Upmarket Fiction Literary Agents Open to Submissions

Adult fiction, upmarket fiction, historical fiction, speculative thriller, fantasy, romance, adult nonfiction, narrative history, food writing, beverage writing, self-help, popular science, young adult, middle grade, picture books, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, first fifty pages, proposal, full picture book text, graphic novel pitch package

Sam Farkas is Global Rights Director and Literary Agent at Jill Grinberg Literary Management and is open to queries. Above all, she is drawn to exemplary writing. In adult fiction she looks for upmarket fiction, especially historical; fast-paced high-concept speculative thrillers; lyrical and immersive fantasy with book club appeal; and romance that simmers. In adult nonfiction she seeks immersive narrative history, food and beverage writing, quirky self-help for millennials and Gen Z, and beautifully written pop science. She is also open to young adult and middle grade of all genres, especially voice-driven contemporary with a speculative twist, historical with modern sensibilities, fresh fantasy, tightly plotted thrillers, mysteries, horror, the very strange, and the very funny. Across categories she wants diverse and underrepresented voices.

Email info@jillgrinbergliterary.com with the subject format QUERY: Title of Project by Your Name or Book Age Category and Genre or ATTN: Sam Farkas. Paste the query letter in the email body and address it directly to Sam. Attach materials as a docx file. Fiction submissions should include a query letter and the first 50 pages. Nonfiction submissions should include a query letter and proposal. Picture book submissions should include the full text, and graphic novel submissions should include a full pitch package.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, historical fiction, suspense, thriller, crime fiction, memoir, history, women's issues, cultural studies, current affairs, journalism, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, true crime, young adult

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, proposal

Sally Wofford-Girand is an agent at Union Literary. Her particular interests include history, memoir, women's issues, cultural studies, and fiction that is both literary and gripping. Her officially linked QueryTracker form lists genres including contemporary, crime/detective/police, fantasy, historical, horror, LGBTQ+, literary, suspense, thriller, upmarket, young adult, current affairs, journalism, multicultural, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, and true crime. She cares more about voice, character, and stakes than plot and would be happy to find a literary ghost story.

Submit through Sally Wofford-Girand's official Union Literary linked QueryTracker form. The form asks for author details, title, word count, genre, a query letter, one-paragraph pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 5 pages, or a full book proposal for nonfiction.

Upmarket fiction, book club fiction, women's fiction, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, historical fiction, family saga, speculative fiction, magical realism, thriller, psychological suspense, domestic suspense, young adult, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, cultural criticism, social justice, politics, self-help, health and wellness, parenting

Wants: Query letter, first page

Rachel Beck is open to queries and seeks upmarket/book club women's fiction, smart contemporary romance and rom-coms, historical fiction from World War II forward, sweeping or multigenerational nongenre fiction, speculative fiction and magical realism, gripping thrillers and psychological or domestic suspense, contemporary YA, and select nonfiction. Across genres she welcomes LGBTQIA+ stories, Jewish fiction, immigrant stories, body and sex positivity, feminist themes, found or chosen families, female friendships, complex sibling relationships, and urban or Southern settings.

Email Rachel Beck at queryrachel@lizadawson.com. Send a query letter and the first page only of the manuscript or proposal in the body of the email. Include the book's genre and word count, keep the letter concise, and do not include attachments, emails with attachments are deleted unread. Follow up only if you have an offer of representation.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, story collections, thrillers, book club fiction, literary suspense, genre-bending fiction, upmarket women's fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, young adult fiction, underrepresented voices

Wants: Author biography, query letter, one sentence pitch, comparable books, first twenty pages, full nonfiction proposal, ai disclosure

Michelle Brower is Founding Partner and Literary Agent at Trellis Literary Management. Her list spans literary and commercial fiction, from thought-provoking story collections to page-turning thrillers. She is primarily interested in work that focuses on storytelling and emotional connection rather than formal experimentation. She is looking for book club novels with commercial ideas and literary execution, literary fiction, literary suspense, genre fiction for a non-genre audience, and upmarket women's fiction. In nonfiction, she wants a personal story that illuminates a greater subject. She also very selectively represents literary YA fiction and supports underrepresented voices in all of these areas.

Submit to Michelle Brower through her official QueryManager link. Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager. Do not submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review window. Michelle's QueryManager form asks for an author bio, why Trellis, title, word count, genre, query letter, one-sentence pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 20 pages or full nonfiction proposal.

Adult literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, essays, pop culture, arts, history, stem, linguistics, sports, philosophy, underrepresented voices

Mariah Stovall represents adult literary and upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, and essay collections by writers with strong voices and interdisciplinary perspectives. Across genres she is drawn to outsiders and stylish, inventive storytelling, especially where subcultures, social movements, and complex individuals intersect with pop culture, the arts, history, STEM, linguistics, sports, and philosophy. She is especially passionate about advocating for authors from underrepresented, marginalized, and minoritized groups, including writers without MFAs.

Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager, but Mariah Stovall's official linked QueryManager page currently says she is not accepting queries. When she reopens, follow the instructions on her QueryManager page and do not submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review window.

Historical fiction, multicultural fiction, cozy mystery, romance, science fiction, speculative fiction, suspense, thrillers, upmarket women's fiction, fantasy, action and adventure, literary fiction, military fiction, advice and relationships, biography, business, economics, leadership, diet, health and medical, history, politics, current affairs, how-to, humor, lifestyle, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, religion, spirituality, self-help, true crime, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters, first fifty pages, author bio, marketing plan, book proposal, target audience, competitive analysis, chapter outline, sample chapters

Leticia Gomez is CEO and Founder of Savvy Literary Services and a literary, film, and television agent who champions underrepresented voices, especially underserved writers and readers. Savvy has placed fiction and nonfiction with traditional publishers and lists interest in historical, multicultural, cozy mystery, romance, speculative, suspense/thriller, upmarket women's fiction, fantasy, action/adventure, literary fiction, military, and a broad range of nonfiction including advice, biography, business, health, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, self-help, and true crime.

Complete the official Savvy submission form and email submission documents directly to Leticia Gomez at leticia@savvyliterary.com. Include Leticia's first name in the query letter and submit to only one Savvy agent. Fiction submissions should include a query or elevator pitch with title, genre, and word count, a synopsis, the first 3 chapters or 50 pages, a detailed author bio, and a marketing plan. Nonfiction submissions should include a query and a polished book proposal with overview, target audience, marketing plan, competitive analysis, author bio, chapter outline and descriptions, and at least 3 sample chapters.

Nonfiction, women's interest, current affairs, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, business, wellness, personal growth, literary fiction, upmarket fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters, proposal, sample chapters, bio, publishing history

Kathy Schneider is looking for nonfiction with a focus on women's interest, current affairs, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, and platform-driven books in the business, wellness, and personal growth categories. She is also interested in adult literary and upmarket fiction.

Submit to Kathy Schneider through her official JRA contact form. JRA asks writers to submit to one agent at the agency and include a concise description of the work, relevant biographical information, previous publishing history, and for fiction a synopsis plus the first three chapters, or for nonfiction a proposal and sample chapters.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, young adult, middle grade, contemporary children's books, lgbtq and, stem

Wants: Query letter, bio, comparable books, first ten pages, full nonfiction proposal, ai disclosure

Lauren Scovel represents fiction, nonfiction, and children's books. She is looking to amplify underrepresented stories and voices across genres, especially literary and upmarket-crossover fiction, narrative nonfiction, and contemporary middle grade and YA with a timely, distinctive story, propulsive plot, and diverse cast. In adult fiction she is drawn to off-beat or speculative projects and work aimed at a millennial audience; in narrative nonfiction she likes stranger-than-fiction stories with expertise, curiosity, and beautiful writing; in children's projects she is especially interested in LGBTQIA+ and STEM subject matter.

Submit to Lauren Scovel through the official QueryTracker or QueryManager form linked from the LGLA submissions page. The form asks for author details, biography, book details, query letter, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 10 pages, or the full proposal for nonfiction.

Fiction and non-fiction

Non-fiction across many areas (narrative, prescriptive, self-help, illustrated, cookery/history/philosophy/economics/memoir/tech/science/business/nature). Fiction: science fiction, horror, fantasy (incl upmarket body horror, book-club friendly SFF, time travel, inventive fantasy epic, underrepresented voices)

Email - sohoagencysubmissions@gmail.com

Adult fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, magical realism, grounded fantasy, thrillers, romance, essays, cultural criticism, narrative nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, one paragraph pitch, comparable books, first twenty pages, full nonfiction proposal, ai disclosure

Nicole Cunningham is a literary agent at Trellis Literary Management. She represents adult fiction across literary, upmarket, and book club categories, as well as select nonfiction. She is drawn to immersive, smart, voice-driven writing, line-level quality and control, propulsive plots with deep character work, upmarket novels with magical or speculative elements, grounded fantasy, thrillers with a strong sense of place, book club novels with heart and bite, literary or upmarket fiction with romance at its center, high-concept hooks with literary sensibility, fresh essay collections, cultural criticism, and well-researched entertaining narrative nonfiction.

Submit to Nicole Cunningham through her official QueryManager or QueryTracker form. Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager. Do not submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review window. Nicole's form asks for author details, why Trellis, title, word count, genre, query letter, synopsis, one-paragraph pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 20 pages or full nonfiction proposal.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, literature in translation, graphic novels, criticism, genre-bending writing

Wants: Query letter

Jessica Friedman represents literary and upmarket fiction and narrative nonfiction, as well as literature in translation and select graphic novels. She is interested in distinctive voices and writing that challenges the expected stylistically, formally, or otherwise. She is particularly drawn to voice-driven prose, thoughtful criticism, genre-bending writing, and underrepresented narratives.

Submit to Sterling Lord Literistic through the official submissions page online form. SLL says it can only respond to queries if interested in seeing more material and does not represent screenplays.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, non-fiction, science fiction

Wants: Query letter, first fifty pages, full proposal

James Farrell seeks literary and upmarket adult fiction, non-fiction, and occasionally science fiction. He is especially seeking voices from underrepresented backgrounds.

Direct queries to jtf@cbltd.com with the first fifty pages of your manuscript or a full proposal in the body of your email, and include the title, genre, and 'jtf query' in the subject line.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, young adult, non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, first 50 pages, full proposal

Kerry is particularly drawn to character-driven work, unconventional plot structures, unreliable narrators, complicated family relationships, and speculative elements that challenge our ways of thinking about the world.

Email query letters to Kerry at kd@cbltd.com and include either the first fifty pages of your manuscript or your full proposal in an attachment as a Word document.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative non-fiction, creative non-fiction, young adult literary fiction, middle grade literary fiction

Wants: Query letter, first 30 pages, author biography

Katie Grimm seeks plot-driven literary and upmarket fiction, narrative and creative nonfiction, and literary fiction for young adult and middle grade audiences. She looks for voice-driven books with a heartbeat and sense of purpose, particularly interested in the darker and weirder side of human history, previously under- or misrepresented experiences, and narratives that contribute to larger cultural conversations.

Send query via Query Manager at https://querymanager.com or KGRIMM with query letter, first 30 pages, and author biography.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative non-fiction, memoir, young adult fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages

Alexandra is particularly interested in upmarket and literary fiction, narrative nonfiction and memoir, and select literary Young Adult.

Email queries to acf@cbltd.com with a synopsis and the first ten pages of your manuscript in the body of the email with QUERY in the subject line.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, select expert-driven practical nonfiction, horror

In nonfiction she is drawn above all else to lyrical writing and rigorous thinking, and is interested in climate change, nature, ecology, geopolitics, migration, pop culture, tech, psychology, and in works that might be defined as cultural anthropology. In fiction she is looking for horror—especially social horror, feminist horror, and folk horror—, literary fiction that flirts with genre, working class characters, and intimate novels. She is particularly interested in LGBTQ+ writing across categories. She does not represent books for children, including YA.

Accepts queries exclusively via query manager

Fiction and non-fiction

Fiction: literary prize-winners to upmarket reading group, well-written crime, ambitious/surprising, messy family stories, longing/relationships. Non-fiction: art, culture, music, food, nature, mental health

Submit via the online portal at https://felicitybryan.com or submissions or submit-your-work/ — upload a synopsis or proposal and the first 3–4 chapters.

Commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, chick lit, contemporary fiction, dark romance, erotica, family saga, fantasy, magical realism, urban fantasy, historical fiction, horror, romance, lgbtq and fiction, multicultural fiction, mystery, new adult, science fiction, suspense, thriller, women's fiction, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, one sentence pitch, comparable books, first five pages

Shannon Snow is an Associate Agent at Rosecliff Literary and is actively building her list. She has eclectic reading taste across most genres in the commercial and upmarket space, seeks books with a unique angle and authors with engaging voices, depth, and nuance, and is especially drawn to vivid, well-developed characterization and stories that make her laugh, cry, or feel emotion. Her official linked form lists commercial, upmarket, romance, thriller, suspense, speculative, historical, horror, mystery, women's fiction, new adult, and young adult categories.

Submit through Shannon Snow's official Rosecliff-linked QueryTracker form. The form asks for author details, one-agent confirmation, title, word count, genre, query letter, synopsis, one-sentence pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, publication status, and the first 5 pages.

Commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, romance, fantasy, horror, mystery, thriller, science fiction

Wants: Query letter, first twenty pages

She particularly loves speculative fiction, adventurous, character-driven stories with largely emotional stakes, stories featuring Caribbean characters/settings, and stories where queer characters find happy endings.

Use Trinica Sampson-Vera's QueryManager form. Include a query letter and the first twenty pages. Do not query more than one New Leaf agent at the same time.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, essays, expert-driven nonfiction, translation

Wants: Query form

Christopher Combemale is looking for a broad range of literary fiction and voice-driven upmarket fiction with an unexpected hook, including a literary campus novel. In nonfiction he is interested in narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism and essays, and expert-driven projects. He is drawn to international voices and writers in translation.

Submit to Sterling Lord Literistic through the official submissions page form. SLL says it can only respond to queries if interested in seeing more material and does not represent screenplays.

Speculative fiction, horror, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, romance, upmarket fiction, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first five pages

Danai Christopoulou loves speculative fiction of all flavors, from horror and thriller to sci-fi, fantasy, and romance, especially from marginalized voices. They are mostly focused on adult fiction but are interested in YA with crossover appeal, and like upmarket fiction with nuanced plots from BIPOC, queer, neurodivergent, and other traditionally marginalized groups.

Submit through Danai Christopoulou's official QueryManager form. Tobias agents only accept submissions through QueryManager, do not query more than one Tobias agent at a time. Danai's form asks for author bio, pronouns, marginalized or BIPOC identification questions, title, word count, genre, query letter, synopsis, AI-use disclosure, publication history, and the first 5 pages or a full nonfiction proposal.

Fiction and non-fiction

Fiction: literary/upmarket with escapism and page-turning readability, big high-stakes love stories from original angles. Non-fiction: writers shifting public discourse, health, medicine, history, politics, biographies/memoirs, cookery, art, music, lifestyle with a strong angle

Email submissions@aitkenalexander.co.uk with subject line marked FAO Monica MacSwan. For fiction, attach the first three chapters or fifty pages plus a short synopsis. For narrative non-fiction, attach a short overview and up to 10,000 words of sample writing. For subject-led non-fiction, attach a proposal of approximately 5,000 words and no less than 5,000 words of sample writing. Include a cover letter with a brief description of the book, any writing credits or qualifications, and a short biographical note. All attachments should be Microsoft Word compatible.

Children's books, adult contemporary fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, light fantasy, magical realism, romantic comedy, thriller, mystery, suspense, horror, picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, full manuscript, full proposal, artwork samples

Savannah Brooks is an associate literary agent whose official personal site says she joined KT Literary in 2022 and represents all of kid lit plus adult contemporary and upmarket fiction, speculative/light fantasy/magical realism, romcoms, thrillers, mystery, suspense, and horror. She is especially interested in stories that teach her something new, add to a larger sociopolitical conversation, and highlight underrepresented identities and cultures.

Submit through Savannah Brooks's QueryManager route. The live form asks writers to check her website before submitting, confirm whether the project has been submitted to her before, and include author details, title, word count, genre, query letter, synopsis, and full manuscript or nonfiction proposal, artwork samples may be uploaded if applicable. The form says she is only open to children's books by request or referral, so public unsolicited submissions should match the currently open adult categories.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative non-fiction, memoir, creative non-fiction, design, craft, lifestyle

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first 50 pages

She is seeking new voices in fiction and narrative nonfiction, especially stories about dynamic relationships between complex but sympathetic characters, families, siblings, and motherhood, social commentary, unconventional settings and subcultures, our relationship with land, nature, and animals, and controlled experiments with form. She is particularly interested in work that investigates or reflects on the post-colonial world, marginalized and liminal spaces, and narratives by people of color. In non-fiction, she is primarily looking for idea-driven or voice-forward memoirs, personal essay collections, and narrative non-fiction of all stripes.

Send a query letter, synopsis, and the first fifty pages of the manuscript directly through Query Manager.

Adult nonfiction, memoir, history, pop culture, science, parenting, literary fiction, upmarket fiction

Wants: Query letter, proposal, manuscript

Anna Sproul-Latimer represents all types of adult nonfiction, from memoir and history to pop culture, science, and parenting, as well as select literary and upmarket fiction. She is drawn to buzzing, bright, curious authors with enthusiasm and national or international audiences, especially books with humor, vulnerability, honesty, refuge, and relief.

Send a query letter, proposal, and or or manuscript to submissions@neonliterary.com. Specify in the subject line that you are querying Anna. Neon Literary represents adult nonfiction and literary fiction for national audiences, accepts Word or Google Docs attachments or pasted pages, and cannot read mail, in-person, or phone queries unless previously agreed for accessibility reasons.

Commercial, contemporary, family saga, genre-bending, horror, lgbtq and, literary, multicultural, mystery, offbeat, quirky, short stories, suspense, thriller, upmarket, women's fiction, cultural, social issues, current affairs, history, journalism, lifestyle, narrative, nature and ecology, politics, pop culture, psychology, relationship and dating, science and technology, women's issues

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

She seeks writers driven by curiosity and discovery, whether through formal inventiveness in fiction or rigorous investigative journalism. She is drawn to poets who have turned to prose and writers whose dexterity with language allows them to articulate emotions or sensibilities. She loves moody atmosphere, setting-as-character, and fantastical elements in literary and upmarket fiction, particularly when genre elements explore where language fails us.

Send query letter and 5 sample pages to only one agent with the word QUERY and the title of your project in the subject line, or submit through Query Manager. Do not send attachments, include all materials in the body of the email.

Literary fiction, essay collections, cultural criticism, military history, intellectual history, narrative journalism, narrative nonfiction, practical nonfiction, biography, history, memoir, pop culture, young adult, middle grade, upmarket women's fiction

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Benjamin is interested in representing literary fiction, essay collections, cultural criticism, military and intellectual history, and narrative journalism. The agency also welcomes narrative/practical nonfiction, biography, history, memoir, pop culture, literary fiction, young adult, middle grade, and upmarket women's fiction.

Email a query letter to query@elizabethkaplanlit.com. Do not send attachments, fiction writers may paste the first ten pages into the body of the email. The agency replies only if interested.

New adult, adult fiction, young adult, middle grade, fantasy, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, dark academia, epic fantasy, historical fantasy, contemporary fantasy, romance, diverse voices

Wants: Query letter

Isabelle is actively looking for New Adult books across genres and is also interested in adult, young adult, and middle grade fantasy plus upmarket and commercial adult fiction with worldbuilding, unique characters, strong plotting, hooks, romantic subplots, and diverse voices.

Submit through Isabelle Rader's Codex Literary online query form. Codex asks writers to choose only one Codex agent and notes that it cannot represent authors who have worked with one of its agents on Reedsy or work-for-hire projects.

Commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, women's fiction, romance, mystery, horror, romantasy, young adult, narrative nonfiction, middle grade

Wants: Query letter, first twenty five pages, proposal, sample chapter, bio, comparable books

Ann Leslie Tuttle is seeking commercial and upmarket women's fiction, contemporary and historical fiction, fiction with complex family dynamics and sagas, psychological thrillers, romance, mystery, horror, romantasy, YA, narrative nonfiction by journalists, academics, and experts with a timely premise and platform, stories with strong sense of place, voice-driven fiction, female hidden histories, uplifting work, select faith or art history projects, MG, and nonfiction from underrepresented voices.

Submit by email to atuttle@dystel.com. Dystel asks writers to query one agent at a time, include the full query in the body of the email, and include the first 25 pages for fiction or a proposal with sample chapter for nonfiction in the email body. Picture book and graphic novel submissions have separate sample requirements listed on the official guidelines page.