Commercial Fiction Literary Agents Open to Submissions

Literary fiction, contemporary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, fantasy, horror, young adult, crossover

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters

Clara Foster wants intelligent, original fiction with deep emotion, strong line-level writing, and voice-led characters. She is looking for adult literary contemporary fiction with a strong female focus, upmarket and book club novels that are cleverly conceived, beautifully written, and accessible, fantasy and horror that explore the real world or the self, historical romantasy, urban fantasy, academic settings, body horror, lightly speculative fiction, and YA/crossover stories that are political while providing a strong story. She is not a likely fit for commercial women's fiction, science fiction, World War II or Holocaust stories, or narratives driven primarily by sexual assault, eating disorders, a great lie, or death of a child. She is not accepting nonfiction except by referral.

Submit via Clara Foster's official QueryTracker link from her submissions page. Send a query letter, synopsis, and first three chapters. All queries will receive a response.

Fiction, nonfiction, young adult, commercial fiction, literary fiction, book club fiction, thriller, speculative fiction, food, true crime, pop culture, history

Wants: Query letter

Lily represents fiction and nonfiction, including YA, from commercial to literary. She is actively looking for novels with strong hooks, propulsive plots, book club appeal, nuanced female perspectives, high-concept thrillers, speculative fiction, atmospheric settings, strange women in strange circumstances, and nonfiction on food, true crime, pop culture, and untold history with a feminist angle.

Submit through the Sterling Lord Literistic submissions form. The agency asks writers to complete the form by email and says it only responds if interested.

Fiction (primarily)

Commercial and book club fiction with a strong hook, genre-crossing, dystopia, elevated sci-fi, big love stories, domestic suspense, horror (incl social commentary)

Email submissions@janklow.co.uk with your full name, the title of your work, and Hayley Steed's name in the subject line. Include a covering letter in the body of the email. Attach a synopsis and either the first three chapters or the first fifty pages (Word or PDF). All documents should be double-spaced, size 12, in a reasonable font. Do not include external links, attach all materials directly.

Adult fiction, adult nonfiction, commercial horror, fantasy, grounded science fiction, mystery, thriller, pop culture, cultural history, spiritual, occult, cookbooks, food writing

Wants: Query letter, creator bio, first ten pages

Alexandra Grana is an associate literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency representing adult fiction and nonfiction. In fiction, she is looking for commercial horror, fantasy, grounded science fiction, mysteries, thrillers, gothic horror, atmospheric stories, inventive stories with big hooks, dramatic and messy feelings, diverse stories from marginalized perspectives, and stories inspired by folklore. In nonfiction, she is looking for pop culture, cultural history, spiritual, occult, cookbooks, and food writing from creators with fresh approaches to their subject matter.

Email query@psliterary.com and address the query to Alexandra Grana. P.S. Literary asks for a query in the email body with an introduction, brief overview, and creator bio. For adult fiction, adult memoir, adult nonfiction essay collections, and children's fiction or nonfiction, include the first ten pages in the body of the email. Do not send attachments, full manuscripts, phone queries, paper queries, social media queries, original screenplays, poetry, or AI-generated work. Query one P.S. Literary agent at a time.

Fiction

Commercial/genre fiction: romance/romcom, adult and YA fantasy (romance/spice, trials), crime/thrillers/mysteries, hooky pitches and page-turning drama

Email - maddalenacavaciuti@davidhigham.co.uk

Literary fiction, crime fiction, thriller, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, commercial fiction, book club fiction, upmarket fiction, history, sport, popular science

Entertaining and diverse fiction with well-told stories, big ideas, emotional hooks and gripping plots. In commercial fiction, particularly interested in crime, thriller, book group and upmarket titles, as well as historical fiction, science fiction and fantasy. In non-fiction, looks for expertise, fresh ideas and genuine passion for the subject, working across history, sport and popular science.

Direct queries about submissions to Isobel@rcwlitagency.com.

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.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, illustrated non-fiction, serious non-fiction

Novels across the literary-commercial scale and non-fiction from highly illustrated to serious non-fiction, with diversity within the list as an ever-present priority. Does not represent scriptwriting, high fantasy, or, in non-fiction, business, self-help or parenting books. Represents poetry and children's books (including MG and YA) only where she already represents the author.

Email submissions@philippasitters.co.uk with a cover letter in the email body. For fiction, attach the first 30 pages (double spaced) and a 1-2 page synopsis (single spaced) as Word documents or PDFs. For non-fiction, attach a proposal with a detailed chapter outline and up to three sample chapters (double spaced), information on target market and comparable titles is helpful but not required.

Suspense, literary fiction, commercial fiction, current affairs, politics, history

Wants: Query letter, sample chapter

Will is looking for original and unpredictable suspense novels, both literary and commercial, plus nonfiction focused on current affairs, politics, and history.

Email info@thegernertco.com with a query letter describing the work, author information, and a sample chapter if appropriate. Indicate which agent you are querying, do not email agents directly.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, science fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, memoir, biography, history, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult, middle grade, children's, picture books, illustration

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, credentials

Writers House represents adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction, including literary and commercial fiction, science fiction/fantasy, memoir, history, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult, juvenile books, picture books and illustrators.

Email an individual Writers House agent with a query letter, credentials, an explanation of what makes the book unique, a synopsis, and ten pages in the body of the email. Check individual Publishers Marketplace profiles for agent-specific requirements.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, science fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, memoir, biography, history, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult, middle grade, children's, picture books, illustration

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, credentials

Writers House represents adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction, including literary and commercial fiction, science fiction/fantasy, memoir, history, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult, juvenile books, picture books and illustrators.

Email an individual Writers House agent with a query letter, credentials, an explanation of what makes the book unique, a synopsis, and ten pages in the body of the email. Check individual Publishers Marketplace profiles for agent-specific requirements.

Fiction, children's books, nonfiction, thriller, suspense, historical fiction, literary fiction, book club fiction, young adult, middle grade, romantasy, memoir, cookery, lifestyle, narrative nonfiction

Wants: Covering letter, synopsis, first three chapters, first fifty pages, outline, sample chapter, bio

Hellie Ogden is co-head of WME UK Books and represents fiction, children's books, and nonfiction. She is actively taking on new clients and wants bold storytelling, moving prose, vivid thought-provoking characters, standout debut work, high-concept thrillers and suspense with fresh hooks and daring twists, historical fiction with original courageous ideas, page-turning literary fiction about millennial experience, nostalgia, sexuality and family complexities, upmarket book club fiction with commercial hooks, female-led mysteries, emotionally deep fiction, YA with big heart and voice, romantasy, middle grade adventure with magic, memoir, standout cookery, lifestyle writers, moving narrative nonfiction, and work with social following and cross-media potential.

Submit through Hellie Ogden's official WME profile or query button. Include the author full name and work title in the email subject line. Fiction submissions should include a covering letter, synopsis, and either the first three chapters or first fifty pages. Nonfiction submissions should include a covering letter, full chapter outline, and if possible a sample chapter. Include a bio with all submissions. Query one WME agent at a time.

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.

Commercial fiction, crime, thriller, suspense, bookclub fiction, historical fiction, romance, non-fiction

Commercial fiction across crime, thriller, suspense, bookclub, historical, and romance, as well as select non-fiction. Wants books that entertain from first page to last — the kind you can't wait to talk to someone about, like a new film or a must-watch series.

Submit via the online submissions form at https://www.greenstoneliterary.com or submissions. Attach a query letter (including short author bio, elevator pitch, blurb, comparative titles, and any relevant information), a detailed synopsis with spoilers, and the opening three chapters or 50 pages of your manuscript, whichever is longer. Do not submit by email.

Fiction and non-fiction

Accessible literary and book club fiction with strong voice, historical fiction (e.g., like Sarah Waters), subversive/funny non-fiction, art or food (fiction or non-fiction)

Email - sabhbh.curran@curtisbrown.co.uk

Romance, women's fiction, book club fiction

Wants: Query letter, first 3 pages

Jessica is seeking romance (including category, contemporary, historical, LGBTQ+, paranormal, and thriller/suspense romance), women's fiction, and book club fiction. She is also interested in subrights representation for previously published authors.

Submit through the QueryManager form with query letter and first 3 pages. One BookEnds agent at a time.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, psychological thriller, practical nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, food, lifestyle

Wants: Query letter, sample chapter

Anna represents smart literary and commercial fiction, psychological thrillers, practical and narrative nonfiction, food and drink, and lifestyle.

Email info@thegernertco.com with a query letter describing the work, author information, and a sample chapter if appropriate. Indicate which agent you are querying, do not email agents directly.

Literary and upmarket or book club fiction

Character-driven, emotionally resonant, culturally insightful literary/upmarket fiction, sweeping narratives, complex family dynamics, intergenerational sagas, sociopolitical/postcolonial/global themes, speculative or magical realism grounded in human experience, literary thrillers with psychological nuance

Online form - https://www.madeleinemilburn.co.uk or submissions/

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, science fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, memoir, biography, history, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult, middle grade, children's, picture books, illustration

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, credentials

Writers House represents adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction, including literary and commercial fiction, science fiction/fantasy, memoir, history, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult, juvenile books, picture books and illustrators.

Email an individual Writers House agent with a query letter, credentials, an explanation of what makes the book unique, a synopsis, and ten pages in the body of the email. Check individual Publishers Marketplace profiles for agent-specific requirements.

Young adult, horror, science fiction, fantasy, romance, women's fiction, commercial fiction, book club fiction, speculative fiction, thriller, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, one sentence pitch

Amy wants fiction with messy characters, unreliable narrators, diverse casts, social commentary, and big twists. She is interested in YA horror, grounded science fiction/fantasy and gothic; adult and new-adult romance, women's fiction, horror/speculative fiction, thrillers, and selected platform-driven nonfiction.

Submit through Amy's official QueryManager route with a query letter, synopsis, one-sentence pitch, and first 10 pages pasted into the form. Review her current exclusions before querying.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, contemporary fiction, christian fiction, family saga, historical fiction, literary fiction, romance, women's fiction, humor, commercial fiction, multicultural fiction

Wants: Query letter

Syrone is focused on strong diverse and multicultural voices, picture books with humor and heart, middle grade, YA, graphic novels, coming-of-age, friendships, family saga, contemporary fiction, Christian fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, contemporary romance, women's fiction, humor, commercial fiction, and stories with faith, redemption, forgiveness, and strong conversation hooks.

Submit through Syrone's official QueryManager route. Belcastro asks writers to read each agent's wishlist, submit to one agent at a time, and use the Submit a Story button to reach the query form.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, crime, thrillers, historical fiction, children's, young adult, non-fiction

Literary and commercial fiction, crime, thrillers, and historical fiction. Particularly excited by debut authors and actively welcomes submissions of the highest standard. Not currently considering science fiction and fantasy.

Submit by email to sam@rcwlitagency.com. Due to the volume of submissions received, you should assume no response within eight weeks indicates a rejection.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, science fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, memoir, biography, history, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult, middle grade, children's, picture books, illustration

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, credentials

Writers House represents adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction, including literary and commercial fiction, science fiction/fantasy, memoir, history, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult, juvenile books, picture books and illustrators.

Email an individual Writers House agent with a query letter, credentials, an explanation of what makes the book unique, a synopsis, and ten pages in the body of the email. Check individual Publishers Marketplace profiles for agent-specific requirements.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, science fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, memoir, biography, history, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult, middle grade, children's, picture books, illustration

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages, credentials

Writers House represents adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction, including literary and commercial fiction, science fiction/fantasy, memoir, history, psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult, juvenile books, picture books and illustrators.

Email an individual Writers House agent with a query letter, credentials, an explanation of what makes the book unique, a synopsis, and ten pages in the body of the email. Check individual Publishers Marketplace profiles for agent-specific requirements.

Crime, thrillers, literary thriller, commercial thriller, fantasy, dystopian, literary speculative fiction, dark academia, horror, high-concept book club fiction

Wants: Cover letter, synopsis, first three chapters

Characters with dark pasts, tragic futures or buried trauma. Crime and thrillers across the literary and commercial spectrum, fantasy, dystopian fiction, literary speculative fiction, dark academia, horror, and high-concept book club fiction.

Email submissions@mushens-entertainment.com with the subject line 'Fiction Submission: TITLE OF YOUR WORK', addressed to Rachel Neely. Include a cover letter in the body of the email, a synopsis as an attachment, and a PDF or Word document of your first three chapters, first 10–15,000 words, or first 50 pages. Manuscript must be complete at time of submission.

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.

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, young adult, children's books, biography, memoir, music, popular science, politics, social justice, adult illustrated, cookbooks, sports, health and wellness, fashion, art, design, popular culture

Wants: Query letter

Thompson Literary is always on the lookout for both commercial and literary fiction, as well as young adult and children's books. Nonfiction is their specialty, with interests including biography, memoir, music, popular science, politics, social justice, adult illustrated, cookbooks, sports, health and wellness, fashion, art, design, and popular culture.

All agents at Thompson Literary Agency are now accepting queries through Query Manager. Please click to view agent bios, which have specific query instructions for each.

Children's and ya fiction, na or crossover, commercial women's fiction, narrative non-fiction

MG: voice-driven with heart/humour, contemporary or MG fantasy series. YA: friendships/firsts/feels, high-concept/speculative romance or thriller. NA and commercial women's: romance-forward with unusual circumstances, romcom (college/university), darkly comic new-parenthood, also speculative/historical romance. Romantasy: romance-forward, grounded magic, morally grey. Non-fiction: extraordinary challenges/adventures, experts in STEM/history/pop culture/mental health. Not sci-fi, crime fiction, picture books

Email submission@bell-lomax.co.uk with a covering letter in the email body, a short synopsis (including full plot details), and the first three chapters (no more than 50 pages, double spaced) as a Word document or PDF. Do not address the submission to more than one agent.

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

Adult fiction, young adult, middle grade, narrative nonfiction, memoir, commercial fiction, mystery, thriller, magical realism, horror, rom-com, women's fiction, science fiction

Wants: Pitch

Jen represents adult, YA and middle-grade fiction, plus narrative nonfiction and memoir. She does not represent picture books, novellas or high fantasy.

Email Jen Nadol with a pitch at Jen.Nadol@theunteragency.com. If there is no response within three months, consider it a pass.

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.

Fiction and non-fiction

Commercial/book club fiction (edging literary), thrillers with unusual location or speculative edge, historical with real figures, gothic/magical/haunted, speculative love stories, romcoms, fantasy with unique magic/folklore. Non-fiction from experts/creators including food writing, women's health, maternal/sport/mental health. Not sci-fi, erotica, graphic novels, children's/MG/YA, or poetry

Online form - https://www.greenstoneliterary.com or submissions

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, short story collections

Literary, book club, and commercial fiction, and short story collections.

Email: polly@georginacapel.com

Memoir, essay collections, wellness, cookbooks, women's fiction, book club fiction, fiction

Wants: Query letter, first twenty-five pages

Mia represents smart books for smart women, including bestselling memoir, platform-driven essay collections, wellness, cookbooks, women's fiction, character-driven fiction, stories that play with form, and book club fiction.

Email queries@parkfinebrower.com and specify Mia Vitale plus the category and genre in the subject line. Adult fiction submissions should include a query letter and roughly the first 25 pages. Nonfiction submissions should include a query letter.

Fiction, nonfiction, young adult, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, mystery, suspense, historical fiction, literary horror, grounded science fiction, grounded fantasy, narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, history, pop culture, aapi voices, underrepresented voices, lgbtq and

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal

Amy represents fiction, nonfiction, and YA. She is seeking upmarket and book club fiction, mystery or suspense elements, propulsive plots with beautiful writing, historical fiction, literary horror, grounded SFF by women of color, coming-of-age stories, global retellings, expert-driven narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, history, pop culture, YA with murder and intrigue, immigrant stories, queer stories, girls working for justice, and light-hearted contemporary YA.

Use the QueryManager route linked from Amy Bishop-Wycisk's Trellis profile and review her current wishlist before querying.

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.