PairPi is a verified literary agent directory for writers looking for representation. Save shortlists, check submission details, and track every submission in one place.
Start a free account →Commercial fiction is less a genre than a promise about readership. It can mean book-club novels, high-concept family stories, beach reads with bite, workplace fiction, relationship-led plots, or upmarket novels that move with more engine than a purely literary book. Agents use the label differently, which is inconvenient but also useful: it tells you they are thinking about reader appetite as well as taste. Emily Henry, Lessons in Chemistry, and the sharper end of contemporary book-club fiction all live near the conversation, though they are not doing the same job. 170+ agents on this page list commercial fiction or close neighbouring interests. Before submitting, work out whether your book is being sold on hook, voice, emotional payoff, pace, or subject. The wrong label can make a good manuscript look vaguer than it is.
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Fiction and non-fiction
Fiction: book club, psychological suspense, crime, speculative, historical, commercial and upmarket women's with unique hook/voice/characters. Non-fiction: history (with platform) and memoir
Email - kate@khla.co.uk
General fiction, thrillers, crime, historical fiction, suspense, mystery, women's commercial fiction, non-fiction, arts and crafts, cookery, biography and autobiography, popular science, business, natural history, sport, travel, health
Wants: See submissions page; requires synopsis and first 3 chapters.
General fiction including thrillers, crime, historical fiction, suspense, mystery, and women's commercial fiction. On the nonfiction side, illustrated books covering arts and crafts, cookery, biography and autobiography, popular science, business, natural history, sport, travel, and health. Open to submissions from new authors.
Email a brief synopsis and the first three chapters as Word or Open Document attachments to mail@limelightmanagement.com. Include 'Submission' in the subject line and the title of your work in the attachment filename. Also include a note about your professional life and writing ambitions.
Non-fiction, book club fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, speculative fiction, crime fiction
Non-fiction across a broad range of subjects, particularly from authors who are authoritative and accessible, including activists, psychologists, creatives and thought leaders. Also growing a fiction list focused on book club, fantasy, historical, speculative and crime fiction. Actively champions marginalised and underrepresented voices.
For non-fiction, email nonfiction@grahammawchristie.com with a one-page topic summary, detailed chapter-by-chapter outline, author credentials, online profiles, market overview, promotional plan, and 1-2 sample chapters. For fiction, email fiction@grahammawchristie.com with a completed manuscript, including genre in the subject line, a one-to-two line elevator pitch, a 500-800 word synopsis (including spoilers), up to five comparative titles, author bio, promotional notes, and the first three chapters or approximately 10,000 words. Attach documents in Word, Pages or PDF format. Do not submit directly to individual agents. No postal submissions accepted.
Commercial fiction, women's fiction, intelligent crime, thrillers, historical fiction, history, nature, science, self-development, biography, memoir, lifestyle, food
Quality commercial and popular literary fiction with emotional heft, original voices and broad appeal, including twisty thrillers, ghost stories, and epic romantic stories. For non-fiction, experts in their fields writing about history, nature, science, self-development, biography, memoir, original thinking, lifestyle and food — particularly books that educate and illuminate worlds readers don't know, strong women's voices, and food writers with fresh perspectives or a built community.
Email submissions@hhbagency.com with the genre in the subject line. Put your covering letter in the body of the email including a brief pitch, relevant background, and comparison titles. Attach the first three chapters or around 50 pages as a Word document, plus a synopsis. Fiction writers must have completed the manuscript before submitting. Non-fiction writers may submit before completion.
Fiction and non-fiction
Fiction: literary/well-written including pacey thrillers. Non-fiction: accessible, estimable writing with commercial potential (journalists/experts/scholars/public figures, fascinating true stories)
Email - submissions@jonathanpegg.com
Middle grade, ya, sff, children's
Wants: Per fba new voices bio: YA and commercial adult fiction; romance and fantasy for all ages; smart/engaging/bold with international appeal. note: agency submissions page currently not accepting fantasy/romantasy/SFF or children's/YA.
Actively building a list spanning middle grade, YA and crossover fiction across all genres, and selective adult fiction in the SFF space. Drawn to immersive world-building, complex characters, twisty plots, and stories exploring identity, belonging and transformation.
Submit via the PFD submissions page. Include a covering letter, one-page synopsis, and first three chapters or approximately 10,000 words.
Science fiction, fantasy, horror, crime, thriller, sport non-fiction
Commercial fiction, especially science fiction, fantasy, horror, crime and thrillers. Also looking for sport-related non-fiction and keen to see submissions from under-represented voices and LGBTQ writers.
Email jamie@theampersandagency.co.uk
Commercial non-fiction, self-help, memoir, literary non-fiction
Wants: Profile content appears js-rendered; unable to extract detailed wishlist/submissions from accessible html; use general contact email
Building a list of fiction and non-fiction authors with a particular focus on digital-first writers. Specialises in commercial, self-help and literary non-fiction across memoir, mindfulness, interior design and lifestyle. A committed advocate for emerging and diverse writers.
Email - hello@bergstromstudio.co.uk
Adult fiction, thriller, psychological thriller, historical fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, young adult romance
Wants: Query form, first five pages unless form specifies otherwise
Jillian Schelzi is a junior agent at HG Literary. She is primarily looking for adult fiction, especially psychological thrillers, shocking twists, page-turning suspense, and rich historical fiction set against war. She also likes mental-health representation, darker and challenging themes, literary and upmarket fiction, book club fiction, and YA romance. She is not looking for middle grade, picture books, religious books, fantasy, romantasy, or horror.
Submit through Jillian Schelzi's official QueryTracker form. HG Literary accepts electronic submissions only and asks writers to query one agent at a time. Unless the agent-specific form says otherwise, HG requests a query letter and the first five pages. HG does not represent screenplays or religious fiction.
Fiction, non-fiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction
Wants: Strong commercial genre fiction (noir-ish thrillers/spy/gritty crime; also saga/romance/romcom) and surprising reading-group fiction; non-fiction with strong narrative voice in memoir/history and big ideas/smart thinking
Wide range of fiction and non-fiction, literary and commercial. Has a taste for the unlikely, likes to be surprised and transported. In fiction, loves stories that take him somewhere strange and wonderful. For non-fiction, loves books that reveal something new or inspire readers to imagine the world differently.
Email - submissions@sheilland.co.uk
Fiction, non-fiction, ya
Character-driven, high-concept fiction with commercial hook, genre esp fantasy/horror, high-concept thrillers, voice-led contemporary, sweeping historical, romance/romcom, select narrative non-fiction (memoir/history/nature/science)
Email maria@greyhoundliterary.co.uk with a cover letter and pitch in the body of the email. For fiction, attach the first three chapters and a synopsis. For non-fiction, attach a proposal and sample writing.
Fiction
Crime and thriller, dark commercial/book-club-leaning fiction, high-concept psychological suspense, clever mysteries, propulsive thrillers, smart genre blends
Email - stephanieglencross@davidhigham.co.uk
Literary fiction, commercial fiction, book club fiction, contemporary fiction, commercial women's fiction, crime, mystery, thrillers, fantasy, genre romance, historical fiction, horror, ghost stories, sagas, science fiction, biography, memoir, cookery, gardening, gift books, humour, history, military history, lifestyle, mind-body-spirit, self-improvement, politics, popular science, psychology, travel, children's, ya
SF/fantasy, sweeping historical fiction, character-driven sci-fi, action/adventure, crime. Non-fiction: history, biography, music
Email submissions@sheilland.co.uk with a cover letter, a one-page synopsis (fiction) or brief outline (non-fiction), a short CV, and the first three chapters or around fifty pages. Submissions should be 1.5 line spaced with margins and page numbers, and must include a word count. Only one work at a time. No AI-generated content accepted.
Humorous fiction, action fiction, commercial fiction
Books with humour, particularly when it is edgy, smart, and driven by characters' own actions, flaws, and foibles. Strong-voiced action stories that create genuine connection with a character before placing them in peril, with premises that explore "what if" scenarios to their extremes. Narratives that deliver surprises in a satisfying, inevitable way.
Other submissions
Fiction and non-fiction
Fiction: high-concept crime/thrillers, female-led commercial, upmarket commercial, book club, contemporary women's stories, romance, underrepresented voices, fresh-take historical, funny smart romcoms, sagas, gothic, sweeping love stories. Non-fiction: humour, memoir, lifestyle, social justice/polemic, cookery. Not horror/ghosts, not SFF, not YA/children, not sport/true crime, no short stories/novellas, no poetry/screenplay
Email db.submission@dhhliteraryagency.com with a cover letter, first 3 chapters, and a 1-page synopsis as Word attachments.
Fiction and non-fiction
Prioritising MG/YA and new adult/adult commercial fiction, romance including romcom/dark/epic, romantasy, YA contemporary with humour/romance, YA thrillers/horror, MG funny contemporary
Email - submissions@watsonlittle.com
Commercial fiction, literary fiction, commercial non-fiction, children's fiction, ya
Wants: Agency is building its list and welcomes unsolicited submissions (see remit on site)
Commercial and literary fiction across all genres, commercial non-fiction, and children's and young adult fiction, with a particular interest in projects with book-to-screen adaptation potential
Email info@whisperingbuffalo.com marked for the attention of the Submissions Department. For fiction include a brief biography, one-page synopsis, and first three chapters (double-spaced) as a Word document attachment. For non-fiction include a proposal and sample chapter.
Fantasy, romantasy, rom-coms, book club romance, female-focused psychological thrillers, historical fiction, commercial non-fiction
Dark fantasy, romantasy (commercial and upmarket), dark academia, political intrigue, genre-blending (horror/romance, fantasy/horror), psychological thrillers with a dark edge, unhinged female protagonists, stories from underrepresented backgrounds. Interested in previously self-published authors within these genres and fanfiction authors writing original fiction
Send your cover letter, synopsis, and first three chapters or 10,000 words for fiction, or a proposal for non-fiction, to ciara.finan@curtisbrown.co.uk. Due to the volume of submissions received, a response to every query is not guaranteed. Writers should keep the agent updated if they receive a full manuscript request or an offer of representation from another agent.
Adult fiction, young adult, contemporary fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, family saga, coming-of-age, rom-com, narrative nonfiction, memoir, self-help, sports, humor, pop culture, business, science, technology, social justice, human rights, feminist issues
Wants: Query letter, first five pages, full proposal
JL is reviewing fiction and nonfiction projects: adult and YA contemporary, upmarket and commercial fiction, family stories, coming-of-age, rom-coms, plus prescriptive and narrative nonfiction, memoir, style, fashion, art, culture, mental health, spirituality, self-help, sports, humor, pop culture, business, science, tech, social justice, human rights and feminist issues.
Submit a query letter and first five pages or full nonfiction proposal through the Next Level Lit QueryManager form. Do not query JL by email.
Picture books, chapter books, middle grade, graphic novels, young adult, new adult, select adult, illustrators, commercial fiction, contemporary, fantasy, dystopian, mystery, horror, romance, science fiction, humour
Hollie Michaels is building a list across children's and adult work. In picture books she wants humour of all kinds including dark and wacky, kids being kids, commercial fiction, and nonfiction told in an engaging way, and is not a good fit for didactic or lesson-based books. In middle grade and chapter books she wants commercial, contemporary, fantasy, dystopian, mystery and horror with humour, heart and a strong voice. She takes graphic novel pitch packets at chapter book, middle grade and young adult level, preferring author-illustrators, though writers with a real background in comics are welcome. In young adult she wants commercial, fantasy, dystopian, romance, science fiction and horror. In new adult she wants romance, fantasy and genre mashups. In adult she is selective and looking for humour and a unique voice across commercial, science fiction, dystopian and romantic comedy, cosy and witchy fantasy, and supernatural or speculative horror. She also represents illustrators working in traditional and digital styles and does not accept AI-generated work.
Submit to Hollie Michaels through her official QueryTracker form. The form asks for a bio, the book title, word count, genre, a covering letter, a synopsis and the first twenty pages pasted in, with artwork or a portfolio link where relevant. Martin-Newens accepts submissions by email or through QueryTracker only, asks writers to put QUERY and the title in the email subject line, and asks that only one representative at the agency is approached at a time. Mention publisher submission history and previous publishing credits if you have them, and tell the agency straight away if you receive an offer of representation.
Speculative fiction, literary science fiction, upmarket book club fiction, thrillers, fairy tale retellings, magical realism, horror, suspense
Dorian is actively building her list in YA and adult fiction, especially speculative fiction, literary science fiction, upmarket book club fiction, thrillers, reimagined fairy tales, magical realism, unique voices, contemporary novels with mystery, horror, suspense, and innovative storytelling.
QueryManager submissions
Fiction and non-fiction
Non-fiction: history, popular science, social issues, nature, money/life management, music, sport, film, technology, memoir, true crime, experts with wide appeal. Fiction: literary and well-written commercial, boundary-pushing style with emotional heart and plot, upmarket with satisfying arc, historical or contemporary, genre-mixing
Email submissions@watsonlittle.com with a cover letter in the body of the email, a synopsis, and approximately 10,000 words from the beginning of the manuscript for fiction, or a proposal including a sample chapter and chapter summaries for non-fiction. Address one agent only. No AI-originated or AI-edited material.
Narrative nonfiction, current events, history, journalism, science, literary fiction, commercial fiction, young adult
Wants: Query letter
Andy encourages queries for narrative nonfiction, current events and history, journalism, science, literary and commercial fiction, and young adult fiction. He does not want poetry, short stories, adult romance, science fiction and fantasy, adult or teen paranormal, or film scripts.
Email queries to andyrossagency@hotmail.com. Keep the query under half a page, put Query in the email subject line, state the project category in the first sentence, and include a short book description and writing qualifications.
Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, speculative fiction, literary thrillers, narrative nonfiction, longform journalism, essays, academic crossover
Wants: Query letter, first 20 pages
Fiction that grapples with climate change; ambitious multigenerational novels or family sagas; speculative fiction; literary thrillers; dark or darkly comic domestic fiction. Narrative nonfiction on climate, environment, institutional corruption, big idea books, object histories. Academic writers with narrative sensibilities
Email emma@triangle.house with a query letter and first 20 pages (or full proposal) in the body of an email. Please include QUERY in your subject line
Fiction and non-fiction
Commercial fiction with pace/plot/character and clear hook, crime/suspense/thrillers, high-concept speculative (not SFF-only shelf), social-mirror horror, uplifting commercial fiction with emotional heart, non-fiction: sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues
Online form - https://amheath.com or submissions
Fiction and narrative non-fiction
Commercial genre fiction (romcom, crime, thrillers), accessible literary/reading group, narrative non-fiction (often by women), emotional family drama, multigenerational stories, female-led crime, social-issue thrillers
Email - sohoagencysubmissions@gmail.com
Fiction and non-fiction
Upmarket commercial to literary fiction, distinctive voice/character-driven with strong hook/unusual perspective, multigenerational novels, gripping love stories, funny fiction, feminist/revisionary, experimental/form. Non-fiction: memoir and narrative, history, food writing/food system, nature/planet, popular science, genre-melding cultural writing
Email submissions@janklow.co.uk with your full name, the title of your work, and Claire Paterson Conrad's name in the subject line. For fiction: include a covering letter (in the email body), synopsis, and the first three chapters or first fifty pages as attachments. For non-fiction: include a covering letter, a full chapter-by-chapter outline, and a sample chapter. All documents should be double-spaced, size 12, in a reasonable font, and submitted as Word or PDF attachments — no external links. Responses are sent within 8 weeks if the agency wishes to read more.
Commercial fiction, commercial non-fiction, food writing, cookery, memoir, biography, true crime, lifestyle, health, parenting
Wants: Commercial non-fiction and fiction, with focus on health and cookery (agency focus). submissions start with a brief email explaining book and target audience; no attachments.
Commercial non-fiction, food writing and cookery, memoir, biography, true crime, lifestyle, health, parenting, and commercial fiction
Brief email explaining book and target audience, no attachments initially
Fiction and non-fiction
Literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction (good writing, great literature)
Submit via the RCW submissions page at https://rcwlitagency.com or submissions or with a cover letter, synopsis, and first 3 chapters or 50 pages for fiction, or a proposal of up to 20 pages for non-fiction. Submit to one agent or assistant only.
Non-fiction writers and presenters
Bold voices from untraditional spaces, broad non-fiction with particular interest in politics, parenting, activism and memoir; clients across media including writing, broadcasting, live events and commercial opportunities
Email - nlucas@unitedagents.co.uk
Commercial romance, fantasy, science fiction, horror, upmarket thrillers, contemporary fiction, young adult fiction, cookbooks, food writing, sports, pop culture, music, psychology, lifestyle, wellness
Wants: Query letter, first 10 pages
In fiction, she is looking for commercial romance, adult and crossover fantasy, science fiction, horror, upmarket thrillers, contemporary fiction and select young adult fiction. She is drawn to stories that embrace genre conventions from a fun, fresh angle. In non-fiction, she is looking for cookbooks and food writing, sports, pop culture, music, psychology, lifestyle, and wellness, especially when approached from a specific, unique perspective.
Include the first ten pages of text only within the body of your email for adult fiction, adult memoir, adult non-fiction essay collection, or children's fiction and non-fiction.
Commercial nonfiction, commercial fiction, health and well-being, psychology or self-help, politics and current affairs, memoir, personal finance, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, women's bookclub fiction
Wants: Query letter
Women's bookclub fiction, Epic juicy generational sagas, Historical mysteries and thrillers, Genre mash-ups, A great triplets thriller, Activist fiction or fiction that illuminates a topical or societal issue in a new way, Experts bringing new ideas that can help people in their everyday lives
Query via QueryTracker only - we do not accept unsolicited proposals or manuscripts
Contemporary romance, thrillers, suspense, ya or na romance, commercial fiction, romantic comedies, fantasy, paranormal romance
Emotionally driven stories and swoony character arcs, contemporary romance, thrillers, suspense, YA/NA romance, commercial fiction, romantic comedies, and fantasy or paranormal romance, but only when the romance leads the way
Check agent's submission page
Mg, ya, graphic novels, contemporary romance, horror, speculative sci-fi, book club fiction, non-fiction
Wants: Query letter, bio, first 5-10 pages
Stories about identity, family relationships, and travel. MG, YA, & Graphic Novels. Contemporary romance, horror, speculative sci-fi, and book club fiction. Non-fiction submissions and illustrators
Send a short description, short bio, and 5-10 pages of text pasted into the body of the email. I do not open attachments
Fantasy, romance, mysteries or thrillers, select horror, literary or upmarket, commercial science fiction
Fantasy: standout world building, compelling characters & voices, dark fantasy, cozy fantasy with an edge. Romance: mystery romance & romantic suspense, why-choose, unusual settings or communities, historical-with-a-twist, dark romance. Mysteries/Thrillers: unusual structures/unreliable narrators, cross-genre elements. Open to select horror, literary/upmarket, and commercial science fiction with standout hooks and strong writing. Interested in working with fan writers who are looking to explore trad pub!
Use QueryManager link provided
Historical fiction, narrative history, historical fantasy, comedic mystery, book club fiction, genre bended and blended fiction, science for the non-scientist, essays, memoir
All things history. Commercial and upmarket historical fiction that challenges and educates readers, particularly those that explore the margins of history books and those from marginalized perspectives. Book club fiction, essays and memoirs, history and science
Query Frannie
408+ agents we've verified represent commercial fiction specifically. Many others represent broader categories like commercial fiction or genre fiction — try Smart Search to find those too.
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