SPOTLIGHT FEATURE: Ren Balcombe from Janklow & Nesbit UK

Hi everyone!

Today I’m introducing you to the wonderful Ren from Janklow & Nesbit.

As a new agent, Ren started building their own client list just last year. However, having worked at the agency as an assistant to Will Francis since 2016, they’ve gained a significant amount of agenting insight from the various agents, authors, and books they’ve worked with during this time.

Ren has previously worked as a Library Shelver, Library Assistant and Bookseller, so they have ample experience in the world of books! They also have a BA in English & Creative Writing from the University of Chichester. Ren predominantly works with sci-fi and fantasy, along with some contemporary queer fiction.

Think Ren could be perfect for your book? Well, you’re in for a treat. They are one of many agents who are offering one-to-one sessions this summer. This is our bespoke service offering both valuable and personal feedback on your work from leading literary agencies in the UK and the US. Ren also kindly took some time to provide us with an excellent and in-depth interview.

Please read below for some highlights from the interview, including what Ren’s looking for, some advice for querying writers, their passions outside of the literary realm, and more.

You can see Ren’s full interview on their AgentMatch profile.

“I’m excited by good dialogue, strong scene setting, and a hint that the character is full of facets that we’ll spend the novel exploring.”

Hi Ren! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today. We can’t wait to learn more about your literary tastes and how you approach submissions.

Q. What’s at the top of your fiction wish-list? What authors do you love? What kind of books?

My favourite authors have for a long time included the SFF classics—Terry Pratchett, Diana Wynne Jones, Ursula le Guin—though I also very much enjoy discovering more recent authors such as Aiden Thomas, Tamsyn Muir and Anna-Marie McLemore. I love SFF most when it covers serious topics in a meaningful way while also enjoying itself. I’m also open to more contemporary queer fiction—I loved Juliet Takes A Breath and Everything Leads To You.

I‚Äôm looking for fantastical stories with diverse casts, for stories of complex lives and queer joy particularly. Already, certain themes are emerging in the books I’m taking on—found family, queer and neurodivergent protagonists, magic employed in an interesting way. I live for complex worldbuilding that really impacts the story—a living, changing world rather than a rigid, encyclopaedic backdrop. I want to be surprised, entranced and delighted by the stories I read and represent.

Q. What do you want to see in a query letter? And what do you hate?

Query letters are one of the easiest parts of a submission to write, but because it’s often the first thing agents and editors see, it’s hard not to overthink it. A query letter should include the title of your book and word count rounded to the nearest thousand, a brief summary (the elevator pitch, if you like), and any relevant biographical information about the writer (e.g. previous publications, prizes, other ongoing projects). If there’s a particular reason why you’re sharing it with me, tell me why!

Pet hates in query letters are different for everyone, so it’s best to simply be friendly and professional. I can usually tell when someone’s trying to come off as quirky to stand out, and it never reads well. Basic things, like not apologising for your own book as you’re trying to pitch it, being appropriate, and avoiding epic-length rambling, will put you above about 60% of the submissions we receive. If you can come across as a reasonable, friendly person capable of being professional, chances are your query letter will be fine.

Q. Tell us about a recent deal (or three) that really delighted you.

I have to say that my favourite deal is still my first, for Dan Ford last year with Tor Books. The Warden was the first book I took on, and I can’t wait for everyone to meet this no-nonsense bisexual necromancer.

I’m also very excited for Holly Black’s debut adult novel which has just been announced, Book Of Night, as well as R. B. Lemberg’s The Unbalancing.

Q. What’s been your favourite recent beach read? Your favourite recent heavyweight novel?

Ever predictable, I tend to take a Terry Pratchett book to the beach. I’m currently reading Night Watch to my partner. A highlight of my recent reading was Anna-Marie McLemore’s Dark And Deepest Red, a take on medieval Europe’s dancing fever, which lived up to and exceeded my expectations of McLemore’s beautiful work.

Q. What interests or passions do you have beyond the world of books? What do you love?

I play a lot of D&D. At one point we had four games a week, and though that pace wasn’t quite sustainable I’m still playing in a homebrew campaign and a horror mini-campaign as we reach the end of the game of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, which I’m the Dungeon Master for. Outside of D&D, and dice hoarding, and mini-painting‚ I also enjoy crochet, watercolour painting and digital art. I love learning new crafts and building things with my hands. I’m currently working on designing a tarot deck, and figuring out if I have the necessary skills to build a video game about collecting plants for a garden.

If you’re interested in booking a one-to-one session with Ren, then click here.

If you’re in need of some support and advice in regards to your query letter and synopsis, please do check out our resources on our website here; we have lots of information to help guide you on your way. Or, if you’re a member with us, our lovely Writers Support team will be happy to offer you a free query letter review! Login to access the service here.