Twitter: @emmydee73
Website: http://belllomaxmoreton.co.uk/childrens/emma-dykes/
Agent: Lauren Gardner at http://belllomaxmoreton.co.uk/
Published books: Awaiting exciting announcement!
Genre: MG (in particular young middle grade and chapter books- especially funnies!)
Bio: Emma has been writing for two years (or since she was ten, if you count the Marmalade Atkins fanfiction and blatant Watership Down rip-offs). She has a passion for young fiction (6+) and would love to mentor someone who is also writing for emerging readers (chapter books very welcome!). Her debut novel was shortlisted for this year’s Bath Children’s Novel Award, won the 2017 PeerPitch 1st 250 competition and is en route to publication (can’t say any more than that rn!) She is represented by Lauren Gardner of Bell Lomax Moreton.
Experience: Three novels written (two chapter books/young MG, one YA). Courses completed in editing and submission packages, short-listed for the Bath Children’s Novel Award for young MG novel MILTON HITS THE HEADLINES ( https://bathnovelaward.co.uk/childrens-novel-award/ ), six-months experience critiquing MG, YA and adult novels, successful querying which resulted in several agent offers. Face to face experience with agents and commissioning editors. A short story (YA) and flash fictions published.
Mentoring style: Emma will provide feedback on the query letter, synopsis and first three chapters, with an aim to getting them submission ready by the end of the mentoring period. This will be achieved using tracked changes on Word documents followed up by a written summary with suggestions for improvements, as well as advice on researching agents, and other tools for polishing the MS and synopsis. However, if a mentee has a particular way of working which is different, Emma is happy to discuss.
Mentee style: A commitment to the process is essential, as is an openess to critique. Feedback will be direct, but hopefully balanced between suggestions for improvement and positive comments.
What kind of novel would you like to work on? I’d like to see something humorous, maybe historical, or even dark, but really – all the young reader novels!
Favourite novels: Charlotte’s Web, Wuthering Heights, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Blind Assassin, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Stand …
Mentoring package offered: Submission package (synopsis, query letter, 1st 3 chapters)
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