fiction submissions

Please send Caroline Davidson:

The first 50 pages of your novel and the last 10
A three-sentence description of it (such as might appear in a preview of new novels in ‘The Bookseller’ magazine)
A detailed synopsis
Your full-length c.v. or resume

A covering letter giving:

practical details about your book (current word count, the date you started, the number of drafts so far)

the history of your novel to date (explain what first prompted you to write it and when; its writing history; who has read it at different stages and their reactions; which elements derive from your own personal experience; which required research, and your own appraisal of its current state).

As far as we’re concerned, the more informative writers are about their work, the better. The above list of suggestions amounts to an ideal. Don’t worry if there’s something here that you can’t manage (the three- sentence summary can be an excruciating challenge).

The only novels that we aren’t enthusiastic about reading are the unfinished, unpolished, too short, too long, or untitled.

If you’ve written a novel but haven’t yet had the time or energy to improve and polish it, you should plan to send it to us at a later date after you’ve been able to go through these processes.

All submissions must be printed with 1.5-line spacing, in a pleasantly readable choice of font, with generous margins all-round.

Our aim is to reply within 10 days of receipt.

To hear back from us, your submission must contain a self-addressed stamped envelope suitable for a reply and/or a suitably sized, self-addressed and stamped padded envelope for the return of your typescript if you want it back.

Please note that the agency doesn’t reply to submissions made without a self-addressed envelope/jiffy bag stamped with accurate return postage.

It is not necessary or even desirable to send your material by recorded or registered delivery.

If you are making a submission from outside the UK, please enclose a sterling or dollar cheque or international reply coupon(s) to cover the cost of a response and/or the return of your materials.

Please note that we do not respond to submissions that arrive by email or fax.

In those parts of the world without a reliable postal service, or not selling international reply coupons, we will respond by email. However, we much prefer to support the post.

There are certain categories of fiction that we don’t handle: autobiographies masquerading as fiction, children’s books, crime, erotica, fantasy, murder mysteries, occult, science fiction, thrillers.

Should you call first, before making your submission? Yes, but only if you need to discuss something not covered by these submission guidelines.

And remember:

We have never represented sci-fi or fantasy novels. Please understand that this is not qualitative judgement, but that CDLA is best positioned to represent novels published within the mainstream and literary markets.