US Literary fiction Literary Agents

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

Wants: Query letter, sample chapter

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

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

Narrative nonfiction, history, science, politics, environment, business, memoir, literary fiction, young adult, middle grade, science fiction, fantasy

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal

Diana Finch is currently taking only nonfiction queries, including memoir, until further notice. Her official page lists favorite nonfiction categories as narrative nonfiction, history, science, progressive politics, environmental books, business, and memoir. The same page also describes fiction interests in strong storytelling for adult, YA, and middle grade, literary fiction with unique or unexpected elements, and selected genre fiction other than romance, but fiction submissions are currently closed.

Use the official Diana Finch Literary Agency Submittable page. Include a full query letter and sample material. The Submittable page asks fiction writers for the first ten pages or so, and nonfiction writers for a full proposal and sample chapters, the agency blog currently says fiction submissions are closed and only nonfiction queries, including memoir, are being taken until further notice.

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

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

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

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

Literary fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, romance, mystery, suspense, memoir, narrative nonfiction, history, current affairs

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio, sample pages

Elizabeth is interested in literary fiction, women's fiction, historical fiction, romance, mystery/suspense, memoir, narrative nonfiction, history, and current affairs.

Submit electronically to the appropriate agent at the address listed on the official submissions page. For adult fiction, send query letter, synopsis, author bio, and first three consecutive chapters up to 30 pages pasted in the email. Only query one agent at a time.

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

Wants: Query letter

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

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

Literary fiction, 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Adult fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller, mystery, historical fiction, romance, commercial fiction, literary fiction

Wants: Query letter

Anne represents adult fiction, with public listings and author-facing materials emphasizing genre and commercial fiction including science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller, mystery, historical, romance, commercial, and literary fiction.

Submit through Anne Tibbets' QueryTracker or QueryManager form. Do not query Anne at the same time as another Donald Maass Literary Agency agent.

Narrative nonfiction, memoir, literary fiction

Wants: Query letter, sample chapter

Alia is interested in narrative nonfiction, memoir, and literary fiction.

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.

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

Wants: Query letter

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

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

Narrative non-fiction, memoir, historical fiction, literary fiction, history, pop culture, cultural studies, women's studies, natural history, children's

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Katherine loves books that explore the lesser-known territories of human experience.

For fiction, include a cover letter listing previously published work, a one-page summary and the first five pages in the body of the email (not as an attachment). For non-fiction, query first. When a proposal is requested, include an author biography, overview, chapter-by-chapter summary, marketing and publicity plan, analysis of competitive titles, and sample chapters or text.

Literary fiction, mainstream fiction, mystery, suspense, thriller, historical fiction, contemporary women's fiction, young adult, middle grade, memoir, biography, history, business, psychology, pop culture, popular science

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first 5 to 10 pages, writing credentials

Maria Carvainis Agency represents a wide range of fiction and nonfiction with special interest in literary and mainstream fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, historicals, contemporary women's fiction, young adult and middle grade, memoir, biography, history, business, psychology, pop culture, and popular science.

Email a query letter, a synopsis of the work, the first 5 to 10 pages, and a note of any writing credentials to mca@mariacarvainisagency.com. Attachments must be Word documents or PDF files. Queries are also accepted by post.

Chick lit, commercial, contemporary, cozy fantasy, cozy romantasy, crime, detective, police, family saga, fantasy, fantasy: magical realism, fantasy: urban, graphic novel, historical, horror, lgbtq and, literary, middle grade, military, espionage, multicultural, mystery, new adult, offbeat, quirky, romance, romantasy, suspense, thriller, upmarket, women's fiction, young adult

Query Letter, Synopsis, One Paragraph Pitch, Comparable Books, First 10 Pages

Submit through Query Manager. Unsolicited queries sent to his email address will be deleted unread.

Novelists, memoir, narrative nonfiction, celebrity books, academic nonfiction, journalism, commercial fiction, literary fiction

Wants: Query letter, first 10 pages

Lisa represents novelists and memoirists with narrative urgency, dramatic tension, multi-faceted characters, and a transporting sense of place, as well as experts, celebrities, academics, and journalists writing across nonfiction categories.

Email the first ten pages of the manuscript or proposal to lgsubmissions@defliterary.com in the body of the message. No hard-copy submissions and no attachments.

Middle grade, young adult, new adult, adult fiction, fantasy, dystopian, mystery, horror, contemporary fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, science fiction

Wants: Query letter

Jenissa is looking for middle grade, YA, New Adult and adult projects, especially high-concept fantasy, near-future dystopia, mysteries in fresh settings, genre-blending horror and coming-of-age contemporary work centered on strong emotional journeys.

Submit through Jenissa Graham's QueryManager form from her official BookEnds profile.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, adult fiction, young adult, middle grade, short stories, narrative nonfiction, memoir, historical fiction

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Leigh Feldman Literary is particularly interested in historical fiction, contemporary YA, literary fiction, memoir and narrative nonfiction. The agency is not interested in adult or YA paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, romance, thrillers, mysteries or picture books.

Email a query letter and the first ten pages of the manuscript or proposal to query@lfliterary.com.

Literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, young adult, middle grade, science, history, narrative nonfiction, graphic novels, comics

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, synopsis

Eddie represents literary fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, YA, middle grade, science, history, narrative nonfiction, graphic novels, and comics. He is looking for groundbreaking, genre-defining books that reflect the whole spectrum of human experience, with particular interest in fresh and diverse voices.

Submit through Eddie's QueryManager form with a query letter and roughly the first 5 pages pasted below the query. A 1-3 page synopsis may be included. Do not send attachments except art samples for graphic novels.

Romance, lgbtq and stories, literary romance, gothic romance, romantasy, paranormal romance, romcoms

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio, first 5 pages

David is actively seeking romance projects, especially LGBTQ+ stories, literary romance, gothic romance, romantasy, paranormal romance, charming romcoms, and cozy seasonal reads.

Submit to David through the QueryTracker link supplied on the official L. Perkins Agency page.

Young adult fiction, science fiction, fantasy, literary fiction, historical fiction, romantic comedy

Wants: Query letter, first five pages

Bridget is open to all genres of YA and has a soft spot for layered emotional contemporary, sophisticated or unusual SFF, and immersive historical fiction. She also represents literary SFF, historical fantasy, literary fiction with genre elements or interesting structure, contemporary fiction with speculative elements, and adult rom-coms.

Submit through Bridget's QueryManager form with a query and the first five pages. She is open for the first ten days of every month except December.

Narrative nonfiction, idea-driven nonfiction, literary fiction, journalism, technology, business, history, cultural criticism

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, proposal, ai disclosure

Laura Usselman represents narrative and idea-driven nonfiction and select literary fiction. In fiction, she likes distinctive prose with memorable characters. In nonfiction, she is especially seeking striking literary nonfiction, deeply reported journalism from the worlds of tech and business, immersive narrative history that illuminates the present, and smart cultural criticism on film, music, art, or sports.

Email a query letter and the first 10 pages of the manuscript or proposal in the body of the email to luquery@skagency.com. SKLA asks writers to disclose in the query if they have used or intend to use AI tools to assist in creating the work.

Adult fiction, children's books, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, family saga, magical realism, mystery, crime fiction, suspense, coming of age, story collections, journalism, history, cultural criticism, true crime, middle grade, mental health, science, political activism, environmentalism

Wants: Query letter, brief bio, first fifteen pages

Reiko Davis represents both adult and children's books. On the adult side she seeks literary and upmarket fiction and narrative nonfiction, including historical and contemporary novels set in the U.S. and internationally, ambitious multigenerational family sagas, novels that rewrite what it means to be American today, stories with speculative or magical elements, offbeat novels with troubled but lovable protagonists, mystery/crime/suspense with a literary edge, later-in-life coming-of-age stories, linked story collections, immersive journalism, gap-filling history, cultural criticism, true crime that sheds light on larger social issues, and the occasional book on writing craft. In children's books she is actively looking for middle grade projects with big questions, emotional truth, storytelling, humor, and heart, plus MG nonfiction in mental health, science, political activism, environmentalism, and narrative history.

Email Reiko Davis at reiko@defliterary.com with Query and the project title in the subject line. Include a brief description of the project, a brief relevant bio, and for fiction the first 15 pages pasted in the body of the email. Do not send attachments. DeFiore prefers electronic queries, does not represent original screenplays, teleplays, or theater plays, and allows multiple DeFiore agents at once if disclosed.

Literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translation, narrative nonfiction, international fiction

Wants: Query letter, reading material

Sandra Pareja is an agent at Massie McQuilkin & Altman. She is looking for authentic, unconventional literary voices in fiction, nonfiction, and sometimes poetry. She reads and edits in English, Spanish, and Italian at a native level, can tackle manuscripts in French, Portuguese, and Catalan, and will consider works from other languages if attached to an English translator. Her official profile says she specializes in groundbreaking literary fiction from Spanish, English, French, and Italian and has an eye out for ambitious narrative nonfiction.

Email Sandra Pareja directly at sandra@mmqalit.com and strive to include as much reading material as possible. MMQA accepts electronic submissions only, does not represent screenplays, and asks writers not to query more than one agent at the agency at one time.

General fiction, literary fiction, anthology, biography, business, cooking, health, history, politics, current affairs, humor, lifestyle, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, pop culture, reference, sports, true crime, general nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Bill focuses heavily on sports and nonfiction, with AALA-listed interests including biography, business, cooking, health, history/politics/current affairs, humor, lifestyle, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, pop culture, reference, sports, true crime, general nonfiction, general fiction, and literary fiction.

Contact Bill Ames at bill@amesliterary.com for submission instructions, which vary based on genre, length, and topic.

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

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal

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

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

Debut fiction, horror, new adult, science fiction, fantasy, romance, general fiction, literary fiction, business, finance, cooking, health, history, politics, current affairs, lifestyle, parenting, pop culture, science, sports, advice, relationships

Wants: Query letter

Irene is open to adult fiction and nonfiction across commercial and literary categories, including debut fiction, horror, new adult, science fiction/fantasy, romance, general fiction, literary fiction, business/finance, cooking, health, history/politics/current affairs, lifestyle, parenting, pop culture, science, sports, advice and relationships.

Submit through Irene Kaster's QueryTracker form. HJLit does not accept unsolicited manuscripts by email.

Narrative nonfiction, current events, history, journalism, science, literary fiction, commercial fiction, young adult

Wants: Query letter

Andy encourages queries for narrative nonfiction, current events and history, journalism, science, literary and commercial fiction, and young adult fiction. He does not want poetry, short stories, adult romance, science fiction and fantasy, adult or teen paranormal, or film scripts.

Email queries to andyrossagency@hotmail.com. Keep the query under half a page, put Query in the email subject line, state the project category in the first sentence, and include a short book description and writing qualifications.

Cinematic speculative fiction, literary horror, fairytale retellings, coming-of-age, nonfiction

Character-driven books with heart and humor. She is looking for cinematic speculative fiction like Kaliane Bradley's The Ministry of Time or Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic; literary horror and imaginative fairytale retellings like Christina Henry's Lost Boys or The Chronicles of Alice; gut-wrenching coming-of-age books like Milkman by Anna Burns or Maurice by E.M. Forster; and well-researched, inspiring nonfiction like Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui

Please submit queries here

Narrative nonfiction, prescriptive nonfiction, memoir, sports, health, business, political books, pop culture, social justice, women's issues, underrepresented voices, commercial fiction, literary fiction, illustrated books, graphic novels, young adult, middle grade, children's books

Wants: Query letter, nonfiction proposal, overview, table of contents, chapter outline, target audience, marketing plan, competitive titles, author bio, sample chapters, synopsis, comparable titles, ten to twenty sample pages

Lisa Leshne is most passionate about narrative nonfiction and memoir highlighting extraordinary stories from diverse voices, women, underdogs, and leaders. She mainly acquires in sports, business, political, health, prescriptive, and pop-culture genres, and is always seeking exceptional literary and commercial fiction. The agency is especially interested in narrative and prescriptive nonfiction with social justice, women's issues, and underrepresented voices; sports, health, business, political, and pop-culture topics; exceptional commercial and literary fiction; and select illustrated, graphic novel, young adult, middle grade, and children's books.

Submit through The Leshne Agency's official QueryManager form for fastest response, or email submissions@leshneagency.com with a query letter. Do not do both. For email queries, put QUERY as the first word in the subject line followed by the title. For nonfiction, include a complete proposal with overview, table of contents and chapter outline, target audience, marketing or promotion plans, comparable titles, bio, and at least 2 fully written sample chapters. For fiction, include author information, title, genre, word count, hook or tag-line, brief synopsis, inspiration if relevant, comparable titles, and 10-20 sample pages.

Big idea nonfiction, memoir, pop culture, pop science, psychology, philosophy, prescriptive nonfiction, ecology, cultural history, social history, narrative nonfiction, investigative journalism, biography, essays, criticism, cookbooks, literary fiction, commercial fiction

Wants: Query letter

Lauren Hall is especially interested in wide-ranging nonfiction, including big idea books, high-concept and outward-facing memoir, pop culture, pop science, psychology, philosophy, voicey prescriptive projects, ecology, cultural and social history, deeply reported narrative, investigative journalism, biography, essays and criticism, and select design-driven books and cookbooks. She is also interested in select literary and commercial fiction, particularly absurdist or surreal but not fantastical narratives and characters with vivid inner lives.

Email submissions to lauren@foliolit.com. Include the word QUERY and the title of the project in the subject line. Lauren Hall does not accept physical queries through the mail.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, upmarket fiction, historical fiction, grounded fantasy, science fiction, big idea nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, history, psychology, social science, philosophy, natural science, current affairs, journalism, nature and ecology, pop culture, self-help, true crime

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

Lucy Cleland is Vice President and Senior Agent at Frances Goldin Literary Agency. Her nonfiction taste is anchored in how culture shapes people and how people shape culture, including big idea books, narrative nonfiction, pop culture and cultural criticism, history, psychology, social science, philosophy, natural science, and select memoir. In fiction she likes sticky or unusual concepts, literary fiction about social issues and human hearts, transportive historical fiction, and genre-bending contemporary work, particularly grounded fantasy and science fiction where a single twist changes the world. Marginalized perspectives are warmly welcomed.

Submit to Lucy Cleland through the official QueryTracker or QueryManager form linked from the Goldin submissions page. The form asks for a query letter, synopsis, one-sentence pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 10 pages, or a full proposal for nonfiction. Goldin asks writers to submit to only one agent at a time.

Literary fiction, noir, crime fiction, police procedurals, caribbean literature, diaspora literature, original fiction

Madison Smartt Bell is interested in literary fiction, noir, criminal procedurals, work from the Caribbean basin and other diasporas, and anything genuinely original and fresh.

Submit through Ayesha Pande Literary's official query form and select Madison Smartt Bell. APL asks writers not to submit to multiple APL agents simultaneously, if you have not heard back after 8 weeks, you may withdraw and submit to another agent. Queries submitted through mail or the contact page are not accepted.

Adult nonfiction, women's issues, pop culture, self-help, gift books, history, biography, literary legacies, narrative nonfiction, upmarket fiction

Wants: Query letter, author bio, first ten pages, overview, table of contents

Laura Mazer specializes in adult nonfiction, especially women's issues, intelligent pop culture, counterintuitive self-help, packaged gift or concept books, geeky deep dives into everyday life, history, biography, and fresh celebrations of literary legacies, especially stories about women. She also represents select upmarket fiction.

Email submissions to submissions@wsherman.com. Include your last name, title, and Laura Mazer's name in the subject line. For fiction, paste a query letter and the first 10 pages in the email body. For nonfiction, send a query letter and author bio, the agency guidelines also ask for a table of contents and overview for nonfiction. Do not send attachments or query multiple Wendy Sherman agents simultaneously.

Science, business, economics, lifestyle, current events, pop culture, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, genre-bending fiction, horror, satire

Wants: Query letter, brief synopsis, short bio, first twenty five pages

Leila Campoli advocates for marginalized voices, counterintuitive ideas, and unique styles. She works with writers of science, business, economics, lifestyle, current events, pop culture, and literary and upmarket fiction. In nonfiction, she is particularly interested in books that offer a window into remarkable lives and ways of living. In fiction, she looks for speculative, genre-bending literary and upmarket fiction, weird fiction leaning into horror or satire, and stories set in extreme environments.

Email a query to submissions@calligraphlit.com. Include a brief synopsis, short bio, and 25 pages of sample material in the body of the email. Put Leila Campoli's name, the project title, and the genre in the subject line. Do not query Leila directly, all submissions must go to the shared submissions address.

Literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, cultural analysis, history of ideas, science

Wants: Query letter, author bio, sample chapter

Phoebe Rhinehart enjoys well-observed literary fiction that explores the tragedy of the human condition in the everyday, intense interiority, and lyrical prose. Her nonfiction tastes include ambitious cross-disciplinary cultural analyses, histories of ideas, and the sciences, especially nonfiction where personality and passion come through.

Email info@thegernertco.com with a query letter describing the work, information about yourself, and a sample chapter if appropriate. Indicate in the query letter that you are querying Phoebe Rhinehart. Do not email individual agents directly, phone the office about unsolicited manuscripts, send original copies, submit by regular mail, or submit work generated by AI.

Literary fiction, mainstream fiction, memoir, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Yvette loves reading across genres and has a special fondness for literary fiction and memoir.

Submit through The Leshne Agency's current submission route for Yvette Greenwald. Follow current agency guidelines before querying.