Here are six UK agents actively seeking writers. Simon Targett's interests stretch across a wide range of non-fiction as well as historical fiction. Ben Clark loves smart non-fiction of all kinds whether narrative, prescriptive or illustrated. On the fiction side he’s currently looking for tightly plotted thrillers, crime series and science fiction and fantasy. Anthony Goff represents literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction, and also several children’s writers. Margaret Halton focuses mainly on fiction. Anne-Marie Doulton's particular interests include literary fiction, narrative non-fiction (current affairs, biography etc) and high-quality thrillers and mysteries. Allan Guthrie's main area of interest is crime fiction.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change.
You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.
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Mr. Simon Targett of Aevitas Creative Management
Simon Targett has been engaged in the media and publishing industry for more than 25 years as a writer, editor, historian and media consultant. An award-winning journalist and former Associate Editor of the Financial Times, he has served as a judge at the prestigious British Press Awards and written for a wide range of publications, including The Economist, the Washington Post and the Boston Globe. He served as the first Editor-in-Chief of The Boston Consulting Group and founded Thinking Cap Communications, a strategic thought leadership consultancy. Simon has a PhD from Cambridge University and lectures on journalism, PR and British and American history.
What he is seeking: Simon’s interests stretch across a wide range of non-fiction—including business and leadership, history, journalism, current affairs, biography, sport, music, popular science, nature, travel, genealogy—as well as historical fiction. The common factor is an emphasis on big ideas, great stories, and fine writing.
How to submit: Follow instructions on the agency website HERE.
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Ben Clark of The Soho Agency
Ben has been with the agency for ten years, he is an agent and actively building his list.
What he is seeking: Ben loves smart non-fiction of all kinds whether narrative, prescriptive or illustrated. Whether that is history, philosophy, memoir, technology, science, business, nature writing, or anything that explores the world we live in. He works extensively with brands, television producers and magazines in developing their IP for publication. He has a soft spot for fantasy and science fiction that transports you out of the everyday, something he feels we all need a bit more of. He is drawn to the strange and unusual, stories from the fringes that need to be seen by the mainstream or different perspectives on established narratives that challenge a status quo.
In particular he is on the lookout for academics who have a story to tell to a wide audience, experts who can help us understand what is going on in the world and people who can distill something fundamental about the human experience into the written word. On the fiction side he’s currently looking for tightly plotted thrillers, crime series and science fiction and fantasy with expert world building that reflects back something about the real world. Also anything that blurs the boundaries between genres.
How to submit: Send your query to sohoagencysubmissions@gmail.com along with the first three chapters or first thirty pages of your manuscript in word format, along with a synopsis.
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Mr. Anthony Goff of David Higham Associates Ltd
Anthony has been Managing Director of David Higham since 2000. He began his publishing career at Faber & Faber, starting in rights and then moving to editorial. After four years he decided that he preferred working with authors to sitting in meetings, and he became an agent. Anthony was President of the Association of Authors’ Agents from 2009 to the beginning of 2012.
What he is seeking: He represents many high-profile and successful authors of literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction, and also several children’s writers.
How to submit: Please send a one-page synopsis that gives a full explanation of the plot, and the first three chapters or up to fifty pages (double spaced). Read submission details HERE.
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Margaret Halton of PEW Literary
Margaret Halton joined PEW as an Agent in 2018. She studied English at Oxford and has had a varied career working for publishing houses and literary agencies on both sides of the Atlantic, including ICM and Rogers, Coleridge & White. She has been responsible for selling international rights in non-fiction titles as wide-ranging as Margaret Thatcher’s memoirs and Naomi Klein’s THE SHOCK DOCTRINE, and in novels by Toni Morrison, Richard Ford, Zadie Smith and Nick Hornby amongst many others. She worked as an editor at Granta Books where she was responsible for acquiring Mohsin Hamid’s first novel MOTH SMOKE and titles by Kamila Shamsie, Herta Muller and Colson Whitehead.
What she is seeking: Margaret focuses mainly on fiction. She loves novels that pack an emotional punch with characters you feel you get to know personally.
How to submit: Please submit the opening three chapters (or fifty pages) along with a synopsis. The synopsis should be a clear explanation of the plot from first to final chapter. Please accompany your submission with a brief cover letter that tells us a little about you as a writer. Send your work to submissions@pewliterary.com
_________________________
Ms. Anne-Marie Doulton of The Ampersand Agency
Anne-Marie Doulton has been an agent for over 10 years, and is based in London. Before joining Ampersand she worked as a commissioning editor for various general publishers and as a literary scout. Her clients at Ampersand include Philip Barclay, Sharon Bolton, Annie Caulfield, Kate London and Stephen Williams.
What she is seeking: Anne-Marie’s particular interests include literary fiction, narrative non-fiction (current affairs, biography etc) and high-quality thrillers and mysteries.
How to submit: Send your first three chapters, together with a brief outline and some biographical details to: amd@theampersandagency.co.uk
_________________________
Allan Guthrie of The North Literary Agency
Allan has worked in the book trade since 1996 and has been a literary agent since 2005. He is also an award-winning novelist, freelance editor and former publisher.
What he is seeking: His main area of interest is crime fiction.
How to submit: Use the agency's submission form HERE.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change.
You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.
_________________________
Mr. Simon Targett of Aevitas Creative Management
Simon Targett has been engaged in the media and publishing industry for more than 25 years as a writer, editor, historian and media consultant. An award-winning journalist and former Associate Editor of the Financial Times, he has served as a judge at the prestigious British Press Awards and written for a wide range of publications, including The Economist, the Washington Post and the Boston Globe. He served as the first Editor-in-Chief of The Boston Consulting Group and founded Thinking Cap Communications, a strategic thought leadership consultancy. Simon has a PhD from Cambridge University and lectures on journalism, PR and British and American history.
What he is seeking: Simon’s interests stretch across a wide range of non-fiction—including business and leadership, history, journalism, current affairs, biography, sport, music, popular science, nature, travel, genealogy—as well as historical fiction. The common factor is an emphasis on big ideas, great stories, and fine writing.
How to submit: Follow instructions on the agency website HERE.
_________________________
Ben Clark of The Soho Agency
Ben has been with the agency for ten years, he is an agent and actively building his list.
What he is seeking: Ben loves smart non-fiction of all kinds whether narrative, prescriptive or illustrated. Whether that is history, philosophy, memoir, technology, science, business, nature writing, or anything that explores the world we live in. He works extensively with brands, television producers and magazines in developing their IP for publication. He has a soft spot for fantasy and science fiction that transports you out of the everyday, something he feels we all need a bit more of. He is drawn to the strange and unusual, stories from the fringes that need to be seen by the mainstream or different perspectives on established narratives that challenge a status quo.
In particular he is on the lookout for academics who have a story to tell to a wide audience, experts who can help us understand what is going on in the world and people who can distill something fundamental about the human experience into the written word. On the fiction side he’s currently looking for tightly plotted thrillers, crime series and science fiction and fantasy with expert world building that reflects back something about the real world. Also anything that blurs the boundaries between genres.
How to submit: Send your query to sohoagencysubmissions@gmail.com along with the first three chapters or first thirty pages of your manuscript in word format, along with a synopsis.
_________________________
Mr. Anthony Goff of David Higham Associates Ltd
Anthony has been Managing Director of David Higham since 2000. He began his publishing career at Faber & Faber, starting in rights and then moving to editorial. After four years he decided that he preferred working with authors to sitting in meetings, and he became an agent. Anthony was President of the Association of Authors’ Agents from 2009 to the beginning of 2012.
What he is seeking: He represents many high-profile and successful authors of literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction, and also several children’s writers.
How to submit: Please send a one-page synopsis that gives a full explanation of the plot, and the first three chapters or up to fifty pages (double spaced). Read submission details HERE.
_________________________
Margaret Halton of PEW Literary
Margaret Halton joined PEW as an Agent in 2018. She studied English at Oxford and has had a varied career working for publishing houses and literary agencies on both sides of the Atlantic, including ICM and Rogers, Coleridge & White. She has been responsible for selling international rights in non-fiction titles as wide-ranging as Margaret Thatcher’s memoirs and Naomi Klein’s THE SHOCK DOCTRINE, and in novels by Toni Morrison, Richard Ford, Zadie Smith and Nick Hornby amongst many others. She worked as an editor at Granta Books where she was responsible for acquiring Mohsin Hamid’s first novel MOTH SMOKE and titles by Kamila Shamsie, Herta Muller and Colson Whitehead.
What she is seeking: Margaret focuses mainly on fiction. She loves novels that pack an emotional punch with characters you feel you get to know personally.
How to submit: Please submit the opening three chapters (or fifty pages) along with a synopsis. The synopsis should be a clear explanation of the plot from first to final chapter. Please accompany your submission with a brief cover letter that tells us a little about you as a writer. Send your work to submissions@pewliterary.com
_________________________
Ms. Anne-Marie Doulton of The Ampersand Agency
Anne-Marie Doulton has been an agent for over 10 years, and is based in London. Before joining Ampersand she worked as a commissioning editor for various general publishers and as a literary scout. Her clients at Ampersand include Philip Barclay, Sharon Bolton, Annie Caulfield, Kate London and Stephen Williams.
What she is seeking: Anne-Marie’s particular interests include literary fiction, narrative non-fiction (current affairs, biography etc) and high-quality thrillers and mysteries.
How to submit: Send your first three chapters, together with a brief outline and some biographical details to: amd@theampersandagency.co.uk
_________________________
Allan Guthrie of The North Literary Agency
Allan has worked in the book trade since 1996 and has been a literary agent since 2005. He is also an award-winning novelist, freelance editor and former publisher.
What he is seeking: His main area of interest is crime fiction.
How to submit: Use the agency's submission form HERE.
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