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7 Insider Secrets to Get a Top Agent, Publisher, and Book Deal
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Literary Agent Directory
Important: Visit each agent’s website (links in their listings below) to see if they’re open to submissions before querying.
- The results are being filtered by the character: Z
Biography
Lane Zachary is a literary agent with Massie & McQuilkin. She is a 25-year veteran of the publishing world, received her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and her M.A. in Literature from Boston University. She began her publishing career at The Palmer and Dodge Agency (now Kneerim & Williams), where she sold the long-lost Louisa May Alcott novel, A Long, Fatal Love Chase. In 1996, she co-founded Zachary Shuster Harmsworth, where among many other distinguished authors she represented National Book Award and PEN Faulkner winner Ha Jin; Kingsley Tufts Award-winning poet Tom Sleigh; and Pulitzer Prize winner Gail Caldwell. She also has had the pleasure of working on memoirs including Marina KeeganÕs The Opposite of Loneliness and Broadway star Tovah FeldshuhÕs Lilyville. Biographies she has sold include Joshua KendallÕs The Man Who Made Lists: Love, Death, Madness and the Creation of RogetÕs Thesaurus and Patti HartiganÕs August Wilson: The Kiln in Which He Was Fired. Her authors have been New York Times best sellers as well as recipients of the Rona Jaffe, Guggenheim and PEN Hemingway Awards.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |General Fiction |General Nonfiction | Memoir |
Biography
Marietta Zacker is a literary agent with the Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. Marietta has worked with books, authors and illustrators throughout her careerÑstudying, creating, editing, marketing, teaching and selling. She supports independent bookselling, believes in libraries and takes pride in her work as a Latina in the world of publishing. She is always on the lookout for visual and narrative stories that reflect the world we live in, not the bubbles in which we put ourselves. She loves books that make readers feel and shy away from those that set out to teach the reader a lesson. Whether a young adult novel, a middle grade novel or a picture book, she wants readers to identify with the actions and reactions of the characters not the perspective of the author or illustrator. Diversity in the story must be inherent and authentic, not trendy. She is thrilled to shine the spotlight on soulful, insightful, well-crafted, literary or commercial projects aimed at any age group from young adult to the youngest of readers.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Authors and Illustrators Only |Picture Book | Chapter Book | Middle Grade Fiction | Young Adult Fiction | Action Adventure | Graphic Novel | Humor Fiction | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction |Dating Relationships Sex | Family | Illustrated | LGBTQ Nonfiction |
Biography
Leslie Zampetti is a literary agent with and the founder of Open Book Literary. Shelaunched Open Book Literary after experiences with Odom Media Management, Dunham Literary, and The Bent Agency.
A former librarian in special, public, and school libraries, LeslieÕs focus is on the right book at the right time for the reader. Having negotiated with organizations from Lexis-Nexis to elementary school PTAs, she obtains terms that favor her clients while building satisfying relationships with publishers. And after cataloging rocket launch videos for NASA & model rocket ships for elementary school, she welcomes working with the unexpected challenges that pop up in publishing.
Leslie serves as Secretary, Board Member, and on the Communications and Programming Committees of the Association of American Literary Agents, and she is a member of the Society of ChildrenÕs Book Writers and Illustrators.
Leslie received her B.A. in English from Wake Forest University and her M.L.I.S. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is a writer herself, familiar with querying from both sides of the desk. A frequent presenter at conferences, workshops, and retreats, you can follow Leslie on social media @literarylesliez .
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Member of the AALA |Picture Book | Middle Grade Fiction | Young Adult Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | Crime Fiction | Fantasy | Historical Fiction | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction | Magical Realism | Multicultural Fiction | Mystery | Romance | Upmarket Fiction | Women’s Fiction |Memoir | Narrative Nonfiction | Religion | Science | Travel | True Adventure | True Crime | Women’s Issues |
Biography
Laura Zats is a literary agent with and the co-founder of Headwater Literary Management. For a decade, Laura has worked with books in every way from book selling, to editing and ghostwriting, to helping authors self-publish. A literary agent for over six years, she finds the most joy in working closely with authors to build their long-term careers in ways that contribute positively to their financial and mental health, as well as the greater community. Since 2016, Laura has hosted Print Run, a weekly publishing podcast, with Erik Hane. Passionate about teaching, mentorship, and the role books play in the fight for social justice, she regularly participates in the Manuscript Academy, attends conferences, and is currently serving her third term on the board of the Minnesota Book PublishersÕ Roundtable, a non-profit that provides ongoing education for new and established publishing professionals. In her spare time, Laura plays tabletop role-playing games, follows the long-distance dogsled-racing season from her couch, and drinks a lot of tea. Connect with her on twitter @LZats.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |Young Adult Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | Erotic Fiction | Fantasy | General Fiction | Historical Fiction | Horror | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction | Magical Realism | Mystery | New Adult Fiction | Romance | Science Fiction | Suspense Fiction | Thriller |
Biography
Marisa Zeppieri is a literary agent with the Strachan Literary Agency. After 12 years as a health and food journalist and editor, she followed her love for books and began ghostwriting for a NYC publishing house, in addition to interning at a literary agency.
Her passion for books is only trumped by her love for authors who want to share their life-changing messages with the world. Marisa is currently seeking to champion new talent who create memorable characters with unforgettable words, and she has a soft spot for writers in marginalized communities and persons with disabilities.
She is particularly interested in finding nonfiction authors to build her client list and is only taking on a limited amount of fiction.
Nonfiction interests: Memoir, narrative nonfiction, investigative journalism, platform-driven nonfiction, diet and health, Christian spirituality, inspirational, food and cookbooks, self-help, advice, and humor.
Fiction interests: Adult fiction (commercial womenÕs fiction, upmarket fiction, apocalyptic, thrillers, fantasy) and upper YA.
Marisa is not seeking historical romance, erotica, or poetry.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions |Young Adult Fiction |Christian Fiction | Christian Nonfiction |Commercial Fiction | Dystopian Fiction | Fantasy | General Fiction | Mystery | New Adult Fiction | Religious Fiction | Romance | Suspense Fiction | Thriller | Upmarket Fiction | Women’s Fiction |General Nonfiction | Biography | Cookbook Cooking | Diet Nutrition | Food Drink | Health Wellness | Humor Nonfiction | Inspirational Nonfiction | Investigative | Journalism | Lifestyle | Memoir | Mind Body Spirit | Narrative Nonfiction | Religion | Self-Help | Spirituality |
Biography
Helen Zimmerman is a literary agent with the Helen Zimmermann Literary Agency. Helen started her publishing career about twenty years ago in the marketing department of Random House. She soon became the Director of Advertising and Promotion for one of their divisions, The Crown Publishing Group. After twelve years she moved to New York’s Hudson Valley, where she worked at an independent bookstore as the Author Events Director.
She founded the agency in 2003 and enjoyed early success with the New York Times bestseller Chosen by A Horse. Her experience working at a large publishing house and an independent bookstore gives her a unique and invaluable insight into each project that she works on. She is well aware of the value of in-house buzz, online marketing, store placement, social media, author platform, etc. and works hard to make sure all of these marketing components are in place for each and every project.
It is her goal to successfully steer her clients through the entire publication process, from writing, editing and polishing the content to marketing, publicity, production, and all aspects of the publication process. She has been a member of AAR since 2007.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |General Fiction |General Nonfiction | Dating Relationships Sex | Fitness | Health Wellness | History | Lifestyle | Memoir | Music | Pop Culture | Sports | Women’s Issues |
Biography
Anna Zinchuk is a literary agent with the David Black Agency. She joined the team at DBA in spring of 2022 to assist David Black. She holds a BA degree in Film Studies from the University of Iowa, and prior to joining DBA she worked as a project editor for a college-level publisher.
Anna is interested in a wide array of fiction, and is particularly passionate about stories that explore human complexity, with themes like mortality, grief, and loss, especially stories in which the ending is melancholic or ambiguous.
In literary fiction, her preferences lean towards coming-of-age narratives and contemplative stories. In the realm of genre fiction, she’s captivated by the allure of fantasy and magical realism, with a healthy touch of romance. Regardless of the genre, Anna appreciates clever writing infused with humor, and seeks stories that keep her on the edge of her seat, whether from despair, horror, adoration, or joy. While embracing both YA and adult fiction, her specific interest lies in the ‘new adult’ sub-genre, which seamlessly combines plot elements of YA fiction with the maturity of adult storytelling.
Please note that Anna does not represent children’s literature, memoir, or poetry.
In her spare time she enjoys going on hot girl walks through the city and complaining about the constant humidity (even though she was raised in the midwest where it is always humid).
Anna is currently busy reading through the recent queries she has received and is not accepting new queries at this moment. Please check back in two weeks time.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions | New Literary Agents |Young Adult Fiction | Fantasy | Horror | Humor Fiction | Literary Fiction | Magical Realism | New Adult Fiction | Romance |
Biography
Barbara J. Zitwer is a literary agent with the Barbara J. Zitwer Agency.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |Juvenile Nonfiction | Young Adult Fiction | Young Adult Nonfiction | BIPOC Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Fantasy | General Fiction | Literary Fiction | Multicultural Fiction | Mystery | Romance | Science Fiction | Suspense Fiction | Thriller | Women’s Fiction |BIPOC Nonfiction | Lifestyle | Mind Body Spirit | Multicultural Nonfiction | Narrative Nonfiction | Travel |
Biography
Kaylee Zou is a literary agent with Williamson Literary. She graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a double major in Writing Seminars and English in May of 2020. She has worked as a Technical Writer in the DC area. Recently, she left the corporate world to begin writing her first novel full-time.
Kaylee joins Williamson Literary out of her passion for literature and writing while she continues to work on her manuscript. To manyÕs dismay, one of KayleeÕs favorite activities is spoiling movies and books for herself, and as such Wikipedia is her most visited website. Her favorite genre of content to consume is sadÐanything tragic will do. Kaylee loves reality television, taking naps, and promenading around the ton like they do in Bridgerton. Having recently quit coffee, she promptly entered an identity crisis but found herself again in green tea. So it is with a belly full of green tea that Kaylee supports Williamson Literary as Associate Agent.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | New Literary Agents |Action Adventure | Commercial Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | Fantasy | Historical Fiction | Humor Fiction | Literary Fiction | Magical Realism | Multicultural Fiction | Satire | Suspense Fiction | Upmarket Fiction | Women’s Fiction |Biography | BIPOC Nonfiction | Cultural Social Issues | Environment | History | Humor Nonfiction | Inspirational Nonfiction | Journalism | Multicultural Nonfiction | Narrative Nonfiction | Nature | Science | Sports | Technology | Travel | True Adventure | True Crime | Women’s Issues |
Biography
Barry Zucker is a literary agent with the McGinniss Associates Literary Agency. He has nearly a decade’s worth of successful agenting experience and developed a forward-looking sense of publishing trends from working directly alongside James. With a keen eye for pop-culture, humor, and narrative non-fiction, Barry is recognized throughout the publishing world as a “tough as nails negotiator,” always acting in the best interest of his clients. Barry also handles book-to-film representation and has sold film rights to major studios.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions |Action Adventure | Commercial Fiction | Espionage Military Fiction | Family Saga | Fantasy | General Fiction | Historical Fiction | Horror | Humor Fiction | Inspirational Fiction | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction | Multicultural Fiction | Mystery | Religious Fiction | Satire | Science Fiction | Short Story Collection | Suspense Fiction | Thriller | Western Fiction |General Nonfiction | Animals | Art | Autobiography | Biography | Business Book | Celebrity | Cultural Social Issues | Current Events Affairs | Dating Relationships Sex | Design | Film Entertainment | Fitness | Food Drink | Gardening | Gift Novelty | Health Wellness | History | How-To | Humor Nonfiction | Journalism | LGBTQ Nonfiction | Medical Medicine | Memoir | Military War Nonfiction | Money Finance | Multicultural Nonfiction | Music | Narrative Nonfiction | Nature | Photography | Politics | Pop Culture | Psychology | Religion | Science | Self-Help | Spirituality | Sports | Technology | Travel | True Adventure | True Crime |
Biography
Renee Zuckerbrot is a literary agent with Massie & McQuilkin. Renee became an agent after working as an editor at Doubleday. She is a member of the AAR and Authors Guild. She serves on PEN’s Membership Committee, and is a Board member of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) and Slice Magazine. You can read an interview with RenŽe and her colleagues at Poets & Writers and see her top ten list of short stories at Storyville. Authors represented by RenŽe have won or been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction, the PEN Jacqueline Bograd Weld Prize for Biography, the National Magazine Award, the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing, the NYPL Young Lions Fiction Award, B&N’s Discover Great New Writers Award, the Story Prize, the PEN/O. Henry Prize, the Shirley Jackson Award, the Locus, the Hugo, the Nebula, the Pushcart, and others.
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Member of the AALA |Young Adult Fiction | General Fiction | Horror | Literary Fiction | Short Story Collection | Suspense Fiction | Thriller |General Nonfiction | Biography | History | Humor Nonfiction | Memoir | Narrative Nonfiction | Pop Culture | Science |
Biography
Ayla Zuraw-Friedland is a literary agent with the Frances Goldin Literary Agency. She joined the Frances Goldin Literary Agency in 2022 after starting her agenting career at The David Black Agency in 2019. Previously, she worked as an editorial assistant and assistant editor at Beacon Press in Boston, and as a development editor for encyclopedias at Oxford University Press. She received her BA in English and Creative Writing from Connecticut College in 2015, and her writing can be found or is forthcoming in GAY the Magazine, Publishers Weekly, and The Cape Cod Poetry Review. She is interested in literary fiction and nonfiction that inspect big questions about queer identity, class, community, and art & technology through a personal lens, as well as poetry and a limited number of graphic or hybrid projects. A few of her favorite contemporary writers are Carmen Maria Machado, Kristen Arnett, Hanif Abdurraqib, Helen Oyeyemi, Daniel M. Lavery, Raven Leilani, Candice Carty-Williams, Alexander Chee, Akwaeke Emezi, Rivka Galchen, Becky Cooper, and Venita Blackburn. Her current clients include Jamie Hood (HOW TO BE A GOOD GIRL, Grieveland 2020), Samantha Bresnahan (IN THE BLOOD, FLOWERS BLOOM, PublicAffairs 2024), Haley Jakobson (OLD ENOUGH, Dutton 2023), Ross Showalter, James Frankie Thomas, Yael Malka, Coco Romack, Aimee Keeble, Margaret Lee, Sarah Hartshorne, and others.
Notes
Accepting Submissions |Contemporary Fiction | General Fiction | Graphic Novel | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction |General Nonfiction | Art | Biography | Cultural Social Issues | Current Events Affairs | History | Humor Nonfiction | LGBTQ Nonfiction | Memoir | Narrative Nonfiction | Photography | Politics | Pop Culture | Science | Technology |