Simon Whaley chats to Gyamfia Osei of Andrew Nurnberg Associates about writing for the middle grade and young adult market.
Gyamfia Osei’s career began as a bookseller at Waterstones before moving to Amsterdam for two years to work in international sales at a publishing company. She returned to London and joined The Good Literary Agency, where she began building a list of brilliant authors writing from middle-grade up to adult, across both fiction and non-fiction. In 2023 she moved to Andrew Nurnberg Associates where she is developing the agency’s list of children’s authors, whilst also representing a bespoke list of commercial adult fiction and narrative non-fiction. Her authors include Esra Drake, Busayo Matuluko, Melissa Quashie, Kai Spellmeier, and Kimberly Whittam.
What do you enjoy about being a literary agent?
I love how varied the role of an agent can be, where one day can take you from editing a manuscript to negotiating contract terms or brainstorming new book ideas with an author.
What is it about Middle Grade (MG) and Young Adult (YA) literature that appeals to you?
I love the escapist nature of middle-grade and YA books. Whether it is a contemporary slice-of-life novel or high fantasy series, I think children’s books can provide unrivalled enjoyment whilst also exploring serious themes in a way that doesn’t feel didactic.
What distinguishes a successful contemporary MG manuscript from one that fails to find a publisher?
A distinctive hook is particularly important at the moment as we’ve seen the middle-grade market take a back seat during the recent YA boom, so having a clear twist on a classic genre—for example, a mystery adventure series set within a contemporary Italian town—will catch the attention of an editor.
What advice would you offer authors to ensure their MG characters come across as authentic and relatable?
Read as much as you write. In my experience, the most accomplished authors read widely in the area that they write in and can approach their own projects, having identified what is—and isn’t!—working for them.
Are publishers interested in one-off MG and YA books, or do they prefer ideas that work as a series, either with a central character or a common setting?
On the younger end, we’re finding that books with series potential—whether that be a series of interconnected standalones or a continuation from the first book—are working particularly well at the moment. For YA, it depends on genre, as series tend to work better for fantasy whereas standalones are often sought out for romance.
What challenges do writers of YA thrillers face when writing for today’s market and YA readers?
As there have been a huge number of YA thrillers published in the UK and US over recent years, it can be difficult to write one that stands out from the crowd. That being said, agents and editors are always looking for great writing and, if they connect with a submission on that level, are often happy to collaborate with an author to ensure that their pitch shines through and the book reaches its YA readers.
What trends are shaping MG and YA novels at the moment?
Genre-blending seems to be hugely popular at the moment, with speculative romance (romance with a twist of the supernatural or paranormal) and horrormance (horror blended with romance) regularly coming up in conversations with editors.
What common mistakes do you see in the MG/YA submissions you received?
When an author includes comparison titles that are fifteen/twenty years old, this can flag that they aren’t aware of how their book fits within the current middle-grade or YA market. I’d always advise authors to seek out comparison titles from the last couple of years—whether they be a book in the same age-range or a TV show—to show an awareness of the market and how their project sits within it.
What else are you looking for at the moment?
In the children’s space, I would love to find contemporary stories that are full of heart and joy-driven books that celebrate kids from underrepresented backgrounds (think B.B. Alston, G.M. Linton and Ann Liang). Funny middle-grade books, boy-led stories in the Stormbreaker space, and teen projects (for fans of Steady For This and Glow Up Lara Bloom) are at the top of my wish list this year. In Crossover and adult fiction, I would be particularly keen to see quirky fantasy, speculative romance and tightly plotted domestic noir.
Gyamfia Osei’s Name Top Tip
As much as it’s incredibly useful to be aware of market trends, I would avoid writing specifically to fit into a certain trend. The publishing industry moves pretty slowly, with a book being published on average 12-18 months after signing a deal with an editor, which means that if an author writes to a certain trend, it will likely have passed by the time their book is out. So I’d always recommend writing the book that feels authentic to you – the rest will follow!
Further Information
For information about how to submit manuscripts to any agent at Andrew Nurnberg Associates, follow their submission guidance on their website: https://andrewnurnberg.com/submissions/