Who is the wonderful Diane Banks and what inspired you to set up
Diane Banks Associates?
I set up the agency after nearly 10 years working for publishers
including Penguin and Hodder & Stoughton. I wanted to be at the
forefront of discovering and nurturing talent as
well as being in a position to take risks and develop a list on my own
terms.
What type of books/projects do you look out for?
We represent commercial fiction and personality-led, media or
current affairs based non-fiction. I’m interested in tapping into
popular culture and current trends. Ultimately, it’s about having a sense
of what people want to read at any given point in time. What are
readers’ preoccupations and aspirations in their own lives.
Other than the writing, what other qualities do you look for in an ideal
author and how important are they?
We look for authors whose brand we can build across the media so
it’s essential that they understand how the media works and are interested
in connecting with their readers on an ongoing basis.
Why is the cover letter, synopsis and first three chapters so
important?
The cover letter gives us the pitch, which is the information which
the potential reader will have available to them in order to make a buying
decision. We need to know that the book is going to be an enticing
and relevant prospect. The synopsis gives us information as to how
the contents will pan out and the sample chapters show us whether the person
can write in an engaging style.
Please tell us some of the reasons why you would reject
a submission?
This really ties in with the three elements above. The
project needs to be something which is of interest to the current market,
be structured in an engaging and substantial way and comprise prose which
is eloquent and makes the story come to life.
It was lovely to see you at our 2012 awards. How important
are initiatives such as Brit Writers and how did you find the awards?
Awards such as Brit Writers are important firstly for encouraging
would-be writers and secondly for highlighting talent which the publishing
industry may otherwise have missed. What particularly makes Brit Writers
stand out for me is its engagement with literacy at all levels, including
the extensive work which it does with schools.
Do you personally read the submissions sent to you by Brit Writers
and how do they compare with direct applications from first time authors?
I personally have a first look at all submissions which come into
the agency. I’m engaging with the editors in the publishing houses
on a daily basis and know what it is they are looking for, and I have a
clear sense of how I see our list developing. The submisisons which have
been passed to me by Brit Writers have been above average as they’ve been
vetted to some degree, whilst still leaving room for us to form our
own opinion.
What advice would you give to a new writer?
Do market research – what are people reading at the moment, and what are
they interested in? – and please, please follow agencies’ submission
guidelines.
What’s next for Diane Banks?
We’re consolidating our representation for our clients across other
media – film, TV, press and speaking engagements – which is expanding our
reach and leading to some interesting new ventures. The list
continues to grow and our position in the marketplace continues to strengthen.
by Brit Writers
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