Are you a British author who needs a literary agent to help you get a publishing contract? The perfect agent for you might be working at one of the following 15 top literary agencies in the UK.
1. Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency
Founded in 2012, Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency is a London-based agency with a reputation for launching the careers of many bestselling and award-winning authors. In fact, their founder Madeleine Milburn won the Literary Agent of the Year at the 2018 British Book Awards for the outstanding work she has done on behalf of her clients. The agency represents authors across various genres, including crime fiction, psychological suspense, young adult fiction, crossover fiction, and children’s books. They also work with non-fiction authors, focusing on memoir, narrative non-fiction, biography, history, and self-help. You can find a list of authors they currently represent here.
Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency is currently seeking new authors. Queries must be sent to the agent you feel suits your work the most, so make sure you read all their agents’ profiles to find the best fit. For more information, you can check out their submission guidelines here. You can also contact them via email should you have any questions about the submission process.
2. Darley Anderson Literary Agency
Darley Anderson is a literary, film, and television agency based in London. Their agents specialize in commercial fiction, including crime, thrillers, comedy, horror, women’s fiction, fantasy, accessible literary fiction, and young adult fiction. Since their establishment in 1988, they have worked with some of the highest paid authors in the world, such as Lee Child, Martina Cole, Tana French, Chris Carter, and John Connolly, among others.
The Darley Anderson team currently welcomes submissions. Please note that they are not interested in short stories, poetry, screenplays, or theater scripts. Guidelines vary per agent, and you can find each agent’s guidelines and areas of interest here. Due to the volume of submissions they receive, it may take up to eight weeks for their agents to respond.
3. Alice Williams Literary
Also based in London, Alice Williams Literary is a specialist literary agency that represents authors and illustrators of picture books, children’s fiction, middle grade fiction, and young adult fiction. They are currently open for submissions and are seeking heartwarming and empowering stories across various genres, including adventure, mystery, thrillers, science fiction, and more. They are particularly interested in inclusive books created by authors and illustrators from communities that are often underrepresented in mainstream publishing. Some of the titles they represent include Me and My Sister by Rose Robbins, Paws Off My Book by Fabi Santiago, and Little Penguin Rescue by Rachel Delahaye, among others.
Should you be interested in submitting your work for the agency’s consideration, you can check out their submission guidelines here. Please note that they don’t consider submissions from authors based in the US. For general inquiries, contact Alice Williams Literary via email.
4. Eve White Literary Agency
Founded in 2003, Eve White Literary Agency is a London-based boutique agency that represents authors of literary fiction, commercial fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books. Eve White, the agency’s founder, is a member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the Association of Authors’ Agents. She was shortlisted for the British Book Awards’ Literary Agent of the Year award in 2017, and the BIA’s Literary Agent of the Year award in 2015. The agency’s recent titles include Sneaky Beak by Tracey Corderoy, Dilly the Donkey by Elli Woollard, and Chains of Sand by Jemma Wayne.
Eve White Literary Agency is currently open for submissions. They welcome both fiction and non-fiction submissions, but they are not considering picture books at the moment. Should you be interested in submitting, you can check out their submission guidelines here. If you have any additional questions, you can get in touch with them through their online contact form.
5. Andrew Lownie Literary Agency
Established in 1988, Andrew Lownie Literary Agency is another literary agency based in London. They are considered one of the leading literary agencies in the UK. Some of the books they have represented over the decades include The Oxford Classical Dictionary, The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English, and The Penguin Companion to the Edinburgh Union. The agency’s founder, Andrew Lownie, has been shortlisted multiple times for the Agent of the Year award at the British Bookseller Awards.
Andrew Lownie Literary Agency is currently open for submissions, but they are only considering non-fiction works at the moment. Both established writers and first-time authors are encouraged to submit. Submissions may be sent via email or through their online contact form. For more information about submitting your work, you can check out their submission guidelines here.
6. Aitken Alexander Associates
Founded by Gillon Aitken in 1976, Aitken Alexander Associates is a London-based literary agency that represents authors of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. They are currently led by Clare Alexander who joined the company in 1998. Their agents all have different areas of interest, so make sure you get to know each one by checking out their individual profiles here. They are currently welcoming submissions.
If you are interested in being represented by Aitken Alexander Associates, you can send them a query via email. All submissions must include a cover letter and a brief synopsis of your work. The first 30 pages of your manuscript must also be attached. Due to the volume of submissions they receive, they are only able to respond to queries they are interested in considering. Learn more by checking out their submission guidelines here.
7. The Ampersand Agency
Based in Oxford, The Ampersand Agency is a small literary agency that specializes in literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction, as well as books for children aged 8 and up. Peter Buckman founded Ampersand in 2003, and the agency’s very first client was Vikas Swarup, whose book the movie Slumdog Millionaire was based on. Ampersand’s other clients include Helen Black, Jamie Doward, Quentin Bates, Cora Harrison, Mark A. Latham, Adrian Selby, and Alex Rogers, among others.
Interested in submitting your work to The Ampersand Agency? Start by getting to know their agents here. Once you’ve determined which agent to submit to, you can send them the first three chapters of your manuscript, a brief outline of your work, and some details about yourself. At the moment, they are interested in historical fiction, science fiction, thrillers, women’s fiction, crime, commercial non-fiction, biography, history, sports, current affairs, and popular science. They do not accept self-help books, poetry, or books for very young children. Check out their submission guidelines for more information.
8. Greene & Heaton
Founded in 1963, Green & Heaton is a London-based literary agency. Their client list is quite diverse and includes novelists, biographers, travel writers, historians, scientists, children’s book writers, and more. They handle everything from book representation and contract negotiation to film adaptations and personal appearances. Many of their clients have won or been shortlisted for major literary prizes, such as the Orange, the Man Booker, the Orwell Prize, and the Samuel Johnson.
Greene & Heaton is currently accepting submissions. They have pretty strict requirements when it comes to formatting, so make sure you check out their submission guidelines before sending in your work. For general inquiries, you can contact them via email.
9. Janklow & Nesbit UK
Janklow & Nesbit is a literary agency that has been in business since 1973, representing both non-fiction and fiction authors. They have offices in London and New York, and they are considered one of the largest and most respected literary agencies in the world. Over the years, they have represented some of the world’s most successful authors, including Joan Didion, Jeffrey Eugenides, Thomas Harris, Anne Rice, and Danielle Steel, among others.
For instructions on submitting your work to Janklow & Nesbit UK, you can check out their submission guidelines here. If you have any other questions not answered on their submissions page, feel free to contact them via email.
10. Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency
Based in London, Caroline Literary Agency is one of the leading literary agencies in the UK. Caroline Sheldon founded the agency more than three decades ago after years of working as a publisher of children’s books and women’s fiction. She was joined by Felicity Trew in 2015. Caroline continues to specialize in women’s fiction and books for children, while Felicity specializes in historical and contemporary fiction, as well as fun and imaginative children’s books. You can learn more about their areas of interest here.
If you are interested in being represented by Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency, you can send an email to either Caroline or Felicity. For more information about submitting a proposal, you can check out their guidelines here.
11. Hardman & Swainson
Hardman & Swainson is a literary agency based in London. Founded in 2012, they represent authors at all career stages, even those who have never been published before. They specialize in adult fiction and non-fiction, as well as middle grade and young adult books. They do not accept poetry, screenplays, or scripts. Some titles they currently represent include Perfect Crime by Helen Fields, Daughters of War by Lizzie Page, The Lost Sister by Tracy Buchanan, and When the Curtain Falls by Carrie Hope Fletcher, among others.
The Hardman & Swainson team is actively seeking new clients. If you are interested in submitting your work for their consideration, you can check out their submission guidelines here. Should you have any additional questions or concerns, you can get in touch with Hardman & Swainson here.
12. DHH Literary Agency
Founded in 2008 by David H. Headley, DHH Literary Agency is committed to helping both new and established authors by nurturing their careers. Their agents have a wide range of interests and specialties, so make sure you read each agent’s profile to determine which agent is the best match for your work. Their areas of interest include fiction, non-fiction, young adult, and children’s literature.
Interested authors can submit a query directly to the agent they want to work with. All submissions must include a cover letter, a short synopsis, and the first few chapters of your manuscript. For more detailed information, you can check out their submission guidelines here. They usually respond to queries within 16 weeks of receipt. For inquiries not related to submissions, you can send them an email here.
13. The Blair Partnership
Founded in 2011, The Blair Partnership is a London-based production, franchise, and literary agency. They have a more progressive approach to representing authors, and their work spans publishing, dramatic, film, and digital rights. Their literary division specializes in fiction and non-fiction for both adults and children, and they represent many renowned authors, including J.K. Rowling, Justine Pattison, Sophie Nicholls, and more.
The Blair Partnership is currently open for submissions. At the moment, they are most interested in commercial fiction, historical fiction, women’s fiction, horror, thrillers, crime, children’s fiction, and young adult fiction. They will also consider non-fiction that is fresh and unique. For instructions on submitting your work, you can check out their submission guidelines here. Contact them via email for any additional questions.
14. Felicity Bryan Associates
Located in Oxford, Felicity Bryan Associates is an independent literary agency that specializes in non-fiction and adult and children’s fiction. Founded in 1988, the agency has four full-time agents and one associate agent, and they represent more than 200 clients. They are open for submissions. At the moment, they are most interested in accessible non-fiction for adults and contemporary fiction for children and young adults.
Please note that Felicity Bryan Associates doesn’t represent science fiction, romance, fantasy, self-help, poetry, or books for children under 8. If you are interested in submitting, you can take a look at the submission guidelines on their website. Should you have additional questions, you can reach them through their online contact form.
15. Johnson & Alcock Literary Agency
Johnson & Alcock is a literary agency that was established as a result of the 2003 merger between John Johnson Literary Agency and Michael Alcock Management. The agency boasts a diverse list of fiction and non-fiction for adults and children, and they represent bestselling and award-winning authors across various genres. Titles on their list include Crisis by Felix Francis, A Love Story for Bewildered Girls by Emma Morgan, The Atlas of Happiness by Helen Russell, and Help the Witch by Tom Cox.
If you would like to submit your work to Johnson & Alcock, you can start by checking out their submission guidelines. Submissions must be sent directly to the agent that best suits your work. You can find each agent’s profile under the “agents” tab on Johnson & Alcock’s website.
What did you think of our list of top literary agencies in the United Kingdom? Are there any others that should be on this list? Please tell us about them in the comments box below.
Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of Writing Tips Oasis.