Catherine hill

Catherine Hill has been an editor of both fiction and non-fiction for more than twenty years. She has started her editorial career in London, at Weidenfeld & Nicolson and then Little, Brown. She has worked in Australia since 2004, and is now Head of Editorial at Penguin Random House.

What is the minimum word-count your agency or publishing house accepts? 
No minimum but we tend not to accept poetry.

Which historical sub-genres or genres are you not looking for?
None

Is there a historical sub-genre you're particularly keen to see?
No

Which historical sub-genre is your personal favourite?
Biographical fiction or non-fiction.

What is your major turn-off in a book?
Too much description/ overwriting.

What is likely to really impress you besides an engaging voice and well-written book?
A realistic understanding of the industry, the publishing house to which you're pitching, and of who the readers are for the pitched book.

Any advice to your potential pitchers?
Be succinct; don't compare yourself unrealistically ("this is like Wolf Hall/ The Spy and the Traitor",etc.)