Literary Agents

Book proposals come together much more easily when the author has confidence and clarity on their target audience.

A step-by-step guide to finding literary agents, plus how to select the right agent for you and your work.

If you've given up on the self-publishing route and want to try traditional publishing, then there are several approaches you can take to interest agents.

Is it better to look for a literary agent first, or to approach editors and publishers? Much depends on the commercial potential of your work.

Learn how to pitch your nonfiction book to agents and publishers—whether you're writing memoir, narrative nonfiction, or prescriptive nonfiction.

AALA president Regina Brooks addresses why the Canon was changed to allow agents to earn both editorial fees and commissions on the same work.

Elijah Wolfson has joined as an agent after spending two decades in magazine and news journalism.

Maya Raiford Cohen was previously an editor at Astra House and Zando. Alicia Tan previously worked at HarperCollins, Abrams, the Today show, and BuzzFeed.

My insights from the AI panel at last week’s Association of American Literary Agents’ People of Publishing conference in New York City.

If your agent is suddenly fired, what happens next depends on your agent contract. Learn what steps to take and which resources, including the AALA and Authors Guild, can help.

Dystel, Goderich & Bourret has resigned from the AALA, noting their “strong objection” to the revised Canon.

Yates & Yates offers representation and paid services to authors of Christian nonfiction.

Jon Malysiak seeks narrative nonfiction, memoir, current affairs, wellbeing, entrepreneurship and culture.

Linda A. Duggins joins as an agent; she previously worked in publicity at Hachette and is co-founder of the Harlem Book Fair.

If you haven’t heard back from an agent, you might consider sending the agent a nudge. Here’s how.

Agent Brent Taylor has launched July First Literary, specializing in commercial fiction. They are not yet open to submissions.

Founder Mark Ryan is focusing his agency on selling subsidiary rights for self-published authors.

I spoke with Jaclyn Gilbert at Driftless Literary, where clients pay a flat consulting fee for her to help place their work at a publisher.

I interviewed professor Laura B. McGrath, a literary scholar who spent years interviewing agents to understand their role in the marketplace.

When the new AALA Canon of Ethics goes into effect, authors must be more diligent and sharp in evaluating who they partner with.

The agency will represent Jewish, Israeli, Arab-Israeli, and Palestinian authors, with a focus on international and media rights sales.

Former Ayesha Pande Literary agent Annie Hwang has launched Renegade Literary. representing literary fiction as well as established poets.

The agency will focus on music titles, film, literary biography, art and design, photography, graphic novels, and other areas of pop culture.

Rebecca Lommers has joined as a junior agent. She’s currently accepting YA and adult fiction and middle-grade across multiple genres.