Here is a thread about What Literary Agents are looking for in New Writers:

1/ A clear idea. However complex the story, a debut novel must offer a simple proposition of author, pitch and market.
#writing
#publishing
#literaryagent

2/ the pitch must promise the potential of moving the readership to a new place, but not by completely ditching what has been proven already to have worked.
I call it a bridge from somewhere familiar to somewhere new and unexpected.

3/ a debut novel must showcase talent and voice, but not at the expense of story. Self- confidence in the voice, editorial discipline and a certain degree of risk taking must all be evident.

4/ the story behind the story must be clear and communicated well. We always want to know why the writer has been moved and compelled to write this particular story and be prepared to tell it. The reason why a novel has been written and at what expense is often key.

5/agents look for strength of vision and self-belief balanced with an awareness of challenges and ability to trust. Trust is key between agent and writer and the journey, though sometimes bumpy, tends to be straight- without it, misery and self doubt can dominate.

6/finally, we look for a writer who will lift us from the mundane, the ordinary and everyday. We look for an element of magic, a feeling that the script in front of us could only have been written by that individual and is truly an exciting privilege to be sharing it with others