Daisy Jervis

X: @daiswriter

Instagram: @djbookgirl

Booktok: @djbookgirl

Agent: Saskia Leach

Agency: Kate Nash Literary Agency

www.katenashlit.co.uk

Check out our #Agent121 page to book your own appointment.

Found her agent after coming 2nd in the I Am Writing Crime / thriller competition

Daisy studied drama and currently writes speculative fiction. There is nothing she enjoys more that curling up under a blanket and tackling her TBR pile.

IAIP: How did you find your agent?

DJ: Finding an agent was a long process but had a lovely conclusion! I entered the I Am in Print Crime/Thriller competition with my YA speculative thriller and came second. The agent that had read my work, Saskia Leech, got in touch and asked if we could have an online meeting and the rest is history! We clicked straight away and I knew she got me and my story. I actually wrote about eight books before finding an agent. I finally found my voice within YA. The book I queried was the first YA I’d queried but I wrote two YA books before that to find my style and voice. The inspiration behind the book that secured my agent were algorithms and AI affecting real lives. It came about after the exam scandal whereby algorithms were used to predict grades and students were given higher or lower grade based on previous pupil data and the type of school they attended. My YA book revolves an app that monitors your every move and the algorithm continually calculates how you’ll affect society. You can be deemed a threat without having done anything threatening! It’s a brutal dystopian world.

IAIP: What has happened since being represented by Saskia?

DJ: I’m currently on submission with my YA book and have written another whilst on sub! It’s a new YA thriller but still looks at the darker side of AI. It’s been a joy working with Saskia and she is the most encouraging and supportive person.

IAIP: Did you ever have an Agent121 session before securing your agent?

DJ: I did. I think it’s good to see if your book would fit the current market and how to improve it for editors. I actually had a couple for my YA book at the I Am Writing Festival in Bristol 2023 but then I got the email from Saskia and it just felt right.

IAIP: Roughly how many rejections did you receive before securing your agent?

DJ: Ooh! What a question. The entire writing journey from 2019…easily over 200+. For the book that I was signed with I had about 30+ including 12 full manuscript rejections which had me on edge every time! It is a really emotional journey and very tough at times.

IAIP: How long did the process of being offered representation take?

DJ: I think Saskia and I had an online meeting and then I was signed about a week later? Maybe two?

IAIP: What have you learned about the publishing industry

DJ: I’ve learnt that you need a lot of patience and the best thing you can do is keep writing.

IAIP: What advice would you give to anyone hoping to get published?

DJ: Write when you can. Make writing friends so you can share the highs and lows. Tell yourself – it only takes one yes.

IAIP: Do you have any tips on making the most of an Agent121 or regarding entering a competition?

DJ: Make notes in Agent 121s. Take every bit of advice you can and then give yourself time to process things so you can decide what needs changing/editing to move forward. With competitions, always try and make sure your full manuscript is as polished as it can be as you never know what might happen!