FINLAY CHARLESWORTH

Email: finlay@blakefriedmann.co.uk
Instagram: @finlayreadsetc

About Me

I am an Associate Agent at Blake Friedmann, building a list of non-fiction and select fiction, as well as assisting Juliet Pickering and Isobel Dixon with their brilliant clients. I have been cutting my teeth as an agent by working closely with the Estates of Gilbert Adair, Tatamkhulu Afrika and K. Sello Duiker, advocating for revivals of their acclaimed works and securing deals on classics lists in both the UK and USA, as well as selling audio rights for Isobel and Juliet’s clients around the world.

I joined Blake Friedmann in 2022 from University College London, where I completed an MA in Publishing. I was born in Scotland, and when not buried in books can usually be found enjoying/screaming at/obsessively overthinking rugby, or pining for the days I was eligible for youth discounts at the theatre.

What I’m looking for

I like the books I read to reflect, challenge and expand my understanding of the world around me. I’m looking for authors who combine passion for their subject (regardless of the genre) with quality writing. I love authors and books that are authoritative, incisive and deeply researched in content, and bold and creative in approach. The qualities that I value most highly are reflexivity, wit and (most crucially) compassion – and I hope to see these evidenced not only in the writing, but also the working relationships between author, agent and publisher.

I’m keen to bring new voices into publishing, and into the hands of the readers, especially Young Millennial/Gen Z writers, writers from outside the London bubble, as well as those from other diverse and underrepresented groups in publishing.

I am predominantly looking for non-fiction. I would love to see fresh takes on popular culture, sport, politics, sociology, science and contemporary history – or, even better, that combine any of the above in surprising ways that help to unlock a new way of seeing (such as DOPPELGANGER by Naomi Klein and TEENAGE by Jon Savage). I’m not looking for memoir, MBS (Mind, Body, Spirit), self-help, cookery, or deep history (pre-1800 is probably the cut-off for me).

Across non-fiction, I’m looking for writers who can convey the love, energy and joy of being a fan/follower/practitioner/expert/academic, along with some rare insight. This could be by revealing the hidden stories and bonds that make up a movement or community; by a cutting-edge, data-driven approach; or by exposé, manifesto or polemic.

My interest in pop culture is all-inclusive: whether it’s music, film & TV, theatre, literature, trends, social media or humour, I would love to take a look! Some of my favourite books in this space include JOHN AND PAUL by Ian Leslie, THIS WOMAN’S WORK by Sinéad Gleeson and Kim Gordon and UNLIKEABLE FEMALE CHARACTERS by Anna Bogutskaya.

In sport, my first love is rugby, but I’m also an avid football fan, a keen runner and a Black Belt in Karate – but I’ll take anything with a competitive edge (even board games…)! I really enjoyed A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF FOOTBALL by Mickaël Correia, CONCUSSED by Sam Peters and HOW TO WIN THE PREMIER LEAGUE by Ian Graham. I’m especially keen to support women’s, trans and non-binary voices in sport, and inclusion more broadly – for example, I’d love to find a rugby book that de-centres the sport’s elitist, racist and sexist elements, and brings readers a new story to celebrate, and a new way to experience the sport.

For politics, sociology, and science, I’m keen to find expert voices who can

  • make sense of these troubled times,

  • offer practical solutions to guide us forward, and

  • encourage us to be more aware of our role and responsibilities in society at all levels, from the domestic to the international.

For history, I’m especially looking for stories about moments/movements from the past that have a particular contemporary resonance. Some books I enjoyed across all these areas are THE PRICE OF LIFE by Jenny Kleeman, THE TRADING GAME by Gary Stevenson, BRIT(ISH) by Afua Hirsch and JOURNALISM by Joe Sacco.

I am selectively open to upmarket and literary fiction and, especially here, Gen Z and Millennial authors: writers who give voice to the concerns and inner workings of our precariously-placed generation – think GUNK by Saba Sams, or GRETA AND VALDIN by Rebecca K Reilly. I love novels with unforgettable characters and an immediate and unmistakeable rendering of place and time. I don’t mind a streak of darkness too, so long as it is handled with care and control. I am not looking for graphic novels, historical fiction (World War II or earlier), romance, fantasy, romantasy, horror, YA/Children’s books, or poetry.

Some fiction I’ve enjoyed in the past couple of years: MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES by Rufi Thorpe, ERASURE by Percival Everett, FAIR PLAY by Louise Hegarty, MR LOVERMAN by Bernardine Evaristo, THE BENEFACTORS by Wendy Erskine, DEEP CUTS by Holly Brickley, ENTER GHOST by Isabella Hammad, THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST by Stieg Larsson, IN ASCENSION by Martin MacInnes.

Some books I keep returning to: MAYFLIES by Andrew O’Hagan, TRUMPET by Jackie Kay, INTERPRETER OF MALADIES by Jhumpa Lahiri, HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN by Clare Fisher, TRAINSPOTTING by Irvine Welsh, MAUS by Art Spiegelman, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH by Walter Tevis.