The good, the bad and the muggly

Katie Pattullo talks to Philippa Milnes-Smith, managing director of literary agency Lucas Alexander Whitley, about why it is really not that easy to become a multi-million selling children’s author. Only a tiny percentage of scripts are actually considered ‘talent’ – and including bars of chocolate with your manuscript isn’t going to help...

Once upon a time, in the early 1990s, a young woman called Joanne Rowling decided to put pen to paper and write a book.

Having whiled away many a day at Nicholson’s cafe in Edinburgh, Harry Potter, a publishing sensation, was born. Despite a minor false start – three publisher’s turned down Rowling before Bloomsbury signed her up – almost 20 years later JK Rowling, as she is now referred, is reportedly worth £550m. The end.

A fairy story? Sounds like it, doesn’t it. But, as literary agent Philippa Milnes-Smith says, success does not always come this easy for potential children’s authors: “Unsolicited manuscripts arrive on our desks in vast quantities, and sometimes we will read one and think it has good potential – but it is very, very, very rare.”

Milnes-Smith joined Lucas Alexander Whitley (LAW Ltd) in 2001 with a solid background in children’s publishing having, prior to this, been managing director of children’s books at Penguin. She explains why she felt she made the right move: “There is a significant challenge in representing talent in what has become a far more competitive world to break into on whatever level in whatever media.” For children’s authors and illustrators, children’s books have become an increasingly competitive marketplace.

There are many reasons for this, but a relatively new issue is having to compete for publishing space with a rise in what is known as the ‘celebrity children’s author’ phenomenon. The children’s sections of bookshops are awash with actors and pop singers all trying to grab a share of the market. But, from the publisher’s perspective, with a keen eye on the all-important bottom line, Madonna, Kylie et al – whatever talent they may or may not have for a career as a children’s author – can be assured to guarantee big attention and big returns.

There is also the rise of emerging markets in areas such as China and India. Milnes-Smith explains: “It is still in a very early stage although both territories create problems in terms of piracy. It is not just about opportunity – we have to be careful with protecting creative copyright.”
In the current climate it is increasingly difficult for potential authors to sign a publishing deal without an agent. “The agent as a broker has become extremely powerful. It is much harder for potential authors without an agent to break in to the industry. The agent is a crucial link and a lot of publishers will only operate through an agent,” adds Milnes-Smith.

Having secured an agent and the holy grail of a publishing deal, an author could be lucky enough to experience ‘The Richard and Judy effect’. Being praised on Richard and Judy’s children’s book club turned Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (a client of LAW) into a number one bestseller.

A good agent knows what editors and publishers are looking for and how to get the best possible deal for their talent. Unless an author is in the publishing industry, it is unlikely they will be able to negotiate a contract that is both lucrative and protects author’s rights. And if you are a ‘creative’ it is unlikely you want to be bothered with these types of complexities.
But Milnes-Smith offers some guidance to what publishers, and agents, are looking for: “Originality matters and the author/illustrator has to be able to speak eloquently to children. I look for people who are completely committed, who can go through the rollercoaster that a creative career often is. They have to have staying power and they have to work, because hard work always has to support talent.”

And there are lessons on what not to do when considering submitting a manuscript to an agent. Including bars of chocolate, as some have, with a submission won’t sweeten the agent. Neither will, as attempted by one extremely keen potential LAW author, submitting a manuscript hand-bound
in goatskin.