Looking to publish? Meet your dream editor, designer and marketer on Reedsy.

Find the perfect editor for your next book

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy. Come meet them.

DIRECTORY

The Best Literary Agents Seeking Submissions

Showing 637 agents that match your search.

Lisa Grubka

πŸ’Ό Agency: Fletcher & Company

🌍 Location: New York, US

πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Website: http://www.fletcherandco.com/

πŸ“£ Preferred contact method: Submit queries through online form

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Thriller, Women's Fiction, Young Adult, Nonfiction, Business Book, Cookbook, Sports

Previous clients: Robin Benway, Elizabeth Ames, Alex Snodgrass, Kathleen Barber

Open to queries

Query Tracker | Publishers Marketplace

Celeste Fine

πŸ’Ό Agency: Park & Fine Literary and Media

🌍 Location: New York, US

πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Website: http://www.parkfine.com/

πŸ“£ Preferred contact method: Submit queries through email

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Commercial Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult, Politics

Previous clients: Sara Gottfried, Amanda Steinberg, Dave Asprey, J.J. Virgin, Joseph Pizzorno

Query Tracker

Anna Olswanger

πŸ’Ό Agency: Olswanger Literary LLC

🌍 Location: New York, US

πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Website: http://www.olswanger.com/

πŸ“£ Preferred contact method: Submit queries through email

Genres: Fiction, Graphic Novel, Children's Book, Picture Book

Previous clients: Vince Vawter, Michael Hall, Patricia Hruby Powell, Michelle Markel, Jennifer Sattler

Open to queries

Query Tracker | Publishers Marketplace | MSWL | Agent Query

Cecilia Lyra

πŸ’Ό Agency: P.S. Literary Agency

🌍 Location: Toronto, CA

πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Website: https://www.psliterary.com/

πŸ“£ Preferred contact method: Submit queries through email

Genres: Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction, Nonfiction, Business Book, Memoir, Diverse Fiction, BIPOC, Feminism, LGBTQ

Previous clients: Lene Andersen, Jenna Ferrey, Amy Rosen, Jessica Hinkson

Open to queries

Query Tracker | MSWL

Looking for an editor to polish your query letter?

The best professionals are already on Reedsy, come meet them. Create your free account to request free quotes today.

Learn more about the Reedsy Marketplace.

Karolina Sutton

πŸ’Ό Agency: Creative Artists Agency

🌍 Location: London, GB

πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Website: https://www.caa.com/

πŸ“£ Preferred contact method: Submit queries through email

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Crime Fiction, Memoir, Nonfiction, Thriller

Previous clients: Margaret Atwood, Bernardine Evaristo, Tara Westover, Malala Yousafzai, Anthony Doerr

Open to queries

Query Tracker

Annelise Robey

πŸ’Ό Agency: Jane Rotrosen Agency

🌍 Location: New York City, US

πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Website: https://www.janerotrosen.com/

πŸ“£ Preferred contact method: Submit queries through online form

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Commercial Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, Women's Fiction, Young Adult

Previous clients: Terri Garey, Monica McCarty, James Hayman

Open to queries

Query Tracker | Agent Query

Anna Ghosh

πŸ’Ό Agency: Ghosh Literary

🌍 Location: New York City, US

πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Website: http://www.ghoshliterary.com/

πŸ“£ Preferred contact method: Submit queries through email

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

Previous clients: Alia Malek, Caroline Heller, Roby James, Garin Hovannisian, Chris Impey

Query Tracker | Agent Query

Jill Marsal

πŸ’Ό Agency: Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC

🌍 Location: San Diego, US

πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Website: https://www.marsallyonliteraryagency.com/

πŸ“£ Preferred contact method: Submit queries through QueryManager

Genres: Fiction, Commercial Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, Women's Fiction, Nonfiction, Business Book, Narrative Nonfiction, Politics, Self-Help, Chick Lit, Crime Fiction, Memoir

Previous clients: Melinda Leigh, Angela Pisel, Matthew Dixon, Lynn Cahoon, Marina Adair

Open to queries

Query Tracker | Publishers Marketplace | Agent Query

Christopher Schelling

πŸ’Ό Agency: Selectric Artists

🌍 Location: Hartford, US

πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Website: http://selectricartists.com/

πŸ“£ Preferred contact method: Submit queries through online form

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Young Adult, Memoir, Narrative Nonfiction, Fantasy, Humor, Science Fiction, Thriller, Graphic Novel, Women's Fiction

Previous clients: Rainbow Rowell, Kate Mulgrew, Augusten Burroughs, Haven Kimmel, Robert Wilder

Query Tracker | Publishers Marketplace | Agent Query

David Fugate

πŸ’Ό Agency: LaunchBooks Literary Agency

🌍 Location: San Diego, US

πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Website: https://launchbooks.com/

πŸ“£ Preferred contact method: Submit queries through online form

Genres: Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Humor, Science Fiction, Thriller, Nonfiction, Business Book, Narrative Nonfiction, Politics, Sports

Previous clients: Chris Guillebeau, Andy Weir, Kevin Mitnick, Peter Clines, DJ Molles

Open to queries

Query Tracker | Publishers Marketplace

What do literary agents do?

A literary agent represents your book to acquiring editors who want to publish it. In other words, an agent gets your foot in the door of a publishing house β€” and onto the path of getting traditionally published. 

In addition to championing you and your writing and serving as your point of contact with others in publishing, literary agents understand editors’ tastes and the types of books that publishers are looking to add to their lists β€” a crucial component in getting any publishing house to invest in the works of new authors. Since most big publishers don’t accept unsolicited submissions, getting a literary agent who’s accepting submissions is the most realistic route to traditional publication, particularly for debut authors.

Aside from getting your foot in the door, what else do literary agents do?

  • They are expert negotiators, combining publishing acumen with a nose for the value of good, sellable writing;
  • They act as mediators between you and your publisher (when you don’t want to hurt your working relationship with an editor by talking brass tacks);
  • They manage the financial and marketing side of things while you concentrate on the writing; and
  • They often have strong editorial skills, helping refine your manuscript before you send it to a publisher.

As you might've guessed, literary agents are especially important for debut authors, who often don't have a starting point in the vast maze that is the publishing industry. That's what a literary agent will become for you: a guide to help you throughout the publishing process, and kickstart your publishing career. 

New authors might be intimidated by the wealth of information and cautionary signs in the industry. It's especially tricky to research literary agents when some are open to submissions from new authors, and some are not.

If you're one of those debut authors, don't fret! We've got you covered with the resources that you need to gain your bearings.

Resources for new authors landing a literary agent in 2025

You might think that a great book is all you need to catch a literary agent’s attention. But you’ll need to put in a good amount of work to land them β€” and that includes everything from the careful study of each agent's wishlist to personalizing your query letter for each candidate..

Whether you’re a new author learning how to research literary agents or an experienced writer refining your query letter, here are the resources that can give you a headstart.

Free online materials for debut authors

Recommended books

Get a professional opinion on your query letter

Reedsy editors have worked as agents and acquiring editors. Ask for a "query letter review."