You’re joining a panel on fantasy as an enduring genre this afternoon. Do you have a favourite fantasy novel or series that stands out from the rest?

My favourite fantasy series since I was 12 years old is Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody. When I got my first job at Penguin, I was in hysterics over working on her contracts. Wow I’m her literary agent, and over the years she’s become a friend. She came over for dinner the other day and she’s sitting there playing ukulele with my mum. It is literally a dream come true.

I have also been reading romance fantasy (or romantasy) my whole life. Now it’s got a cute little hashtag. A lot of what is being published is a little bit same-y, which happens when you have a giant bubble, but the great stuff rises to the top.

As a leading literary agent and publishing consultant in Australia, what question do you get asked the most by aspiring writers hoping to be published?

‘What are you looking for? How can I get hold of you?’ Whenever I do courses, I speak a lot about copyright. I also get asked about what stands out to a literary agent. It’s difficult to put my finger on it, because you know it when you see it. I get 500 to 600 manuscripts a year and I can tell 90 percent aren’t going to be for me within three pages. Sure, maybe some of them get better later on, in which case they sent it through too soon.

When you say there’s 90 percent of projects that you know straightaway are a ‘no’, what features stand out as red flags in a manuscript to you?

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I’m not prudish about swearing, but a lot of authors are given the advice to start where the action is, and some of them take it to mean excessive swearing. A lot of showing rather than telling is another one. Particularly in fantasy, a manuscript might start with pages of world building and lore, but I need to care about the characters in the story first before you weave in your world building. Clunky dialogue is another big one. I would recommend authors to read it out loud and think, does this sound like two people genuinely having a conversation, whether it’s set 400 years in the past or in the future. Sure, words might change over time, but does it flow?

What is the strangest pitch or plot you’ve seen that unexpectedly worked?

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That’s tough. I’ve got plenty that don’t work, this one submission for example. I have a bingo card on my wall for bad pitches and this one hit almost everything. He was writing science fiction but didn’t read anything in the genre. He was using the tropes of science fiction to tell his personal philosophy about how surfing aliens will take over and save the world by teaching us how to be zen.

So, you’ve got to write a lot and read in the genre you’re writing in. The number of people I’ve gotten saying they’ve noticed there’s a gap in the market for so and so, and I have to say, actually there’s a lot of books about that. They haven’t done their research.

So, in terms of things that have worked, I had an author pitch to me a young adult story, with crime and mystery in a small town. The pitch sounded interesting, but nothing I hadn’t heard before. When I got around to this one, it was towards the end of the year, and I was tired. I thought okay, I’ll give it a few pages. Suddenly it’s two in the morning and I have read for hours without even realising it. That author is Amy Doak, and her series Eleanor Jones is Not a Murderer. We’re now up to book three. Finding a good story feels like you’re in safe hands, while also getting the sense you’re reading something fresh and exciting.

Speaking of the publishing industry, if you could change one thing about it with just the snap of your fingers, what would it be?

The industry absolutely has a problem with diversity. Over the last ten years, it’s gotten a lot better at publishing diverse voices, but the gatekeepers are still very middle class and white. I would love to introduce more people from underrepresented backgrounds, but publishing is a terribly paid industry. It’s a privilege to choose to work in the arts, but it’s not a decision that’s open to everybody. So we need to fix both of those things before we ask people from diverse backgrounds to come into an industry that’s poorly paid and asks a lot of you emotionally, even more so if you’re a minority.

The third issue now is the rise of AI and the blatant breach of copyright as big companies train AI on Australian work. I would like to see some kind of recompense for the creators who have had their work stolen.

Can you name one of your favourite works from the 160 writers present at Byron Writers Festival this weekend?

Isabelle Carmody, of course. I’m currently obsessed with Robbie Arnott, he’s such an incredible author. Damon Young is another one I’m excited to see. Many of the authors here are friends and we’ve worked together for years, which is something I love about being in the industry.

Byron Writers Festival is my favourite of all the writers’ festivals – even when it’s rainy and miserable, it’s still the best writers’ festival.

Lastly, what is your favourite place you’ve visited or thing you’ve done while you’ve been in Byron Bay, besides the festival?

I love the people, and the food. I’m also a surfer. I’ve been learning to surf over the last five years and I’m very bad, but I’m obsessed with it, but I’ve actually never surfed Byron Bay. Everyone says Byron is one of the most chilled beaches you can surf at, so I just need to get my confidence up and come surfing here. That’s on my bucket list.

Maybe when it’s not raining.

Yeah, not raining would be good.

A MESSAGE FROM BYRON WRITERS FESTIVAL

Byron Writers Festival wants to thank everyone who made this year’s event possible as they recover from the devastating cancellation of two days of on-site programming. While they don’t know just yet what 2026 will look like, BWF is looking forward to welcoming everyone back to celebrate its 30th year. If you would like to support the festival and help keep the arts and literary culture thriving in the Northern Rivers, you can make a tax-deductible donation here.