Here are three UK literary agents actively expanding their client lists. Hellie Ogden represents fiction, children’s books and non-fiction and enjoys novels with bold storytelling, moving prose and vivid, thought-provoking characters. In non-fiction she is looking for unique personal stories, cookery, lifestyle, and work that has a social following. Samuel Hodder is looking for a wide range of both fiction and non-fiction. Lydia Silver is particularly looking for magical middle grade adventures, funny contemporary stories and YA novels with an unusual voice.
Always check the agency website before submitting. Agents may switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change.
If these agents don't suit your needs, you can find a comprehensive list of new and established agents seeking clients here: Agents Seeking Clients.
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"I’m incredibly hands on editorially, and I love to help shape a piece of work from the very rough idea through to a polished, original manuscript. So I’m looking for a few special, standout books every year that I can pump my energy into, I keep my list small, and I’m happy to receive manuscripts even when just at a rough stage – that really excites me."
What she is seeking: Hellie represents fiction, children's books and non-fiction and enjoys novels with bold storytelling, moving prose and vivid, thought-provoking characters. She is actively taking on new clients and as an editorially focused agent, she has a keen interest in helping to develop and nurture debut writers.
How to submit: If you are submitting fiction, you should include a covering letter, synopsis, and either the first three chapters or the first fifty pages. If you are submitting non-fiction, you should include a covering letter, a full outline setting out the aims of each chapter, and if possible a sample chapter. See submission details HERE.
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NO LONGER LISTED ON THE AGENCY WEBSITE
Samuel graduated in Psychology from University of Warwick, and completed a Masters in Publishing, before working for several years as an editor for psychology research. In 2015 he joined Blake Friedmann in the Contracts and Finance departments and is building his own list of authors.
What he is seeking: Samuel is looking for a wide range of both fiction and non-fiction. In literary and contemporary fiction he loves distinctive voices and complex characters (e.g. Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh), coming-of-age novels, LGBTQI themes, and novels that explore the loss of innocence, desire, deceit, class, or the world of work. In historical fiction, novels so immersive they can show readers a different way of thinking and being: Mary Renault’s novels are favourites. In crime and thrillers, he loves an unusual, evocative setting (e.g. The Axeman’s Jazz by Ray Celestin), but would like to read anything from psychological suspense to the truly macabre.
He also welcomes dystopian and speculative fiction, including fantasy, science-fiction, and the supernatural, where he would like to see novels centred on the characters’ psychological journeys (e.g. the Earthsea novels by Ursula K Le Guin, The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer, or The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley), but he likes huge, world-building novels too (e.g. Consider Phlebas by Iain M Banks or Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky).
In non-fiction Samuel would like to read: narrative history (political and social), especially British, classical, and ancient history; true historical crime that reads like fiction (e.g. The Suspicions of Dr Whicher by Kate Summerscale); politics, current affairs, and economics; books that make big ideas accessible (e.g. Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall); books on LGBTQI subjects; travel, biography and memoir; nature writing; visual culture; pop culture; popular science; and psychology and personal development.
How to submit: Please include your name and the title of your manuscript in the email subject line, and in both the titles and headings of all attachments (i.e. your synopsis and chapters). Send to: Samuel (samuel[at]blakefriedmann[dot]co[dot]uk) Your submission should consist of three parts: the covering letter (please make this the body of your email), a full synopsis of approx. 500 words, and your first three chapters/10,000 words. With regard to non-fiction, please include your proposal in place of the first three chapters. Submissions should be in .doc or .docx format (not PDF) and should have wide margins and at least 1.5 line spacing, with all pages clearly numbered. If you are using a pseudonym, make sure that your real name and your pseudonym are both on the manuscript, as well as on your letter.
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Lydia Silver of Darley Anderson Agency
Lydia has recently joined the Darley Anderson Agency and is looking to build the children’s list.
What she is looking for: With a background in middle grade and YA fiction, Lydia is particularly looking for magical middle grade adventures, funny contemporary stories and YA novels with an unusual voice. She’s also got an eye out for clever, engaging picture books and is developing the non-fiction side of the children’s list. She loves working editorially with writers and is always on the lookout for new talent. Lydia is actively looking for submissions from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, LGBTQ and all other under-represented writers. Please include the hashtag #diversevoices in the subject line of your email when you submit.
How to submit: Send a short synopsis and the first three consecutive chapters together with a query letter to lydia@darleyanderson.com For picture books please send the full text in a PDF. For illustrators, please send a link to your portfolio or attach examples of your work in PDF form to your email submission.
Samuel graduated in Psychology from University of Warwick, and completed a Masters in Publishing, before working for several years as an editor for psychology research. In 2015 he joined Blake Friedmann in the Contracts and Finance departments and is building his own list of authors.
What he is seeking: Samuel is looking for a wide range of both fiction and non-fiction. In literary and contemporary fiction he loves distinctive voices and complex characters (e.g. Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh), coming-of-age novels, LGBTQI themes, and novels that explore the loss of innocence, desire, deceit, class, or the world of work. In historical fiction, novels so immersive they can show readers a different way of thinking and being: Mary Renault’s novels are favourites. In crime and thrillers, he loves an unusual, evocative setting (e.g. The Axeman’s Jazz by Ray Celestin), but would like to read anything from psychological suspense to the truly macabre.
He also welcomes dystopian and speculative fiction, including fantasy, science-fiction, and the supernatural, where he would like to see novels centred on the characters’ psychological journeys (e.g. the Earthsea novels by Ursula K Le Guin, The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer, or The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley), but he likes huge, world-building novels too (e.g. Consider Phlebas by Iain M Banks or Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky).
In non-fiction Samuel would like to read: narrative history (political and social), especially British, classical, and ancient history; true historical crime that reads like fiction (e.g. The Suspicions of Dr Whicher by Kate Summerscale); politics, current affairs, and economics; books that make big ideas accessible (e.g. Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall); books on LGBTQI subjects; travel, biography and memoir; nature writing; visual culture; pop culture; popular science; and psychology and personal development.
How to submit: Please include your name and the title of your manuscript in the email subject line, and in both the titles and headings of all attachments (i.e. your synopsis and chapters). Send to: Samuel (samuel[at]blakefriedmann[dot]co[dot]uk) Your submission should consist of three parts: the covering letter (please make this the body of your email), a full synopsis of approx. 500 words, and your first three chapters/10,000 words. With regard to non-fiction, please include your proposal in place of the first three chapters. Submissions should be in .doc or .docx format (not PDF) and should have wide margins and at least 1.5 line spacing, with all pages clearly numbered. If you are using a pseudonym, make sure that your real name and your pseudonym are both on the manuscript, as well as on your letter.
______________________
Lydia has recently joined the Darley Anderson Agency and is looking to build the children’s list.
What she is looking for: With a background in middle grade and YA fiction, Lydia is particularly looking for magical middle grade adventures, funny contemporary stories and YA novels with an unusual voice. She’s also got an eye out for clever, engaging picture books and is developing the non-fiction side of the children’s list. She loves working editorially with writers and is always on the lookout for new talent. Lydia is actively looking for submissions from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, LGBTQ and all other under-represented writers. Please include the hashtag #diversevoices in the subject line of your email when you submit.
How to submit: Send a short synopsis and the first three consecutive chapters together with a query letter to lydia@darleyanderson.com For picture books please send the full text in a PDF. For illustrators, please send a link to your portfolio or attach examples of your work in PDF form to your email submission.
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