Hi everyone, this morning on the blog I’m delighted to welcome Hannah Sheppard. Hannah founded Hannah Sheppard Literary Agency in 2023, and having previously interviewed her when she worked at DHH Literary Agency, I was delighted to interview her a second time around to chat about her own journey starting up HS-LA.
Read on for her journey into how she set up her agency, and that all important what she is looking for in submissions.
Over to you, Hannah…
1) When did you decide to start your own agency and how did you go about it? What was the starting up process like?
Ever since I became an agent, it’s been in the back of my mind that I wanted to start my own business. And I was lucky to be able to learn from David Headley at DHH. When I made the decision to actually do it, I chatted to my clients to make sure that they were prepared to come with me because that was the only way for it to be viable. And I cried through my conversation with David about leaving DHH because that was the hardest part of the whole decision – but he’s been incredibly supportive. Then there were lots of admin things I had to do – like register with Companies House and get a website built.
2) What does a typical day in the life as a literary agent for you look like?
There isn’t really a typical day. I tend to go into London about once a week for meetings – with editors, scouts or authors. But the rest of the time I’m working from home…a lot of that time is dealing with emails or any issues that may crop up. But I try to make sure I set aside time each week away from the email so that I can focus on edits..
3) Can you describe what makes you want to request a full manuscript from an author who has submitted?
Usually it’s just that I am totally gripped and can’t put the book down – that comes from elements like voice or world building or a really intriguing plot. If I am desperate to read more then I will call it in. I perhaps should be a bit more logical and think about which editors might like it and what the pitch would be – but really I often go with my gut.
4) What are you currently looking for from the children’s fiction genre?
Definitely stuff that’s funny, across middle grade and YA. The pandemic has had an impact on reading ability. Publishers are looking for books that lend themselves to illustration, whether that’s graphic novel or some interactive puzzle like element to them.
5) What are you currently looking for from the crime/thriller genre?
It has to have a unique hook; for example I’ve just come across a Japanese book, Strange Houses, that has floor plans included so that you as reader can be involved in figuring things out. Publishers are on the look out for books that are doing something different – so the demands of the genre are all there but it doesn’t follow the expected path – I think Freda McFadden’s books are a good example of this.
6) Once you sign an author, what does the author/agent editing process look like for the manuscript? Is it in depth?
It does depend on the manuscript, but I’m an editor at heart. Some manuscripts need more work than others – but I’m not afraid of something that’s in a raw state if I’ve fallen in love with something about the book (that’s not to say author’s shouldn’t do as much polishing as they can before submitting though). During the initial call with an author to discuss representation I will give my editorial thoughts to make sure we have the same vision for the book. Sometimes I ask for bigger edits to be done before I sign a client but not always. Once we are officially working together there’ll be a process of edits which can include an editorial letter and annotated manuscript, or sometimes just a call to chat through changes. Then once the big edits are done I’ll often do a line edit to tidy things up. How many rounds there are very much depends on the book though.
7) Can you describe the feeling of pitching to publishers? Do you ever get nervous?
I don’t really get nervous to pitching to publishers; it tends to be less formal than an author pitching to an agent…I’m having regular chats with editors where I’m talking about what I’m working on to get a sense of who might be interested in what. London Book Fair is a bit more formal in terms of pitching – we have back to back meetings with editors over a few days to talk about the books we’ll be going on submission with – but generally these are all editors we know well so it’s not too nerve-wracking…Where I do get nervous is sending the submission out, because it’s something I really love and I have so much hope for the author!
8) And lastly, on a weekend, what do you do to relax? What do you enjoy doing outside of your job?
I still enjoy reading, when it’s for fun, since the pandemic I’m listening to audio books a lot more (often while running – but I do like that they mean I can multi-task). I live by the sea and since moving here have fallen in love with paddle boarding – when the weather works in our favour! A couple of summers ago it was fantastic and we got out a lot of evenings after work – but it’s been too windy recently. I like to knit (to keep my hands busy so I don’t endlessly doom scroll) and I swim a lot.
Thank you for your time this morning Hannah, it has been a pleasure to do this interview with you! 🙂
About Hannah:
Hannah Sheppard loves stories. She wants to make sure more fantastic stories from as diverse a group of authors as possible make it onto bookshop shelves.
She worked in-house in editorial for a decade (at Pan Macmillan and Headline Publishing Group) which gives her valuable insight into the workings of a publishing house and an ability to explain the industry and the publishing process from both sides of the business.
She joined the DHH Literary Agency in 2013 when she realised the more senior she got in-house, the less she got to do the bits of her job she really loves – working directly with authors to develop their ideas for commercial success.
In 2023 Hannah launched HS-LA with the aim of being part of the change that publishing so desperately needs.
What Hannah is looking for:
I represent both adult and children’s fiction (as well as a small amount of non-fiction) and, more than anything, I want to be entertained by a great story while caring deeply about your characters.
In general I love bold, distinctive voices, intriguing stories with a strong hook and flawed characters with something to learn. I want characters who are truly diverse – let’s be inclusive, body positive and joyful in our representation. I also like big, mind-bending ideas and combinations of genres that feel fresh and create something new…
And more specifically (although this list is not exhaustive, if you think your work might be a good fit, please send it even if it’s not listed here), I’m on the lookout for:
Children’s/YA Fiction Wishlist
- An author/illustrator working in graphic novels or highly integrated illustrated middle grade or YA fiction
- Funny fiction with a unique hook (ideally not school based, but still real world)
- A contemporary romance with a gorgeous, unique meet-cute and an eye on popular tropes
- A YA story (love or otherwise) featuring rarely explored relationship dynamics…maybe polyamory, maybe the TQIA+ areas of LGB (although I also welcome these) – where those aspects are not the issue the character needs to overcome
- A heart-string pulling animal/child friendship
- Spooky! Across all age groups. Added humour? Sure. Point Horror-esque? Please. Anything scary, spine-tingling or full of bumps in the night, send it my way.
- A story for any age range about female rage – a girl who is allowed to be angry, one that shows how it’s OK, and often useful, to be angry.
- A fantasy with a unique magic system – this could be MG, YA or Crossover/Adult…think the ink from INKBOUND or languages from BABEL.
A note on picture books – while I do represent a small number of these, it is usually where the author is also writing for another age group and the reality is that I probably need to fall in love with the work for an older age group first.
Children’s and YA books I have loved recently: When Women were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill, No Big Deal by Bethany Rutter, Unraveller by Frances Hardinge, Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber, Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn, Greenwild by Pari Thomson, Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, A Language of Dragons by S. F. Williamson.
Adult Fiction Wishlist
- High concept, pacy, twisty, hooky thrillers
- I’ve realised recently that I LOVE an ingenious misdirection…think Clare Mackintosh’s I Let You Go or Alice Feeney’s Sometimes I Lie and Rock Paper Scissors. I want to be tricked into thinking I’m reading one thing only to have the rug pulled from under me
- Epic love stories with a speculative twist
- A crime thriller that focuses on cold cases – I love the psychology of the criminal who has lived for years thinking they’ve got away with something only for it to be exposed and the police are slowly circling in…I’m fascinated by the grey areas where bad things happen but the reasons are completely understandable
- Big family/friendship group stories that will make me cry
- A book with a big, possibly speculative, idea at its heart
- I’m intrigued by the idea of a RomCom/love story featuring Polyamory where everyone ends up happy
- I’d also love an LGBTQ RomCom featuring older characters
- Familiar genres but with unexpected characters – think Brynne Weaver’s The Butcher & The Blackbird which is a romance about two serial killers
- Horror! Everyone seems to be asking for this at the moment…I’d particularly like a body horror that’s exploring peri-menopause (think Night Bitch but older)
Adult fiction I have loved recently: The Husbands by Holly Gramazio, The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd, Babel by R. F. Kuang, Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin, Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney, The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith, Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter, Maybe Next Time by Cesca Major, The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean, Butter by Asako Yuzuki (translated by Polly Barton)
Non-Fiction Wishlist
I only represent a small amount of non-fiction but where I do it tends to be narrative non-fiction or books that align with my feminism, seek to make the world a better place, and will ultimately help us take down the white, capitalist patriarchy.
Non-fiction I have loved recently: Untamed by Glennon Doyle, Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui, Period Power by Maisie Hill, Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability and Making Space by Amanda Leduc, Heal Your Way Forward: The Co-Conspirator’s Guide to an Antiracist future by Myisha T Hill, Everyday Utopia by Kristen R. Ghodsee, Doppleganger by Naomi Klein, Experiments in Imagining Otherwise by Lola Olufemi
I will update these lists on a regular basis – please do check back and follow me on Bluesky/Instagram for more information about my reading/MSWL too.
How to submit:
Please use the submission form to send your work for consideration – but note that we are only open for submissions for the first week of each month.
jsclerkauthor.co.uk 