If you’re looking for small independent literary agents, below we’ve featured 17 you should know about.
1. Annie Bomke
Annie Bomke is an independent literary agent based in San Diego. She has more than a decade of experience in the publishing industry and has represented several bestselling and award-winning books throughout her career, including Libby Klein’s Poppy McAllister series and John Copenhaver’s Dodging and Burning. She currently welcomes submissions of both fiction and non-fiction for adult and young adult readers.
Annie’s areas of interest include historical fiction, commercial fiction, women’s fiction, mysteries, psychological thrillers, literary horror, self-help, memoirs, cookbooks, current events, and narrative non-fiction. She is particularly interested in books with diverse characters. Submissions can be sent to her via email. For more information on what to include in your submission, you can check out her guidelines here.
2. Steven Chudney
Based in New York, Steven Chudney is a literary agent specializing in children’s books. He founded his own literary agency in 2002, after more than 15 years of working in the publishing industry. Since then, he has had the pleasure of working with both new and established authors and artists, pairing them with the perfect publishers and helping nurture their careers. His client list includes award-winning authors such as Tanita S. Davis, Karen English, Leda Schubert, Mary Jane Beaufrand, Alice McGinty, Julie Bowe, and Deron Hicks, among others.
In addition to children’s picture books, Steven also accepts submissions of middle grade and young adult fiction. Do note that he does not accept non-fiction, fantasy, science fiction, or screenplays. If you are interested in submitting, you can check out his guidelines here. You can also reach him via email should you have any additional questions.
3. Farley Chase
Farley Chase, founder of Chase Literary Agency, is another literary agent based in New York. Prior to launching his own agency in 2012, he worked as an agent at the Waxman Literary Agency. He has also worked at The New Press, The New Yorker, and Talk Miramax Books. Some of his recent sales include The Crossed-Out Notebook by Nicolas Giacobone, Collision Theory by Adrian Todd Zuniga, When the Earth Had Two Moons by Erik Asphaug, and The Ghost Ships of Archangel by William Geroux.
Farley represents fiction and non-fiction, and he is currently accepting queries in both categories. Check out his submission guidelines for more information. For any other questions, you can contact him via email.
4. Andy Ross
Andy Ross is a California-based literary agent and a member of the Association of Author Representatives. He has participated in writers’ conferences across the US and has taught many classes about writing query letters, preparing book proposals, and getting published. Authors he represents include Daniel Ellsberg, David Dayen, Leonard Shlain, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, Tawni Waters, Mary Jo McConahay, and Gerald Nachman, among others.
Andy is currently open for submissions and is most interested in receiving queries for the following categories: commercial and literary fiction, young adult fiction, narrative non-fiction, journalism, current events, history, and science. He does not accept fantasy, science fiction, short stories, poetry, paranormal, and romance. All queries must be submitted via email. You can find Andy’s complete submission guidelines here.
5. Greg Daniel
Based in Tennessee, Greg Daniel is a literary agent specializing in non-fiction. With more than a decade of experience in the publishing industry, he brings a sharp editorial eye to each project he represents. His recent sales include Matthew Paul Turner’s The Colors of Christmas, Sharon Baker’s A Theology of Non-Violence, and Jeanne Bishop’s Bud and Bill: Terrorism, Tragedy, and Two Fathers’ Unlikely Friendship.
Greg welcomes non-fiction submissions and is open to queries in nearly every topic, especially if the author is a recognized expert in that field. Submissions must be sent via email and should include an overview of the manuscript, its selling points, and information about the author’s background. Greg usually replies to queries within four weeks. Check out the submission guidelines on his website for more information.
6. Denise Shannon
Denise Shannon is a New York-based literary agent and the founder of Denise Shannon Literary Agency. She founded her agency in 2002, after 16 years of working as an agent at International Creative Management and Georges Borchardt, Inc. She frequently facilitates workshops and conducts seminars at writers’ conferences across the country.
Denise’s areas of interest include narrative non-fiction, literary fiction, journalism, biography, social history, business, health, and politics. If you are interested in submitting your work for her consideration, you can send a query that meets the guidelines stated here. Should you have additional questions, you can reach Denise via email.
7. Anna Knutson Geller
Anna Knutson Geller is a literary agent with more than 15 years of experience in various aspects of the publishing industry. In addition to representing authors, she has also worked as an editor, a literary scout, and a rights director. In 2016, she founded Write View, a literary agency based in New York. Her clients include Cristina Moon, Cory Allen, Alexa Wilding, Heather Kirn Lanier, and Bonnie Smith Whitehouse, among others.
Anna is currently welcoming submissions. She is particularly interested in the following subjects: inspirational memoirs, spirituality, intentional living, personal finance, Eastern philosophy, parenting, relationships, and select fiction. For more information on submitting a query, you can check out Anna’s submission guidelines here. For other inquiries, you can contact Anna via email.
8. Rita Rosenkranz
Rita Rosenkranz is an established literary agent based in New York. She started out in the publishing industry as an editor at major publishing houses, and she now represents a wide range of adult non-fiction titles. Some of the books she has represented include Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad by Betty DeRamus, 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life by Cami Walker, and Dianne Durante’s Outdoor Monuments of Manhattan: A Historical Guide.
Rita welcomes submissions and is open to working with both new and established authors. Queries can be sent by email or post and must include a cover letter, a table of contents, an overview of the project, comparative titles, and other essential details. For a full list of what to include, you can check out Rita’s submission guidelines here.
9. Helen Zimmermann
Helen Zimmermann of Zimmermann Literary is a literary agent based in New York. She is a member of the Association of Author Representatives and has more than two decades of experience in the publishing industry. She represents both fiction and non-fiction authors, and her client list includes Susan Richards, Catherine Guthrie, Kent Hartman, Christine Lucita, Joseph Vogel, and more.
At the moment, Helen is seeking non-fiction books on relationships, popular culture, health and wellness, women’s issues, sports, music, and lifestyle. If you have a manuscript you think Helen might be interested in, you can send her a query via email. Don’t include any attachments unless requested. You can check out her submission guidelines for more details.
10. Malaga Baldi
Malaga Baldi is an independent literary agent working out of New York. She has been representing authors since 1986, and her current client list includes many award-winning and bestselling authors such as Kia Corthron, Barrie Jean Borich, Mary Cappello, and David J. Skal, among others. She is currently accepting submissions.
Malaga’s areas of interest include general fiction, cultural history, gay and lesbian fiction, creative non-fiction, memoirs, cookbooks, business and finance, literary fiction, and more. For a complete list of subjects she is interested in, you can check out her submission guidelines here. For general inquiries, you can reach her through her online contact form.
11. Elise Dillsworth
Based in London, Elise Dillsworth is an independent literary agent specializing in both fiction and non-fiction. Prior to becoming a literary agent in 2012, she worked as a commissioning editor at Virago Press, a Little Brown Book Group imprint. Her clients include Robert Antoni, Amal Hassan, Yvonne Battle-Felton, Laura Bui, Anthony Joseph, and Usma Malik.
If you are interested in becoming part of Elise’s client list, you can submit a proposal via email. She is currently seeking literary and commercial fiction, as well as non-fiction in the following categories: autobiography, biography, travel, and cooking. For tips on preparing your proposal, you can check out Elise’s submission guidelines here.
12. Jonathan Pegg
Jonathan Pegg is a London-based literary agent and a member of the Association of Authors’ Agents. He began his career as a literary agent at Curtis Brown before starting his own agency in 2008. He currently represents Steve Bloomfield, Christopher Matthew, Tom McCarthy, Carolyn Steel, Jenny Barden, and more.
He is now accepting submissions, particularly in the genres of literary and upmarket fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, biography and memoir, popular psychology, popular science, current affairs and history, and humor. Should you be interested in collaborating with Jonathan, you can check out his submission guidelines here. Please note that due to the volume of proposals Jonathan receives, he is unable to provide feedback on projects he declines.
13. Becky Bagnell
Becky Bagnell is a literary agent based in the UK. She has been working in the publishing industry for nearly two decades, first as a reader for Lilliput Press, then as a commissioning editor at Macmillan. In 2008, she founded Lindsay Literary Agency, named after her maiden name. She specializes in all kinds of children’s books, from picture books to young adult fiction. Her clients include Gina Blaxill, Helen Brandom, Christina Collins, Sam Gayton, Ruth Hatfield, and more.
Becky encourages submissions from debut authors. To submit, send her a query letter accompanied by the first three chapters of your manuscript. If submitting a picture book, send the entire story as a Word attachment. All submissions must be sent via email. Interested authors can check out Becky’s submission guidelines for more information.
14. Julie Crisp
Also based in the UK, Julie Crisp is an independent literary agent, editorial consultant, and freelance editor. As an agent, she specializes in high-concept novels, crime thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction. She represents a number of authors, including John Gwynne, Devin Madson, Heather Child, Sam Hawke, and Nick Setchfield. She is currently open for submissions.
To submit your work for Julie’s consideration, you can send her a cover letter, a brief synopsis, and the first three chapters of your manuscript. Submissions may be sent via email. For additional questions and other concerns, you can reach Julie through her online contact form.
15. Robert Lecker
Robert Lecker is a Canadian author, editor, and literary agent with a background in literary studies. He is the founder of Robert Lecker Agency, a literary management and consulting firm located in Montreal. Some of his recent sales include David Orrell’s Introducing Economics, Ed MacDonald’s Spat the Dummy, Kathy Dobson’s Poor People’s Prayers, and John Goldner’s Hockey Talk.
Robert currently welcomes fiction and non-fiction submissions. His areas of expertise include finance, entertainment, music, popular culture, science, and food culture. If you are interested, you can submit a proposal via email. For more information on preparing your proposal, you can check out Robert’s submission guidelines here.
16. Margaret Kennedy
Margaret Kennedy is a literary agent based in Brisbane, Australia. In 1996, she launched her own agency after nearly a decade of working as a book editor. She prides herself on building strong and lasting relationships with the authors she represents, some of whom have been under her care since her agency was first established. She has worked with many talented Australian writers, including Judith Wright, Patricia Clarke, James Cowan, and more.
If you are interested in working with Margaret, you can send her a brief query letter via email. If she is interested in your idea, she will ask you to submit a full proposal. To increase your chances of receiving a positive response, check out Margaret’s submission guidelines here.
17. Gaby Naher
Based in Sydney, Gaby Naher is a literary agent and the founder of The Naher Agency. Before she launched her agency in 2008, she spent years working as a bookseller, publicist, and literary agent. She only represents Australian authors, and her clients include Danielle Hawkins, Nigel Featherstone, Moira McKinnon, and Fleur McDonald, among others.
Gaby isn’t taking on any new clients at the moment, but feel free to check the submissions page on her website for updates. If you have any general inquiries, you can reach her through her online contact form.
Are there any other small independent literary agents you know of? Please tell us about them in the comments box below.
Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of Writing Tips Oasis.