SAMUEL BERNARD
LITERARY AGENT, WRITER, CRITIC.
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ABOUT SAMUEL BERNARD
Thanks so much for dropping into my website. My name is Samuel and I am a Literary Agent at Zeitgeist Agency in Sydney, Australia. I am also a freelance writer, book critic, and editor. I write regularly for The Weekend Australian and Good Reading Magazine and was an editor at Verge Literary Journal in 2022 and 2023. I have also written for the Australian Book Review and Backstory Journal. In 2024, I became a Judge for 'The Australian Fiction Prize' in its inaugural year along side fellow judges, Caroline Overington and Catherine Milne.
Since the beginning of 2022, I have been a monthly contributor to the 'Notable Books' column for The Weekend Australian and have written long-form reviews for the newspaper. I am also a monthly opinion columnist for Good Reading Magazine, tackling all things books, reading, writing, and the publishing industry. I also write feature articles and literary criticism for the magazine.
In 2022, I was named by Monash University Publishing as an editor of Verge Literary Journal and was lucky enough to work with some of Australia's most talented established and emerging writers, including the award-winning Carmel Bird.
I graduated with a Master of Writing in 2020 and began work on a PhD in Creative Writing at Monash University in Melbourne, before deciding that my passion is in the literary industry rather than academia. In 2023, after a few truly incredible meetings with the talented Benython Oldfield, I joined Zeitgeist Agency as a Literary Agent.
Additionally, in 2022, I joined an awarding-winning tech startup company as a PR Manager and was awarded a 'Top Writer' by Medium for my articles on 'Women in Tech'. Collectively, these articles have tallied thousands of views and is still growing. The tech company was featured in Vogue Australia and boasts over 30,000 followers on Twitter. I worked along side the founders to write press releases, liaise with media outlets, write copy for the brand, and collaborate on digital marketing strategies.
TESTIMONIALS FOR SAMUEL BERNARD
"Samuel Bernard is a passionate, insatiable consumer of books. His reviews are thoughtful, considered, and intelligent - and they arrive on time, and to word length. His enthusiasm for books is infectious; his knowledge of the Australian book industry is impressive; he understands what readers need to know. I always look forward to his verdict on the many titles that come his way."
Caroline Overington
Literary Editor
The Australian
"Samuel joined Zeitgeist as a Literary Agent in 2023 and immediately discovered some great new writers. He is quite the talent spotter. He’s got a sixth sense when it comes to what books are going to fly critically and commercially. We can’t wait to see the list he builds over the coming years."
Benython Oldfield
Director - Sydney
Zeitgeist Agency
"Sam is a regular monthly contributor to Good Reading Magazine. He is always reliable, meets deadlines ahead of time and always provides balanced quality work. Sam has an approachable writing style and writes to fit his audience well. Sam always shows enthusiasm for any writing project he puts his mind to. I highly recommend him to you."
Rowena Morcom
Editor-In-Chief
Good Reading Magazine
"As editor of the fiction anthology Verge 2023: Defiant, Samuel Bernard has helped his authors' work shine. His communications with the authors, his co-editors and me were clear, constructive and insightful. He has made my job so much easier with his promptness, easy manner, commitment and professionalism. Verge 2023 is a superb read, and I'm extremely thankful for Samuel's editorial skills and decisions."
Joanne Mullins
Publishing Coordinator
Monash University Publishing
"Samuel edited my story published in Verge in 2023. He read the text with sensitivity. His observations regarding structure and grammar were invariably wise, and his suggestions, offered with great patience and grace, were elegant. Editors, it is sometimes said, are born not made. I think perhaps Samuel is a born editor."
Carmel Bird
Award-Winning Australian Author
"Samuel Bernard approaches his vocation with passion, aptitude and careful consideration, contemplating the macro and micro of any given to bring nuance to his tasks as writer, editor and reviewer. His appreciation for words in all their forms enhances whatever he sets out to tackle."
Sarah Ayoub
Best Selling Author, Journalist, and Academic
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