Kate Nash Literary Agency

Marian Perera · Jan 29, 2009

A friend of mine* is considering a literary agent called Kate Nash, and I was wondering whether anyone knew anything about her. I googled her but only came across her blog, which was started this year.

She founded a marketing company/PR firm which works with publishers, but the agent side of it leaves me less than enthused. Her "About" page says that "She is looking for great stories and to represent writers who are serious about their careers." That's great, it separates her from all the literary agents who are looking for mediocre stories. What about genres, or agenting experience, or sales?

*It really is a friend, not me.

victoriastrauss · Jan 29, 2009

Check out her comment (and responses) on this post from Jane Smith's blog.

Signs point to a lack of experience.

- Victoria

Old Hack · Jan 30, 2009

As far as I understand it, Kate Nash has published three or four novels (romance, I think) under the name Kate Allan; she runs a small PR agency (I think with her husband, but could be hugely wrong on that front!); and at the start of this year she set herself up as a literary agent, too.

I don't know Kate, but have had a little contact with her: there was our brief interraction on my blog, a single phone call and a couple of quick emails. It turns out that we have several mutual writing friends, which is going to make it a little difficult for me to comment here as freely as I'd like to--no matter which side of the discussion I favour!

I do wish Kate well, but suspect that she has a very difficult task ahead of her, bearing in mind her apparent lack of any agenting or editorial experience.

katenash · Jan 30, 2009

Hello,
I am here!

If anyone has any questions please do feel free to contact me.

NB I don't run my PR company with my husband lol

Marian Perera · Jan 30, 2009

katenash said:
If anyone has any questions please do feel free to contact me.

I'm not sure why my question about genres, agenting experience or sales couldn't be answered here, but I'll email you the question.

CaoPaux · Jan 30, 2009

Welcome, Kate. Were you able to remember which publishers you claim require repayment of advance for low sales?

David McAfee · Jan 30, 2009

CaoPaux said:
Welcome, Kate. Were you able to remember which publishers you claim require repayment of advance for low sales?

???

CaoPaux · Jan 30, 2009

The claim is in the comments to the blog post Victoria linked to.

David McAfee · Jan 30, 2009

Ah. I see now. Thanks.

Stacia Kane · Jan 30, 2009

CaoPaux said:
Welcome, Kate. Were you able to remember which publishers you claim require repayment of advance for low sales?

I've never, ever, ever heard of a legitimate house asking for the return of even a portion of the advance due to sales.

Stacia Kane · Jan 30, 2009

Her blog is interesting, especially her take on Authonomy.

I'm not entirely familiar with how UK queries work; I know they are a bit different from US ones. But I've never seen an agent anywhere ask for a query without a hook of any kind (or refer to mss as "scripts") as she does here:

http://slushpilemountaineering.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/query-letters-less-is-more/

She does ask for a synopsis, so perhaps that's why? Is that usual for UK agents? I thought even then you wanted to give the query a hook (and I personally never told an agent who else if any was looking at the work--at least not until I had an offer of representation--but if it's specifically asked for I guess you should).

Anna Magdalena · Jan 30, 2009

Hi DecemberQuinn.

I'm a UK writer. UK agents vary in their requirements but most agents here tend not to want query letters--for fiction anyway. What they generally ask for (in the 2 major British listings books The Writer's and Artist's Yearbook and The Writer's Handbook.) is a synopsis and the first 2 or 3 chapters with a very brief and concise covering letter.

Marian Perera · Jan 31, 2009

Kate Nash replied to my email and gave her consent to my posting her answers here.

"1. Genres. Adult novel-length fiction please. No children's, scripts or poetry.
At the moment I am especially looking for chick lit, women's fiction, historical fiction, crime and thrillers. Also humour, Westerns, high concept stories, and anything with a "cosy" or "retro" element.

2. Agenting experience. A few weeks! Having previously worked for Myrmidon Books on rights I waited until my contract with Myrmidon ended on 31st December 2008 before setting up the agency to make sure there was no conflict of interest. If your friend would like references, not a problem.

3. Sales. Give me a chance... lol
I will be making an announcement about clients soon, and will report significant rights sales to the trade press.

There is some more information about my background on my author website: www.kateallan.com
Biography here: http://www.kateallan.com/9601.html

Someone on the thread asked about my editorial experience:

I have been a manuscript reader for the Romantic Novelists Association New Writers Scheme since 2005 and I have been an editor for Writers Workshop (a manuscript critique service) since 2006. I have had novels of my own published with Robert Hale and DC Thomson and a fifth should be out later this year.

I completely understand that there are scam agents which appear from nowhere and it is important to verify that people are who they say they are but I am well known in many writing circles having been involved with the RNA and the Historical Novels Society (I was features editor at Solander magazine), and also as the founder of the Get Writing conference which takes place in St Albans and is now in its third year. This year our speakers include Barry Cunningham of Chicken House Press and the publisher who discovered JK Rowling, and authors agents John Jarrold and Jonathan Pegg (ex-Curtis Brown)."

chancerychislett · Dec 21, 2010

Anybody know anything about her response time? Just queried and she seems like a dream agents for me!

Old Hack · Dec 22, 2010

I met Kate Nash at the RNA winter party last month, and she was perfectly nice.

However: not only is she working as an agent: she also works on PR for Myrmidon Books (and other publishers, I assume); and she's organising the Writers' Workshop conference in York. Not that these are bad things: she seems to be a busy woman involved in all sorts of publishing-related work. But I do wonder how available she is as an agent if she's also doing so much else.

chancerychislett · Dec 22, 2010

Thanks for the insight! I'm really interested in her involvement with Choc Lit, so I went ahead and took a shot at querying her, so I shall see ;D

CaoPaux · Feb 3, 2011

Has posted some clients and sales. I presume the "Kate Allan" she lists is herself. Anyone know who/what MWPN is?

ETA re: MWPN -- The books in question are listed elsewhere as pubbed by Belgrave House/Regency Reads.

Old Hack · Feb 5, 2011

Yep, Kate Nash writes as Kate Allan.

But what MWPN is I have no idea.

Momento Mori · Feb 7, 2011

CaoPaux:
Anyone know who/what MWPN is?

I can't find anything for it on the web. Closes is MWN Press, which is an Indian printing/publishing company.

MM

chancerychislett · May 30, 2011

Never heard back, just for the record.

Old Hack · May 31, 2011

Queen of Swords said:
Kate Nash replied to my email and gave her consent to my posting her answers here.

"1. Genres. Adult novel-length fiction please. No children's, scripts or poetry.
At the moment I am especially looking for chick lit, women's fiction, historical fiction, crime and thrillers. Also humour, Westerns, high concept stories, and anything with a "cosy" or "retro" element.

2. Agenting experience. A few weeks! Having previously worked for Myrmidon Books on rights I waited until my contract with Myrmidon ended on 31st December 2008 before setting up the agency to make sure there was no conflict of interest. If your friend would like references, not a problem."

My bold.

Kate was made a director of Myrmidon in June 2010.

She's also set up a new website for romance writers very recently, complete with message-board.

ETA: while at her Festival Of Romance website I clicked on the link to the festival details, and found this:

Readers, authors and publishers can all be involved in the UK's first Romantic Fiction convention.

(Sorry, I can't give you a link to it because it's a Flash site, I think: just go here, and click on "festival" in the green strip along the top.)

I find that a rather strange claim for Kate to make, as the UK's Romantic Novelists' Association has been running conventions for donkeys' years and Kate's an active member of the RNA.

Mark Evans · Aug 7, 2012

Kate Nash

Contributors may like to note that Kate Nash is attending the Historical Novel Society Conference in September (http://www.hns-conference.org.uk). Aspiring writers will be able to pitch to her, as to other Agents there. I'd say that's a strong indication she's serious about being an Agent.

Old Hack · Aug 7, 2012

Mark, I have no doubt that Kate is serious about being an agent. But is she a good one? That's a different thing entirely.

I've heard no complaints about her representation, but I've not seen any big sales either. I do hope you'll let us know if there are any.

Mark Evans · Aug 7, 2012

Kate

Thanks for responding Old Hack; I shall certainly let you know.

Pisco Sour · Aug 23, 2016

Has anybody got recent info on this agency? I'm considering them for a project of mine bc I read that Imogen Howson is now an agent there and I have a bucket-load of respect for her both as an author and as acquisitions editor when she was at Samhain.

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