Here are nine literary agents actively building their client lists. All work with reputable literary agencies with solid track records. These agents are seeking everything - from nonfiction, to children's literature, to adult fantasy and science fiction, to thrillers and much more.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists.
You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients
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Mr. Jon Michael Darga of Aevitas Creative Management
Jon Michael Darga has edited titles across a diverse range of genres, including Dianne Hales’ La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World; transgender activist Sarah McBride’s memoir Tomorrow Will Be Different; Nico Tortorella’s poetry collection all of it is you.; and the paperback edition of Pulitzer Prize winner Sheri Fink’s Five Days at Memorial. Darga graduated from the University of Michigan with Honors with a BA in English and Creative Writing, and later attended the Columbia University publishing program. Before coming to Aevitas, he worked as an editor at Crown, a division within Penguin Random House.
What he is seeking: Jon Michael Darga represents both nonfiction and fiction as an Aevitas agent based in New York. He is most interested in voice-driven pop culture writing and histories that re-cast the narrative by emphasizing unexpected or unheard voices.
How to submit: Use the agency form HERE.
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Ms. Agnes Carlowicz of Carol Mann Agency
Agnes Carlowicz joined the Carol Mann Agency as assistant to Carol Mann in late 2017. She previously worked at the David Black Agency as Joy Tutela’s assistant, while completing her English B.A. with a Creative Writing concentration from Barnard College of Columbia University in New York.
What she is seeking: Her interests include both fiction and non-fiction, with a special passion for literature that amplifies underrepresented voices and subverts the status quo. Among others, she enjoys: intersectional feminism, millennial self-care, female-driven memoir, true-crime, and humorous pop culture.
How to submit: Queries may be emailed to submissions@carolmannagency.com. For fiction, send a query letter including a brief bio, and the first 25 pages of your manuscript. For nonfiction, send a query letter including a brief bio, a synopsis/proposal and the first 25 pages of your manuscript. All material should be pasted into the body of your message; attachments will not be opened. A pass from an agent is a pass from the agency.
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Ms. Lindsey Smith of Speilburg Literary Agency
Lindsey Smith got her start in the publishing industry as an author. After her own publishing success, she started working with other writers to help launch their books and shape their careers. To date, Lindsey has worked with over 1,000 authors and negotiated book deals even before becoming an agent. Her unique perspective helps shape her passion for the industry and her role as an advocate for her clients. Formerly a publicist and hailing from the world of self-publishing, Lindsey understands the importance of branding, and she works with each client not only to sell a book but to build a career.
What she is seeking: Lindsey is interested in cookbooks, lifestyle, health, pop culture, gender issues, self-help, true crime, and current events. She is especially interested in podcast-to-book ideas, journalists who specialize in specific research, and cookbooks that have a niche and/or narrative voice. Please do not send diet books.
How to submit: Fill out the online form HERE: https://querymanager.com/query/lindsey
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Ms. Erin Clyburn of Corvisiero Literary Agency
Erin received her BA in English Literature from Mississippi State University and her MA in Children’s Literature from Hollins University. She has worked in the book and publishing industries for the past 12 years, currently as Copy Editor for Food & Wine magazine. (Unable to stray too far from children’s books or her kindred spirits, people who love books, she also recently moonlighted as a children’s librarian.) She’s an annual judge for the Audio Publishers Association’s Audie Awards and works every year at the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at Southern Miss.
What she is seeking:
In children’s:
In adult:
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Mr. Jonathan Cobb of Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency
Jon began working at HSG in the summer of 2016. After graduating from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, he decided to follow his dream of joining the publishing industry by moving to New York. He gained valuable experience interning at NYU Press and Writers House, while also pursuing a Master’s degree in Publishing: Digital and Print Media at NYU.
What he is seeking: Jon reads all genres of fiction but has a particular interest in contemporary middle grade and YA, adult science fiction and fantasy, African-American fiction, literary fiction, and mysteries and thrillers.
How to submit: Jon accepts unsolicited queries through Query Tracker at http://QueryMe.Online/Cobb.
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Ms. Phoebe Low of InkWell Management
Phoebe Low studied English and architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining InkWell, she worked at Penguin Random House and interned at Foundry Literary + Media and Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
What she is seeking: She gravitates toward high-concept fantasy, science fiction, horror, and narrative nonfiction on offbeat topics, but will pick up just about anything with strong prose and compelling characters.
How to submit: Queries should be emailed to: submissions [at] inkwellmanagement [dot] com
In the body of your email, please include a query letter and a short writing sample (1-2 chapters). Emails with large attachments will be discarded.
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Mr. Matthew Belford of David Black Literary Agency
Matt joined the David Black Agency in 2017 after previously working at the Aaron M. Priest Agency. He received his undergraduate degree in Creative Writing and Economics from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and went on to get his Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Emerson College.
What he is seeking: Matt is interested in receiving submissions for both graphic memoirs and graphics novels, as well as adult science fiction and fantasy, and some popular nonfiction. He is not interested in YA.
How to submit: If you would like to query him, please send your query letter along with the first 50 pages of your work, in the body of your email, to Mbelford (at) dblackagency.com
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Ms. Alicia Brooks of Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency
Alicia Brooks began her career over twenty years ago in book publishing as an editorial assistant at Penguin USA. She worked her way up to an assistant editor position at Nan A. Talese/Doubleday where she worked with noteworthy authors, including Margaret Atwood, Pat Conroy, and Ian McEwan. Alicia then made the transition to an editor position at Picador/St. Martin's Press. Alicia is a graduate of Wellesley College with a B.A. in English and Philosophy and has a Master's Degree in the Teaching of English from Columbia University.
What she is seeking: As an agent at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, she is looking for Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Self-Help, Pop Culture, Literary Fiction, Commercial Fiction, YA Fiction, Mystery/Crime, and Historical Fiction.
How to submit: Use the agency's online form HERE: http://www.jvnla.com/submissions.php
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Mr. Bobby O'Neil of FinePrint Literary Management
Bobby began his publishing career as an assistant at William Morris Endeavor, after taking on internships in both publishing houses and literary agencies. After two years at WME, he moved to Folio Literary Management where he worked in foreign rights. In 2019 he joined FinePrint as an Associate Agent and is currently developing his client list.
What he is seeking: Bobby is looking for middle grade and young adult fiction across the board ranging from the grounded to the fantastic. In adult fiction, he is primarily interested in fantasy and speculative fiction that push the conventions of the genre, and character-driven commercial fiction. For nonfiction, he loves a strong narrative and is especially partial to memoir and historical. He is drawn to powerful voices and unique points of view that tell the stories from underrepresented communities.
How to submit: For fiction a query letter with a synopsis of your book, your bio, and the first two chapters (no more than 30 pages) embedded in the body of your email — DO NOT SEND AN ATTACHMENT WITHOUT A REQUEST TO DO SO. For nonfiction send a query letter and your bio via email. bobby@fineprintlit.com.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists.
You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients
_________________________
Mr. Jon Michael Darga of Aevitas Creative Management
Jon Michael Darga has edited titles across a diverse range of genres, including Dianne Hales’ La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World; transgender activist Sarah McBride’s memoir Tomorrow Will Be Different; Nico Tortorella’s poetry collection all of it is you.; and the paperback edition of Pulitzer Prize winner Sheri Fink’s Five Days at Memorial. Darga graduated from the University of Michigan with Honors with a BA in English and Creative Writing, and later attended the Columbia University publishing program. Before coming to Aevitas, he worked as an editor at Crown, a division within Penguin Random House.
What he is seeking: Jon Michael Darga represents both nonfiction and fiction as an Aevitas agent based in New York. He is most interested in voice-driven pop culture writing and histories that re-cast the narrative by emphasizing unexpected or unheard voices.
How to submit: Use the agency form HERE.
________________________
Ms. Agnes Carlowicz of Carol Mann Agency
Agnes Carlowicz joined the Carol Mann Agency as assistant to Carol Mann in late 2017. She previously worked at the David Black Agency as Joy Tutela’s assistant, while completing her English B.A. with a Creative Writing concentration from Barnard College of Columbia University in New York.
What she is seeking: Her interests include both fiction and non-fiction, with a special passion for literature that amplifies underrepresented voices and subverts the status quo. Among others, she enjoys: intersectional feminism, millennial self-care, female-driven memoir, true-crime, and humorous pop culture.
How to submit: Queries may be emailed to submissions@carolmannagency.com. For fiction, send a query letter including a brief bio, and the first 25 pages of your manuscript. For nonfiction, send a query letter including a brief bio, a synopsis/proposal and the first 25 pages of your manuscript. All material should be pasted into the body of your message; attachments will not be opened. A pass from an agent is a pass from the agency.
________________________
Ms. Lindsey Smith of Speilburg Literary Agency
Lindsey Smith got her start in the publishing industry as an author. After her own publishing success, she started working with other writers to help launch their books and shape their careers. To date, Lindsey has worked with over 1,000 authors and negotiated book deals even before becoming an agent. Her unique perspective helps shape her passion for the industry and her role as an advocate for her clients. Formerly a publicist and hailing from the world of self-publishing, Lindsey understands the importance of branding, and she works with each client not only to sell a book but to build a career.
What she is seeking: Lindsey is interested in cookbooks, lifestyle, health, pop culture, gender issues, self-help, true crime, and current events. She is especially interested in podcast-to-book ideas, journalists who specialize in specific research, and cookbooks that have a niche and/or narrative voice. Please do not send diet books.
How to submit: Fill out the online form HERE: https://querymanager.com/query/lindsey
________________________
Ms. Erin Clyburn of Corvisiero Literary Agency
Erin received her BA in English Literature from Mississippi State University and her MA in Children’s Literature from Hollins University. She has worked in the book and publishing industries for the past 12 years, currently as Copy Editor for Food & Wine magazine. (Unable to stray too far from children’s books or her kindred spirits, people who love books, she also recently moonlighted as a children’s librarian.) She’s an annual judge for the Audio Publishers Association’s Audie Awards and works every year at the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at Southern Miss.
What she is seeking:
In children’s:
- Picture books: Nonfiction picture books ONLY, particularly multicultural picture books and picture books about lesser-known individuals or historical events
- Chapter books: High-concept chapter book series
- Middle grade: All of it! Stories with big hearts and unforgettable voices, and especially mysteries (Did you write a novel like The Westing Game, Holes, or Greenglass House? Send it to her!)
- YA: Dark contemporary, horror, thriller, mystery, unreliable narrators
- All children’s: Graphic novels, high-interest nonfiction, magical realism, characters going on journeys
In adult:
- Fiction: Character-driven literary fiction; plot-driven suspense, mysteries, and thrillers in the vein of Gillian Flynn or Tana French; laugh-out-loud novels about quirky, dysfunctional families; all horror from psychological to gothic to slasher; multigenerational family sagas like We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas
- Nonfiction: Pop science (Oliver Sacks, Mary Roach); high-interest nonfiction, particularly stories about fascinating people and issues that haven’t been told before (Radium Girls, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks); true crime; cookbooks; memoirs (I’d love anything along the lines of My Brain on Fire, Educated, Wild, Full Body Burden)
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Mr. Jonathan Cobb of Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency
Jon began working at HSG in the summer of 2016. After graduating from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, he decided to follow his dream of joining the publishing industry by moving to New York. He gained valuable experience interning at NYU Press and Writers House, while also pursuing a Master’s degree in Publishing: Digital and Print Media at NYU.
What he is seeking: Jon reads all genres of fiction but has a particular interest in contemporary middle grade and YA, adult science fiction and fantasy, African-American fiction, literary fiction, and mysteries and thrillers.
How to submit: Jon accepts unsolicited queries through Query Tracker at http://QueryMe.Online/Cobb.
________________________
Ms. Phoebe Low of InkWell Management
Phoebe Low studied English and architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining InkWell, she worked at Penguin Random House and interned at Foundry Literary + Media and Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
What she is seeking: She gravitates toward high-concept fantasy, science fiction, horror, and narrative nonfiction on offbeat topics, but will pick up just about anything with strong prose and compelling characters.
How to submit: Queries should be emailed to: submissions [at] inkwellmanagement [dot] com
In the body of your email, please include a query letter and a short writing sample (1-2 chapters). Emails with large attachments will be discarded.
________________________
Mr. Matthew Belford of David Black Literary Agency
Matt joined the David Black Agency in 2017 after previously working at the Aaron M. Priest Agency. He received his undergraduate degree in Creative Writing and Economics from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and went on to get his Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Emerson College.
What he is seeking: Matt is interested in receiving submissions for both graphic memoirs and graphics novels, as well as adult science fiction and fantasy, and some popular nonfiction. He is not interested in YA.
How to submit: If you would like to query him, please send your query letter along with the first 50 pages of your work, in the body of your email, to Mbelford (at) dblackagency.com
________________________
Ms. Alicia Brooks of Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency
Alicia Brooks began her career over twenty years ago in book publishing as an editorial assistant at Penguin USA. She worked her way up to an assistant editor position at Nan A. Talese/Doubleday where she worked with noteworthy authors, including Margaret Atwood, Pat Conroy, and Ian McEwan. Alicia then made the transition to an editor position at Picador/St. Martin's Press. Alicia is a graduate of Wellesley College with a B.A. in English and Philosophy and has a Master's Degree in the Teaching of English from Columbia University.
What she is seeking: As an agent at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, she is looking for Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Self-Help, Pop Culture, Literary Fiction, Commercial Fiction, YA Fiction, Mystery/Crime, and Historical Fiction.
How to submit: Use the agency's online form HERE: http://www.jvnla.com/submissions.php
________________________
Mr. Bobby O'Neil of FinePrint Literary Management
Bobby began his publishing career as an assistant at William Morris Endeavor, after taking on internships in both publishing houses and literary agencies. After two years at WME, he moved to Folio Literary Management where he worked in foreign rights. In 2019 he joined FinePrint as an Associate Agent and is currently developing his client list.
What he is seeking: Bobby is looking for middle grade and young adult fiction across the board ranging from the grounded to the fantastic. In adult fiction, he is primarily interested in fantasy and speculative fiction that push the conventions of the genre, and character-driven commercial fiction. For nonfiction, he loves a strong narrative and is especially partial to memoir and historical. He is drawn to powerful voices and unique points of view that tell the stories from underrepresented communities.
How to submit: For fiction a query letter with a synopsis of your book, your bio, and the first two chapters (no more than 30 pages) embedded in the body of your email — DO NOT SEND AN ATTACHMENT WITHOUT A REQUEST TO DO SO. For nonfiction send a query letter and your bio via email. bobby@fineprintlit.com.
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