2nd Day of Christmas: Literary Agent Sallyanne Sweeney

Sallyanne's Seven Sweet Submission Tips 

Watson, Little Ltd is a long-established literary agency which handles an unusually wide range of adult, children’s and young adult fiction and non-fiction. We represent authors ranging from the Hans Christian Andersen 2006 award winner Margaret Mahy to Adam Hart-Davis, alongside a host of writers at the tops of their particular fields of expertise. We also look after a small number of illustrators including Stephen Biesty, Steven Lenton and Emma Vieceli. 

Sallyanne Sweeney has a BA in English and Sociology from Trinity College, Dublin, and an MPhil in American Literature from Cambridge University. She is building her list and looking for talented authors of literary and commercial fiction. 

She is also passionate about fiction for children and young adults and enjoys voice-driven narratives with a strong hook and emotional appeal.In non-fiction, she is interested in memoirs (particularly for a female readership or with a nostalgic slant) and food writing.

Here’s my submission wishlist for the New Year: 

1. A surprising and beautifully written middle-grade or young adult novel, with an amazing voice and award potential, such as 

Meg Rosoff’s How I Live Now 

or John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

2. A novel to keep me on edge throughout, with twists and turns and brilliant resolution, such as in 

Louis Sachar’s Holes

and 

Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me. 

3. Laugh-out-loud, character-driven stories for young readers. Recently, I’ve loved 

Billionaire Boy by David Walliams, 

The World of Norm by Jonathan Meres 

and 

You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! by Andy Stanton. 

4. A novel that will make me sob and laugh as much as 

John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars did. 

5. A breathtaking, passionate and possibly heartbreaking story of first love. 

6. A writer who can keep the reader entertained as well as giving an insight into another place, society or time period. 

7.A tense and gripping young adult thriller or crime novel. 

I’d love a new Nancy Drew! 

 For submission details, visit the Watson Little website. 

 Merry Christmas everyone and happy writing!