Hi everyone, on the blog today I’m delighted to welcome Matthew Smith. Matthew is the founder of Exprimez Literary Agency which is an agency as well as consultancy for authors. He kindly agreed to chat to me on agenting, his advice for authors and what he looks for in submissions.
Over to you, Matthew…
1) What was the move like from publishing with Urbane Publications to setting up Exprimez Literary Agency?
I know this sounds terribly unprofessional, but it just came together. Going through the closure of Urbane was challenging on so many levels, emotionally and mentally, and at one point I seriously considered just walking away from publishing. It’s crushing losing a business you’ve built from nothing, especially as I felt I’d let so many authors down. But I’ve always been a bit of a self-starter and horribly optimistic, and while I was finding the last few Urbane authors new homes I started pulling together the Exprimez site myself, mostly as an exercise to distract myself and do something positive (not an easy task when you’re trying to get to grips with the mysteries of WordPress).
Within weeks I had a site up and running and authors were asking me here and there for advice so it just gradually evolved. I had no intention of being an agent – but I really enjoy working with authors and I saw it as a way of championing original writing that doesn’t just tick genre boxes or pander to the latest trends. But without the huge costs of publishing – no need to put my house on the line this time! 😉 It’s still early days and there’s a huge amount to do, but if I can get a few of these authors a great publishing home then that would mean everything to me.
2) What advice would you give to an unpublished writer?
To step away from the process, from the joys, frustrations, challenges and thrill of the words, and take a long, honest, and in depth look at not just the market and what you want for your book, but where you want to be as a writer. I’m still genuinely shocked at the number of writers – very talented in many cases – who haven’t got a clue how the publishing industry works, or worse haven’t even considered who will read their book. It’s a hugely competitive business, often intensely frustrating and with the odds stacked against many writers.
The more a writer can do to prepare themselves and their book to secure a future the better, from crafting a good synopsis to assessing the competition. It sounds very cold I know, but the writing is only part of the process – at some point if you want your book to be published and read you need to learn how to sell yourself and your work.
3) What is a typical day in the life of an agent for you?
Every day is genuinely different and will often be driven by priorities that occur the day/night before. I’m pretty well organised and try and plan my workload for the week, particularly if I’m pitching new books or following up on projects I’ve submitted, but there will always be something that demands immediate attention.
Most days are driven by a combination of dealing with submissions from writers, making pitches of my own to publishers, and working with authors and publishers who have been signed. I’m working with a broad and varied portfolio of authors and projects, from rock memoirs to literary fiction, so I also spend a lot of time keeping on top of which publishers are looking for which type of projects, editors who are actively commissioning and latest trends (if they’re of relevance). Without fail, most days are spent wishing there were more hours in the day and drinking far too much coffee!
4) What does your afternoon/weekday evening entail?
A glass of vino usually. I tend not to work the usual 9-5, and will find time to catch up on a lot of submissions in the evening – if I’m not side-tracked by a new drama on tv that is. Now Perry Mason season 2 is on nothing will be done until I’ve binge watched the whole thing!
5) Besides agenting, what other services does your agency offer to writers?
Everything. I am a shameless peddler of all publishing services. Having been in the industry for 30 years I’ve pretty much experienced every part of the business, and am as happy providing editorial advice as I am crafting and managing a self-published project.
This week alone I’ve advised on developing effective Amazon data, kickstarted a blog tour, written an editorial report on a potential new book and provided advice on developing an effective synopsis. I’m currently toying with running a few workshops for writers – not so much to talk about the craft, but so they are fully armed and prepared to deal with the road to publication. Perhaps the readers of this interview could let me know if there’s interest out there!
6) How would you describe being an agent to someone unfamiliar with the industry?
I’ve heard agents called gatekeepers before, but I suspect that was coined by another agent with a rather over expanded sense of their own importance.
In many ways agents are facilitators, a bridge between talented writers and eager publishers, trying to ensure writers get seen and publishers invest in the right projects. But at heart we’re salespeople, taking the hopes and dreams of writers and doing everything we can to sell that wonder to publishers who want to know their commitment to a book will bring a return on investment.
7) When you read a submission, what captures your attention first? What makes you request the full manuscript?
Honestly, it’s the accompanying letter that has to capture my attention first. When receiving so many submissions I want an immediate sign that this is an author who is willing to put the effort in not just to catch an agent’s attention, but whose letter gives an indication of their awareness of the publishing landscape and where their work might fit.
I often get a very quick sense of whether I like a project from the letter and synopsis before I get anywhere near the sample material. You’d be amazed how many submissions I get without a covering letter or a few lines like ‘Script attached, thanks’. I find it astonishing that someone can spend months, if not years, crafting a script, but then can’t find time to put any thought into their submission. If an author can’t sell me on their book then I know I won’t be able to sell that book to a publisher.
8) Away from the office, what is a typical weekend for you and what do you enjoy doing to relax?
Reading is obviously a huge part of my life and I’ll often read two books a week (NOT just manuscripts!) and always across a range of genres.
I am partial to a cheeky pint now and again, and I think my Twitter followers might get envious of my cake and coffee breaks 😊 I’m often out and about on two wheels (motorbikes and bicycles), like nothing better than a trip to the local indie cinema, and every now and again get out fishing. I don’t catch much, I just enjoy the mental health benefits and peace and quiet of being outside on the lakeside or river bank. Though if I had more money, I suspect I’d spend many of my weekends visiting record fairs and tracking down vinyl and CDs for my collection.
Thank you for your time today Matthew, it has been a pleasure to interview you.
Bio: Matthew is a publishing professional with nearly 30 years experience of discovering, developing, producing and selling books and delivering valuable content. He has commissioned and developed over 3,000 titles, spanning print, digital and audio, in fiction, popular reference, academic, professional and business markets.
He has been a bookseller, a highly successful commissioning editor, packager and publishing director, in a career that has spanned international publishing companies including Pearson and Hodder Headline, and leading independents such Routledge and Kogan Page. Matthew founded independent publisher Urbane Publications, providing a global platform for a significant number of debut authors in both fiction and non-fiction, as well as literary agency and publishing consultancy Exprimez.
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