Agent Confidential: Penny Holroyde

Name: Penny Holroyde 

AKA: I will be Agent Pearl (one of my clients refers to me as a ‘pearl beyond price’, aw).

Agency: Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency Limited

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Genres represented:Authors and illustrators for children’s fiction and non-fiction for all ages. 

Authors represented: Without listing them all, I represent about 40 authors and illustrators from the very established such as Peter Bailey, Tor Freeman, Debi Gliori, Paul Howard and Chris Mould, to the just starting out such as Tom Avery, Ben Davis, Wendy Meddour and Sam Usher.

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Recent deals: Like most agents, I am doing deals all the time: this week for example, the ink has dried on a new four-book deal for Chris Mould, Tommy Donbavand’s Scream Street series of books has started shooting for the BBC, Sam Usher’s illustrating a new book for Egmont, Thomas Docherty is illustrating the first children’s book by an adult best seller, Tom Avery has a new two-book deal with Andersen. 


Wish list: I’m still looking for an M R James for 10+, some more narrative non-fiction which I think is an underpublished area, animal stories, funny stories, contemporary voices, the list goes on. We receive between 30 and 50 submissions a day so if I find it among the unsoliciteds, you know it has something that makes it really stand out. 


Favourite books: I’m such a child with this question, usually responding ‘it’s brilliant’ about whatever book I’m currently reading but really the answer has to be the ones I remember and go back to. I have recently started to reread some of my childhood favourites. Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer still works as far as I’m concerned. 


Agent style: Of course it depends on the client and you quickly learn who needs what: email or phone, how much they love/hate revising, who needs help with ideas, who wants to know the ins and outs of their contract, who actually reads their contracts!

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How to submit: www.carolinesheldon.co.uk 


Submission tips: You’ll all have read this many times before but, do your research. There is no short cut for this. Most literary agents have engaged in events and questionnaires like this one so you can assess whether or not they’re likely to like, and engage with, your work. Always follow the agent’s specified submission guidelines. 


Websites: www.carolinesheldon.co.uk www.carolinesheldonillustrators.co.uk 


Twitter: @PennyHolroyde 


Events: Festival of Writing in York in September, Frankfurt Book Fair in October, SCBWI Winchester conference in November.

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Do you have questions for Penny? Leave them here in the comments. You have more than 140 characters!

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Read Nicola Morgan: How to find a good agent

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If you are an agent and would like to be featured in Agent Confidential, please contact us at writers@britishscbwi.org

Results - Slush Pile Challenge April 2014

This challenge was set by Penny Holroyde from the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency  

THE CHALLENGE... 

was to make Penny laugh out loud with a first chapter.

We sent 15 anonymous entries to Penny Holroyde, chosen randomly. Penny read them and asked if she could read all entries and not just the 15.

BUT HOUSTON! We have a problem...

Penny says: "There were some close calls in this Slushpile challenge but I’m afraid I wasn’t able to pick a winner this time around.  

The entry that came closest to making me laugh was called 'ASKING FOR IT'. 

The author has a good voice for this age group (a girl embarking on her sixth form career with all the self-doubt and image consciousness that goes along with it) but, although there were some funny quips, I feel this novel was shaping up to be a quite serious coming of age novel dealing with some quite serious issues and so ultimately I couldn’t really shelve it as a ‘funny’ book.

Funny is of course a subjective concept and I think that I am quite readily made to laugh.

However, I felt that a lot of the entries fell back too easily on what the authors think is funny for children rather than what perhaps is funny for children. It’s quite interesting, reading 15 in one go, how many authors go for perceived tried and tested sure-fire funnies. 

Here’s a list:

Something being stinky

Eggy or cabbagy farts

Overuse of superlatives: 
reeeeeeeeeeally eggy fart, R-E-A-L-L-Y stinky feet, waaaaaaaaaaay too stinky, etc.
A hatred of school

Goo, Poo, More poo

Dads getting fired or quitting their jobs

Girls who don’t like dresses

Old-fashioned language, e.g. ‘poppycock’
Sterotypical parents: why do parents in funny books have to either be buffoons or dictators?

References to current fads which come across to me as overtrying: I read about a flyPhone and an App called Grumpy Pigeons. 

Try to avoid references that may too easily date.

I think a lot of the entries felt like they were trying too hard to tell the reader THIS IS A FUNNY BOOK. Children are smart and don’t react well to be told what to get out of a book. 

I think dialogue is the easiest way to be funny. 

Expositional set up is a much harder context for portraying humour and so I think all the authors need to work on developing dialogue that has verisimilitude for modern children."

Wait, we have some good news!

"I’m pleased to report, though, that all of the entries used age-appropriate language which is a mistake I often see in our submissions pile so all of the authors have clearly read published books in their target age group. 

I found some of the contexts also very promising – a boy who is born (in a grave!)  the heir to a funeral parlour, a boy who takes his pathologically lying grandmother to Show and Tell. These were very promising ideas but I just felt they needed a bit of work with their execution. 

I’d like to ask all the submitting authors to just relax once a funny idea hits and it may make the writing come across as just a little more confident.

Again, sorry not have picked a winner but I do hope these notes help."

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While we are all disappointed that we didn't get a winner for this challenge, as writers we understand that honest feedback is very useful to improve our craft. Writing funny perhaps is the hardest thing out there and the advice from Penny would be very useful to all of us.

Penny has promised to come back and do another challenge for us next year. So sharpen those pencils and the wit and next time let's make her roll on the floor laughing!

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Chitra has published over 20 books in Singapore, UK, USA and India. She loves writing picture books and retelling folktales. She's also working on fiction for 7+ . Chitra is a member of the Words & Pictures' editorial team, managing The Slush Pile Challenge.

Slush Pile Challenge - April 2014

We are pleased to announce the April 2014 Slush Pile Challenge.


This time the challenge has been set by Penny Holroyde.

Penny Holroyde is a literary agent with the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency. 

She began her publishing career dealing in foreign rights for Walker Books and then relocated to the USA where she worked as Director of Rights and Licensing for Candlewick Press in Massachusetts. She represents authors and illustrators from the well-seasoned to the debut and is always looking to add talent to her list.

THE CHALLENGE: 

Can you write funny? I’d like to see the first chapter of a novel for any age group that really makes me LOL. No synopses are required for this challenge, the chapter needs to stand on its own two hilarious feet.

LOL - Laugh Out Loud

THE REWARD:

Penny Holroyde will pick a winner and arrange to have a meeting with the winner by phone or in person for 30 minutes.

Send in your entries by 4th May 2014

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

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Who is eligible?

You need to be a current SCBWI un-agented member, resident in the UK.

If you win a challenge, you will not be able to enter for any other Slush Pile challenges.

To join SCBWI and take advantage of the many opportunities to: raise your profile, market your work, meet fellow writers, artists, the gatekeepers to publication, while being supported in the development and pursuit of your craft, visit scbwi.org.


What do you need to do?

Send in your entry (as Word Document) to competitions@britishscbwi.org by 4th May 2014.


The word document should be only the first chapter as requested by Penny.
Do not include your name, address or email address in the word document.


In the email - please write your full name as it appears in SCBWI membership records and your email address. Also include the title of your work.

The Process

We will choose 15 entries randomly and send to the agent for review.

The agent will pick a winner and also tell us why.

The winner will be put in touch with the agent for the 30-minute meeting.

Good Luck Everyone!

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Chitra has published over 20 books in Singapore, UK, USA and India. She loves writing picture books, folktales and is also working on fiction for 7+ with a lead character brightly named Aurora. Chitra is a member of the Words & Pictures' editorial team, managing The Slush Pile Challenge.

How to Make Money from Writing and Illustrating for Children

Discover Story Centre Stratford London

On Thursday 13th March I went to a Masterclass in "How to make money from writing and illustrating for children" at the Discover Story Centre in Stratford, London.

The Masterclasses are run every year as part of their Big Write event and can be a really useful way to learn about publishing. I joined a room full of hopeful writers and illustrators downstairs for this final masterclass of the year.

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There was a tremendous panel in place including SCBWI's very own Bridget Strevens Marzo, lovely agent Penny Holroyde from the Caroline Sheldon Agency and publishing powerhouse Kate Wilson from Nosy Crow. The panel was  chaired by Guardian Children's Book critic Julia Eccleshare.


The evening began with Bridget talking us through her own long and varied career as a writer and illustrator of children's books. She told us how important it was to be open to all opportunities from picture books to novelty/board books, concept books, covers, magazines, apps, ebooks and games. Being precious about what you will do will not aid you if you want a long career. When things were tough she taught workshops and went on school visits and still struggled at times to earn a living. I'm pleased to say that Bridget has a new book coming out in 2015 called Tiz and Otts Big Draw.

Being open to all opportunities is very important if you want a long career.

Next to talk was Penny Holroyde who's been in publishing for 19 years starting in foreign rights at Walker Books before moving to US publishers Candlewick. As an agent she now receives thirty to fifty submissions a day and spends most of her time managing clients which includes; looking at how to get the best financial deal for their authors, helping to shape ideas, discussing career development and on occasion a little bit of agony aunt advice!

Bridget Strevens Marzo, Penny Holroyde and Kate Wilson

In submissions for picture books Penny likes to see a minimum of three texts and suggests that  illustrators make sure they have pictures of children in their portfolios. She also said that she's generally looking for some sort of qualification for illustrators.
For children's book submissions Penny wants to know who the book will appeal to along with a short blurb and plot summary that gives us an idea of the world and the characters and what triggers the action.

Make sure you know who your book will appeal to.

Kate was up next and she runs Independent Publisher Nosy Crow which publishes books for children up to 14 years old (or 12 for boys). They began in 2011 and have a staff of around 15. In comparison newly merged Penguin Random House has 1500 employees! She presented a wonderful powerpoint presentation of exactly what a publisher does and why you might want one.

•  Money - they pay this to authors as an advance

•  Printing
•  Distribution
•  Storage

•  Access - to consumers, especially the large corporations like supermarkets and Amazon. Nosy Crow only take on books with world rights 

• Credibility

•  Expertise - from creative inspiration to shaping and packaging the book so it fulfils it's true potential.

•  Support

• Trust - without this on both sides the partnership won't work.

 Finishing off the evening was Julia Eccleshare who as a critic for the Guardian gets sent 8 to 10 000 books each year. She is looking for a story that is told differently, has a fresh voice and great characters. She reiterated how important it is to grab readers early on if you want them to keep reading and reminded us all that publishing is full of luck.




Bridget Marzo, Penny Holroyde, Kate Wilson, Julia Eccleshare


This was a very interesting event and all the speakers were helpful in giving us a picture of what life is like for writers and illustrators and how difficult it can be for everyone involved to make money! The tone was definitely hopeful and encouraging however as long as we keep in mind the hard work needed, the importance of flexibility and that ever elusive luck plays a part in everything.

Thanks to everyone involved, including the Discover Centre for hosting the event. It's a wonderful place to stimulate children's imagination. Do pop along with your little ones for their Secret Agent event if you get the chance!

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Lorraine Gregory has been writing fantasy adventure books aimed at middle-grade boys for the last three years. She's been a chef and a restaurant manager and now works from home as an Antenatal Teacher. She belongs to the Words & Pictures Team and helps Tania to bring joy to our Saturday Celebrations' posts

Ask an Agent - with Penny Holroyde from the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency

This month, Penny Holroyde from the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency has stepped in to answer our readers' questions and also has a few handy tips for those looking for an agent.

Thanks to Words and Pictures for asking me to guest post while Gemma and Molly enjoy well-earned breaks. I’m an agent with the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency. I’ve worked in publishing for 18 years in the UK and the US. I’m looking for authors and illustrators for children’s books for all ages. 

On my wish list currently are: an M R James for 10+, the junior novel that makes a child a lifelong reader – Gerald Durrell did it for me, a really funny series for 8-10s that makes the mundane funny, a historical novel (although it doesn’t have to be set in the past, I guess) where the protagonist has a very unusual job – assistant to Charles Darwin – something like that. I’m also looking for some narrative nonfiction – if you can do for children what Wendy Moore and Giles Milton do for adults, I’m really interested in seeing it. And I’m always looking for picture book texts. 

Are picture book authors who write in a variety of styles more appealing to you than those whose stories are all similar in approach and subject matter?