Julian Friedmann

Email: julian@blakefriedmann.co.uk
Twitter: @julianfriedmann
Assistant: Leyla Hattabi (leyla@blakefriedmann.co.uk)

I represent script writers and book writers across a broad range of genres and formats. I started as an editor for two academic publishers in the early 1970s before setting up my own publishing company. I set up a literary agency in 1976, later merging with Carole Blake to establish Blake Friedmann.

I have lectured all over the world on the business of scriptwriting and have published a book called HOW TO MAKE MONEY SCRIPTWRITING: 'This wonderful and accessible book fills in all the gaps. It's full of insights that help writers in the business of screenwriting - a great help to actually get a script sold.' Linda Seger (author of MAKING A GOOD SCRIPT GREAT). My second book - THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO WRITING FOR TELEVISION - is co-written with Christopher Walker.

I designed and ran a European Union MEDIA Programme ‘PILOTS’ to train writers, script editors and producers to develop long running series, and I edited two volumes called WRITING LONG-RUNNING TELEVISION SERIES and was the Publisher and Editor of Europe's leading scriptwriting magazine, SCRIPTWRITER. I am Senior Advisor to the London Screenwriters' Festival, and am also acting as an Executive Producer on several feature films.

I was born in South Africa in 1944 and came to live in London in 1961. I have degrees from the University of York (Philosophy/Politics BAs) and an MA from the School of Oriental & African Studies. I was thrown out of LSE while doing a PhD because I didn't tell them I also had a full-time job in publishing.

I am also a director of The Shingle Media, a development and executive production company.

As more and more of my scriptwriter clients started writing novels I decided to come back to where I started as an agent, representing books alongside scripts.

My tastes are eclectic in that, as clients evolve their tastes, so I like to keep up with them: when I started as an agent many years ago I had a lovely mentor who insisted I read some Mills & Boon, something I had never contemplated, so that I understood what millions of readers loved reading. This taught me to appreciate the fact that my personal taste should not necessarily determine who I represented, as long as I loved the writing.

I’m into action thrillers, crime, espionage, political thrillers and grounded science fiction. I’ve recently done a large Audible deal for a Romantasy which has hit the best-seller lists (THE ASHEN CROWN), which is why I describe my list as eclectic. I am not taking on children’s, YA or poetry. I will only have a small list of prose writers so have to be blown away by the writing.

Book clients: Angela Elliott, Lucy Hay (aka Lizzie Fry), Paul Herzberg, Petri Karra, Sheena Lambert, Dilichi Lawal, Victoria Lee, Paul Mousley, Alison Norrington, Ewan Ross, Alex Scarrow, Conrad Watts, James K Wight.

Film/TV clients: Estate of Gilbert Adair, Tom Boyle, Andy Briggs, Mstyslav Chernov, Peter Cundall, Oliver Dench & Manuel Pacific, Philippe D’Imperio, Angela Elliott, Paul Finch, Steve Hawes,  Lucy Hay, Paul Herzberg, Petri Karra, Tom Kinninmont, Jayne Kirkham, Sheena Lambert, Greg Latter, Dilichi Lawal, Desi Lyon, Paul Mousley, Alison Norrington, Nic Ransome, Ewan Ross, Paolo Russo, Jana Rutledge, Stefanie Sycholt, Alex Scarrow, Paul Usher, Conrad Watts, James K. Wight.