If you’re an author in the UK and are looking for representation for your book, one of the following 17 top literary agents in London might be able to help.
1. Eve White
Founder and agent at the Eve White literary agency, Eve White has been shortlisted for The British Book Awards, Literary Agent of the Year 2015. Several authors she has represented have been featured on the New York Times bestselling list and even gotten film adaptation deals.
The agency has been working with authors of fiction and nonfiction since 2003 and is located in Pimlico, London. Some of the titles that they have represented are One By One by Ruth Ware, Crakemere Hall by Sophia Danes-Gharbaoui, and The Scorched Earth by Rachel Blok.
At the moment, they are not looking to accept children’s or YA fiction. If you have penned a manuscript in a different genre, you can follow their submission guidelines before you contact the agency.
2. Rachel Mann
Based in Somerset House, London, JULA Ltd. is a literary agency that was set up by Jo Unwin. Candice Carty-Williams’ Queenie and Emma Smith-Barton’s The Million Pieces of Nina Gill are two crowd-favourite titles that they have represented.
Rachel Mann has been working in the capacity of a literary agent at JULA Ltd. for the last couple of years, before which she provided freelance consultancy and editorial services. With her vast knowledge of the publishing industry, Rachel can assist you in getting a great publishing deal for your manuscript.
Some of the genres that they have previously accepted are women’s fiction, children’s fiction, and memoirs. If you’d like to pitch your book to Rachel, make sure to follow the submission guidelines. You can contact them via email or phone for any queries.
3. Will Francis
Janklow & Nesbit is one of the earliest literary agencies in the game. They have been operating since 1973, although their London office was opened only in the year 2000. Founded by Morton L. Janklow and Lynn Nesbit, the agency is housed in Kensington, London.
Will Francis has been associated with this agency since 2008. The authors he has represented have been shortlisted as well as winners of major publishing awards. He has also previously worked at Random House.
The genres that he is looking to work with are literary fiction, popular science, history, and investigative journalism. Some of the books the agency has represented are The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths, Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason, and China Room by Sunjeev Sahota. Before you contact them, read their submission guidelines to gain clarity on the process.
4. Ian Drury
Located in Camden London, Sheil Land Associates is a literary, film, and theatrical agency established in 1962.
If you have written a fantasy fiction, general fiction, science fiction, suspense, biography or history book, you should consider pitching your manuscript to Ian Drury. He has been working at Sheil Land Associates since 2007.
Ian’s experience in the publishing industry has led to him working at HarperCollins and also being made the Publishing Director at Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
A few titles that Sheil Land Associates has represented are The Thirteenth Tale by Diana Setterfield, From The Shadows by Neil White, and The Lost Daughter by Gill Paul. To know how you can submit your manuscript, take a look at these guidelines. Their contact information can be found on their website.
5. Nicola Chang
David Higham Associates is the literary agency behind the launch of successful titles such as The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, More Fool Me by Stephen Fry, and Love Frankie by Jacqueline Wilson.
Set up in the year 1935 by David Higham, the agency can be found in Soho, London. They are experienced at fostering a client base comprising authors of literary, commercial, nonfiction, and children’s fiction.
Nicola Chang’s authors have been nominated for and won awards such as the BBC National Short Story Award, the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, the TS Eliot Prize, to name a few.
Take a look at the submission guidelines and Nicola’s profile to know if she’d be the right agent for your manuscript. You can contact them via email for any queries.
6. Cathryn Summerhayes
Curtis Brown is a literary agency that was established in the year 1899 by Albert Curtis Brown. It has represented classic authors such as Daphne du Maurier, John Steinbeck, and Elizabeth Bowen.
The agency is located in Westminster, London. Having worked at several British literary agencies previously, Cathryn Summerhayes joined Curtis Brown again in 2016.
She is interested in adult literary fiction, commercial fiction, crime, and thrillers. Moreover, if you are an author of narrative nonfiction, a book about journalism, pop culture, food & drink or lifestyle, you should consider working with her.
A few of the books the agency has represented are Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, The Dry by Jane Harper, and 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami.
Take a look at their submission guidelines and contact them in case you have any queries about the process.
7. Viola Hayden
Looking for an agent who’d be perfect to represent your literary fiction or narrative nonfiction or memoir book? Viola Hayden can assist you in making your book launch an incredible success.
She has experience working at one of the Big 5 publishers – Bloomsbury Publishing – and is on the lookout for fictional stories that delve into social observation and have clever storytelling.
Some other books that have been launched by Curtis Brown agency are Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood, All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, and Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey.
Confident that your manuscript has the potential to be the next bestseller? Follow their submission guidelines and pitch your book to Viola.
8. Juliet Pickering
Blake Friedmann literary agency’s catalog boasts bold, colourful titles that instantly grab the audience’s attention. Located in Highbury Place, London, the agency began operations in 1982 through the merger of Julian Friedmann literary agency and the Carole Blake literary agency.
Love in Color by Bolu Babalola and When They Find Her by Lia Middleton are two titles that the agency has represented.
Juliet Pickering has been associated with them since 2013. Several of her authors have written contemporary fiction novels that dabble in themes of coming-of-age, gender, identity, sexuality, and class.
While she is looking to work with authors of commercial, literary, book club fiction, and nonfiction, some of the genres that she is not interested in at the moment are supernatural, young adult or children’s fantasy, dystopian, horror, and crime fiction.
To get a complete idea about her preferences, visit her profile. If you are certain that she is the right agent for you, make sure to read their submission guidelines and share information about your manuscript. You can also contact the agency via email or phone.
9. Samuel Hodder
The Blake Friedmann literary agency has a global network of authors and publishers that it works with. It has represented writers from all walks of life.
Samuel Hodder can be your go-to literary agent if you’ve written historical fiction, literary or contemporary fiction, speculative novels, narrative nonfiction, true historical crime, economics, visual culture, nature writing, to name a few genres.
Before you reach out to them with any queries, make sure to read their submission guidelines.
10. Sophie Gorell Barnes
Is your manuscript heavy with middle-grade humour and authentic characters? Sophie Gorell Barnes may just be the perfect agent to support the release of your book.
Her career has been an amalgamation of editorial roles, research, writing, and working with authors. Having written children’s books for Macmillan Education, she knows the genre like the back of her hand.
When Secrets Set Sail by Sita Brahmachari, What Manor of Murder? By Christopher William Hill, and Weirdos vs Bumskulls by Natasha Desborough are three books that Sophie has helped release.
She’s been working at MBA literary agency since 1993. The agency is located in Camden, London.
To submit your book for evaluation, you ought to follow their guidelines correctly. The agency can be reached out to via email or phone.
11. Rowan Lawton
Based in Soho, London, The Soho Agency is a literary agency that has helped countless debut authors, as well as established authors, gain a massive reception for their novels. It was founded by Lucas Alexander Whitley in 2019.
Rowan Lawton has more than 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. She joined The Soho Agency in 2019 and has represented several award-winning authors. Some of the genres that appeal a great deal to Rowan are domestic suspense, commercial women’s fiction, female-focused nonfiction, and literary fiction.
Keep in mind that the agency does not accept poetry books or textbooks. To know more about the process of submitting your manuscript to them, read their submission guidelines and contact them for any information you may require.
Some of the authors they have represented are Sophie Ranald (Thank You, Next), Kate Mosse (The City of Tears), Michael Robotham (Good Girl Bad Girl), and Sophie Kinsella (Love Your Life).
12. Milly Reilly
An agent at JULA Ltd., Milly Reilly’s interests lie in nonfiction books that tell a story, are personal, and discuss issues. Art, food, comedy, cultural criticism, illness, human behaviour are just some of the topics that she is invested in.
In fiction, she is looking for novels that are character-driven, narrate an honest story, and reveal human motivations.
She does not represent children’s or YA fiction, crime, or sci-fi novels. Milly has been working at this London-based agency for three years.
You can contact the agency via email or phone. If you are ready to submit your manuscript for evaluation, make sure to follow their simple guidelines.
13. Ben Clark
Ben Clark has been contributing to the growth of The Soho Agency in the capacity of a literary agent. He is extremely interested in nonfiction books, especially ones that have to do with topics such as technology, memoir, business, philosophy, nature, science, and history.
Do you have a book that aligns with Ben’s preferences and qualifications? Read the agency’s submission guidelines to get started. You may also contact them in case of any doubts.
A few nonfiction titles that the agency has signed on are Lessons From a Warzone by Louai Al Roumani, Unnatural Causes by Dr Richard Shepherd, and Limitless by Tim Peake.
14. Hellie Ogden
Authors of children’s books, fiction, and nonfiction must consider Hellie Ogden as a potential literary agent. Cookery, lifestyle, nature writing, memoir, and unique personal stories appeal to her.
She works at the Janklow & Nesbit literary agency, the London branch of which was set up in 2000. Several of her authors have been listed in Sunday Times bestsellers list. Make sure to read through Hellie’s profile to get an understanding of her preferences.
The agency has listed simple instructions that will guide you to submit your manuscript if you feel that Hellie Ogden would be the right agent for your book. You can also contact them via email and phone.
The Social Instinct by Nichola Raihani and Second Thoughts by Lynn Berger are two nonfiction books the agency has represented.
15. Alice Lutyens
Catherine Bennetto, Kate Hamer, Fran Quinn, Rachel Marks, and Anna Bailey are five authors that Alice Lutyens has worked with. She is a literary agent at Curtis Brown literary agency and is on the lookout for fictional books that are well-written. She enjoys crime and thriller novels, particularly if they have a family element in them.
If you have a book that explores the subject of relationships and compels the reader to reflect on the existence of our species, you’re in for a treat because Alice is currently looking to represent such books.
The submission guidelines are pretty self-explanatory so you shouldn’t have any trouble pitching your manuscript. However, you can contact the agency via phone or email.
16. Megan Carroll
The Changeover by Margaret Mahy, Someone is Lying by Jenny Blackhurst, and The Power of Chowa by Akemi Tanaka are three diverse books that Watson Little agency have represented.
With a B.A. in English and American Literature, Megan Carroll began interning at agencies only to return to Watson Little as a literary agent.
If you are an Asian, Black or LGBTQIA+ author, Megan would be glad to hear from you. Her interests range from high-concept speculative fiction, gothic horror, regional family drama to memoirs, true crime, contemporary YA fiction and more. Visit her profile to understand her preferences.
The agency was established in 1971 by David Bolt and Sheila Watson under the name Bolt and Watson Ltd. Later it came to be known as Watson Little when Mandy Little became the Director.
It is located in Highbury Grove, London. If you are looking to submit your manuscript, understand their submission guidelines thoroughly before you contact them.
17. James Wills
James Wills has been the Secretary of the Association of Authors’ Agents from 2009 to 2011. He has graduated from the University of Leeds with an M.A. in 20th Century Literature.
As a literary agent at Watson Little, he is looking to work with authors of commercial and literary fiction novels that are character-driven, quirky and striking. In narrative nonfiction, he welcomes works pertaining to popular music, website, comedy, history, science, and sports.
If you think he could be the perfect agent for you, read the agency’s submission guidelines and submit a brief about your manuscript. You can also contact them via email or phone.