4 Literary Agents Seeking Kidlit, Speculative and Literary Fiction, Memoir, Nonfiction, Commercial Fiction, Poetry and more

Updated 9/14/22

Here are four literary agents actively seeking clients. All work with established agencies with good track records.

Nina Leon is currently building her list of new adult, young adult, and middle grade fiction across all genres with a particular interest in fantasy. Ilyana Rose-Davila is interested in non-fiction as well as literary and upmarket commercial fiction. Abby Walters is most interested in narrative non-fiction and memoir. For YA, she’s interested in narratives with sci-fi or fantasy elements.

Emily Westcott is looking for submissions that are literary, speculative, and/or own voices. She is drawn to the edgy, weird, and just plain bizarre. Westcott is also seeking memoir or narrative nonfiction submissions relating to pop culture, technology, popular psychology, cultural studies, lifestyle, and food. She is interested in narratives that explore women’s issues, especially when they overlap with science and/or social activism. She has a soft spot for humorous essay collections and is also building her poetry roster.

Always check the agency website and agent bio before submitting. Agents can switch agencies or close their lists, and submission requirements can change. 

NOTE: Don't submit to two agents at the same agency simultaneously. If one rejects you, you may then submit to another.

You can find a full list of agents actively seeking new clients here: Agents Seeking Clients. 

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Ms. Emily Westcott of Creative Artists Agency

CLOSED TO QUERIES

Emily Westcott is based in the New York office, and creates publishing opportunities across all agency departments, with a focus on adult fiction and nonfiction. Westcott joined CAA in 2017 and is a graduate of New York University’s Publishing Institute. She has a degree in English Literature from Indiana University Bloomington.

What she is seeking: For fiction, Westcott is seeking submissions that are literary, speculative, and/or own voices. She likes bold works that skew literary and upmarket. She is drawn to the edgy, weird, and just plain bizarre. She especially loves multidimensional characters who make her think about—or better yet, rethink—the ways in which we view and experience the world. Explorations of coming of age, friendship, and technology as it intersects with identity are of interest. While a fan of magical realism and speculative fiction, she is not actively acquiring sci-fi or fantasy at this time.

For nonfiction, Westcott is seeking memoir or narrative nonfiction submissions relating to pop culture, technology, popular psychology, cultural studies, lifestyle, and food. She is interested in narratives that explore women’s issues, especially when they overlap with science and/or social activism. Westcott is drawn to smart, voice-driven writing and her taste leans literary. That said, she has a soft spot for humorous essay collections and is also building her poetry roster.

How to submit: Use the agency's form HERE.

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Ms. Ilyana Rose-Davila of Barbara Bova Literary Agency

Ilyana Rose-Davila joined the Agency in 2016 handling foreign and domestic marketing. 

What she is seeking: Ms. Rose-Dávila is interested in well-written fiction and non-fiction.

How to submit: Read submission requirements HERE.

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Abby Walters of Creative Artists Agency

Abby Walters began her career at Random House in publicity and special events before joining CAA in 2017. Walters graduated from Miami University Ohio with a degree in English Literature. She is a graduate of Columbia University’s Publishing Course and is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. Walters is based in the New York office, and creates publishing opportunities across all agency departments. Some of her clients include Reductress, Teresa Palmer, Sarah Wright Olsen, Paul Feig, Nadine Jolie Courtney, Christina McDowell, Thao Thai, and more.

What she is seeking: For non-fiction submissions, Walters is most interested in narrative non-fiction and memoir. On the narrative side, she loves to journey through an unknown world or subculture and is particularly drawn to books that explore new ideas in science, medicine, and technology especially as they relate to mind body connection and personal and/or societal well-being. In memoir, Walters gravitates toward late coming-of-age stories centered around identity. She’s also fascinated with personal stories that explore our relationship with work and work culture, as well as narratives that explore motherhood’s influence on a woman’s identity. Walters is also happy to read and consider submissions in the self-help category. She’s most interested in self-help books firmly based in science, but also enjoys the occasional narrative-driven read that straddles the line between memoir and self-help.

In fiction, Walters is most interested in literary and upmarket commercial fiction. She is especially drawn to stories that explore the intersection of culture and technology (including speculative fiction), coming of age, intense, complicated friendships, the nuances of motherhood and how it informs a woman’s identity, and the quest for self-optimization. For YA, she’s interested in narratives with sci-fi or fantasy elements.

How to submit: Use the agency's form HERE.

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Ms. Nina Leon of Perez Literary & Entertainment

CLOSED TO QUERIES

After obtaining her honors degree in publishing, Nina went on to intern at the Irene Goodman Literary Agency before arriving at High Spot Literary as a junior agent.

What she is seeking: I represent all genres in fiction, which means I’m open to a wide variety of projects. I’m especially drawn to memorable stories with a lot of heart. I adore love, so anything with romance is a bonus. I’m always looking for stories with LGBTQ+, disabled, and minority group representation. 

How to submit: Use her querymanager HERE.