Speakers
Natasha Harding – The Sun, Book Columnist
Veronica – The Sun, Associate Head of Features
Audrey Ward – The Sunday Times, Head of Serialisation
Audrey Ward
Head of serialisation means that she considers books for straight extract or with an author interview or author interview alone if they have a good personal story or a good name. She commissions for the magazine mostly, but also funnels through to other sections. If she thinks it will work elsewhere she will also let her colleagues know
What works?
Politics – Theresa May, Kier Starmer, diary of an MPs wife by Sasha Swire. Also keen on US politics
Business – – Michael Lewis book, Elon Musk book, Gary Stevenson book what it was like to be a trader. Personal story of working in business. They are planning on doing more business books and are actively looking for stories such as how to make your first million by 30 or how to start a business.
Newsworthy books – Israeli journalist book tied into 7th October anniversary. Extracted brilliantly on Sunday, Lucy Letby trial book.
Celebrities – world of TV and film – Timothy West, Cat Deeley, Danny Cipriani and if not work as a big interview or done too recently, really good for the Relative Values column for example.
Royals – if a celebrity with a royal hook or anecdote, ST readers love that.
Authored pieces from big names such as Adam Kay on parenting, and extract from John Grisham book, David Nichols. Also, first person pieces about getting sober as a parent. Loves first persons as you can really see people engaging with them.
Confessions of a tutor to the super rich, or a prison guard – give a ringside view.
Personal stories – Rachel Clarke telling story of a little girl who died and heart being transplanted – emotive stories
Sleep – also does well in either mag or health and wellness pages
‘I had a problem and I fixed it angle’ – also works well. E.g. Adrian Chiles How I learned to drink less’
Sex and Relationships – always goes well. E.g. Gillian Anderson’s book
Food – not Audrey but did do the Dolly Parton and Tim Spector book. Generally Tony Turnbull
Do work closely with the Times. Often do joint bids with serial followed by interview in T@ for eg.
Other contacts
Life in the day – Emma Brunfield
Culture – Laura Hackett features and reviews
Smaller sports stories – Nick Randall
News Review – Josh Glancy
Audrey happy to be a funnel though
Officially digital first but Audrey does tend to think about print first and how a piece will look
What make’s Audrey pay attention?
Other than a name, if the writer has a track record, and written for them, social media following. Previous book made a big splash, previous article went viral. Less focussed on endorsements as sceptical about those.
Love physical catalogues but email with upcoming titles also good. Always great to get a PDF and physical copy of a book – esp for serial
Lead in up to 4 months in advance. But drop ins do happen for a couple of weeks. If it’s not for Audrey try News Review.
Always open to meeting for a coffee when there is a lot of stuff to talk about otherwise email or phone call is better
Press on a Thursday – but open to pitches anyday. Monday’s are best
Fees would be £1k for a small spread averaging around 2-3 k but for something really massive they can find a bit more but their budgets are restricted. Not coming for the money but for the cache and sales.
Demographics – similar to the Sun, not really thinking about the readership but which topics speak to us. Commissioning for the people in her life who happen to read the Sunday Times – menopause, fertility the war, baldness – not the readership as such
She also likes receiving books so do send them. Makes a difference in terms of things being missed.
Certain publishers have wonderful envelopes some not so much.
Veronica, new books editor at the Sun – took over in March.
Similar to Audrey – even though different readership – everyone wants the same thing. Everyone wants to look at sex tips and celeb memoirs, lots of cook books and quizzes and new and interesting ways to redesign their homes. Also keen on the 1990s and crime. Nadia Hussein cookbook – two books on parenting -another big topic for out readers, Adam Kay’s children’s book, gritty read about Belsen Concentration Camp.
Sun readers need a quirk to the story – something interesting and match their budget. Footballer memoirs, pets, Tom Daly knitting book
In summer did extracts from various kids quiz books – for long car journeys. That worked really well.
Crucially all about video – find a way of transferring the content to video. Can use audible recordings if authors don’t like to speak on camera.
Work with the Sun on Sunday as well – can do day 1 with SoS and they do day too and an collaborate on fees for that
She loves pitches and meeting people.
Fees – the more it will make for them and the bigger the author the higher the fee. But no one has much money any more. £2k is probably highest they would pay.
Demographic – female, 30-35 plus and paper is much older.
Underspread is main place a feature will work. This can be a big read true crimey long read – commissioning for the features she has = has one on Scotland Yard coming up
Don’t tend to do anniversary journalism. But Anything current affairs can do really well
Send physical copies to the office even unsolicited
If she calls in a PDF of all the titles, pleas re attach the press release. Just want the info.
Natasha Harding, Book Columnist
Works closely with Veronica. If you can’t get Veronica, chase Natasha and vice versa!
Often will do the first read for Veronica.
As well as doing that she will look at books for Fabulous and health – confessional pieces can work well – need a strong headline. Veering away from anonymous stories. But are open to authors staying anonymous of story if really strong.
Lots of stuff for health – quirky diets, unusual tips,
Sometimes does online
Holocaust is a big online driver for them.
Recipes for Gino De Campo air fryer book – great video for this which drives the piece
Fab Daily has to have a video – get fit pieces on video r just talking to camera
Book column every Friday. Sometimes a whole page with an author interview. That happens a few times a year for big authors – Lee Childs, Adele parks for example
Contact via email.
Lots of recipes, quirky – don’t waste your pumpkin – for example to save them from Landfill.
Female Ukrainian soldier – works well for her simple but not too
Would never focus on how to teach children about sex, targeting parents more rather than kids
Noticing she has to request stuff more and more. Need fiction to read. Do send books – send them to my home address. She likes getting them.
Likes the publication date on the spine – otherwise can get lost. Please all do that!