US Upmarket fiction Literary Agents

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.

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.

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.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, social justice journalism, essays, aapi history, aapi culture

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

Jade Wong-Baxter is looking for adult literary and upmarket/book club fiction and narrative nonfiction. In fiction she is drawn to compelling voice with clear narrative momentum, coming-of-age narratives, queer identity, specific subcultures or hidden worlds, grounded speculative fiction, strong sense of place, AAPI and Asian diaspora stories, and immigrant-family novels. In nonfiction she wants projects that weave personal narrative with broader sociological curiosity, especially cultural criticism, social justice journalism, linked essays, and AAPI history or culture.

Email Jade Wong-Baxter at jwb@goldinlit.com. For fiction, memoir, essays, or narrative nonfiction, send 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.

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.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, food, running, art, global stories, social justice, mental health, medicine, environment

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal

Kate Johnson represents literary and upmarket fiction as well as a range of narrative nonfiction and select memoir. She is interested in food, running, obsessives, unconventional families, art, global stories, social justice, mental health, medicine, and the environment. She loves working with journalists. Across all her projects, she looks for authentic voices and books that uncover something off-kilter in the everyday or something relatable in the extraordinary.

Email queries to queries@wolflit.com and address the email to Kate Johnson. For fiction, send a query letter and sample manuscript pages. For nonfiction, send a query letter and full proposal. Query only one Wolf Literary Services agent at a time.

Fiction, nonfiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction, science, nature, journalism, current events, food, lifestyle, subcultures

Wants: Query letter, first fifteen pages, proposal

Lisa represents fiction and nonfiction. In fiction, she looks for literary and upmarket novels, contained settings, unique communities, family sagas, complex relationships, strong writing, voice, diverse voices, and page-turning momentum. In nonfiction she represents narrative, science, nature, journalism, conversation-changing current events, food/lifestyle, and deep dives into subcultures or topics that help readers live better.

Submit through UTA Publishing's official query form and select Lisa Grubka where available. UTA requires the first 15 pages of any manuscript or book proposal and asks writers not to query multiple UTA literary agents.

Fiction, book club fiction, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, psychological thrillers, domestic suspense, horror, mystery, crime fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, underrepresented voices

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

Logan Harper is a staff agent at Jane Rotrosen Agency. She is seeking a wide range of character-driven fiction and is particularly drawn to book club fiction, contemporary romance and romantic comedies, psychological thrillers, domestic suspense, horror, mystery and crime, upmarket fiction, and literary fiction. She is eager to read and champion underrepresented voices and perspectives.

Email Logan Harper at lharper@janerotrosen.com and include all material in the body of the email with no attachments. JRA submissions guidance asks writers to query one agent only and to include a concise description, relevant biographical information, previous publishing history, and, for fiction, a synopsis and the first 3 chapters.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial women's fiction, romantic comedy, domestic suspense, thriller, pop culture, pop science, psychology, self-help, parenting, memoir, business, lifestyle, health, wellness

Wants: Query letter, sample pages, proposal

Melissa represents adult fiction and nonfiction. In fiction she is seeking literary, upmarket, and commercial women's fiction, romcoms, domestic suspense, and thrillers, especially multigenerational stories, sibling relationships, outsider experiences, place-specific stories, and people fighting injustices or difficult societal circumstances. In nonfiction she looks for commercial pop culture, pop science/psychology, self-help, parenting, memoir, business, lifestyle, and health/wellness projects with strong voice, expertise, and platform.

Send a query letter and, for fiction, the first 10 manuscript pages pasted in the email body to melissa@foliolit.com. Include QUERY and the project title in the subject line.

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.

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.

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.

Fiction, commercial fiction, literary fiction, short story collections, narrative nonfiction, memoir, essay collections, historical fiction, upmarket commercial fiction, young adult, diverse voices, immigrant stories, race, sexuality, cross-cultural themes, identity

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, sample chapter

Rayhane Sanders is a literary agent at Massie & McQuilkin. She specializes in fiction from commercial to literary, including short story collections, narrative nonfiction, and memoir, including proposals and essay collections. MMQA also says she is interested in literary fiction, historical fiction, upmarket commercial fiction including select YA, narrative nonfiction including essays, and select memoir, especially a diversity of voices from around the world, fresh voices, immigrant tales, and stories concerned with race, sexuality, cross-cultural themes, and identity.

Email Rayhane Sanders directly at rayhane@mmqalit.com. Send the first 10 pages of the manuscript, or for a proposal the sample chapter, copied and pasted at the bottom of the query email with no attachments. She responds only to queries she is interested in pursuing, if you have not heard back within 4-6 weeks, the project is not a fit.

Narrative nonfiction, speculative fiction, upmarket fiction, literary fiction, children's books, commercial fiction, family saga, fantasy, graphic novels, historical fiction, humor, lgbtq and, literary middle grade, literary young adult, romance, science fiction, short stories, food, history, journalism, memoir, nature, pop culture, psychology, science, technology

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first thirty pages, proposal

Renée is seeking narrative nonfiction, adult speculative, upmarket, and literary fiction, and children's books. She is interested in work centering POC and LGBTQIA+ voices and is particularly drawn to Black writers across the African diaspora. Her current QueryManager genres span adult fiction, children's categories, and nonfiction including arts, culture, food, history, journalism, memoir, nature, pop culture, psychology, science, technology, and travel.

Submit through Renée Jarvis's QueryManager route. The current form asks for a query letter with bio, synopsis, AI disclosure, and the first 30 pages for fiction or a full proposal for nonfiction.

Adult fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, literary fiction, crime fiction, mystery, cozy mystery, historical mystery, suspense, thriller, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, book club fiction, romantic comedy, contemporary romance, women's fiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters, proposal, author bio, pitch

Sandy Harding is Senior Literary Agent at Spencerhill Associates. She is seeking mainly upmarket commercial and literary fiction for the adult market, including women's fiction for book clubs, smart page-turning thrillers, suspense with complex protagonists, mysteries of all sorts including cozies, historical, and traditional mysteries, and romance. Her official submissions page adds engaging adult upmarket and commercial fiction, crime fiction of all sorts, historical and contemporary upmarket fiction, book club reads, romantic comedies, and contemporary romance. She is drawn to complicated protagonists, multiple points of view, diverse voices, and writing with a captivating voice and story.

Submit through Sandy Harding's official Spencerhill linked QueryManager form. Spencerhill accepts submissions only through Query Manager, asks writers to query one agent, and says a response from one agent should be considered a response from all. Sandy's form requests a query letter, author biography, book details, synopsis, first 3 chapters or full nonfiction proposal, pitch, target audience, and similar books.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, commercial fiction, speculative fiction, psychological suspense, environmental fiction, feminist fiction

Wants: Online form submission

Sarah Bedingfield is Senior Agent at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. She reads most types of literary and upmarket commercial fiction, especially works with powerful imagination, revelatory character arcs, compulsive plotting, unpredictable points of view, timeless themes, motherhood, human connection, feminist issues, light speculative elements, darker can't-look-away tension, wild and unexpected settings, nature or environment, and voices that need to be heard. She does not typically represent fantasy or science fiction but is interested in grounded approaches to what might be off about our world.

Submit through Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency's official online submission form linked from the official submissions page.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, nonfiction, science writing, memoir, history, cultural criticism, journalism

Wants: Query letter, sample pages

Sarah represents literary and upmarket fiction and a wide range of nonfiction, including science writing, literary memoir, revisionist history, cultural criticism, and urgent journalism.

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

Middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, speculative fiction, thriller, fantasy, commercial fiction, upmarket fiction

Wants: Query letter, author bio, synopsis, brief proposal, first three chapters

Sarah Landis is Senior Agent at Sterling Lord Literistic. She represents a wide range of fiction from middle grade to adult and is particularly drawn to high-concept plots, big hooks, speculative fiction, twisty thrillers, novels with a strong emotional core, and sweeping fantasy. She is always on the lookout for new talent and narrative risk-takers.

Submit through Sterling Lord Literistic's official submissions page. Choose one SLL agent, include a query letter with brief author bio, a synopsis, and either a brief proposal or the first 3 chapters. SLL may share submissions internally if a project is a better fit for a colleague.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Narrative nonfiction, idea-driven nonfiction, investigative journalism, cultural criticism, sociology, psychology, history, politics, science, technology, social justice, memoir, essays, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative fiction, fabulism

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Sonali Chanchani is a literary agent at Folio Literary Management, focusing primarily on nonfiction that advances current social and cultural conversations and centers historically underrepresented voices and perspectives. She represents narrative and idea-driven nonfiction, especially investigative journalism, cultural criticism, deeply researched paradigm-shifting work in sociology, psychology, history, politics, science, technology, and social justice, plus memoirs and essay collections that speak to larger social concerns. She also represents select literary and upmarket fiction, especially novels engaging contemporary social and cultural issues, atmospheric stories with speculative or fabulist twists, emotional insight with humor, and themes of identity, belonging, community, and inheritance.

Email Sonali Chanchani at sonali@foliolit.com with a query letter and the first 10 pages of the proposal for nonfiction or manuscript for fiction pasted in the body of the email. Include QUERY and the title of the project in the subject line.

Adult fiction, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, literary thriller, historical fiction, psychological suspense, speculative fiction, memoir

Wants: Querymanager submission

Stephanie Delman is Founding Partner and Literary Agent at Trellis Literary Management. She focuses on adult fiction: stylish writing, high-stakes and high-concept literary thrillers, upmarket fiction, sweeping and underrepresented historical fiction, psychologically propulsive suspense, maximalist storytelling in ambition rather than word count, and literary novels that play with genre. She likes fiction grounded in reality but tinged with surrealism or horror, books that are many things at once, projects using gothic traditions or speculative elements to upend narrative conventions, and work with tenderness, vulnerability, and humor. A small part of her list is braided or speculative memoir by authors with established platforms and diverse perspectives.

Submit through Stephanie Delman's official Trellis linked QueryManager form. Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager, asks writers to choose the best-fitting agent and follow that agent's QueryManager instructions, and asks writers not to submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review period.

Graphic novels, science fiction, fantasy, horror, speculative fiction, middle grade, young adult, adult fiction, upmarket fiction, book club fiction, romantic comedy, romance, lgbtq and voices, bipoc voices, nonfiction, illustrated projects

Wants: Querymanager submission

Tamara Kawar is a literary agent at DeFiore and Company. She represents writer and illustrator clients in both the children's and adult markets, with particular focus on talented LGBTQ+ and BIPOC storytellers. She is actively seeking graphic novels for all ages and across genres; science fiction, fantasy, horror, and speculative fiction for middle grade, YA, and adult readers; upmarket and book club fiction, especially genre-bending stories and those with an international bent; adult and YA rom-coms and romance featuring LGBTQ+ characters; and select nonfiction, including illustrated projects. Across categories, she is passionate about marginalized voices and perspectives.

Submit through Tamara Kawar's official DeFiore profile-linked QueryManager form at https://querymanager.com or tkawar.

Upmarket fiction, literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, horror, magical realism, camp, kitsch, middle grade, young adult

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

Tess Weitzner is Rights Director and Agent at Frances Goldin Literary Agency. She is primarily looking for upmarket fiction, literary fiction, and narrative nonfiction narrow and deep in scope that might use unreliable narrators, interrogations of power and violence, reclamations of identity, or dark-as-night humor. Fresh takes on horror, magical realism, camp, and kitsch are welcome. In children's books she is looking for contemporary middle grade and YA stories that are fun, engaging, seemingly quiet, and crack open larger questions or underrepresented experiences. She is not accepting science fiction, fantasy, or picture books at this time.

Email Tess Weitzner at tw@goldinlit.com. Frances Goldin asks writers to submit to only one agency agent at a time. For fiction, memoir, essays, or narrative nonfiction, send 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 one is prepared. Submissions must be original author work and not generated or co-written using AI tools.