Here are four literary agents actively seeking new clients. Make sure to read everything on their agency website to get a feel for what they represent. Some agencies are geared more toward commercial fiction while others prefer literary works. You should also check Absolute Write to see if other authors have had experience with them.
______________________
______________________
Andy Kifer of The Gernert Company
About Andy: Andy joined The Gernert Company in 2012 after two years working for Aram Fox, Inc., where he scouted books for foreign publishers. He grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, lived in North Carolina for five years, and worked briefly as a cross-country coach at a boarding school before starting his career in publishing. He lives in Brooklyn and runs in Prospect Park.
What he is looking for: “I’m looking for literary fiction, smart genre fiction (in particular, high-concept thrillers or sci-fi), and nonfiction with a strong narrative bent. I’m a sucker for love stories and inventive narrative structure.”
How to contact: Please query by following The Gernert Company’s submission guidelines (see www.thegernertco.com): send a query letter to info [at] thegernertco.com, with “Attn: Andy Kifer ” in the e-mail’s subject line. "I’d prefer to see the first few chapters pasted into the body of the e-mail. Snail mail queries to The Gernert Company’s office, addressed to me, are fine too! I promise I read everything that comes my way, though at Gernert we tend to respond only if something piques our interest."
_________________
About Andy: Andy joined The Gernert Company in 2012 after two years working for Aram Fox, Inc., where he scouted books for foreign publishers. He grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, lived in North Carolina for five years, and worked briefly as a cross-country coach at a boarding school before starting his career in publishing. He lives in Brooklyn and runs in Prospect Park.
What he is looking for: “I’m looking for literary fiction, smart genre fiction (in particular, high-concept thrillers or sci-fi), and nonfiction with a strong narrative bent. I’m a sucker for love stories and inventive narrative structure.”
How to contact: Please query by following The Gernert Company’s submission guidelines (see www.thegernertco.com): send a query letter to info [at] thegernertco.com, with “Attn: Andy Kifer ” in the e-mail’s subject line. "I’d prefer to see the first few chapters pasted into the body of the e-mail. Snail mail queries to The Gernert Company’s office, addressed to me, are fine too! I promise I read everything that comes my way, though at Gernert we tend to respond only if something piques our interest."
_________________
Jessica Watterson of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency
About Jessica: Jessica Watterson joined Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency in late 2013, and currently assists Sandra Dijkstra and Elise Capron. She graduated from the University of California at Irvine with a degree in Sociocultural Anthropology and English. Jessica has made books a serious part of her life for many years. During college, she started an indie review blog which has featured author interviews and has reviewed several self-published books that eventually ended up on the New York Times Best Seller list.
What she is looking for: Jessica is most interested in all subgenres of adult and new adult romance, and women’s fiction. She is looking for heartfelt and unique romance that will instantly draw a reader in and keep them hooked.
How to contact: Email queries to jessica [at] dijkstraagency.com. “We only accept electronic submissions. Any hard copy submissions received by mail will be recycled unopened. Please send a query letter, a 1-page synopsis, a brief bio (including a description of your publishing history), and the first 10-15 pages of your manuscript. Please send all items in the body of the e-mail, not as an attachment.”
___________________
About Jessica: Jessica Watterson joined Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency in late 2013, and currently assists Sandra Dijkstra and Elise Capron. She graduated from the University of California at Irvine with a degree in Sociocultural Anthropology and English. Jessica has made books a serious part of her life for many years. During college, she started an indie review blog which has featured author interviews and has reviewed several self-published books that eventually ended up on the New York Times Best Seller list.
What she is looking for: Jessica is most interested in all subgenres of adult and new adult romance, and women’s fiction. She is looking for heartfelt and unique romance that will instantly draw a reader in and keep them hooked.
How to contact: Email queries to jessica [at] dijkstraagency.com. “We only accept electronic submissions. Any hard copy submissions received by mail will be recycled unopened. Please send a query letter, a 1-page synopsis, a brief bio (including a description of your publishing history), and the first 10-15 pages of your manuscript. Please send all items in the body of the e-mail, not as an attachment.”
___________________
Annette Crossland A for Authors, Ltd. (U.K.)
About Annette: In a career spanning more than 30 years, Annette has worked in high-profile positions in some of the UK and USA’s most successful publishing companies. She has worked with some of the top bestselling authors in the world, touring overseas with Elizabeth George, Dennis Lehane and Frances Fyfield, amongst others.
What she is looking for: "We are always on the lookout for exciting new work and we welcome submissions across all relevant genres by email."
Submissions: With your submission, please include your name, address, phone number, title of the material. All material should be emailed as Microsoft Word attachments. Downloadable material, e-books, or links to any such items are unacceptable. For fiction please send a synopsis and three sample chapters (50 pages or fewer) and for non-fiction send a letter outlining your intentions. No radio/theatre/TV scripts, poetry, SF/Horror genres, or short stories. Response time 12 weeks.
___________________
About Annette: In a career spanning more than 30 years, Annette has worked in high-profile positions in some of the UK and USA’s most successful publishing companies. She has worked with some of the top bestselling authors in the world, touring overseas with Elizabeth George, Dennis Lehane and Frances Fyfield, amongst others.
What she is looking for: "We are always on the lookout for exciting new work and we welcome submissions across all relevant genres by email."
Submissions: With your submission, please include your name, address, phone number, title of the material. All material should be emailed as Microsoft Word attachments. Downloadable material, e-books, or links to any such items are unacceptable. For fiction please send a synopsis and three sample chapters (50 pages or fewer) and for non-fiction send a letter outlining your intentions. No radio/theatre/TV scripts, poetry, SF/Horror genres, or short stories. Response time 12 weeks.
___________________
Kate Johnson at Wolf Literary Services (UK and US)
About Kate: Kate Johnson is a literary agent at Wolf Literary Services, based in Glasgow and New York. Prior to joining Wolf Literary Services, Kate was an agent and vice president at Georges Borchardt, Inc., for more than eight years. She previously edited and reported at StoryQuarterly, Bookslut.com, New York magazine and elsewhere, and graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
What she is looking for: Kate represents award-winning novelists and journalists. She is actively acquiring adult fiction, and looks for a work that combines both a strong story and a strong voice, hitting the sweet spot between literary and commercial. She is drawn to strong characters and sense of place, psychological suspense, family sagas, magical realism and a book that can make her laugh, cry, and miss her stop, all in one subway ride. Nonfiction-wise, Kate is on the hunt for cultural history, literary memoir, the occasional, not-too-belligerent polemic, and narrative nonfiction (particularly related to food, art, pop culture, history, politics and the environment).
She likes to work collaboratively with her authors to edit and refine their projects, through all stages of their career. She does not represent erotica, sci-fi, diet books, young adult or children’s books. Query by email preferred.
Submissions: To submit a project, please send a query letter along with a 50-page writing sample (for fiction) or a detailed proposal (for nonfiction) to queries@wolflit.com. Samples may be submitted as an attachment or embedded in the body of the email.
About Kate: Kate Johnson is a literary agent at Wolf Literary Services, based in Glasgow and New York. Prior to joining Wolf Literary Services, Kate was an agent and vice president at Georges Borchardt, Inc., for more than eight years. She previously edited and reported at StoryQuarterly, Bookslut.com, New York magazine and elsewhere, and graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
What she is looking for: Kate represents award-winning novelists and journalists. She is actively acquiring adult fiction, and looks for a work that combines both a strong story and a strong voice, hitting the sweet spot between literary and commercial. She is drawn to strong characters and sense of place, psychological suspense, family sagas, magical realism and a book that can make her laugh, cry, and miss her stop, all in one subway ride. Nonfiction-wise, Kate is on the hunt for cultural history, literary memoir, the occasional, not-too-belligerent polemic, and narrative nonfiction (particularly related to food, art, pop culture, history, politics and the environment).
She likes to work collaboratively with her authors to edit and refine their projects, through all stages of their career. She does not represent erotica, sci-fi, diet books, young adult or children’s books. Query by email preferred.
Submissions: To submit a project, please send a query letter along with a 50-page writing sample (for fiction) or a detailed proposal (for nonfiction) to queries@wolflit.com. Samples may be submitted as an attachment or embedded in the body of the email.
RSS Feed