Sarah Williams

Sarah Williams – Editor

Experienced literary agent editing and selling bestselling memoir, crime & thrillers, self-help, nature and travel writing.

Overview

I have over a decade of experience as a literary agent looking to spot incredible talent in my submissions and then working with my authors to create and sell their books to publishers. While my client list is pretty full, I absolutely love working with new and emerging writers to help them craft the best possible opening to their book that is going to get the attention of the right agent for their work.

If you are thinking of submitting your work to an agent and want an editorial assessment or to craft a knockout submission package (query letter, synopsis, first 50 pages) that will get the attention of the right agent for your work, I can help.

I know what makes a query letter stand out (and what gets a submission rejected) and have weekly conversations with editors so I have a good sense of their acquisition meetings and how to get the pitch just right. The first few chapters are the pages that I spend the most time editing with my authors - they have to be unputdownable and I love working to get them just right. Above all, I hope my strength lies in finding the balance between creating a book that will find success in the current market as well as ensuring that the work remains true to the writer.

My areas of speciality are memoir, crime & thriller, contemporary fiction, self-help & development and travel & nature writing. My authors have been bestsellers or shortlisted/won awards in all of these genres and many of them have had their books optioned for film and television.

My authors would probably say that I pay incredible attention to the text, am really approachable and understand that good humour is just as essential as thoughtful consideration of their work.
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Nature Self-Help & Self-Improvement Travel
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction Psychological Thriller
Languages
English (CAN) English (UK) English (US)

Work experience

Sophie Hicks Agency

Jul, 2014 — Present

I represent a wide range of internationally bestselling authors in both fiction and non-fiction. My authors work in the areas of memoir, reading group fiction, crime and thrillers, literary fiction, self-help and development, travel and nature writing. I run the film and television side of the agency and work with production companies and studios to sell the dramatic rights to our authors' written work.

Ed Victor Ltd

Oct, 2010 — Jun, 2014 (over 3 years)

Portfolio

Under Water: How Holding My Breath Taught Me to Live

Walsh, Claire

Pocket Therapy: Mental Notes for Everyday Happiness, Confidence, and Calm

Crosby, Sarah

The Mystery of Love

Andrew Meehan

CONSTANCE WILDE'S MARRIAGE HAS ENDED. Making a new life in Europe, she reflects on her marriage with Oscar Wilde. Despite her family's warnings, his affairs and his spending, she knows they loved each other in their own way.In this witty and unsentimental reim... read more
The Last Diet

Shahroo Izadi

'No banned foods, no recipes, no fads – psychologist and addiction expert Shahroo Izadi’s weight-loss book is all about changing the way you relate to what you eat.' – The TimesThis is the last diet you'll ever need. Transform your relationship with food and y... read more
The Hidden Wife

Amanda Reynolds

'Tremendous. Tight plotting and strong writing carries the narrative along to a chilling conclusion' HARRIET TYCE, AUTHOR OF BLOOD ORANGEA STUNNING NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER, FROM THE AUTHOR OF CLOSE TO ME AND LYING TO YOUEvery marriage has its problems. But ... read more
I Found My Tribe

Ruth Fitzmaurice

‘I Found My Tribe is inspiring, humbling and a picture of what love really looks like’ Marian KeyesAn invocation to all of us to love as hard as we can, and live even harder, I Found My Tribe is an urgent and uplifting letter to a husband, family, friends, the... read more
How to Hygge: The Nordic Secrets to a Happy Life

Johansen, Signe

Weightless

Sarah Bannan

Adamsville wasn't a place that people came to. It was a place you were from, where you were born, where you were raised, where you stayed...Before Carolyn Lessing arrived, nothing much had ever happened in Adamsville, Alabama. Each week, at dinner tables and i... read more
Close To Me

Amanda Reynolds

*** NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES, STARRING CONNIE NIELSEN AND CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON *** She can't remember the last year. Her husband wants to keep it that way.Dramatic psychological suspense for fans of Liane Moriarty's Apples Never Fall, Gillian McAllister's That N... read more
I Am An Island

Tamsin Calidas

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'Memoir of the year' - Vogue'A wondrous, sensuous memoir of salt-stung survival . . . clear-eyed and poetic prose' Sunday Times'A fascinating memoir' - Daily MailWhen Tamsin Calidas first arrives on a remote island in the Scottish He... read more
Things I Learned from Falling

Nelson, Claire

The Kindness Method: The Highly Effective (and extremely enjoyable) Way to Change Your Habits

Izadi, Shahroo

Sarah has 35 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Iris Y.

Iris Y.

Sep, 2024

Pinned
Sarah was warm, efficient and responsive. From the very start of our interaction, I knew she was going to be the one giving me less anxiety with her replying within 24 hours and laying out expectations for the assessment report. Even more impressive was she delivered the report a day before the deadline. The report itself was thorough and encouraging, making me feel more reassured and confident...
Read more
Jeff L.

Jeff L.

May, 2024

Pinned
Sarah provided a thoughtful and comprehensive editorial assessment of my manuscript. The cost was reasonable and she was responsive to follow-up questions. I was pleasantly surprised that her service also included several rounds of reviews (if needed). I would not hesitate to recommend Sarah to others looking for high quality editorial services.
E. Darya S.

E. Darya S.

Feb, 2024

Pinned
Sarah has been--and continues to be--an absolutely invaluable asset. Before finding Reedsy, I had a daydream of finding a highly accomplished and qualified literary agent who'd be willing to give an honest and thorough critique of my query materials (and perhaps my manuscript). I found that in Sarah. In addition to critiquing, Sarah has also been wonderful about answering my many questions with...
Read more
Elaine Y.

Elaine Y.

Nov, 2024

I hired Sarah for a query letter and sample pages review but ended up sending her much more material. She was incredibly generous in reviewing everything and even offered to assess additional material for a more thorough evaluation. I was eager to receive feedback from her as a literary agent, especially after my first round of queries was rejected, I now have an idea of what worked and what di...
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Chris C.

Chris C.

Nov, 2024

Sarah is very easy to work with. Her insights and notes regarding my book were intuitive and very helpful. She was able to identify some gaps that needed threading together and other places that posed questions as to their necessity within the story. Her comments were kind and understanding, and her professionalism shone through at every step of the process. Highly recommended.

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