United Kingdom Literary Agents Open to Submissions

Talking point, uplifting, speculative, historical, women's fiction, saga, book club

Wants: Cover letter, synopsis, first 3 chapters or 50 pages

Sarah is building a list of bold, voice-driven book club, women's fiction, historical fiction, reading group fiction and commercially accessible stories with emotional depth.

Submit via the Darley Anderson online submissions portal. Include a cover letter, one-page synopsis, and the first three chapters or first 50 pages or 10,000 words.

Fiction, nonfiction, commercial fiction, book club fiction, thriller, literary memoir, narrative nonfiction, commercial nonfiction, cookery, food writing

Wants: Non-fiction that informs understanding of world/society; life writing; topical/essayistic; cookery/food; experts writing accessibly. fiction: 'what if' novels; incisive/witty; moral dilemmas; fun romantic reads. not children/YA; not historical fiction; not adult sf/fantasy

Sile Edwards is a literary agent at Andrew Nurnberg Associates building a list across adult fiction and non-fiction, with a focus on perspectives that have historically been excluded from the mainstream. She has worked on cookery and food writing, literary memoir, historical biography, commercial non-fiction, contemporary and commercial fiction, and thriller. She is not the right agent for children's or young adult writing, or for adult historical fiction, science fiction or fantasy.

Submit through the Andrew Nurnberg Associates submissions page and follow the agency guidelines, naming Sile Edwards as your chosen agent. Do not approach the agency generally.

Illustrators, children's illustration, educational publishing, religious publishing

Wants: Pdf portfolio, website link, art samples

Artists for children's illustration projects, especially work that connects clients and artists for education and religion publishing.

Use the official Bright submissions form. Illustrators should upload a PDF portfolio with at least 10 samples and a website or social media link. Author-illustrators should follow the relevant picture book or Middle Grade instructions and include art samples.

Illustrators, children's illustration, middle grade, non-fiction, poetry

Wants: Pdf portfolio, website link, art samples

Artists and visual storytellers for children's books, with a background in Middle Grade fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and illustrated storytelling.

Use the official Bright submissions form. Illustrators should upload a PDF portfolio with at least 10 samples and a website or social media link. Author-illustrators should follow the relevant picture book or Middle Grade instructions and include art samples.

Illustrators, children's illustration, children's books

Wants: Pdf portfolio, website link, art samples

Children's illustration artists and publishing projects, with experience in children's trade titles and digital illustration.

Use the official Bright submissions form. Illustrators should upload a PDF portfolio with at least 10 samples and a website or social media link. Author-illustrators should follow the relevant picture book or Middle Grade instructions and include art samples.

Illustrators, children's illustration, picture books

Wants: Pdf portfolio, website link, art samples

Children's illustration artists who can work in publishing contexts. Her background covers publishing, art, and agenting.

Use the official Bright submissions form. Illustrators should upload a PDF portfolio with at least 10 samples and a website or social media link. Author-illustrators should follow the relevant picture book or Middle Grade instructions and include art samples.

Fiction and non-fiction

Romance, upmarket crime/thrillers, uncanny/eerie/weird literary, gothic/supernatural elements, voiced historical, memoir and narrative non-fiction, health/wellbeing proposals from experts

Email submissions@greeneheaton.co.uk with the full manuscript, synopsis, and a cover letter naming Judith Murray as the preferred agent in the subject line

Historical thrillers, literary fiction, upmarket genre fiction, book club fiction, science writing, food writing, history, nature writing, music journalism, memoir, cultural criticism

Wants: Contemporary crime and thrillers; historical fiction (esp historical crime); books with a fresh angle/clear identity; non-fiction on any subject with a strong angle and page-turning storytelling

Contemporary crime and thrillers, historical fiction and historical crime, upmarket and literary fiction with a fresh or distinctive angle, voices from marginalised or underrepresented communities, and non-fiction on any subject where the author has found the right angle and can make the material a page-turning story

Email submissions@greeneheaton.co.uk with covering letter in the body of the email. Fiction: attach first three chapters or around fifty pages plus a one-to-two page synopsis that reveals the ending. Non-fiction: attach three sample chapters or around fifty pages plus a chapter breakdown or synopsis. Attach files as Word documents, not PDFs. Include preferred agent name in the subject line.

Fiction

Character-driven debuts, sweeping stories with big universal themes, high concepts, thought-provoking, uplifting, original narrative voices, emotional journeys. Not: sci-fi, fantasy, children/YA, poetry, plays, screenplays, short stories/novellas, any non-fiction

Read each agent's profile and only submit to one agent from DHH. Follow the individual agent's submission guidelines. Do not submit via phone or the general enquiries email.

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, romance, crime, thriller, historical fiction, narrative non-fiction, true crime, cookery and food writing

Wants: Commercial to accessible literary fiction; plot-driven stories exploring big emotions; romance; family/friendship sagas; twisty crime/thrillers; grounded dystopian; narrative-led non-fiction (true crime/untold histories etc.)

Plot-driven fiction from commercial to the accessible end of the literary spectrum, including romance and rom-coms (particularly with queer love or interesting backdrops), sweeping family and friendship sagas, unputdownable crime and thriller standalones, upmarket psychological crime, contemporary and historical fiction (especially based on real events, with gothic elements, or focusing on underrepresented lives), narrative non-fiction that reads like fiction, literary true crime, untold histories, accessible books on complex topics, and cookery and food writing with uncomplicated recipes. Keen to hear from authors whose voices are underrepresented in publishing. Not currently taking YA, children's, poetry, fantasy, romantasy, science fiction, diet, or business projects.

Email sian@blakefriedmann.co.uk

Narrative non-fiction, literary fiction

Narrative non-fiction with strong writing (science/nature/landscape/anthropology/history/politics/philosophy/gender/health/myth, environmentally aware). Internationally relevant literary fiction, character-led, warm/life-affirming or dark, lasting impression

Email jessicawoollard@davidhigham.co.uk and esmebright@davidhigham.co.uk — submissions should be sent to both the agent and her assistant Esme Bright

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, historical fiction, literary thrillers, crime, gothic horror, speculative fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels

Literary and upmarket fiction/non-fiction, genre-bending/speculative-adjacent literary, literary historical, family novels, literary thrillers/crime, gothic horror edges, non-fiction art/music/aging/neurodiversity/psychotherapy/sport/science, graphic novels

Submit by email following DHA's submissions guidelines at https://davidhigham.co.uk or submissions/

Children's (mg or ya or crossover), adult commercial fiction, narrative non-fiction

Genre fiction and crossover children's, boy-led MG, teen fiction, graphic novel/illustrated MG or younger YA, quirky fantasy, dark/off-beat romantic comedy, domestic noir, cultural history/narrative non-fiction with strong voice

Email submissions@nurnberg.co.uk with a cover letter in the body of the email, a one-page synopsis and first three chapters or up to 50 pages as attachments. Mark the subject line FAO Gyamfia Osei. For non-fiction, send an overview, chapter outlines, and three sample chapters.

Authors and illustrators

Children's illustration and author-illustrator work

Online form - https://thebrightagency.com or uk or submissions or new?division=literary

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, horror, magical realism, mythology reimaginings, fairy tale reimaginings, folklore reimaginings, cultural criticism, narrative nonfiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, food writing, short story collections, novellas

Wants: Cover letter, synopsis, first three chapters

Literary and upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, horror, magical realism, and reimaginings of myths, fairy tales, and folklore. Also cultural criticism, narrative nonfiction, big-idea nonfiction, and select cookbooks and food writing. Maria is the only agent at the agency who accepts novellas and short story collections.

Email submissions@mushens-entertainment.com with your submission addressed to Maria. For fiction, include a clear subject line (e.g. Fiction Submission: TITLE), a cover letter in the body of the email, an attached synopsis, and a PDF or Word document containing either the first three chapters, the first 10,000–15,000 words, or the first 50 pages. For non-fiction, include a proposal or the first 10,000–15,000 words of a completed manuscript. For short story collections (40,000–75,000 words total), include a synopsis and the full collection. For novellas (17,000–40,000 words), include a synopsis. Do not use AI to write or edit any part of your submission. Notify the agency if another agent requests your full manuscript or offers representation.

Fiction, dark romance, new adult, women's fiction, romantasy, romance, rom-com

Wants: Cover letter, synopsis, first 3 chapters or 50 pages

Rebeka is building a commercial romance and romantasy list, with romance at the heart of the narrative and a focus on bold, fresh storytelling from underrepresented backgrounds.

Submit via the Darley Anderson online submissions portal. Include a cover letter, one-page synopsis, and the first three chapters or first 50 pages or 10,000 words.

Middle grade, ya, crossover, new adult, picture book, adventure, mystery, horror

Wants: Cover letter, synopsis, first 3 chapters or 20 pages

Kat is actively building her own list from middle grade through YA, crossover and New Adult, with a character-led taste and interest in adventure, mystery, darker YA and select picture book authors.

Email Kat directly at kat@darleyanderson.com. For novels, send the first three chapters or first twenty pages plus a one-page synopsis. Picture book writers may send up to three full texts.

Mystery, romantic suspense, psychological suspense, speculative, crime, thriller, horror, book club

Wants: Cover letter, synopsis, first 3 chapters or 50 pages

Jade represents adult commercial fiction, especially thriller, suspense, horror, book club fiction, romantic suspense and speculative fiction with a darker edge.

Submit via the Darley Anderson online submissions portal. Include a cover letter, one-page synopsis, and the first three chapters or first 50 pages or 10,000 words.

Action or adventure, chapter book, diversity, funny, graphic novels, illustrated fiction, underrepresented voices, picture book, non-fiction

Wants: Cover letter, synopsis, first 3 chapters or 20 pages, proposal for non-fiction

Lorna is looking for illustration-led children's books including board books, picture books, chapter books, highly illustrated fiction, graphic novels and non-fiction.

Email Lorna directly at lorna@darleyanderson.com. For novels, send the first three chapters or first twenty pages plus a one-page synopsis. Picture book writers may send up to three full texts. Non-fiction submissions should include a proposal, full chapter list and up to three sample chapters.

Illustrators, artists, children's illustration, picture books, publishing, art licensing

Wants: Jpg samples, art samples

Professional children's illustrators and commercial artists for publishing, licensing, greeting cards, products, and related illustration work.

Use the official artist submissions page. Submit JPG samples for consideration and state interest in Advocate Art Agency. Applications are reviewed with ITSme and Advocate Art agents.

Illustrators, artists, children's illustration, picture books, publishing, art licensing

Wants: Jpg samples, art samples

Professional children's illustrators and commercial artists for publishing, licensing, greeting cards, products, and related illustration work.

Use the official artist submissions page. Submit JPG samples for consideration and state interest in Advocate Art Agency. Applications are reviewed with ITSme and Advocate Art agents.

Illustrators, artists, children's illustration, picture books, publishing, art licensing

Wants: Jpg samples, art samples

Professional children's illustrators and commercial artists for publishing, licensing, greeting cards, products, and related illustration work.

Use the official artist submissions page. Submit JPG samples for consideration and state interest in Advocate Art Agency. Applications are reviewed with ITSme and Advocate Art agents.

Illustrators, artists, children's illustration, picture books, publishing, art licensing

Wants: Jpg samples, art samples

Professional children's illustrators and commercial artists for publishing, licensing, greeting cards, products, and related illustration work.

Use the official artist submissions page. Submit JPG samples for consideration and state interest in Advocate Art Agency. Applications are reviewed with ITSme and Advocate Art agents.

Illustrators, artists, children's illustration, picture books, publishing, art licensing

Wants: Jpg samples, art samples

Professional children's illustrators and commercial artists for publishing, licensing, greeting cards, products, and related illustration work.

Use the official artist submissions page. Submit JPG samples for consideration and state interest in Advocate Art Agency. Applications are reviewed with ITSme and Advocate Art agents.

Visit agent's website for details

Anna Dawson is a junior agent currently building her own list of authors. She also looks after audio rights and permissions, as well as managing the agency's social media.

Email submissions to adawson@johnsonandalcock.co.uk

Picture books, middle grade, ya, adult romance, adult romantasy, adult fantasy

Extraordinary, diverse stories, strong preference for underrepresented voices, see on-site wishlist for specifics (MG/YA, adult romance/romantasy/fantasy etc.)

Submit via QueryManager at http://querymanager.com or aliceashliterary, or by email to submissions@ashliterary.com. Do not submit via both routes simultaneously.

Children's fiction, ya, adult fiction, non-fiction

Eclectic, currently: upmarket contemporary, friendships, thoughtful sci-fi/fantasy, sweeping love stories, darkly magical, humorous, memoir/essays (occasional). Avoids gritty/harrowing crime, no picture books or poetry

Email the first three chapters, a 1-2 page synopsis including the full plot outline and ending, and a covering letter (Word format preferred) to submissions.bryony@bryonywoods.co.uk. The covering letter should describe the book, include a short author biography, and note any previous writing experience.

Fiction and narrative non-fiction

Fiction (adult and YA), literary and commercial, narrative non-fiction; strong voices and stories with narrative drive. Not: children's, genre sci-fi/fantasy, poetry, scripts

Email a short covering letter, a one or two page synopsis, and the first three chapters of your completed manuscript to info@christinegreen.co.uk. Exclusive submissions preferred, if submitting to multiple agents and you receive an offer before hearing back, notify them promptly.

Children's fiction, middle grade, ya, adult fiction

Children: singular/underrepresented voices, powerful ideas. Adult: commercial women's fiction, uplit, sagas, romance (contemporary, romcom, historical)

Email catherine@marjacq.com with a covering letter in the body of the email, the first fifty pages of the manuscript and a synopsis (for fiction) attached as Word or PDF documents, with total file size not exceeding 2MB.

Fiction and non-fiction

Page-turners, clever, gripping stories with complicated/flawed characters, relationship-driven fiction, YA/NA fantasy, millennial and audience, underrepresented voices, environmental/social issues

Submit via the online form at https://amheath.com or submissions. Use submissions@amheath.com only for following up after 6 weeks with no response, notifying of an offer, sending requested full manuscripts, or submitting cookery or illustrated children's titles.

Fiction and non-fiction

Wants: Email enquiry and synopsis and first three chapters. no postal submissions.

Fiction and non-fiction writers, including projects that span genres and defy easy categorization.

Email enquiry and synopsis and first three chapters. No postal submissions

Fiction, non-fiction, illustration

Full manuscript/portfolio; brief description of the work; brief bio (per contact page).

Full manuscript or portfolio, brief description of the work, and brief bio

Fiction, non-fiction, poetry

Popular science, investigative journalism, history, novels

Email submissions@janklow.co.uk with your name, the title of your work, and 'FAO Will Francis' in the subject line. Include a covering letter in the body of the email. For fiction, attach a synopsis and the first three chapters or first fifty pages. For non-fiction, attach a chapter-by-chapter outline and, if possible, a sample chapter. For poetry, attach a short pitch and 3-5 sample poems. Attachments should be in Word format, PDFs are acceptable. Do not include external links. Notify the agency if you receive a full manuscript request elsewhere.

Fiction and non-fiction

Original fiction and non-fiction with international appeal. Non-fiction: stimulating/voice-led, humour, travel, sport, finance/worlds you can enter. Fiction: predominantly crime and thrillers, also rare comic novels

Email charlie@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. Submit to one agent only, do not send by post.

Children's fiction, ya, graphic novels, illustrated fiction

Bold, commercial, zeitgeisty children's/YA, prioritises under-represented voices, not currently taking on new picture book clients

Email sohoagencychildrenssubmissions@gmail.com with first 3 chapters or first 30 pages, a synopsis, and a covering letter, addressed FAO Lydia Silver.

Fiction, non-fiction

Fiction: crime/thrillers across commercial-literary, atmospheric/setting-as-character, accessible speculative, ghost stories, folk horror, originality and distinctive voice, humour threaded. Non-fiction: narrative history/prehistory, memoir, nature/landscape, folklore

Email submissions@hardmanswainson.com. For fiction, attach a one-page synopsis and the full manuscript. For non-fiction, attach a proposal and a sample chapter (or the full work if completed). Name your chosen agent in the cover email. Submit to one agent only, do not email individual agent addresses.