Matilda Forbes Watson

Matilda has been at WME since 2013 and is a Partner and co-Head of the UK Book division. She represents a diverse list of bestselling adult fiction and non-fiction and is actively looking to take on new clients. She loves to work with debut authors in the early stages of developing a project but also has experience of taking on writers with established careers. She works side by side with authors at every stage, from submission through to publication, as well as in connecting them with the many specialists and resources available to them at WME.

In non-fiction, Matilda is interested in extraordinary untold stories, big ideas, investigative journalism and agenda-setting books – she loved EDUCATED, EMPIRE OF PAIN, THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE, NATIVES, THE SECRET BARRISTER. She is keen to read proposals by professionals, experts or writers with a platform, which explore how we live and how we might live better, offering the reader understanding and practical suggestions to implement change – ATOMIC HABITS for example. And books in the vein of MATING IN CAPTIVITY, WHY WE SLEEP or FOUR THOUSAND WEEKS which zoom in on a universal part of life with a unique perspective. She would like to find standout UK voices writing for readers of Glennon Doyle, Gabor Mate or Brené Brown who address how we feel. Finally, she is looking for brave, unapologetic, intimate stories like THREE WOMEN or Jennette McCurdy’s genius memoir I’M GLAD MY MOM DIED.

In fiction, Matilda is drawn to voice or character-driven novels set in the real world. She wants high emotional stakes and a strong hook. She is excited by novels which expose the rich inner lives of characters navigating the messy side of life or which explore families across generations, heartbreak, friendship or childhood. Some favorites are: SUCH A FUN AGE by Kiley Reid, THE INTERESTINGS by Meg Wolitzer, MY PHANTOMS by Gwendoline Riley, BIG SWISS by Jen Beagin and NORMAL PEOPLE by Sally Rooney.

Among Matilda’s clients, a few recent or upcoming publications include Anoushka Warden’s first novel I’M F*CKING AMAZING, TikTok and Instagram’s YOUR POCKET THERAPIST by Annie Zimmerman, MONEY MEN by winner of 2020 British Journalism Awards Journalist of the Year, Dan McCrum, Millie Bobby Brown’s debut novel NINETEEN STEPS, and author of the Sunday Times bestseller NATIVES, Akala’s debut novel THE DARK LADY. Matilda also looks after the UK careers of a list of American authors, such as Judy Blume, Tina Brown, Laura Dave, Jhumpa Lahiri and Amor Towles, as well as Dave Grohl and Quentin Tarantino on the literary side.