US Upmarket Fiction Literary Agents Open to Submissions

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

Mystery, suspense, thrillers, crime fiction, upmarket fiction

High-stakes narratives, complex characters, and stories that refuse to be put down. Crime novels with anti-hero main characters, mystery novels that keep him guessing, clear stakes, surprise endings

Check agent's submission page

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.

Mysteries, thrillers, cozies, contemporary romance, romcoms, upmarket women's fiction, memoirs, narratives, cookbooks, self-help, mg fiction, ya fiction, historical narratives

Adult Fiction: High-stakes mysteries and thrillers, and funny cozies––especially ones featuring ensembles, intergenerational family dynamics, and/or main characters outside of law enforcement, military, or journalism; contemporary romance and romcoms; upmarket women's fiction. Adult Non-Fiction: memoirs, narratives, cookbooks involving family heritage, self-help with concrete takeaways, empowerment, cultural tradition, and parts of history not typically taught in school. MG and YA: commercial fiction, including contemporary fantasy, horror, romance, mystery, and thriller––including ones with spooky or paranormal elements––especially ones that grapple with identity and/or intersectionality with fresh perspectives.

Use QueryManager link provided

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, contemporary novels, fantasy, science fiction, magical realism, horror, mysteries, middle grade fantasy, picture books, graphic novels, arts, pop culture, nature, psychology, cultural history, science, wellness, occult

Wants: Query letter, first 10 pages

Literary and upmarket fiction, non-fiction book proposals, select children's books, and graphic novels. In fiction, she's looking for contemporary novels (with or without speculative elements), fantasy, grounded science fiction, magical realism, horror, and mysteries. In non-fiction, she's interested in projects that explore the arts, pop culture, nature, psychology, cultural history, science, wellness, and the occult

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. For graphic novels, Maria is only considering projects by a single creator both writing and illustrating the book.

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.

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

Romance, fantasy, upmarket or women's fiction, mystery or thriller, young adult fiction, middle grade fiction

Voice-driven YA and romance that balances heart, humor, and hope. High-concept setups with emotional depth: the summer that changes everything, the cruise that goes hilariously off course, the fantasy quest that doubles as a love story, or the play that blurs the line between acting and truth. She loves lush, escapist settings—coastal towns, vibrant cities, magical kingdoms, faraway ships.

Before you hit submit on any queries please verify her #MSWL.

Upmarket fiction, literary fiction, cultural criticism, journalism, memoir, essay collections, illustrated projects

Wants: Query letter, first 3 chapters, full proposal

Upmarket and literary fiction with strong sense of place, cultural criticism, journalism, memoir/narrative, and essay collections

Query Clare at cmao@sjga.com under the subject line 'QUERY – project title.' Include your query letter and the first 3 chapters (fiction) or full proposal (nonfiction)

Women's fiction, upmarket adult, commercial adult, domestic suspense, literary mystery, thrillers, historical, contemporary romance, book club fiction, pop science, business, psychology, cookbooks, memoirs, lifestyle, narrative non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, first 10 pages

In terms of fiction, she is seeking women's fiction, upmarket adult, commercial adult, domestic suspense, literary mystery and thrillers, historical, contemporary romance, and smart book club fiction. In terms of non-fiction, she is looking for pop science, business, psychology, cookbooks, unique memoirs, lifestyle (health, wellness, relationships, parenting), narrative, and platform based non-fiction

For fiction queries, please format email subjects as 'Fiction: TITLE or GENRE or CREATOR NAME' and non-fiction queries as 'Non-Fiction: TOPIC or TITLE or CREATOR NAME'

Picture books, mg fiction, ya fiction, adult commercial fiction, fantasy, mystery or thriller, upmarket women's fiction

Picture Books: Author/Illustrators ONLY. MG fiction: funny, mad-cap adventures; epic fantasy; magical realism; high-concept twists; strong plots and voices. YA fiction: commercial and high-concept fiction (all genres). Plot-driven and escapist books. Humor, imagination, adventure, romance. Adult commercial fiction (accessible fantasy, mystery/thriller, upmarket women's fiction). Fun, escapist reads. Great hooks. Great writing.

Use QueryManager link provided

Upmarket fiction, literary fiction

See source page for more info

Esty is only accepting submissions via her personal QueryManager link.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, cookbooks, poetry, translation

Wants: Query letter, sample chapter

Nora is interested in literary and upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoirs, cookbooks, select poetry, translation, Spanish-language authors, and international writers.

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, 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.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, romantic comedy, memoir, psychology, narrative nonfiction, literary studies, art history, popular science, philosophy, cultural studies

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, picture book manuscript, referral note if applicable

Alex Reubert is a literary agent at HG Literary. He is pursuing books that demand he keep reading by style or story, including literature in translation, novels set outside the U.S., upmarket and literary fiction, narrators looking back on their lives, upmarket romantic comedy, memoir, psychology, narrative nonfiction, literary studies, art history, popular science, philosophy, cultural studies, and prose by poets or musicians.

Submit to Alex Reubert through his official QueryManager link. HG Literary asks for electronic submissions only. Unless an agent-specific form asks otherwise, send a query letter and the first five pages in the body of the query, no attachments. If it is a picture book, include the entire manuscript. Mention referrals in the first line. Query only one HG Literary agent at a time.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, social science, popular science, popular psychology, memoir, nature writing

Wants: Query letter, bio, comparable books, first twenty pages or proposal

Allison Malecha represents a small, selective list split between fiction and nonfiction. In literary and upmarket fiction she is drawn to messy family stories, outsider perspectives, narratives that take readers somewhere unexpected, sharp and imaginative line-level writing, emotional movement, strong sense of place, gothic novels in fresh settings, and complex friendship novels. In nonfiction she wants generous yet galvanizing narrative nonfiction with historical or international dimensions, social science, pop science, pop psychology, memoir tied to larger current issues or expertise, and nature writing from underrepresented voices.

Submit through Allison Malecha's official QueryManager form. Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager and asks writers not to submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review window. Her form asks for author bio, why Trellis, title, word count, genre, query letter, comparable books, and the first 20 pages or full nonfiction proposal.

Romantasy, fantasy, science fiction, dark academia, mystery, gothic, romance, upmarket fiction

Wants: Query letter

Andrea is open to YA, new adult and adult romantasy, fantasy, science fiction, dark academia, mystery and gothic; for adult and new adult she is also open to romance and upmarket fiction.

Submit through Andrea's official QueryTracker route.

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.

Thriller, mystery, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, young adult, adult fiction, horror, suspense

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Barbara is looking for high-octane thrillers, edgy mysteries, literary, upmarket and commercial YA and adult fiction, suspense, horror and anything with a unique voice.

Email Barbara.queries@wordonelit.com with the query letter and first 10 pages of the work in the body of the email.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, adult fiction, light speculative fiction

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, author bio

Callie Deitrick is looking for contemporary literary/upmarket adult novels with a fresh hook and strong character-driven plot. She enjoys smart and entertaining books with humor and suspense, flawed Millennial characters, diverse voices, sympathetic protagonists, light speculative fiction with a simple premise that feels grounded in reality, narratives that subvert genre norms, and complicated female friendships.

Send all queries to submissions@wsherman.com. Include your last name, title, and Callie Deitrick's name in the subject line. For fiction, paste a query letter and the first 10 pages in the body of the email. For nonfiction, send the query letter and author bio. Do not query multiple Wendy Sherman agents at the same time and do not send to direct agent emails.

Adult fiction, contemporary fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction, historical fiction, grounded speculative fiction, thriller, suspense, horror, romance, mystery, adult nonfiction, spirituality, mind body spirit, food, agriculture, science, stem, natural living, animals, pets, community, culture, pop culture, health, wellness

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Carleen is building a list in adult fiction and nonfiction. In fiction she likes contemporary genres, upmarket or literary voices, commercial work, historical genre blends, grounded speculative stories, thrillers, suspense, horror, mysteries, and romance with a strong subplot. In nonfiction she is interested in niche topics with wide appeal, including spirituality, food, agriculture, science, natural living, animals, culture, pop culture, and health/wellness.

Submit through Carleen Geisler's QueryManager form. The form asks for a query letter, synopsis, genre, word count, comparable books, AI-use disclosure, publication history, and the first 10 pages, or a book outline for nonfiction.

Practical nonfiction, business, health, wellness, mind body spirit, psychology, parenting, technology, narrative nonfiction, memoir, biography, history, pop culture, current affairs, women's interest, social trends, sports, fitness, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, suspense, thriller

Wants: Query letter, author bio

Dana is interested in practical nonfiction by authors with smart, unique perspectives and established platforms, compelling narrative nonfiction, memoir, biography, history, pop culture, current affairs, women's interest, social trends, sports and fitness, plus select literary fiction, upmarket fiction, and suspense/thriller.

Email dananewmanliterary@gmail.com with QUERY and the title in the subject line. Send a one-page query letter in the body of the email with category, title, word count, project overview, credentials, publishing history, contact details, and disclosure of simultaneous submissions. Do not send attachments.

Literary fiction, young adult, middle grade, narrative nonfiction, practical nonfiction, biography, history, memoir, pop culture, upmarket women's fiction, food writing, cookbooks

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Elizabeth focuses on literary fiction, young adult fiction, narrative nonfiction, issue-based nonfiction, history, biography, food writing, cookbooks, memoir, 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.

Young adult fiction, adult fiction, commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, fantasy, romance

Wants: Query letter

Gabriella represents YA fiction and adult fiction, with interest in stories by Latinx/Hispanic authors, commercial or upmarket fiction, stories that present real issues in a digestible format, and YA/new adult fantasy or romance.

Submit through Gabriella's QueryManager form. Great Dog accepts queries only through QueryManager and asks writers not to query multiple Great Dog agents.

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.

Picture books, cookbooks, middle grade, young adult, science fiction, fantasy, horror, suspense, contemporary fiction, upmarket women's fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir

Jennifer Wills is a literary agent at The Seymour Agency. She is interested in a wide range of picture books and cookbooks, especially author-illustrators of sweet and wacky picture books and cookbooks with health-conscious, budget-friendly, or celebrity-chef recipes. In fiction she is interested in middle grade and YA with a sci-fi/fantasy, horror/suspense, or contemporary bent, and upmarket women's fiction with a sense of humor. In nonfiction she welcomes narrative nonfiction and memoir. She wants a great hook, a distinct voice, and work that can make her laugh out loud or ugly cry.

Query Jennifer Wills through her official Seymour QueryManager link: https://querymanager.com or query or JenniferWills. The current Seymour profile also lists jennifer@theseymouragency.com as a contact email, but the public query route is QueryManager.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, mystery, thriller, food writing, journalism

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, author bio

Kate is particularly interested in literary and upmarket fiction, memoir and narrative nonfiction that contributes to conversations that move society forward, with strong narrative voices and clear confidence of intention.

Submit through Kate Garrick's QueryManager form. Submit to only one SLM agent at a time, no response within 12 weeks means pass.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, investigative journalism

Sweeping narratives with voice-driven prose, particularly genre-bending projects that offer fresh perspectives. Timeless stories exploring migration, family, socioeconomic inequality, and speculative worlds that reveal complicated truths about our own reality. Also select narrative nonfiction, memoir, and investigative journalism projects; across all genres, books that uplift historically underrepresented voices.

Submit queries through Aevitas Creative Management's contact and submissions form or contact the agency directly by phone at and 1 (212) 765-6900.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, nonfiction, literary criticism, essay collections, idea-driven nonfiction, technology, data, tennis

Wants: Query letter

Tyler is actively building a list of distinctive, voice-driven writers. He is drawn to literary and upmarket fiction with emotional depth and narrative momentum, and nonfiction centering marginalized voices, literary criticism, essay collections, ambitious idea-driven projects, data and its cultural implications, and tennis.

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.

Narrative nonfiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, illustrated books, biography, history, politics, public life, music, architecture, art, design, food, culinary culture, memoir, cultural criticism, counterculture, place-based writing

William Clark represents serious narrative nonfiction, select literary and upmarket fiction, and illustrated books with cultural authority by authors whose work combines narrative force, intellectual rigor, and a distinct point of view. He is especially drawn to biography, history, politics and public life, music, architecture, art and design, food and culinary culture, memoir with a larger lens, cultural criticism, counterculture, and place-based writing.

Representation queries are accepted only through the official representation-query form on the William Clark Associates website. They are not accepted by telephone, postal mail, or courier mail.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, social history, cultural history, pop culture, fashion, food writing, art, music, women's issues, literary memoir

Wants: Query letter, first chapter

Susan Ramer has been at Don Congdon Associates since 1986. She looks for literary fiction, upmarket book club fiction, both contemporary and historical and especially American, and narrative nonfiction. She is drawn to authentic voice, unforgettable characters with an edge, unfamiliar well-crafted stories that are emotional in unpredictable ways, social history, cultural history, smart pop culture such as fashion, food, art, and music, women's issues, and literary memoir with a distinctive theme. She especially likes nonfiction that combines a personal thread with reporting and analysis of a broader social or cultural issue, and appreciates a sense of humor, especially on the dark side.

Submit to Susan Ramer through her official Don Congdon linked QueryTracker form. Don Congdon says Susan Ramer accepts queries only via QueryTracker. A query letter should be a one-page description or synopsis including genre, word count, comparable titles, and relevant background, with the first chapter included through the applicable QueryTracker section. Query only one Don Congdon agent at a time.

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.

Narrative nonfiction, idea-driven nonfiction, science, technology, nature, social justice, psychology, culture, literary memoir, cultural criticism, essays, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, psychological thriller, romantic comedy

Wants: Query letter, first ten to fifteen pages, proposal

Caroline Eisenmann is drawn to narrative and idea-driven nonfiction shaped by expansive curiosity, especially work that makes hidden structures more legible, including science, technology, nature, social justice, psychology, culture, capitalism, deeply reported narratives, literary memoir, cultural criticism, and essays. In adult literary and upmarket fiction, she responds to speculative elements used for emotional truth, obsession, ruthless narrators, intimacy and its discontents, social issues on a human scale, underrepresented voices, visceral prose, vivid consciousness, driving plot, upmarket psychological thrillers, and romantic comedies.

Send Caroline Eisenmann a query at ce@goldinlit.com. For fiction, memoir, essays, or narrative nonfiction, include a query letter and the first 10-15 pages in the body of the email. For other nonfiction, send a query letter and attach a proposal if prepared. Submit to only one Frances Goldin agent at a time.

Fiction, nonfiction, upmarket fiction, thriller, book club fiction, self-help, health, wellness, business, science, public affairs

Wants: Query letter, first twenty-five pages

Celeste represents a select list of bestselling fiction and nonfiction authors. She is currently looking for upmarket fiction that makes readers laugh or cry, one-of-a-kind thrillers with TV and film potential, and nonfiction authors helping readers navigate the world as it is today.

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

Women's issues, pop culture, illustrated nonfiction, photography, history, politics, self-help, current events, narrative nonfiction, biography, business, lifestyle, cookbooks, contemporary fiction, upmarket fiction, historical fiction, romantic comedy, women's fiction

Wants: Query letter, first 20 pages, proposal

Dani represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction for adults and children. In nonfiction she is drawn to women's issues, pop culture, illustrated and photography projects, history, politics, self-help, current events, narrative nonfiction, biography, business, lifestyle, and cookbooks. In fiction she seeks contemporary and upmarket adult fiction, historical fiction, rom-coms, and women's fiction with compelling narrators and voice-driven writing.

Submit to Dani Segelbaum via QueryManager. Her form asks for a query letter and the first 20 pages of fiction or a full nonfiction proposal. Do not query multiple Arc agents simultaneously.

Upmarket fiction, literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, cultural history, cultural criticism, sociology, anthropology

Wants: Query letter, first few chapters

Iwalani Kim is seeking adult upmarket and literary fiction and select nonfiction. In fiction she loves coming-of-age narratives, family dramas, stories that challenge systems of power, strong voice or place, realism with speculative elements, lush prose, wry humor, irreverent characters, and yearning. In nonfiction she is looking for memoir, cultural histories, cultural criticism, history, design and architecture, sociology, anthropology, and work from a leftist angle. She especially wants to work with underrepresented authors and Pacific Islander writers.

Email Iwalani Kim at ikim@sjga.com with the subject line Query: [book title] by [your name]. Include a brief pitch letter and the first few chapters in the body of the email. Greenburger says not to query more than one Greenburger agent at a time.