Here are five UK agents actively building their client lists. Caroline Hardman accepts submissions of accessible literary fiction, upmarket commercial fiction, historical fiction, crime, suspense and thrillers. In nonfiction she is seeking popular science in the fields of human biology, medicine, psychology, ecology and sustainability, and memoir. She interested in writing on health (of the body or mind), wellness and lifestyle, and she always wants to hear from aspiring and established food writers.
Matthew Turner is looking for agenda-setting social issues – be they economic, political, scientific, environmental. Matt is looking for fiction which takes a side-long look at the world, and which hopes to speak, to some degree, about its present. Antony Topping's interests include historical thrillers, contemporary and historical literary novels, science, food, and humor.
Rachel Mills wants nonfiction books that effect positive change; books that can improve our individual lives or that campaign for a better future. Milly Reilly is interested in memoir and narrative non-fiction, books on psychology, human behavior, illness and medicine, and political non-fiction that looks at gender, sexuality or race.
Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists.
You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients
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Before co-founding Hardman & Swainson Caroline was an agent at the Christopher Little Literary Agency and The Marsh Agency, where she also specialized in translation rights. She has an excellent understanding of global trade publishing and have had the privilege of selling rights on behalf of many renowned writers. Caroline grew up in south Manchester and she has a 1st class BA and an MA with distinction in English Literature from the University of Leeds.
What she is looking for: I accept fiction submissions in the areas of literary, upmarket commercial, book club, historical, crime and thrillers. I don’t represent science fiction, fantasy or children’s. In non-fiction, I’m fascinated by books that give me an insight into how we live and what makes us tick, in whatever form they come (basically: I’m nosy). I’m always looking for serious non-fiction including popular science, particularly in the fields of human biology and medicine, psychology, feminism, big ideas and current affairs. I’m interested in well-researched, fact-based writing on health (of the body or mind) and personal development, as well as selective wellness and lifestyle projects. I’m always open to writers tackling familiar subjects in new and unique ways. Finally, I love narrative non-fiction, especially compelling personal voices, first person pieces and memoir.
How to submit: Please send your query to: submissions@hardmanswainson.com. For nonfiction send a covering email outlining your book, why it has a place on the bookshelf and why you are qualified to write it, along with a proposal and a sample chapter or the whole work, if it is completed. For fiction send a short covering email, and attach a one-page synopsis as well as the full manuscript. Please name your chosen agent in your cover email.
Matthew Turner of Rogers, Coleridge & White
Matthew Turner joined Rogers, Coleridge & White in 2012 working for founder Deborah Rogers until she passed away in 2014. He has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Creative Writing. Matt assists Peter Straus and is also curating his own list of writers.
What he is seeking: Matt is looking for writing about society and culture, history and science, as well as memoir and narrative non-fiction - books that shed new light on preconceived ideas, and take readers on a journey they didn't know they wanted to go on. Some of his favourite non-fiction titles include The Wager by David Grann, 1599 by James Shapiro, The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen, and The Ruin of All Witches by Malcolm Gaskill.
In fiction he favours emotionally intelligent storytelling lead by voice, propelled by character and with a vividly realised landscape. His most re-read novels include Waterland by Graham Swift, Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro, Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout and Death in Spring by Mercè Rodoreda.
How to submit: Send your query to matthew@rcwlitagency.com. For fiction send the first three chapters or approximately the first fifty pages of the work to a natural break, and a brief synopsis. Non-fiction submissions should take the form of a proposal up to twenty pages in length explaining what the work is about and why you are best placed to write it.
Antony Topping joined the agency in 1995, having begun his professional career working as a fiction buyer for one of the major chain bookstores. He studied English at St Anne’s College, Oxford.
What he is seeking: Antony`s list of writing clients includes historical thriller writers, contemporary and historical literary novelists, science writers, food writers, and humorists.
How to submit: Submissions should be sent by email to submissions@greeneheaton.co.uk. Please attach a synopsis and the first three chapters (or about fifty pages) to your query and mention the name of your preferred agent in the subject line of your email.
Ms. Rachel Mills of Rachel Mills Literary
Before founding the agency, Rachel Mills worked as Literary Agent at Furniss Lawton agency, within the James Grant Talent Group, and before that as Agent and International Business Director for Peters Fraser and Dunlop agency, where she was a member of the Executive Board. Prior to that she worked in publishing at Penguin and Random House.
What she is seeking: Rachel is very selectively looking for new clients writing commercial and upmarket non-fiction and wishing to develop their work into major global publishing and media brands.
Areas of interest include psychology, popular science, well-being, narrative non-fiction, biography, food, sustainability, health. She looks for authors who are renowned experts in their current field and would like to translate this into books. She looks for projects which are international and will translate to screen, and authors who are keen to develop their work across multiple books.
How to submit: Please email her and include as much detail about yourself and the project as
possible, ideally with at least one sample chapter to rachel@rmliterary.co.uk.
Ms. Milly Reilly of Colwill & Peddle
possible, ideally with at least one sample chapter to rachel@rmliterary.co.uk.
I joined Colwill & Peddle in 2023, prior to which I worked at Jo Unwin Literary Agency for over six years. I represent a broad range of non-fiction and a select amount of literary fiction. Across genres, I love working closely with authors to consider the different and generative ways of presenting a story, argument or idea within their writing. Authors I have worked with have either won or been shortlisted for prizes including the Orwell Prize for Political Writing, the Annual Indie Champions Award, the Vulgar Geniuses Award, the Bread and Roses Award, the British Academy Book Prize, the Gourmand Award, the Eccles Institute and Hay Festival Award and the Gordon Burn Prize.
What she is seeking: In non-fiction, my taste is broad. I’m on the look-out for informed, illuminating writing that challenges readers to think and live critically and imaginatively. Topics that interest me include food, art, comedy, the natural world, psychology, health and the social and political. I represent writers of memoir and creative non-fiction, where I’m particularly excited by bold, perceptive writing that interrogates the means of telling a story.
When it comes to fiction, I’m drawn to brutally honest, character-driven stories that delve into inner lives and social dynamics. I like a story that deals with darkness and complexity but is not without hope, and writing that is playful and poetic. Some of my favourite novelists include Zadie Smith, Elizabeth Strout, Sheila Heti, Arundhati Roy and Helen Oyeyemi.
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