We were immensely proud and emotional to cheer on Madeleine Milburn on Monday night, as she collected the Nibbie for Literary Agent of the Year at the 2018 British Book Awards.
Shortlisted along with some other incredibly well-respected agents, Madeleine was chosen due to her “prolific deal-making and long-term vision for her authors.” In addition, she works tirelessly to ensure that her authors are matched with the right editors, leads them into new genres when necessary, and handles high-volume and high-value deals in film, TV, audio and digital rights.
The judges commented: “It is Madeleine’s year. The care of her authors is exemplary. It’s clear she goes the extra mile for them. She spots opportunities that others don’t, and takes them in interesting directions.”
On collecting the prize, Madeleine paid tribute to the other nominees, along with the editors she has had the pleasure to work with and – of course – the incredible authors on her list.
And let us now pay tribute to Madeleine. She is tenacious without losing her compassion; ambitious for everyone on her list; in possession of extraordinary foresight into what people want to read; she launches huge debuts with relentless consistency, and she negotiates fiercely with editors to ensure the best possible deal is achieved in the author’s interest. It’s a thrill to see her at work.
And for someone who spends so much time championing others, we are utterly delighted she has now been able to celebrate her own successes too.
Huge congratulations.
The British Book Awards honour and celebrate the commercial successes of publishers, authors and bookshops. Organised by The Bookseller, it culminates in the stand-out event of the publishing year, The British Book Awards ceremony.
