Ben Illis, Founder and Literary Agent
Ben has worked in many guises in the publishing industry for well over two decades. As part of the branch management team of Books Etc, he bought kids and YA books in stores across the whole of London for almost 7 years. He was a co-founder of Old Street Publishing and has been both sales director and marketing director of small publishers. He has acquired, commissioned and edited; done publicity, picture research and ghost-written, all ahead of moving across into agenting in 2010. Ben is a published writer in his own right and has had the experience of working with agents both good and bad from the other (your) side of the fence.
Ben speaks regularly at writers' conferences and festivals; as well as to creative writing courses, such as The Golden Egg Academy, and groups like The London Writers' Group on writing for children and young adults and, of course, getting that all important publishing deal. Together with Rachel and Fab, Ben maintains a close relationship with all the major creative writing degree courses and keep a very close eye on promising graduates.
Prior to the above, Ben initially trained as an actor – where he first discovered a passion for story-telling – which he did professionally for just over ten years. His day job during those years, alongside the bookshop, was as a freelance travel writer and photographer, with a special focus on adventure travel and wildlife stories. Now based in Brighton, he remains a very keen traveller, beach-comber, fossil-hunter and scuba diver and is proud to be the geeky bane of any poor writer who dares skip over any wildlife details in their manuscript.
Ben loves unique voices, especially those we don’t usually hear from, and stories that transport him to places and spaces he's never been to or dreamed of, both real and imagined. As a gay former fat kid of part Jewish and part gypsy heritage, he welcomes the call for diversity in all its forms and is passionate that all potentially marginalised kids feel represented. He likes lyrical writing that engages all senses and doesn’t shy away from rhythm or non-verbal communication. He is a sucker for myth, magic and folklore, three-dimensional world-building, truly funny humour, a nod to nature and wildlife, genuinely exciting action and a deliciously unsettling darkness, where appropriate.
Ben speaks regularly at writers' conferences and festivals; as well as to creative writing courses, such as The Golden Egg Academy, and groups like The London Writers' Group on writing for children and young adults and, of course, getting that all important publishing deal. Together with Rachel and Fab, Ben maintains a close relationship with all the major creative writing degree courses and keep a very close eye on promising graduates.
Prior to the above, Ben initially trained as an actor – where he first discovered a passion for story-telling – which he did professionally for just over ten years. His day job during those years, alongside the bookshop, was as a freelance travel writer and photographer, with a special focus on adventure travel and wildlife stories. Now based in Brighton, he remains a very keen traveller, beach-comber, fossil-hunter and scuba diver and is proud to be the geeky bane of any poor writer who dares skip over any wildlife details in their manuscript.
Ben loves unique voices, especially those we don’t usually hear from, and stories that transport him to places and spaces he's never been to or dreamed of, both real and imagined. As a gay former fat kid of part Jewish and part gypsy heritage, he welcomes the call for diversity in all its forms and is passionate that all potentially marginalised kids feel represented. He likes lyrical writing that engages all senses and doesn’t shy away from rhythm or non-verbal communication. He is a sucker for myth, magic and folklore, three-dimensional world-building, truly funny humour, a nod to nature and wildlife, genuinely exciting action and a deliciously unsettling darkness, where appropriate.