How to get an agent
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
Choose a start date
- Course Code: HW423
- Dates: 14/05/24 - 21/05/24
- Time: 18:00 - 20:30
- Taught: Tue, Evening
- Duration: 2 sessions (over 2 weeks)
- Location: Online
- Tutor: Neil Arksey
Course Code: HW423
Choose a start date
Duration: 2 sessions (over 2 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
Conflicting information across the internet can make finding and approaching a literary agent feel like a confusing process. This course offers insider insights, guidance and strategy on finding representation that will suit you and your work.
This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.
What will we cover?
- Researching respresentation.
- How do agents work?
- Common mistakes authors make.
- Tips for writing your cover email / letter.
- Tips for writing an attention-grabbing synopsis.
- What to do if you can't find the right agent for you.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Understand how agents work within the publishing industry.
- Understand where to look for literary agents.
- Understand how to select the right list of literary agents to approach.
- Understand how to best present your manuscript to a potential agent.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an advanced course targeted at writers who have finished their manuscript and are planning to submit to agents in the near future. This course might also suit students who have tried to find representation in the past but have been unsuccessful.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
A mix of group work, pair work, class discussion of best-practice examples and formal tutor instruction.
All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit.
For classes longer than one day, regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines.
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
The first chapter of your manuscript and a draft synopsis would prove useful for you to make notes on throughout the session.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
City Lit offer a range of writing courses that enable aspiring others to hone and polish their manuscript. Browse the writing section of our website to find the perfect course for you.
All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Twitter.
Neil Arksey has had a number of novels for children and young adults published by Penguin Random House. His writing has been shortlisted for and won a number of prizes. He was also part of the team that created the highly successful Little Robots TV pre-school TV series for the BBC as well as writing Kipper the Dog and other TV series for younger children. As screenwriter, story editor, consultant, head writer and series producer, Neil Arksey has been responsible for over a thousand episodes of TV drama. In the UK, he has worked on shows such as Crossroads, Family Affairs, Doctors, Mile High, and River City. And abroad, amongst other projects, he was head writer on Finnish TV drama Salatut Elämät, (Secret Lives) and series story producer on Jóban Rosszban, a hospital drama set and based in Budapest. Neil has also worked in script development for Freemantle and Global Drama Productions. He co-produced dark indie feature film, Run To Ground. In addition to working as a writer and producer, Neil has taught writing at several universities, colleges and film schools.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
