Literary Agents Open to Submissions

Authors and author-illustrators (children's)

Wants: Represents a small list of acclaimed authors and author-illustrators; see agency author list. initial enquiry triggers auto-responder with current guidelines and the submission address.

Authors and author-illustrators producing children's books, both unpublished and established writers seeking representation

Email enquiries@eddisonpearson.com with a brief enquiry. An auto-responder will reply with the current submission address and guidelines. Send your submission to that address, you should receive an acknowledgement within 24 hours. If not, call the agency directly.

Non-fiction and select fiction

Non-fiction: compelling narrative history, ideas books on urgent questions, absorbing biography and memoir, pop culture, humour, and entertainment. Fiction: memorable characters on gripping journeys, principally crime or literary-commercial crossover. Not considering children's, YA, sci-fi/fantasy, or screenplays

Send your work and a covering letter to wiseofficesubmissions@curtisbrown.co.uk. Gordon Wise and his team are taking on only a couple of fiction writers a year. They are not considering submissions for Children's, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, or screenplays. If you have not heard back within four to six weeks, this means they are unable to offer representation.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, crime fiction, non-fiction

Well-written commercial and literary fiction (incl women's fiction, award-winning crime, upmarket), interested in dysfunctional families, outsiders, messiness, working-class/regional voices (Irish/Scottish), diverse perspectives. Non-fiction: housing, class, feminism, social change, globalisation, sexuality and similar areas

Email - submissions@ryeliterary.com

Romance, science fiction, fantasy, gothic tales, horror, cozy mysteries, upmarket commercial fiction, narrative non-fiction, young adult, middle grade

Wants: Query letter, author bio, sample pages, one-sentence pitch

Saritza seeks commercial fiction by diverse authors, particularly romance with complex characters, propulsive science fiction, character-driven fantasy, atmospheric horror, cozy mysteries, upmarket commercial fiction, narrative nonfiction about culture and food, and all Young Adult/Middle Grade genres especially science fiction and romance.

Submit via QueryManager link with query letter, author bio, contact information, and first 10 pages for novels. Include one-sentence pitch. Follow submission guidelines on agency website.

Adult fiction and select non-fiction

Horror (literary to commercial, gothic, dark academia), literary/book-club, high-concept/time-slip, romcom/cozy romance, cosy fantasy, dystopian, non-fiction from experts (nature/climate/psychology/self-help/health/neurodiversity/science etc.)

Online form - https://hs-la.com or submissions/

Fiction and non-fiction

High-concept, character/plot-driven thrillers, crime series, book club love stories, contemporary romcoms (diverse/own voices), sweeping book-club historical, true crime (no child-related), narrative non-fiction (science/environment/psychology/nature/wellbeing/memoir), self-development for women

Email - amandasubmissions@lbabooks.com

Non-fiction, book club fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, speculative fiction, crime fiction

Non-fiction across a broad range of subjects, particularly from authors who are authoritative and accessible, including activists, psychologists, creatives and thought leaders. Also growing a fiction list focused on book club, fantasy, historical, speculative and crime fiction. Actively champions marginalised and underrepresented voices.

For non-fiction, email nonfiction@grahammawchristie.com with a one-page topic summary, detailed chapter-by-chapter outline, author credentials, online profiles, market overview, promotional plan, and 1-2 sample chapters. For fiction, email fiction@grahammawchristie.com with a completed manuscript, including genre in the subject line, a one-to-two line elevator pitch, a 500-800 word synopsis (including spoilers), up to five comparative titles, author bio, promotional notes, and the first three chapters or approximately 10,000 words. Attach documents in Word, Pages or PDF format. Do not submit directly to individual agents. No postal submissions accepted.

Fiction, non-fiction, memoir, popular culture, pop science, sports, self-help, inspiration, cookbooks, humor, lifestyle

Wants: Query letter, first five pages

DeFiore responds favorably to projects that demonstrate real storytelling talent with strong narrative drive and mastery of voice. In non-fiction he favors memoir, popular culture, pop science, sports, self-help and inspiration, cookbooks, humor and lifestyle. In fiction he seeks all sorts of novels except romance or western, for both adult and young adult readers.

Send a persuasive e-mail to Querybrian@defliterary.com indicating the kind of book you are writing, a brief description of the book's contents, anything about your life experiences that will make readers take notice, and demonstrate creativity, confidence, and precision in the prose.

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

Wants: Cover letter, synopsis, first three chapters

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

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

Non-fiction, fiction

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Lerner represents non-fiction writers in the areas of science, psychology, history, cultural studies, true crime and memoir.

Email query letters to mail@dclagency.com, and paste the first ten pages of your manuscript below your letter. Address your email to a specific agent who you think might be the right fit. Submitting to more than one agent at a time is permitted, but please indicate in your letter which agents you are querying. Emails with attachments will not be opened.

Fiction, narrative non-fiction, literary novels, cultural criticism, essays, pop culture

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Marya seeks books that immerse, critique, delight, or illuminate. She represents literary novels, cultural criticism, voice-driven essays with a humorous or critical edge, and pop culture writing.

For fiction submissions, send an informative description, a brief synopsis and the first ten pages. For non-fiction submissions, send an informative description, a full outline, and the first ten pages of the manuscript. Include sample pages in the body of the email below your query. Direct your submission to an individual agent and send material to submissions@janklow.com.

Fiction and non-fiction

Non-fiction: history, popular science, social issues, nature, money/life management, music, sport, film, technology, memoir, true crime, experts with wide appeal. Fiction: literary and well-written commercial, boundary-pushing style with emotional heart and plot, upmarket with satisfying arc, historical or contemporary, genre-mixing

Email submissions@watsonlittle.com with a cover letter in the body of the email, a synopsis, and approximately 10,000 words from the beginning of the manuscript for fiction, or a proposal including a sample chapter and chapter summaries for non-fiction. Address one agent only. No AI-originated or AI-edited material.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, non-fiction

Literary and upmarket fiction and non-fiction (incl lifestyle/wellbeing), stand-out stories with strong leading idea and emotional depth, humour/charm. Currently not looking for crime fiction

Email submissions@watsonlittle.com with a cover letter in the body of the email, a synopsis, and approximately 10,000 words from the beginning of the manuscript as a Word document. For non-fiction, send a proposal as a single document including a sample chapter and chapter list with summaries.

Romance, women's fiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first chapter, one paragraph pitch

She is looking for historical fiction, funny witty modern romances, anything medieval, and exciting historical romances and fiction based on real characters. She wants women's fiction, rom-coms and romances including romantasy, horromance, and cozy romance that are timely, fresh, high-concept with unique hooks. She seeks stories around immigration, cultural differences, mother-daughter stories, dysfunctional families, and found family themes.

Submit through QueryManager only. Include query letter, synopsis, one paragraph pitch, target audience description, and first chapter or full proposal for nonfiction.

Fiction, non-fiction

Query Letter, Synopsis, Sample Pages

Direct submission to an individual agent. For fiction: send informative description, brief synopsis and first ten pages in the body of the email below your query. For non-fiction: send informative description, full outline, and first ten pages in the body of the email below your query.

Fantasy, mystery, horror, speculative fiction, romance, picture books, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, one paragraph pitch, first 3 chapters

She is primarily looking for bold, emotional narratives with layered characters, lyrical and atmospheric writing, voicey genre-blending tales, big stakes, speculative worlds filled with haunting quietly wondrous magic, sharply funny rom-coms and coming of age narratives, witty and heartfelt picture books, and fearless storytellers tackling big ideas. She loves working with and supporting marginalized authors and their stories.

Submit materials via Query Manager.

Speculative fiction, literary science fiction, upmarket book club fiction, thrillers, fairy tale retellings, magical realism, horror, suspense

Dorian is actively building her list in YA and adult fiction, especially speculative fiction, literary science fiction, upmarket book club fiction, thrillers, reimagined fairy tales, magical realism, unique voices, contemporary novels with mystery, horror, suspense, and innovative storytelling.

QueryManager submissions

Popular science nonfiction, fiction, literary fiction

Camille seeks fiction and nonfiction that inspire public engagement with nature, popular science nonfiction, and high-concept literary fiction about nature-human interactions.

QueryManager submissions

Fiction, narrative non-fiction, idea books, entertainment, sports, cookbooks, design, satire, science fiction, thriller, spy stories, young adult, humor

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Luke seeks books that are prime examples of their type, successful at what they're trying to be with natural storytelling and strong voices. He particularly enjoys satire, high concept science fiction, big ambitious novels, humor, thrillers and spy stories.

Direct submission to Luke Janklow at submissions@janklow.com. For fiction: send informative description, brief synopsis and first ten pages in email body. For non-fiction: send informative description, full outline, and first ten pages in email body.

Commercial fiction, horror, non-fiction, young adult horror

Wants: Query letter

Lane represents a broad range of commercial fiction and serious nonfiction. In fiction, he is especially interested in projects broadly defined as horror. He is always looking for projects by underrepresented voices both in horror, fiction in general, and nonfiction. In nonfiction, Lane focuses on the sciences, cultural studies, history, pop-culture, and celebrity projects.

Submit through Query Manager only. Fiction requires completed manuscript. Nonfiction requires full-length proposal. Cannot query multiple agents simultaneously.

Picture books, middle grade fiction, middle grade non-fiction, young adult fiction, young adult non-fiction, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter

High concept stories with high level writing that bring something new to shelves. For middle grade, she loves books with ensemble casts, books about good kids making bad decisions, quests and hijinks, spooky stories and mysteries, and historical novels that feel relevant. For young adult, she seeks books with atmospheric settings, lush writing, and romance threaded through but not primary. She is particularly interested in fantasy told from unique perspectives, ghost stories, accessible science fiction, magical realism, and contemporary stories that challenge assumptions.

Submissions through QueryManager only. Fiction requires completed manuscript. No simultaneous submissions to multiple agents at the agency.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, non-fiction, pop culture, criticism, fantasy

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first ten pages

Jessica represents fiction across the literary and commercial spectrum, journalistic nonfiction, and select pop culture and criticism. She is drawn to intimate narratives that examine complicated relationships, great love stories, immersive fantasy worlds, and propulsive plots grounded by unforgettable characters. In nonfiction, she seeks fresh, thoroughly-reported narratives that examine systemic injustice focusing on individuals impacted by climate change, women's rights, mental health, and race relations.

For fiction submissions, send an informative description, a brief synopsis and the first ten pages. For non-fiction submissions, send an informative description, a full outline, and the first ten pages of the manuscript. Please include the sample pages in the body of the email below your query. Please direct your submission to an individual agent.

Screenwriters (tv or film) only

Screenwriters exclusively, with a focus on film, television, and animation. New and original writing voices, building long-term careers with producers and production companies in the UK, Europe, and the US.

Email - info@vhassociates.co.uk

Fiction, children's, non-fiction

Literary and genre fiction (incl historical, horror, speculative), multi-generational, high-concept book club, domestic dramas, crime/thrillers with a twist, non-fiction including history/true crime/current affairs/travel/food/psychology/feminism/memoir, children's high-concept with humour/heart

Email veroniquemanuscripts@davidhigham.co.uk with a covering letter, a 1-2 page synopsis, and the first 3 chapters.

Commercial women's fiction, ya, contemporary romance, thrillers, suspense, historical fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters

Commercial women's fiction with a fresh and fun hook, all genres of YA (especially diverse stories), contemporary romance, thrillers and suspense, the occasional historical fiction, and anything that might be read in a day on the beach

Complete the form with query letter, synopsis, and first three chapters

Fiction and non-fiction

Most genres/categories for adults and younger readers (excludes plays, screenplays, poetry, 'self-help' non-fiction, picture books)

Email a brief outline and the opening three chapters (around 10,000 words) to mail@antonyharwood.com. Fiction writers who are unpublished should only submit once their manuscript is complete.

Middle grade, ya, adult fiction

MG adventures (fresh), funny MG with series potential, contemporary and mythology for MG, YA romance with strong hook. Adult: women's fiction, dark psychological thrillers, contemporary funny romantic adventure

Email - jo@antonyharwood.com

Non-fiction

Fresh expert perspectives on history, science, nature, politics, big ideas, smart thinking, economics, health and the arts, writers who can open readers' minds and reach a mainstream audience

Online form - https://amheath.com or submissions

Fiction, non-fiction

Confident, immersive, ambitious, narrative-driven writing across fiction and non-fiction. In fiction, she is drawn to epic love stories, novels capturing specific moments in recent history, and tightly plotted narratives that use form to explore the extremes of human psychology and society. She loves love stories in particular — ones that balance emotional depth with humour. In non-fiction, she is seeking subject experts, journalists and memoirists who can write long-form literature, including captivating music writing and ground-shifting investigative journalism.

Email salma@greyhoundliterary.co.uk directly. For fiction, include a cover letter with pitch in the body of the email, and attach the first three chapters and a synopsis. For non-fiction, include a cover letter with pitch in the body of the email, and attach a proposal and sample writing. Submit to one Greyhound agent only. Do not send links to cloud storage services.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, graphic novels, general non-fiction

Original page-turning adult fiction and non-fiction across genres (agency notes it does not currently represent Children's/YA or Science Fiction/Fantasy)

Email representme@rockingchairbooks.com with a whole manuscript or just a few chapters. A covering letter is welcome but not essential — the agency typically reads the work first.

Literary fiction, nonfiction

Bold, diverse voices in both fiction and nonfiction, particularly stories exploring strong or difficult women, unexpected narratives of place and identity, and the evolving ways we understand ourselves and one another. Also has a strong interest in food history, wine, and dance.

Submit through the Aevitas Creative Management contact and submissions form available on their website.

Nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, history, science, sports, technology, business, pop culture

Wants: Query letter, full proposal

Howard Yoon works exclusively with nonfiction writers, especially reported narratives, memoir, history, science, sports, technology, business, and popular culture. He represents leading experts and thought leaders, and has a soft spot for underdog stories and voices of the underserved.

Query Howard Yoon via the contact or query button on his WME Books profile page. For nonfiction, include a query letter addressed to him and a full proposal. WME asks writers to query one agent at a time, if there is no response in six weeks, writers may try another WME Books agent.

Thriller, horror, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, adult fiction, board books, picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade, young adult fiction, young adult non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, author bio, first 10 pages

Lara is currently open to adult fiction queries only. She seeks thrillers, horror with purpose, historical fiction that feels immediate and hooky, and grounded and unexpected science fiction and fantasy. She is always excited to see unreliable narrators, twisty mysteries, eerie settings, psychological horror, and character-driven stories with sparks of magic.

Submit through QueryManager with a short query letter, author bio, contact information, and first 10 pages of text for novels. Complete the required fields in the submission form.

New adult, young adult, middle grade, picture books, romantasy, mystery, speculative fiction, comedy, romantic comedy

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, picture book dummy, portfolio link

Emily van Beek is looking for new adult coming-of-age stories with series potential, romantasy with a fresh hook, cozy mysteries with series potential, high-concept speculative fiction, family drama, comedy, rom-coms, high-concept and well-written YA with bold voice and emotional connection, exquisitely imagined middle grade, funny or mischievous middle grade, and picture books by author-illustrators with award-worthy artwork, character-driven series potential, and diverse creators featuring diverse stories.

Email Emily van Beek at emily@foliolitmanagement.com with QUERY in the subject line. Send a query letter and the first ten pages of the manuscript in the body of the email. For picture books, attach a PDF dummy, portfolio links are welcome. Send queries to this address only because queries to other addresses may not be considered.

Fiction, non-fiction

Jon Curzon represents literary fiction and non-fiction titles that start conversations and spark ideas. He is drawn to debut fiction, memoir, nature writing, science, history, and biography. His emphasis is always towards writers whose work is intelligent and original.

Email a query letter, synopsis, and first three chapters to submissions@artellusltd.co.uk. Postal submissions are not accepted.

Debut fiction, mystery, new adult, paranormal fiction, science fiction, fantasy, romance, general fiction, literary fiction, parenting, advice, relationships

Wants: Query letter

Josi represents fiction and selected nonfiction, with interests including romance, dark romance, contemporary romance, fantasy/urban fantasy, paranormal, new adult, romantic suspense/crime, mystery, fresh perspectives, parenting, advice, and relationships.

Use Beck Literary Agency's Work With Us route or current submission form. Query materials should follow the current agency form instructions.