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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: J
Biography
Jared Johnson is a literary agent with Olswanger Literary LLC. He is a recovering academic. After several years of academic research in the humanities and teaching writing and history, he turned his efforts toward pursuing a career in publishing. In 2021 he joined Olswanger Literary as a Literary Associate.
Most of his time is spent reading good books, editing, and trying to claw his way out from under a mountain of emails. In his downtime, he can be found outdoors with his dogs, building a fantasy team for the Overwatch League, or playing Magic: The Gathering with his nephews.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions | New Literary Agents |Contemporary Fiction | Crime Fiction | Family Saga | Fantasy | Horror | Literary Fiction | Mystery | Science Fiction | Thriller | Upmarket Fiction |General Nonfiction | Beauty Fashion Style | Biography | BIPOC Nonfiction | Cultural Social Issues | Current Events Affairs | Dating Relationships Sex | Education | History | LGBTQ Nonfiction | Multicultural Nonfiction | Music | Narrative Nonfiction | Pop Culture | Religion | Science |
Biography
Kate Johnson is a literary agent with Wolf Literary Services. Kate is an agent as well as UK rights manager for Wolf Literary Services and the Gillian MacKenzie Agency. Before moving to Wolf Literary, Kate was an agent and Vice President at Georges Borchardt, Inc. She has edited and reported at StoryQuarterly, Bookslut.com, New York Magazine, and elsewhere, and graduated from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. Her authors have won the PEN Faulkner Award, Center for FictionÕs First Novel Prize, Whiting Award, Rona Jaffe Foundation WritersÕ Award, the Barnes & Noble Discover Prize for Fiction, National Book FoundationÕs 5 Under 35, the Nigeria Prize for Literature, and have been longlisted for the National Book Award in nonfiction and the PEN Open Book Award. Kate regularly visits literary festivals and universities, and has chaired the judging panel for the Bristol Short Story Prize and Bath Short Story Award.
Kate represents literary and upmarket fiction as well as a range of narrative nonfiction and select memoir, and is interested in food, running, obsessives, unconventional families, art, global stories, social justice, mental health, medicine, and the environment. She loves working with journalists. Across all her projects, she looks for authentic voices and books that uncover something off-kilter in the everyday, or conversely something relatable in the extraordinary.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions |Contemporary Fiction | Historical Fiction | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction | Multicultural Fiction | Short Story Collection | Upmarket Fiction |Art | Biography | Cultural Social Issues | Current Events Affairs | Environment | Family | Film Entertainment | Fitness | Food Drink | Health Wellness | History | Journalism | Medical Medicine | Memoir | Multicultural Nonfiction | Narrative Nonfiction | Politics | Pop Culture | Science | Technology | Travel | True Crime |
Biography
Lynn Johnston is a literary agency with Lynn Johnston Literary. She says: “For 20 years, I’ve represented nonfiction and a small selection of fiction. The books I represent have been called “firebreathng” and “righteous” by the New York Times, “exuberant” by O, The Oprah Magazine, and “a godsend” by Publishers Weekly. My list includes bestsellers (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, USA Today), finalists for the Books for a Better Life Award, the winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award, a Grammy nominee for best audio book and many “best of year” citations
In response to the question, “What do you do?” I once replied, “I care.” It was at a party and I meant it as a joke. Thinking about it later, though, I realized I’d inadvertently gotten it right. I care about my authors, the important work they do, how it gets translated into book form, what happens to the book before and after publication, and ultimately the impact it has in the world. My authors have been honored with the Pulitzer Prize, Peabody Award, Global Teaching Prize (finalist), and GLAAD award, to name a few. I’m proud to work with each and every one. Here is a gallery of some of them in action.
I have an MBA and BA in Philosophy. Before publishing, I held marketing and management positions and served on the the board or staff of notable non-profits including Dress for Success, Bottomless Closet and the American Bar Association. I currently serve on the advisory board of the Woodstock Book Fest.
I came to live and work in New York City by way of Saigon where I was born, Bangkok, Dunedin (Florida), Austin, Dallas and Chicago. My home has several good bookstores within walking distance, but sadly, not enough bookshelves.”
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Member of the AALA | General Nonfiction | Animals | Biography | Business Book | Cookbook Cooking | Cultural Social Issues | Current Events Affairs | Dating Relationships Sex | Environment | Film Entertainment | Fitness | Food Drink | Gardening | Gift Novelty | Health Wellness | History | How-To | Humor Nonfiction | Journalism | LGBTQ Nonfiction | Lifestyle | Medical Medicine | Memoir | Military War Nonfiction | Money Finance | Multicultural Nonfiction | Music | Narrative Nonfiction | Nature | Parenting | Photography | Politics | Pop Culture | Psychology | Religion | Science | Self-Help | Spirituality | Technology | Travel | Women’s Issues |
Biography
Barbara Jones is a literary agent with the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She represents authors behind a range of fiction and nonfiction, from highly literary works to much more commercial fare, with an emphasis across all forms on voices from previously underrepresented communities and on durable talents and stories.
Barbara became a literary agent after several decades as an editor, first in magazines (Grand Street, HarperÕs, Vogue, Real Simple) and then in books (as editorial director at Hyperion Books and, most recently as executive editor at Henry Holt). She has also led writing workshops for thirty years, at Yale University, New York University, Queens University of Charlotte, and elsewhere.
She lives in Harlem, New York, with her family.
Barbara became a literary agent after several decades as an editor, first in magazines (Grand Street, HarperÕs, Vogue, Real Simple) and then in books (as editorial director at Hyperion Books and, most recently as executive editor at Henry Holt). She has also led writing workshops for thirty years, at Yale University, New York University, Queens University of Charlotte, and elsewhere.
She lives in Harlem, New York, with her family.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions | New Literary Agents |BIPOC Fiction | Commercial Fiction | General Fiction | Literary Fiction |General Nonfiction | Memoir | Narrative Nonfiction | Upmarket Nonfiction |
Biography
Kima Jones is a literary agent with Triangle House. She is the founder of Jack Jones Literary Arts, a Los Angeles-based book publicity agency for black and brown writers, where, for five years, she worked as lead strategist on all publicity campaigns. In 2017, Kima founded the Jack Jones Literary Arts retreatÑa two-week respite and book incubator for black and brown nonbinary and women writers. The Los Angeles Times called Kima “2018’s literary breakthrough” and “an important new voice on the national stage.” In 2019, Kima founded Culture, TooÑa mentorship conference for black and brown cultural critics. In the spring of 2021, Kima Jones joined Triangle House Literary as an agent where she is interested in representing literary fiction, essay collections, memoir, hybrid texts, commercial fiction, poetry, speculative fiction, science fiction, and horror. She brings more than a decade of marketing and publicity experience into her agenting negotiations.
Notes
CLOSED to Submissions | Black Literary Agents | New Literary Agents |Commercial Fiction | Family Saga | General Fiction | Horror | LGBTQ Fiction | Literary Fiction | Science Fiction | Short Story Collection |Cookbook Cooking | Fitness | Food Drink | Health Wellness | Journalism | LGBTQ Nonfiction | Memoir | Music | Narrative Nonfiction | Poetry | Pop Culture | True Crime |
Biography
Gwyn Jordan is a literary agent with and the founder of Gold Dust Literary. She says: “After years of working in the corporate world, I decided to transition to my true calling. I am the founder of Gold Dust Literary Agency, Gold Dust Editing & Book Promotions, and FiBs, a storytelling platform. I graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and from Keller Graduate School of Management with a Master of Business Administration. Watching movies, traveling, and going to stage plays are some of my favorite pastimes.”
Notes
Accepting Submissions | Black Literary Agents | New Literary Agents |Young Adult Fiction | Contemporary Fiction | Crime Fiction | Erotic Fiction | Fantasy | Historical Fiction | Humor Fiction | Inspirational Fiction | Mystery | Paranormal Fiction | Religious Fiction | Romance | Satire | Science Fiction | Suspense Fiction | Thriller | Western Fiction | Women’s Fiction |