Hannah Weatherill

In fiction, I’m looking for excellent writing which marries a strong voice with a compelling plot, across a range of genres. I love ambitious stories that take me to unexpected places – either in style or setting – particularly if they sit in that upmarket-literary crossover space. I feel just as immersed in an intimate coming-of-age novel as in an incisive family drama or darkly funny psychological thriller, particularly where there’s a fresh approach or something to say about the world we live in. Some of my recent favourites have included Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey, Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson, The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn, and Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister.

I’m also looking for non-fiction with a strong voice and new insight into an experience or place, and am particularly interested in lifestyle and wellbeing, nature writing, memoir, and literary ways into genres such as true crime, history or the environment. Over the years, I’ve loved The Salt Path by Raynor Winn, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Seven Signs of Life by Aoife Abbey and The Panic Years by Nell Frizzell.

I have always read widely and love working strategically with authors, helping them develop new ideas beyond the debut or to pivot into a new genre. As I also represent book-to-screen rights, I’m also closely connected with the international film/TV industry and am always thinking about how to maximise opportunities beyond the book.

I joined the publishing industry after a completing a degree in German & Spanish and a Masters in Translation Studies, with a passion for literary translation. After two years scouting for international publishers and several production companies, I then spent four years at Northbank Talent Management, where I represented a range of fiction and children’s authors and handled the agency’s book-to-screen rights. After a year as acting Head of Media Rights at Penguin Random House UK, I joined Watson, Little in 2024.

I’m not the right agent for sci-fi, fantasy or action thrillers, and I’m currently not accepting children’s and YA novels, scripts or poetry.

Submissions should be emailed to submissions@watsonlittle.com

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