Simon Whaley chats to John Baker of the Bell Lomax Moreton agency about the weird world of speculative fiction.
John Baker is an agent passionate about science fiction, fantasy, and horror, which is why he’s also interested in the genre-blurring speculative fiction. In October 2024, he secured a world English-language rights deal with publishers Angry Robot for Stewart Hotson’s new novel Project Hanuman, which blends Indian mythology with space opera.
As an agent at Bell Lomax Moreton, he also leads the agency’s film and TV work, and he’s currently the secretary of the Association of Authors’ Agents. His list of authors includes Gavin Smith, Kenechi Udogo, AM Shine, SA MacLean, as well as Stewart Hotson.
He’s particularly keen to hear from underrepresented writers, neurodiverse authors, and anyone writing for adult, new adult, and young adult readers with an exciting story to tell.
What is it about being a literary agent that you enjoy most?
This is going to sound cheesy because it is, but there is nothing like calling up one of your authors and telling them their publishing dreams are coming true.
What was your publishing experience before you joined Bell Lomax Moreton in 2019?
I did an excellent Publishing Masters at Kingston University, then a selection of internships and temporary roles at Gollancz, Blake Friedmann, Usborne, and Little Tiger Press, amongst others.
You’re interested in speculative fiction. How would you define this genre?
Broadly, I see speculative fiction as anything with an element of weird or the uncanny to it, be it some all-encompassing high fantasy or space opera, or something literary with a very light speculative element.
With speculative fiction covering a broad church of sub-genres, what challenges does this bring when approaching publishers?
A clear hook and vision for its place in the market is key. Publishers need to know who I see the audience as for each book, and making sure it’s a digestible pitch. Big ideas are great, but let’s make sure it’s easy for the editor to build that excitement in-house.
How do you see the speculative fiction market developing over the next few years?
Science Fiction and Fantasy is booming right now, thanks to Romantasy, which has been a lot of fun. I think the Romantasy bubble will plateau rather than burst, but all the extra capital and the new or expanded departments will see a renewed appetite for core Science Fiction and Fantasy genres. I’ve already seen it starting with epic fantasy, horror, and science fiction.
Does the speculative fiction market prefer series, with several novels set in a particular world/era/magical system, or are publishers just as interested in standalones?
Each sub-genre has its own preferences. Epic fantasy and space operas love a chunky trilogy. Horror is more often a standalone. It’s very dependent on reader expectations and how successful the first title is.
In your opinion, what elements does a great speculative fiction story have?
Again, hard to be specific to such a broad and nuanced genre, but two things I must see in every story are one, for the uncanny element to be well crafted enough that I could imagine a world where it did exist. And two, for the protagonist to be interesting and robust enough that even if the world is absolutely bananas, the reader still has a strong central character to latch on to.
What common mistakes do you see authors make in speculative fiction submissions?
The most common mistake I’ve seen in any kind of speculative fiction is how the author approaches exposition, especially exposition pertaining to the uncanny element of the story. The reader does not need to understand everything about the world by the end of the first page or even the first chapter. Take your time and let the protagonist get their launch pad.
What are the opportunities for speculative fiction in foreign sales and possibly film/tv rights?
Foreign sales in speculative can be very robust, but each territory has its own nuances regarding what their readers like. For example, Italy loves East Asian influenced fantasy, and the horror boom has not reached French shores yet.
For Film and TV, it all comes down to costs. Horror is popular because it can be filmed cheaply. Epic Fantasy and Space Opera, conversely, is more likely to need a big audience guaranteed as creating it will be such a huge investment for the production company.
What other genres are you interested in?
I’ve recently diversified into Action/Adventure fiction, ranging from thrilling espionage to heart-racing action thrillers. I’ve got a few authors signed up, but I’m searching for more.
John Baker’s Top Tip
It’s not groundbreaking but get out there reading what’s coming out at the moment. There is so much brilliant stuff coming through, there’s nothing more disheartening than a submission that only comps itself with books from twenty years ago.
Further Information
For details of how to submit to John or any other agent at Bell Lomax Moreton, read the guidance on their website’s submissions page: https://belllomaxmoreton.co.uk/submissions