AGENT CONFIDENTIAL Caroline Wakeman

 





Name:
Caroline Wakeman 

Agency: Caroline Wakeman Literary Agency 

Genres represented: Children’s books from picture books up to Middle Grade including non-fiction. 






Authors you represent and recent deals
Julia Seal - Real Superheroes and Alone Together were number 1 and number 2 on the Amazon Best Sellers list for several months. These were both purchased by DK/Penguin Random House with a turnaround from idea to print in less than 3 weeks. Sally Anne Garland - Nook and Stuck Inside were purchased by Sunbird Books (Phoneix International). Both books received outstanding reviews especially for Nook as this story is a gentle introduction to Neurodiversity. Phil Heckles (Hercule Van Wolfwinkle) - Rubbish Pet Portraits. Although it’s not a children’s book, Phil is an incredibly humorous and talented writer. We secured his publishing deal with Harper Collins which recently reached number 6 on the Sunday Times Bestsellers List. 

What’s on your wishlist #MSWL? 
I’m particularly interested in chapter books, either at the younger age range or Middle Grade. Personally, I like characters that have a lot of depth to them. Also, humour and mystery are a great combination for books in these age ranges. I’m also looking for non-fiction books which relate to STEM. We are always being asked by publishers for books that are factual but told with an interesting or fun narrative. 

What is your working style with clients (eg how editorial are you)? 
I’m proud to be an author as well as an agent so I understand the struggles a lot of an author's experience, such as writers' block. I really enjoy collaborating with our authors and contributing to the storyline if they need it. Myself and our Senior Editor, Lil Chase, will also spend a lot of time tweaking and editing until we and the author are happy with the final manuscript. We’d never try to sell anything we thought wasn’t up to scratch and are happy to spend extra time on the plot or character development in order to get the best possible manuscript for submission to a publisher. 

Do you choose books with head or heart? 
Both. I really enjoy finding a connection between myself and the characters in a manuscript, but I have to acknowledge the business side and decide if this is a book that would be commercial enough for a publisher. 

Which book or character has stayed with you since childhood? 
Winnie-the-Pooh. Each character had a depth and richness to them. Every story brought such comfort and entertainment to me when I was little. I enjoy being part of that process now, bringing comfort and joy through books for children. 

Which house would the sorting hat put you in? 
Definitely Ravenclaw, although everyone has a bit of Gryffindor bravery in them, I think Ravenclaw’s creativity takes priority for me. 

How to submit to you
We ask for the synopsis and full manuscript for picture books and a full synopsis and the first chapter for any chapter book ideas. For non-fiction ideas, please send us a synopsis with as much detail as possible and an example of a spread. You can find our contact details on our website. 

Submission tips
Please ensure the word count and target age are on the first page of your manuscript. Check that your manuscript is age-appropriate by researching popular children’s books in your local bookshop or library. Please be patient. We read every submission sent to us but this does take time, you’ve taken the time to write to us so we think it only fair that we take the time to read it properly. 


Twitter: @CWLAgency

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