The Big Apple: it’s where everyone who wants to be somebody goes to make something out of his or her career.

And despite the fact that we live in a digital age and people can come into fame through all sorts of outlets, whether it be social media or YouTube, New York is still very much the literary mecca of the world.

So if you’re really serious about this writing business, New York is definitely one of the first places you want to scope out for a good literary agent—especially an agent with all the contacts to the big publishers, like Simon & Schuster.

And that’s the reason why we’ve created this post – to help you in your search for an agent in this part of the States.

Here’s a list of 15 top literary agents in New York City (NYC) you should take a look at.

1. Evan Gregory

The Senior Agent at the Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency can be reached out to via Twitter. Established in 1984, Ethan Ellenberg has represented writers of sci-fi, fantasy, and even romance. This agency also helps writers publish via a new method, called “agent sponsored publishing,” where the agent will actually provide the writer with all the necessary advice, tips, and help to publish via e-book, and still create a successful, high quality finished product.

2. David Black

If you’re a non-fiction writer, then you really can’t go wrong with David Black as your literary agent. Black, the owner of the NYC boutique agency, David Black Agency, has been in the business for years and is one of the best literary agents out there. He established the agency in 1989, which has since represented best sellers like The Last Lecture and The Little Book of Talent. Whether your writings are about sports, politics, fitness, history, business, or other similar topics, chances are that he’s going to be interested. If you’d like to query Black, you should take a look at his profile and also the submission guidelines outlined here. Agents at the organization usually require a minimum of eight weeks to respond.

3. Ellen Geiger

If you have an interesting non-fiction book on history, psychology, women’s issues, progressive politics, or religion then Ellen Geiger is definitely the agent you want to talk to. The Vice President and Principal agent at Frances Goldin Literary Agency, she’s a great agent for writers who like to tackle the meatier subjects. Not a non-fiction writer? Well, if you’re the author of a historical fiction work or of a multicultural fiction one, then you’re in luck. Even more, literary thrillers are also of interest for her, as long as they are provoking. Established in 1977, The Frances Goldin Agency has helped published numerous pivotal works, including On Immunity. The agency is located on 29^th street in NYC.

4. Sam Stoloff

Are you a literary fiction writer? Then you need an agent that’s genuinely interested in that particular genre. Literary fiction is just one of Sam Stoloff’s many literary intrigues. Also a literary agent for Frances Goldin, Stoloff is the agent to query if you typically write works that center around topics like philosophy, journalism on international affairs, sociology, cultural studies, and history. Regardless of the genre, your work has to be challenging enough to advance the public conversation. If you’re interested in submitting to Stoloff, you should submit directly via submittable.com. Some agents at Frances Goldin, however, do accept queries via email, so make sure you take a look at the submissions page before querying your selected agent. Agents usually respond within 4-6 weeks. Keep in mind that no works which contain racist, homophobic, and overall offensive or inappropriate themes will be taken into consideration.

5. Noah Ballard

Want a chance to work with one of the oldest literary agencies in New York? Then you might just want to consider querying Noah Ballard of Curtis Brown, LTD. With offices both in San Francisco and New York City, the Curtis Brown agency has represented world renowned authors such as Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series, and Gail Carson Levine, who wrote Ella Enchanted. In fact, Curtis Brown is one of the few agencies around with a significant track record of book adaptations for film and television—so much so that the agency even has its own film and television department. You should query Noah if you write short story collections, literary fiction, or narrative nonfiction – the latter also includes memoir, pop culture, and journalism.

6. Ginger Clark

Of course, if you’re a fantasy writer, Curtis Brown also has a niche for you. However, if your books fit the genres of science fiction or horror for adults, or those of middle grade or YA fiction or nonfiction, Ginger Clark is still the person you want to get in touch with. Interested writers should send an email query to gc@cbltd.com. If interested, Ginger will usually respond to your query within two weeks.

7. Chris Park

If you’re a non-fiction writer and you have experience in the fields of memoir, prescriptive, Christian, narrative non-fiction, or sports,, then one of the agents you should try reaching out to at Foundry Literary + Media is Chris Park who you can query via email. Park, who also represents fiction works that are usually character focused, has an interest for books that encompass stories which must be told, such as that of a couple who forgives their daughter’s killer.

For your information, Foundry Literary + Media, Located on 17th Street in NYC, specializes in all types of books for all types of people. They’ve represented clients like actor and comedian Tony Danza, The Daily Show host Trevor Noah, and comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham. One of the things that’s particularly wonderful about Foundry Literary is that they have a wide scope of books they represent, whether it be novels, non-fiction, or even books on health and well-being. This broad scope means that there’s a niche at Foundry for almost every type of writer—something that’s actually fairly rare in the publishing community. Like some other agencies in New York, Foundry also features a film department that works with authors to help get their books contracted into film; one example of this is Before I Fall.

8. Barbara Poelle

A literary agent of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency since 2007, Barbara Poelle started out in this field as an editor and freelance copywriter. As an agent, she has particularly been successful with representing books of literary suspense, with thrillers, and with young adult and upmarket fiction. Thus, if your work fits the standards of the mentioned genres, or you have an edgy mystery manuscript to share, Barbara Poelle may be the right choice for you. If you want to collaborate with her, you can send a query to her email address. Submission guidelines are available here for more information.

9. Alexander Slater

A graduate of the University of Connecticut, Alexander Slater has a Concentration in Creative Writing and a B.A. in English Literature. His list of clients includes numerous bestselling authors, among which we can name Jonathan Hill, Keah Brown, and Janae Marks. Currently, he is a literary agent at Trident Media Group, and he is looking for books which involve underrepresented historical characters, captivating voices, and which blend genres. Alexander’s main priorities are middle grade and young adult fiction and non-fiction. However, if your work is related to pop culture, literary fiction, adult thrillers, graphic novels, narrative non-fiction, or Coen Brothers-esque crime noir, feel free to submit a query letter here.

10. Cynthia Cannell

Are you a self-improvement author? Is spirituality your topic of choice? Well, then the Cynthia Cannell Literary Agency just might be the place for you. Established in 1988, the Cannell Agency has represented a wide range of authors and a wide range of subjects. They’ve represented fiction authors, non-fiction authors who write on social or global issues, and even authors that write about Feng-Shui. Currently, they are also open to receiving works that fit the standards of biography, memoir, and non-fiction on contemporary issues. The agency also helps authors adapt their work for the big screen. If you’re interested in querying this agency, you can query them via email or by mail. If querying by email, send a small synopsis of your work as well as some background information on yourself. Authors of children’s books, cookbooks, romance, category mystery, screenplays, young adult, illustrated books, or sci-fi should not query this agency.

11. Joy Harris

The Joy Harris Literary Agency is a small, boutique agency in the middle of New York City. Three agents run the store, with Joy Harris being the head agent/owner. Started in 1990, this is a good agency to query if you write commercial fiction, literary fiction, or narrative non-fiction. The latter includes both biography and memoir. Over the course of its lifetime, the agency has represented many bestselling authors and even musicians including Carole King, Alice Walker, and Rachel Sherman. If you’re interested in submitting to this agency, they ask that you send a query via email and that you include a query letter and sample chapters. A thing to note, however, is that the agency is not currently accepting poetry, genre fiction, self-help, or screenplays.

12. Caitlin McDonald

Caitlin McDonald has been a literary agent of the Donald Maass Literary Agency since 2015. With a B.A. in Creative Writing from Columbia University and a wide range of interests, she can represent authors with very different perspectives. Caitlin currently welcomes submissions of middle grade, young adult, and adult science fiction and fantasy (where alternate history and secondary world fantasy are a plus), cross-genre fiction, as well as all sorts of diversity. However, she does not accept crime/military fiction, picture books, young reader chapter books, screenplays, poetry, short stories, or contemporary women’s fiction. You will have to submit a query letter, a synopsis, and the first 20 pages of your novel. If you need to know more, the submission guidelines are displayed online.

13. Sarah Younger

A part of the Nancy Lots Literary Agency team since 2011, Sarah Younger has a broad range of genres on her list. Among them we can name women’s fiction, mystery, thriller, romance, science fiction, and fantasy. In terms of women’s fiction, works that cross generational plotlines and display the reality of life are preferred, especially if they have a happy ending. On the other hand, romance is wanted in a mix with urban fantasy, western, suspense, paranormal, sports, and many others. Horror, poetry, middle grade, or children’s books are not of interest, so only send your manuscript after reading her profile. Keep in mind that they can only be sent through the Query Manager system.

14. Lisa Erbach Vance

One of the top literary agencies in New York, located on 41^st Street, is the Aaron M. Priest Literary Agency, Inc. Established in 1974 by Aaron M. Priest, this agency has represented numerous well-known authors and works including Madeleine L’Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time. Agent Lisa Erbach Vance is currently taking on works in contemporary and historical fiction, especially with works that feature female protagonists, thrillers, psychological suspense and romantic suspense novels, narrative non-fiction, and contemporary goth fiction. To submit to Vance send a one-page query letter along with a sample chapter of your work in the body of an email.

15. Stephen Barbara

If you’re a particular fan, and have a book that’s comparable (though it doesn’t have to be exactly the same in style or voice, keep in mind) to the work of Laura Amy Schlitz or Lauren Oliver, then Stephen Barbara of Inkwell Management could be the agent for you. Located in Brooklyn, Barbara has had some of the work he’s helped published selected to become feature films or T.V series. If you interested in submitting to Barbara, send one to two chapters of your work in the body of your email along with a query letter.

In general, Inkwell Management is definitely a literary agency you want to look into. With clients like Paul Schneider and Liz Crain, there’s a potential hub for almost any kind of writer at Inkwell. With a wide range of agents to choose from, Inkwell is one of the world’s leading literary agencies, with co-agents located all over the world.

11 More Literary Agents in New York City

1. Irene Goodman

Irene Goodman, founder of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency, has been part of the publishing community for more than three decades. Since becoming an agent, she has sold more than 1500 books, and her clients regularly appear on the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestseller lists. Some of the titles she has represented include What They Don’t Know by Nicole Maggi, Parisian Charm School by Jamie Cat Callan, American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry by Leslie Carroll, and The Memoirs of Helen of Troy by Amanda Elyot.

Irene is interested in fiction that blends the literary and the commercial, as well as non-fiction in the areas of pop culture, science, lifestyle, music, Judaica, and Francophilia. Should you wish to submit a query to Irene, paste the first 10 pages of your manuscript in the body of your email, followed by the synopsis and your query letter. All submissions must be sent via email.

2. Robert Guinsler

Robert Guinsler is a senior agent at Sterling Lord Literistic. He has been with the agency since 2000, representing a wide range of bestselling and award-winning non-fiction authors. He has also spent his entire career championing LGBTQ+ voices. His client list includes journalists Mikhail Zygar and Rania Abouzeid, comedians Sarah Colonna and Phoebe Robinson, gay rights activist Cleve Jones, and the estate of Anne Sexton. He also represents Guy Branum, Hugh Ryan, Evan Fallenberg, and Peter Staley. Robert is open for submissions and is willing to consider most non-fiction topics.

If you are interested in submitting your work for Robert’s consideration, you can send him a query through Sterling Lord Literistic’s submission form. If submitting to Robert, make sure you don’t query other agents from the same agency. Due to the volume of submissions he receives, Robert might only be able to respond to your query if he is interested in seeing more material.

3. Kimberly Witherspoon

Kimberly Witherspoon is a literary agent and founder partner at Inkwell Management, one of Manhattan’s most successful agencies. She holds a BA in International Relations from Brown University and is a member of The Authors Guild and a founding board member of The Bronx Academy of Letters. Throughout her career, she has represented many bestselling and critically acclaimed authors of both fiction and non-fiction, including Sophie Kinsella, Anthony Bourdain, Arundhati Roy, Lena Dunham, Dean Koontz, Gabrielle Hamilton, Kate Atkinson, David Vann, and Lionel Shriver, among others.

If you want to send a query to Kimberly, you can do so via email. Don’t forget to include her name in the subject of your email. In your email’s body, include your query letter and the first two chapters of your manuscript. Emails with attachments will not be read. Kimberly usually responds to queries within two months, but only if she is interested in reading more. For more information, check out Inkwell Management’s submission guidelines here.

4. Joanna Volpe

Joanna Volpe is the President of New Leaf Literary & Media, a full-service management and representation firm based in New York. She represents authors of literary, commercial, and genre fiction, and she is most drawn to stories that feature complex relationships and nuanced characters. She is also interested in select non-fiction in the following areas: food, travel, pop culture, and narrative non-fiction featuring women. Joanna’s clients include Veronica Roth, David J. Peterson, Kody Keplinger, Susan Dennard, Danielle Paige, and Leigh Bardugo, among others. At the moment, she is looking to expand her list of adult and middle grade titles.

Should you wish to submit a query to Joanna, you can check out the submission guidelines on New Leaf Literary & Media’s website. Make sure your sample pages are pasted in the body of your email, and don’t forget to include Joanna’s name in the subject line. For general inquiries, contact New Leaf Literary & Media here.

5. Meg Thompson

Meg Thompson founded the Thompson Literary Agency in 2014. Prior to launching her own agency, Meg spent six years working at LJK Literary Management and was promoted to senior agent after only two years. She then co-founded the Einstein Thompson Agency with Susanna Einstein before venturing out on her own. Meg’s client list includes New York Times bestsellers Lisa Leake, Tom Hart, Kelle Hampton, Ken Denmead, and Jeremy Rifkin, among others. She also represents women’s rights activist Maria Toorpakai, biographer Kathryn Smith, and President of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards. Meg’s areas of interest include music, biography, popular science, memoir, health and wellness, spirituality, cookbooks, and many other non-fiction topics.

If you are interested in submitting your work, you can send Meg a query via email. Make sure you follow the submission guidelines stated here. Non-fiction submissions must include a query letter, proposal, previous publication credentials, sample material, and marketing information. For general inquiries, you can get in touch with Thompson Literary Agency by sending them an email.

6. Melissa Edwards

Melissa Edwards of Stonesong Literary Agency specializes in adult commercial fiction, children’s books, and select non-fiction. She joined the Stonesong team in 2016. Prior to that, she worked as a literary agent at the Aaron Priest Literary Agency. Before she transitioned into the publishing industry, Melissa started her career as a litigation attorney. She is currently looking for picture books and middle grade literature with a heart. She is also interested in young adult commercial fiction in any genre, particularly thrillers and romance. For adult fiction, Melissa is most drawn to vibrant women’s fiction. Her current clients include Doug the Pug, Dianne Freeman, Drew Murray, Monica Mancillas, Amanda K. Morgan, and Bea Birdsong, among others.

If you would like to work with Melissa, get started by checking out Stonesong’s submission guidelines. Don’t forget to address your email to Melissa, and please note that emails with attachments will not be opened. All writing samples must be pasted in the body of your email.

7. Erica Spellman-Silverman

Erica Spellman-Silverman is the Senior Vice President of Trident Media Group, one of the most prominent agencies in New York City. She has been with the Trident team for nearly a decade, representing a number of amazing writers and handling book to film rights for other Trident agents. Her client list includes Sean Patrick Flanery, Eve Babitz, Barbara Lynch, Anne Serling, Seymour Glass, Robin Cook, Rebecca Donovan, and Robert Greenfield, among others. Erica’s interests are quite eclectic, and she is cares less about genre than she does about great storytelling, be it young adult fiction, literary fiction, thrillers, or memoir.

If you are interested in working with Erica, you can send her a query using Trident Media Group’s submission form. Queries must only include a short paragraph about yourself, a synopsis of your work, and your contact information. Do not send any writing samples unless requested. Submissions to multiple Trident agents are not allowed.

8. Nancy Yost

Nancy Yost founded the Nancy Yost Literary Agency in 2009. She specializes in commercial fiction, particularly thrillers, crime fiction, suspense, mysteries, historical fiction, and women’s fiction. Nancy’s career in publishing began at Random House, where she worked in the contracts department. She then worked as an editor at Avon Books before becoming a literary agent. She now represents many New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors, including Deborah Crombie, Linda Castillo, Loretta Chase, Stephanie Laurence, Miranda James, Ilona Andrews, and Tamar Myers, among others. She is currently open for submissions and is looking for complex and engrossing character-driven stories. She has a soft spot for ghost stories, historical fiction, southern fiction, intelligence, atmosphere, and humor.

Should you be interested in submitting your work to Nancy, you can do so by filling out her query form. For any other inquiries, you can find Nancy Yost Literary Agency’s contact information here. Only query one agent from the agency at a time.

9. Cameron McClure

Cameron McClure is a literary agent working at the Donald Maass Literary Agency. She joined DMLA in 2004. She primarily represents authors of fiction and is currently looking for books that combine the writing quality of literary fiction and the plotting elements of genre fiction. She is most interested in fantasy, science fiction, mystery, suspense, literary fiction, and works with environmental, multicultural, and LGBTQ+ themes. Some of her clients include Steve Bein, Randy Henderson, Ada Palmer, Amy Alkon, Molly Tanzer, Robert McCammon, Emily Winslow, and Sarah Pemberton Strong.

Interested in working with Cameron? The only way to send her a query is by using this form. Email submissions will not be considered. Do note that she is not interested in picture books, romance, screenplays, or poetry.

10. Paul Stevens

Also from Donald Maass Literary Agency, Paul Stevens is a literary agent specializing in fiction. Prior to joining DMLA in 2016, he worked as an editor for 15 years, focusing on science fiction, mystery, and fantasy. His current client list includes Kat Clay, Agnes Gomillion, Kevin Singer, Kel Kade, Jeremy Finley, Melissa Work, and Michael Livingston, among others. Right now, Paul is looking for horror, suspense, mystery, science fiction, and fantasy. He is particularly drawn to stories that feature well-rounded characters of color and LGBTQ+ characters.

Paul only accepts submissions sent through his query form. Previous publishing experience is not required, but do mention your publishing credits if you’ve been published before. For any general inquiries, you can get in touch with the Donald Maass Literary Agency team here.

11. Liza Dawson

Liza Dawson founded Liza Dawson Associates after spending two successful decades working in the publishing industry, including posts as Executive Editor at both Putnam Publishing and William Morrow. Liza also sits on the board of the Association of Authors’ Representatives and is a member of the Author’s Guild, International Thriller Writers Inc., the Women’s Media Group, and the Mystery Writers of America. Her clients include Robyn Carr, Ross Gay, Victoria Christopher Murray, Tawni O’Dell, and Marie Bostwick. Liza specializes in plot-driven fiction, particularly thrillers, mysteries, and young adult fiction. She also represents literary fiction, historical novels, and narrative non-fiction.

If you would like to submit your work to Liza, you can send her a query letter via email. Do not include any attachments and do not query other agents from the agency.

This list is just a starting point when it comes to finding high-quality literary agents. So if you’re really dedicated to your writing, get out there and find the right agent for you.

What did you think of our list of top literary agents in New York City? Have you had experience of working with any of these individuals? What was it like? Are there any literary agents in New York City, which we missed out? Please tell us more in the comments box below!

Are you looking for a book publisher? Be sure to check out our list of 21 Top Book Publishing Houses in New York City.

Do you need an editor for your book? Here are 19 Top Book Editors in New York.

As a graduate from the University of Arizona in English and Creative Writing, Rofida Khairalla’s love for classical literature and post-modern fiction extends beyond the realm of books. She has provided her services independently as a freelance writer, and wrote on the news desk for the student-run newspaper, The Daily Wildcat. As an aspiring children’s book author, she’s refined her craft amongst the grand saguaros of the Southwest, and enjoys playing with her German Shepherd on the slopes of Mount Lemmon.