This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
By Carlie Lee
Jacqueline Burns was commissioning editor at Random House and editorial
director at HarperCollins prior to setting up as a literary agent and publishing
consultant. For non-fiction, her focus is on personal development, business, how-to
books, parenting, and well-being. For fiction, her focus is women’s fiction. She has
ghosted on a wide range of subjects from neuroscience to forced marriage, and has also
wrote a series of humorous books, The Handbag Book of Girly Emergencies, under a
pseudonym.
She now runs a Literary Agency and is one of the founding members of The London Writers’ Club. Jacq will be one of the agents at the Lit Factor, in the Author’s Lounge.
Hoping to
find:
A lot: a book with a big heart, big idea,
yet quiet and compelling at the same time, that people understand at a gut level,
get a lot from and adore reading.
Really would
rather not be faced with:
Any book that needs a
lot of explaining. If you find yourself over-explaining and having to go into detail
and your listener is still struggling, you need to think about why they don't get
it, perhaps to simplify the idea and definitely not explain further.
Hot Tip:
Never show your first draft to anyone other than your mother. You know it's
not right so don't waste an opportunity for useful feedback.
Useful Links