US Young Adult (YA) Literary Agents Open to Submissions

Narrative nonfiction, popular science, spirituality, history, biography, pop culture, business, technology, parenting, health, self-help, music, food, thriller, crime fiction, science fiction, fantasy, military fiction, literary fiction, middle grade, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, bio, opening pages

Peter specializes in high-quality fiction and nonfiction, including narrative nonfiction, popular science, spirituality, history, biography, pop culture, business and technology, parenting, health, self-help, music, food, literate thrillers, crime fiction, science fiction, fantasy, military fiction, literary fiction, middle grade, and some boy-oriented young adult.

Query Peter through the QueryTracker link on his FinePrint profile. FinePrint asks writers not to submit to more than one FinePrint agent at a time and to follow the selected agent's preferred submission method.

Young adult, historical fiction, romantic comedy, dark romance, true crime, psychological thriller, gothic fiction, romantasy

Wants: Query letter

Rachel is looking for YA centering Jewish and/or queer voices, historical fiction about powerful women and hidden history, quirky rom-coms, dark romance without non-consent, respectful true crime, psychological thrillers, gothic fiction, and fresh romantasy.

Rachel accepts queries in the first and last week of each month through her official QueryTracker route.

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, suspense, women's fiction, contemporary romance, young adult, journalistic nonfiction, memoir

Wants: Query letter, first chapter

Rebecca is interested in commercial and literary fiction with a focus on literary novels of suspense, women's fiction, contemporary romance, and young adult, as well as journalistic nonfiction and memoir. Most of all, she is looking for great stories told in strong voices.

Email queries@rfliterary.com with only a brief query letter of no more than three paragraphs and the first chapter pasted into the email, not exceeding fifteen double-spaced pages. Do not send attachments. Queries sent directly to Rebecca are deleted.

Picture books, middle grade, young adult, literary fiction, general fiction, historical fiction, women's fiction, humor, drama

Wants: Query letter, first twenty pages

Ritu is looking for kidlit, including picture books, middle grade and young adult novels; literary fiction such as drama, fairy tales and fiction in verse; general fiction including women's fiction, humor, realistic fiction, satire and tragedy; historical fiction, women's historical fiction, historical romantic fiction and historical fantasy.

Send a query letter and the first twenty pages of the manuscript to ritu@d4eo.com.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, nonfiction, memoir, cookbooks, thriller, fantasy, horror, young adult, picture books, illustration

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

The Book Group represents award-winning novelists and illustrators, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, thrillers, fantasy, horror, young adult classics, memoirs, cookbooks and picture books.

Email a query letter addressed to the agent at submissions@thebookgroup.com. Put the agent name in the subject line and paste the first ten sample pages below the query. The Book Group only accepts electronic queries to that inbox and does not read attachments.

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.

Nonfiction, young adult, fantasy, science fiction, action adventure, contemporary, magical realism, mystery, thriller, horror

Wants: Query letter

Sharon is seeking nonfiction and young adult, including YA fantasy, science fiction, action/adventure, contemporary, magical realism, mystery/thriller, and horror.

Submit through Sharon'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, nonfiction, memoir, cookbooks, thriller, fantasy, horror, young adult, picture books, illustration

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

The Book Group represents award-winning novelists and illustrators, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, thrillers, fantasy, horror, young adult classics, memoirs, cookbooks and picture books.

Email a query letter addressed to the agent at submissions@thebookgroup.com. Put the agent name in the subject line and paste the first ten sample pages below the query. The Book Group only accepts electronic queries to that inbox and does not read attachments.

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.

Romantasy, young adult, fantasy, romance, dark academia, science fiction

Wants: Query letter, author bio, comp titles

Tara is primarily interested in romantasy with strong female characters, lush worlds and messy interpersonal relationships. She is open to YA and adult fantasy, romance, fairytale or legend retellings, dark academia, accessible fantasy, and science fiction with romantic elements.

Submit through Tara's official QueryTracker route. Include word count, series information, author bio, comp titles, what sets the book apart, and character-led query material.

Nonfiction, fiction, commercial fiction, literary fiction, young adult

Tia Ikemoto is a CAA literary agent based in New York. She represents a diverse range of nonfiction and fiction across the commercial to literary spectrum. She is seeking fiction and nonfiction projects that resonate with a wide audience, and is drawn to compelling and propulsive storytelling, emotionally resonant narratives, and high-concept projects with unique hooks or fresh perspectives.

Use Tia Ikemoto's official CAA agent profile submission button or form. CAA says writers can find query instructions by clicking an agent profile and that open agents show a button or link on their profile to begin a submission.

Adult fiction, adult non-fiction, young adult fiction, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter

Seeks narrative nonfiction, popular science, and pop culture in adult non-fiction. In adult fiction, he loves suspense, thrillers, mysteries, and adult romance. In Young Adult, he looks for contemporary romance, rom coms, boarding school settings, thrillers with horror hints, and fantasy. He has particular interest in Young Adult graphic novels.

Submit via Query Manager. Include trigger warnings with queries. Unsolicited queries sent to email will be deleted unread.

Fantasy, horror, thriller, women's fiction, romance, nonfiction, cookbooks, memoir

Wants: Query letter, first twenty pages, full proposal

V. is primarily interested in adult and teen fiction, especially fantasy, horror, thrillers, women's fiction, and romance, and is open to spiritual or esoteric nonfiction, cookbook proposals, and very select memoir.

Submit through V.'s official QueryTracker route. Fiction queries include a query letter and first twenty pages, nonfiction queries include the full proposal.

Adult fiction, young adult, middle grade, nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, true crime memoir

Wants: Online form submission

Stephanie Rostan is Principal at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. About three quarters of her clients are fiction. She is drawn to unusual and vivid voices, genre-straddling stories, and intense emotion, whether funny, creepy, warm, or sad, that makes a book stick with the reader. She represents adult, YA, and middle grade projects. In nonfiction she likes projects that solve a problem or make readers see things in a new way, and she has also worked on narrative nonfiction and true crime memoir.

Submit through Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency's official online submission form linked from the official submissions page. Stephanie Rostan's profile lists srostan@lgrliterary.com, but LGR's public submissions route is the agency online form.

Middle grade, young adult, children's nonfiction, adult commercial fiction, narrative nonfiction

Wants: Short description, short bio, first five to ten pages

Tamar Rydzinski is President of Context Literary Agency. The official submissions page says she is looking for middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction of all types, adult commercial fiction except political espionage, and adult narrative nonfiction.

Email querytamar@contextlit.com with a short description, short bio, and 5-10 pages of text pasted into the body of the email. Tamar Rydzinski does not open attachments. Context Literary asks writers to query only one agent at a time, if that agent passes, they may query another.

Middle grade, young adult, science fiction, fantasy, romance, women's fiction, inspirational fiction, horror, dystopian

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, pitch, first three chapters

Ali Herring represents a broad range of upmarket and commercial fiction, including middle grade and young adult fiction in all genres, adult contemporary, horror, science fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy, dystopian, thrillers, suspense, romance, women's fiction, southern fiction, and inspirational romance. Her current QueryManager form says she is only open to vampire fiction, Greek gods and goddesses fiction, dystopian fiction, and grounded fantasy, any age.

Submit to Ali Herring only through her official QueryManager link. Spencerhill asks writers to query only one agent and accepts no email or paper submissions. Ali's current form asks for a concise pitch with plot arc and stakes, query letter, synopsis, one-sentence pitch, comparable books, AI-use disclosure, and the first three chapters or full nonfiction proposal.

Literary fiction, literary horror, grounded fantasy, romance, queer romance, body horror, essay collections, new adult, young adult, lgbtq and, pop culture, fashion

Wants: Query letter, sample chapters

Dani is building her list and is looking for literary fiction that keeps her up at night, literary horror, grounded fantasy and romance with real emotion, atmospheric work, girlhood, nostalgia, queer romance, body horror, Los Angeles stories, and essay collections about home, the body, and family.

Sterling Lord Literistic asks writers to submit through the agency submissions route and choose only one SLL agent. Dani's Manuscript Wish List says submissions should be emailed to submissions@sll.com with a query letter and first three chapters.

Fiction, narrative nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Doug has been an agent at Sterling Lord Literistic since 2003. His list consists of fiction and narrative nonfiction for all ages, ranging from literary to commercial work.

Submit through Sterling Lord Literistic's submissions page and choose only one SLL agent to query. The agency says it can only respond if interested in seeing more material.

Romance, contemporary romance, dark romance, new adult, mature young adult

Georgana (Nina) Grinstead is particularly interested in romance, especially contemporary, dark, New Adult, and mature YA romance. She is not looking for historical romance or paranormal/fantasy romance.

The Seymour Agency says it is currently open to submissions and lists Georgana (Nina) Grinstead as an agent contact at georgana@theseymouragency.com. Query by email unless a more specific future form is posted on her official profile or submissions page.

Books, adult fiction, young adult fiction, select nonfiction

Hillary Jacobson is a CAA literary agent and her official CAA profile currently shows Accepting Submissions. The profile is agent-specific but did not expose a detailed public wishlist in static text during this run.

Use Hillary Jacobson's official CAA agent profile submission button or form. CAA says writers can find query instructions by clicking an agent profile and that open agents show a button or link on their profile to begin a submission.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, suspense, thrillers, memoir, narrative nonfiction, young adult

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, sample chapter

Julie Stevenson represents literary and upmarket fiction, suspense and thrillers, memoir, narrative nonfiction, and YA. She is drawn to fiction with unforgettable characters, authorial command of voice, and strong narrative tension. She loves outsiders, weirdos, innovators, and work that explores the depths of human experience and facets of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, social class, and regional background.

Email queries directly to julie@mmqalit.com. Format the subject as Query: BOOK TITLE, category. Include the first 10 pages of the manuscript, or for nonfiction a sample chapter, pasted into the body of the email with no attachments.

Commercial fiction, women's fiction, romance, thriller, domestic suspense, speculative fiction, contemporary young adult, new adult, romantasy, subsidiary rights

Wants: Query letter, first twenty-five pages, first chapter

Kimberly works with commercial fiction authors from debuts to bestselling writers. She is interested in adult commercial fiction, especially women's fiction, romance, thrillers and domestic suspense, speculative fiction, contemporary YA/New Adult crossover, and grounded romantasy.

Email queries@parkfinebrower.com and specify Kimberly Brower 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. YA fiction should include a query letter and first chapter or about the first 10 pages.

Speculative fiction, fantasy, science fiction, horror, gothic fiction, mystery, thriller, contemporary fiction, romance, new adult, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, comps, sample pages

Leah is exclusively looking for Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander and other underrepresented or marginalized voices. She is acquiring YA, New Adult, and adult projects, especially speculative fiction, dark academia, gothic or horror, fantasy with myth, legend, history or fairytale elements, accessible science fiction, YA mystery/thriller, and select contemporary or romance.

Submit through Leah Pierre's QueryManager route. Ladderbird asks writers to use each agent's own query page and not query more than one Ladderbird agent at a time.

Adult nonfiction, journalism, investigative nonfiction, history, business, leadership, lifestyle, cookbooks, humor, gift books, children's fiction, children's nonfiction, middle grade, young adult, picture books

Wants: Query letter, first 25 pages, proposal

Maile is interested in adult nonfiction and children's, middle grade, and YA fiction and nonfiction, especially work that amplifies underrepresented voices and untold stories. In adult nonfiction she wants journalistic deep dives, untold histories, business and leadership resources centering underestimated identities, lifestyle and cookbooks with a fresh personal hook, and unexpected humor and gift books.

Submit to Maile Beal via QueryManager. Follow Arc Literary's guidelines: query letter, author bio, publishing history if applicable, first 25 pages for fiction, or nonfiction proposal with sample material. Do not query multiple Arc agents simultaneously.

Children's fiction, children's nonfiction, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, adult fiction, women's fiction, picture books, adult nonfiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, history, science and technology, art, biography, parenting, cooking and food, health and wellness, lifestyle, advice, relationships, personal finance, social justice, diverse voices

Wants: Query letter, one sentence pitch, first twenty pages, full nonfiction proposal, artwork or portfolio link

Marie Lamba represents fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. In fiction she is currently seeking middle grade and young adult fiction and graphic novels, especially diverse points of view; general adult fiction, women's fiction, and adult graphic novels; select established illustrators and picture book authors; original rom-coms; contemporary and historical work; fresh non-gory ghost stories; fantasy and speculative elements; unique and funny romantasy; hidden treasures, artifacts, ancient civilizations, folklore, fairy tales, and books that are original, moving, or hilarious. In nonfiction she represents children's and adult work, including inspiring memoirs, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, history, science and technology for lay readers, art, biography, parenting, cooking and food, health and wellness, lifestyle, advice and relationships, personal finance, social justice, diverse voices, and books that improve society or help the environment.

Submit only through Marie Lamba's official QueryManager page. JDLA asks writers to query one JDLA agent at a time and says it does not accept snail mail queries. Marie says emailed queries, social-media queries, and regular postal mail queries will be deleted or not considered. Her QueryManager form asks for author details, query letter, one-sentence pitch, publication status, the first 20 pages or full nonfiction proposal, and an art or portfolio link if applicable.

Adult fiction, romance, women's fiction, thriller, adventure, paranormal, fantasy, urban fantasy, science fiction, middle grade, young adult, picture books, children's books, film and tv scripts, nonfiction, spirituality, self-improvement, science, legal issues, environmental issues, kids nonfiction, finance, cookbooks, occult, conspiracies, ufos and aliens, underrepresented voices

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first five pages, full nonfiction proposal, ai disclosure

Marisa A. Corvisiero is the founder and CEO of Corvisiero Literary Agency and a Senior Literary Agent. She judges stories for creative concepts, well-developed plots, rich characters, unique voices, and standout underrepresented voices. She is open to novel manuscripts and nonfiction proposals. For adults, she considers romance, women's fiction, thrillers, adventure, paranormal, fantasy and urban fantasy, science fiction, or combinations of those categories. In middle grade and YA she likes character-driven stories with humor or grit and unique fantasy, adventure, and science fiction concepts. For picture books and children's work she wants STEAM books and stories with growth, positive messages, and strong commercial characters. In nonfiction she seeks focused books in spiritualism, self-improvement, mainstream science, legal issues, environmental issues, kids nonfiction, science, finance, cookbooks, growth mindset, manifesting, channeling, remote viewing, occult mysteries, conspiracy theories, and aliens.

Submit through Marisa Corvisiero's official QueryManager form. Corvisiero asks writers to submit all queries through the agent's QueryManager form, not by email, submit one project at a time, and query only one Corvisiero agent at a time. For fiction, include a query letter and 1-2 page synopsis and follow the form for sample-page length. Marisa's profile says submissions should include a strong query letter, 1-2 page synopsis, and first 5 pages, for picture books upload the full manuscript, for nonfiction upload the proposal.

Young adult fiction, middle grade fiction, graphic novels, women's fiction, romance, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, psychological thriller, narrative nonfiction, biography, culture, social justice, history

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first five pages, comparable books, full nonfiction proposal, ai disclosure

Michelle Witte founded Mansion Street Literary Management and represents MG and YA fiction, graphic novels, adult fiction, and narrative nonfiction. In YA she is looking for rom-com, historical, science fiction and fantasy, horror, psychological thrillers, and mashups of those categories; in MG, fun voices in adventure, contemporary, mystery, humor, horror, speculative, science fiction and fantasy, plus select graphic novels. In adult fiction she seeks women's fiction, romance, and speculative work. For nonfiction she is interested in biographies, culture, social justice, and history with a fresh lens and a personal element.

Submit to Michelle Witte through the official QueryManager link on the Mansion Street submissions page. Her form asks for project details, query letter, synopsis, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 5 pages or a full proposal for nonfiction. Mansion Street says if you do not hear back within 8 weeks, consider it a pass.

Adult nonfiction, business, technology, popular science, women's health, self-help, parenting, humor, illustrated nonfiction, photography, early readers, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels, children's nonfiction, picture books

Wants: Query letter, first 20 pages, proposal

Myrsini considers adult and children's projects across categories except genre fiction. She is looking for voice-driven business and technology books, accessible science, women's health, self-care, progressive parenting, humor and illustrated projects, early readers, middle grade, YA, graphic novels, children's nonfiction, and picture books from writer-illustrators.

Submit to Myrsini Stephanides via QueryManager. Include sample material with the query: first 20 pages for fiction and a full proposal for nonfiction. Picture book submissions are only considered from author-illustrators. Do not query multiple Arc agents simultaneously.

Adult nonfiction, cozy mystery, crime fiction, thriller, upmarket fiction, women's fiction, general fiction, illustrators, picture books, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, children's fiction, children's nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal, portfolio

Natalie represents adult nonfiction, adult cozy mystery/crime, female-driven thrillers, upmarket women's/general fiction, illustrators, and all ages of children's literature, including picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and YA fiction and nonfiction.

Submit through Natalie Lakosil's QueryManager route linked from her Looking Glass profile.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, food, lifestyle, pop culture, history, business, big ideas, self-help, wellness, parenting, children's books, picture books, middle grade, young adult

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal

Neeti Madan is a partner at Sterling Lord Literistic. Her list includes literary, upmarket, and commercial fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and select lifestyle, food, pop culture, history, business, big idea, self-help, wellness, and parenting projects. She is interested in voice-driven fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, books with a strong platform or expertise, and work for young readers from picture books through YA.

Submit through Sterling Lord Literistic's official submissions page and select Neeti Madan if the form offers an agent choice. SLL uses its online submissions portal rather than email queries. Include the requested query materials and follow the instructions in the portal.

Commercial fiction, young adult, adult fiction, romance, fantasy, mythology, dark academia, dystopian, horror, thriller, cozy fantasy, romantasy, gothic horror, folk horror, psychological thriller, new adult, neurodivergent voices, disabled voices

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, comparable titles

Olivia specializes in commercial fiction for young adult and adult audiences. She is looking for romance, fantasy, mythology, dark academia, dystopian, horror, thriller, cozy fantasy, romantasy, nautical fantasy, gothic horror, folk horror, mythological retellings, psychological thrillers, genre-blending manuscripts, and speculative twists, with special interest in work from neurodivergent and disabled authors.

Submit through Olivia Emerick's QueryManager route. The current form asks for a query letter, one-paragraph pitch, target audience, comparable books, AI disclosure, publication status, and the first five pages uploaded as a file.

Adult fiction, adult nonfiction, young adult, children's books, romance, romantasy, fantasy, science fiction, thriller, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, southern gothic, memoir, humor, gift books, bipoc voices, queer voices, chronically ill voices

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, sample chapter, ai disclosure

Patrice Caldwell is Founder and CEO of The Caldwell Agency and a literary agent. Her list is focused on adult fiction and nonfiction, YA, and children's books. Her official QueryManager notes broad interests across adult, YA, and children's work, including romantic fantasy, retellings, thrillers, memoir, humorous or tabletop nonfiction, science fiction, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, southern gothic, family dynamics, and work by BIPOC, queer, and chronically ill writers.

Submit to Patrice Caldwell through her official QueryManager or QueryTracker form. The form asks for author details, project details, genre, query letter, AI disclosure, and the first 10 pages or one sample chapter for nonfiction. Patrice notes that she may forward queries to Caldwell Agency colleagues if she thinks they are a better fit.

Young adult, middle grade, adult book club fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, horror, women's fiction, romance, mystery, suspense

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Patricia represents YA and middle grade fiction in all genres, adult book club/upmarket fiction, including speculative and horror elements, and commercial women's fiction from beach reads and romcoms to darker stories with mystery or suspense.

Patricia Nelson is open to queries during the first week of every month via the QueryTracker route linked from her Looking Glass profile.

Adventure, children's books, juvenile, young adult, mainstream fiction, mystery, politics, law, romance, thriller, women's fiction, comic books, graphic novels, business, commerce, contemporary culture, popular culture, how-to, self-help, mind body spirit, relationships, sports

Wants: One page query letter, book proposal, sample chapter, complete manuscript

Paul S. Levine is a literary agent and publishing attorney. His fiction interests include adventure, children/juvenile/YA, mainstream, mysteries, politics and law, romance, thrillers, women's fiction, comic books, and graphic novels. His nonfiction interests include business/commerce, children/juvenile/YA, contemporary and popular culture, how-to and self-help, mind/body/spirit, politics and law, relationships, and sports. He is not interested in science fiction, fantasy, or horror.

Email Paul S. Levine a one-page query letter, preferably by email, at paul@paulslevinelit.com. No query-related phone calls. If interested, the agency will request material: for nonfiction, a book proposal and sample chapter, for memoir, a proposal and complete manuscript, for fiction, a complete polished manuscript. All requested submissions should be PDF attachments.

Adult fiction, young adult, middle grade, commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, fantasy, romance, thriller

Wants: Query letter, first twenty-five pages, first chapter

Peter represents adult, young adult, and middle grade fiction. He is looking for smart commercial and upmarket fiction, more breakout adult fiction, and standout middle grade across genres.

Email queries@parkfinebrower.com and specify Peter Knapp plus the category and genre in the subject line. Adult fiction submissions should include a query letter and roughly the first 25 pages. YA and children's fiction should include a query letter and first chapter or about the first 10 pages.

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, young adult, narrative nonfiction, business, self-development, history, true crime, pop culture, humor, sports

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Peter represents commercial and literary fiction, science fiction and fantasy, young adult, narrative nonfiction, business, self-development, history, true crime, pop culture, humor, and sports.

Submit through UTA Publishing's official query route and select Peter Steinberg where available. Do not query multiple UTA literary agents simultaneously.