London Writers' Salon #164: Liv Maidment — A Literary Agent’s Playbook for Writers: Query Smart, Pick Comps, Nail the Pitch & Synopsis, and Today’s Market
15 snips
Oct 16, 2025 Liv Maidment, Head of Books at the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency, shares her insights into the world of literary agents. She discusses the art of crafting compelling elevator pitches and the importance of strategic comp titles. Liv breaks down the difference between blurbs and synopses, emphasizing what to include in both. She addresses the evolving submission landscape and the impact of AI in publishing. Plus, she offers advice on author bios and market trends, revealing how ambition plays into long-term success for writers.
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Selling Is Finding And Rallying Others
- Top agents succeed by finding a book's potential and bringing every stakeholder along with that vision.
- Success requires translating passion into language that excites editors, sales, marketing and foreign/TV teams.
Agents Provide Editorial Development
- Expect significant editorial work from an agent; many agents transform manuscripts with authors.
- Don't assume you need a paid professional edit before submission; agents often develop talent internally.
Master The One‑Line Pitch
- Practice writing one- to two-line elevator pitches that make your book sound snappy and sellable.
- Use those short pitches to hook agents, editors, booksellers and readers quickly.
