need a literary agent?
Australia, having an agent is a choice not a necessity. Approximately 60% of books published in Australia are not represented by an agent, and many publishers have avenues available for manuscripts to be submitted directly by authors. Although having a good agent will increase your manuscript’s chance of being meaningfully considered, it is not the only avenue. The situation in Australia is in stark contrast to the US and UK where almost the only way to reach a publisher is via an agent. If you have already received a publishing offer, think long and hard about whether you really want or need an agent.
Saying that, many authors adore having an agent. They can get on with writing and leave the business side of things to their agent to manage. Alex Adsett Literary is passionate about the publishing industry, and keen to champion high quality works for commercial publication. While breaking into, and thriving in, the the established publishing industry is tough, exciting new books will continue to be published and Alex Adsett Literary hopes to be part of that journey.
What does a literary agent do?
A good literary agent will generally offer three key services to an author, and a million other things besides.
A) Matching the right manuscript and author with the right publisher and editor. This does not mean the biggest publisher or the biggest advance, but finding the right fit for you and your work to have a successful career.
B) Negotiating the publishing offer and contract. This is far more than just discussing the advance, but a good agent will make sure all the fine print, from royalties to reversions, are fair and reasonable.
C) Assisting you manage your long term writing career. Having someone with industry knowledge in your corner to help navigate the ups and downs ofthe publishing industry can be invaluable.
If you decide not to work with an agent, we strongly recommend you seek advice before signing your publishing contract. The ASA offer a contract review service, as does Alex Adsett in her role as a Consultant. For more information on whether or not you need an agent, agenting standards and codes of practice, please refer to the Australian Society of Authors, ALAA Code of Conduct or the Writers Beware: Agents (USA-centric).