Featured Agents & Editors
PLEASE READ THIS FIRST
The genres listed by each agent’s name are general; please closely read the entire profile of each agent who considers work in your genre to ensure that they will consider work in your subgenre or category.
For example: an agent who is listed under Fiction may represent literary fiction, speculative fiction, and thrillers, but may not represent upmarket fiction or other types of crime fiction. Another example: an agent who is listed under Nonfiction may represent only memoirs that connect with larger social issues, but may not be interested in literary memoirs, or may not represent any memoirists at all.
To find the best possible fit, MWPA recommends that before registering, prospective attendees read agents’ profiles on our website and also do some research into their agencies, as well as their clients. Please note that for Pitch Plus sessions, agents will provide feedback and advice regardless of whether or not they are interested in representing a writer, as long as they represent writers in the same genre as the manuscript being pitched (for example, an agent representing only literary fiction would not be helpful for a writer pitching a crime fiction manuscript).
PITCH 2021 agents are available for either Polish-Your-Pitch or How & Why to Find an Agent group sessions, Quick Pitch, or Pitch Plus, as specified below. They may represent the following (very general) genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, YA, Middle Grade, and Picture Books. Please click HERE for a handy explanation of the differences between the fiction categories literary, upmarket, and commercial.
If an agent who interests you is listed as “full/wait list only,” please email Hannah Perry at hannah@mainewriters.org to be added to the wait list.
PITCH 2021 will take place on Saturday, September 25 online via Zoom. Registration options and instructions can be found HERE.
POLISH-YOUR-PITCH + HOW & WHY TO FIND AN AGENT
Lucy Cleland (ALL GENRES)
Lucy Cleland is a literary agent at Kneerim & Williams, representing idea-driven and narrative nonfiction of all stripes (history, social science, psychology, philosophy, reportage, etc.) as well as upmarket fiction, historical fiction, and select children’s/YA projects. A southern transplant to Boston from Atlanta, Lucy joined the agency in 2013 after graduating magna cum laude from Wellesley College with honors in English and studio art. While building her own list, she served for six years as the Dramatic Rights Manager, coordinating relationships with co-agents and negotiating deals with major studios and streamers, and as Jill Kneerim’s editorial associate, supporting and shaping the work of some of the agency’s prize-winning and bestselling authors.
Lucy works with a range of writers, from scholars to debut novelists, and has sold books to trade and academic publishing houses including Farrar, Straus & Giroux, W.W. Norton, Random House, Chronicle, Grand Central Publishing, HarperCollins, Sourcebooks, Melville House, and University of North Carolina Press. Her taste is eclectic—little “c” catholic. Whatever the category, she is looking for authors with sharp opinions who embrace bold concepts and write lucid, textured prose. She’s drawn to unconventional and untold stories, the lives of creatives and rebels, and questions about identity and inheritance. She is actively seeking diverse voices. Lucy is available for Polish-Your-Pitch (FULL/WAIT LIST ONLY) and How & Why to Find an Agent sessions only.
QUICK PITCH AGENTS
Michaela Whatnall (Fiction, Nonfiction, YA, Middle Grade, picture books)
Michaela Whatnall joined Dystel, Goderich & Bourret in 2019 as the assistant to Michael Bourret in the West Coast office. After graduating from Emory University with a degree in English and linguistics, Michaela completed the Columbia Publishing Course. Before joining the agency, Michaela worked in school & library marketing, which served to amplify their great love of children’s literature. In their free time, Michaela co-directs a narrative fantasy podcast and spends an unreasonable amount of time listening to showtunes. Michaela is available for Quick Pitch sessions only.
Looking For: I have a strong interest in children’s literature, from picture books up through middle grade and young adult novels and graphic novels. I look for stories with a compelling voice, and gravitate towards those with a strong character arc. I’m equally excited about books that are an absolute blast to read, and ones that will break my heart (as long as they still include a dash of hope!). In the adult fiction space, I am particularly seeking character-driven speculative fiction, sci-fi/fantasy, and other genre fiction that features historically underrepresented characters. I’m also interested in nonfiction for both children and adults, especially narrative nonfiction in the areas of history, the creative arts, and lifestyle.
NOT Looking For: I’m open to most anything in the children’s space. In the adult space, I’m not the right fit for political/legal thrillers, crime fiction, or military science fiction.
Featured Clients: Fiona Marchbank, Ash Nouveau, and Jenna Miller
What is your advice to writers who have been pitching or querying for a long time and haven't found an interested agent yet? Don’t give up—it only takes one yes! This industry moves slowly, and persistence is key. I also recommend making use of critique groups to get both your query and your manuscript in the best possible place they can be. And while you’re pitching one project, start to think about what your next project will be. Sometimes it’s not the first project you pitch that connects you with an agent, or even the second or third. Keep honing your craft and putting your work out there.
Martha Wydysh (FICTION, NONFICTION) FULL/WAIT LIST ONLY
Martha Wydysh is a graduate of Cornell University and the Columbia Publishing Course. Martha’s first job in agenting was as a literary assistant in subsidiary rights at ICM Partners, helping to sell audiobook and serial rights for all clients at the agency. She came to Trident in 2016 to work as Magazine Rights Associate and Executive Assistant to Ellen Levine, and began building her list in 2019. In addition to working closely with her clients on their book projects, she loves placing their short stories, book excerpts, articles, and essays with magazines and literary journals. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. Martha is available for Quick Pitch sessions only.
Looking For: Literary and upmarket fiction that is contemporary, voice driven, emotionally and psychologically acute, and not necessarily plot centric. I have a soft spot for slightly speculative and satirical works that question the status quo here in the U.S. and abroad, and gravitate toward narratives that verge on the absurd and obsessive, have a sense of humor, and that have an intellectual backbone. I have a particular love of short fiction, especially linked collections or novels-in-stories that transport and immerse readers in an unfamiliar place. Thrillers/suspense/crime in the psychological, social, and domestic realms. Very select nonfiction, including memoir, essay collections, and narrative nonfiction. In all genres, I am hoping to find a new class of unique, fresh, and underrepresented voices.
NOT Looking For: Children’s, YA, fantasy, historical fiction
Featured Clients: Kenan Orhan, Elaine Hsieh Chou, Josh Riedel, Kashana Cauley
What do you enjoy most about being an agent? When it comes to agenting, I find I most enjoy the editorial process. I feel overwhelmingly lucky to be able to offer edits to the writers I work with, and am always so amazed when they turn in revisions that surpass what I could have even imagined was possible when I was spewing off comments. It’s such a humbling, amazing part of the relationship. I love getting into the weeds and throwing around ideas, making (and often receiving back) book recommendations that might provide inspiration, and simply listening to how the edits are going and providing any help I can if it gets difficult, or the writer hits a block. Everything involved at this stage—whether or not a book deal is the result—always proves to be the most rewarding.
PITCH PLUS AGENTS
Sara Crowe (Fiction, Nonfiction, YA, Middle Grade, Picture Books) FULL/WAIT LIST ONLY
Sara is a Senior Agent at Pippin Properties, where she represents books for children and adults. She began her career at The Wylie Agency, and worked in foreign rights for 8 years. Her clients include Newbery and Printz winners, New York Times Bestselling authors, and debut authors. She loves finding new talent to champion and nurturing and developing careers. Sara is available for Pitch Plus sessions only. Photo credit: Kara Delahunt
Looking For: Children's: PB, MG, YA, fiction and nonfiction. Particularly looking for more MG and YA nonfiction, contemporary MG, graphic novels. Adult: literary fiction, rom/com, nonfiction.
NOT Looking For: Poetry, rhyming picture books, adult sci-fi/ fantasy
Featured Clients: S.K. Ali, Erin Entrada Kelly, Veera Hiranandani, Varian Johnson, Nina LaCour, Jonathan Maberry
Reiko Davis (FICTION, NONFICTION, YA, MIDDLE GRADE) FULL/WAIT LIST ONLY
Reiko Davis has been an agent at DeFiore and Company since 2016, prior to which she was at Miriam Altshuler Literary Agency. She focuses on literary and upmarket fiction and narrative nonfiction, as well as middle grade and YA literature. A graduate of Brown University, she grew up in Kansas City and now lives in New York. Her clients include Devi S. Laskar (winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Fiction and the Crook's Corner Book Prize), Genevieve Plunkett (O. Henry Prize winner), Lucy Jane Bledsoe (ALA Stonewall Award winner and Lambda Literary Award finalist), YA novelist Lindsey Klingele, two-time Paralympic swimmer for Team USA and ESPY Award winner Mallory Weggemann, middle grade authors Andrea Debbink and Brittany Geragotelis, bestselling writing coach Alan Gelb, Netflix Last Chance U star and athletic academic counselor Brittany Wagner, and journalist and former Harvard Business Review senior editor Nancy A. Nichols. She is available for Pitch Plus sessions only.
Looking For: Literary or upmarket fiction, narrative nonfiction (including memoir), middle grade and YA projects (both fiction and nonfiction)
NOT Looking For: Prescriptive nonfiction, adult genre fiction (fantasy, thriller, sci-fi), picture books.
Featured Clients: Devi S. Laskar, Genevieve Plunkett, Lucy Jane Bledsoe, Andrea Debbink, Brittany Geragotelis, Lindsey Klingele
How can a writer best stand out in their query letter or pitch? I think a writer stands out when they’re able to pitch their book project in one or two concise paragraphs (which describe the book’s main focus and takeaways if it’s nonfiction, or the book’s major themes, conundrums, and characters arcs if it’s fiction) and when they’re also able to constellate their book within the marketplace so it’s clear that the author knows who their audience is and what space/genre they’re writing in. When an author describes their project in a way that compels the agent to read the sample pages they’ve also attached, that’s a sure sign that their pitch is working.
Samantha Fabien (Fiction, YA, Middle Grade) FULL/WAIT LIST ONLY
Samantha Fabien (she/her) is a literary agent at Root Literary. Before joining the Root team, she worked as a literary agent and International Rights Manager at Laura Dail Literary. Her background includes a Bachelor's in PR and Journalism, a certificate from the Columbia Publishing Course (2016), and internships/part-time work at Ayesha Pande Literary, Writers House, and Chalberg & Sussman. From these experiences, Samantha has fostered a love for sharing diverse, lasting, and inclusive stories with the world. Samantha is available for Pitch Plus sessions only.
Looking For: I'm open to adult, MG, and YA pitches. I would love to see book club fiction, contemporary stories, thrillers/mysteries/suspense, contemporary romance, rom-coms, fantasy, and horror. I'm drawn to high-stakes stories, so my feedback would be most valuable there.
NOT Looking For: I'm not the best fit for memoirs, picture books, graphic novels, epic or portal fantasy, science fiction, stories about marginalized characters written by those not belonging to the respective communities, and apocalyptic stories.
Featured Clients: I'm aggressively building my client list right now in adult, MG, and YA. I represent Camille Baker, debut author of HAVE WE MET (Lake Union, July 2021)-- a women's fiction/romance hybrid, Chloe Liese, author of The Bergman series -- inclusive romance writer, and Lindsay Puckett, author-tuber and MG & YA writer among many others.
Lori Galvin (Fiction, Nonfiction) FULL/WAIT LIST ONLY
Before joining Aevitas Creative Management as literary agent, Lori Galvin was a cookbook editor at America’s Test Kitchen, an editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and an inn keeper in Maine. She is available for Pitch Plus sessions only.
Looking For: Favorite fiction sub-genres: I have wide-ranging taste and enjoy working with authors of Literary fiction as well as book club or crossover fiction; Suspense (and sometimes with a touch of Horror), Gothic fiction, and Historical fiction (that resonates today).
Favorite nonfiction subgenres: memoir, pop culture, history/adventure, crime
I am especially eager for propulsive novels that can be brought to the screen, whether your story is mystery/thriller, romantic comedy, or family saga.
NOT Looking For: I’m not looking for poetry, children’s books, erotica, fantasy, sci fi and I’m taking a break from police procedurals unless they are really fresh.
Featured Clients: Sara Goudarzi, THE ALMOND IN THE APRICOT literary debut, (Deep Vellum, 2022)
Wanda Morris, ALL HER LITTLE SECRETS, #Ownvoices Suspense (William Morrow, 2021)
Hannah Kirshner, WATER, WOOD, WILD THINGS, food and travel memoir (Viking, 2021)
Cambria Brockman, TELL ME EVERYTHING, Suspense, (Ballantine, 2019), which has been optioned by Netflix.
Anna Ghosh (Fiction, Nonfiction, YA, Middle Grade) FULL/WAIT LIST ONLY
Anna Ghosh started her career as a literary agent in New York City in 1995 and was a partner at Scovil Galen Ghosh before moving to San Francisco to found Ghosh Literary in 2013. Ghosh Literary offers worldwide representation for print and digital media as well as all allied rights including motion picture, streaming, podcasts and multimedia rights.
Anna’s client list includes New York Times bestsellers, winners of the Pulitzer and Guggenheim prize, as well as unheralded gems. Her literary interests are wide and eclectic and she is known for discovering and developing new writers.
Anna has led workshops and panels on publishing at many institutions and organizations. She holds a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and Literary Journalism from Hampshire College and did graduate work in Liberal Studies at New School for Social Research. Originally from India and an eager traveler, she now calls the San Francisco Bay area home. Anna is available for Pitch Plus sessions only.
Looking For: *Literary nonfiction including memoir, narrative journalism and other forms of creative nonfiction
*Serious nonfiction books by experts in the field that reveal something compelling about our world or human experience including science, history, nature, environmental and social issues, health, art, philosophy, parenting, spirituality and self help, or straddling multiple disciplines.
*Literary fiction for adults, young adults and middle grade readers that is beautifully crafted and opens the reader to new experiences and voices.
*Thoughtful nonfiction for middle grade and young adult readers
NOT Looking For: *Picture books and chapter books for young children
*Genre fiction (romance, thrillers, mystery, science fiction, fantasy-- books that would typically be published under a genre publisher imprint) but I welcome mainstream literary fiction with elements of any of the above
Featured Clients: Deepak Unnikrishnan, Mark Engler, Chris Impey, Thai Jones, Mirta Ojito, Evan Thompson
Sandy Lu (Fiction, Nonfiction, YA) FULL/WAIT LIST ONLY
Sandy Lu founded Book Wyrm Literary Agency in 2020 after working as a literary agent for more than a decade at other boutique agencies, most recently the L. Perkins Agency. Her client list includes Kindle bestsellers, Stoker Award and Hammett Prize nominees, Goodreads Choice Awards finalists, and New York Times Best of the Year recipient.
Born and raised in Taiwan, Sandy immigrated to the United States in her teens and has lived in New York ever since. She holds BAs in psychology and sociology from Queens College, with minors in music, business, and Japanese. Prior to becoming an agent, she worked as a business/operations manager in the theater industry.
She is seeking stories that will draw her in with a unique voice, make her miss her bedtime with a thrilling plot, and characters that will stay with her long after she turns the last page. Bonus points if you can make her laugh out loud or unable to hold back tears. Sandy especially loves historical fiction and anything dark, twisted, or with a supernatural bent. She also favors unreliable narrators and serpentine plots that will keep her guessing till the end. Sandy is available for Pitch Plus sessions only.
Looking For: Sandy is actively looking for new voices in the following:
Fiction: literary and commercial fiction, mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, upmarket women’s fiction, and YA.
Non-fiction: narrative nonfiction, history, biography, science, business, psychology, pop culture, and food writing.
NOT Looking For: Picture books, graphic novels, religions/spirituality, politics/current affairs, sports, parenting, how-to/self-help, poetry, or screenplays.
Featured Clients: M. H. Boroson, B.J. Graf, Heather Levy, Elizabeth Lewes, Mary Carroll Moore, Jeneva Rose, and Randall Silvis.
Dana Murphy (Fiction, Nonfiction, YA) FULL/WAIT LIST ONLY
Dana Murphy is a literary agent at The Book Group, representing fiction and nonfiction for teens and adults. Across genre, she is looking for writing that is immersive and surprising, with a voice so absorbing it makes her cancel plans and read through meals. Dana joined the team in 2012 to assist senior agents Brettne Bloom and Elisabeth Weed, began building her own list with the launch of The Book Group in 2015, and was promoted to Agent in 2017. Born and raised on Long Island, Dana lived and worked in New York City for a decade and now lives in Philadelphia. Dana is available for Pitch Plus sessions only.
Looking For: Dana represents Upmarket and Literary fiction – both Adult and Young Adult – primarily contemporary but open to select speculative; Adult Nonfiction – narrative nonfiction, cultural criticism, and select essay collections about culture (pop and otherwise), social issues, identity, film and television, music, gender, science, place, food, and history
In fiction, Dana loves a high concept hook, romantic comedies, friendship/found family stories, and novels with a sense of humor and a real affection for its characters. In nonfiction, she loves investigative work that employs a sharp, specific lens to tell a big idea story. In all of her books, Dana is looking for work that educates, disrupts hegemony, centers community, and leaves the world and the reader better than we found them. She likes books that are full of hope and heart, even if the characters need to walk through thorniness to get there.
NOT Looking For: Dana does not represent anything for readers younger than YA (ie. picture books, early reader chapter books, or middle grade); straightforward and highly commercial genre (sci fi, fantasy, romance, mystery, crime, etc.); prescriptive nonfiction (business books, how-to, health); heavily illustrated or photographic-based projects (cookbooks, graphic novels, etc). Right now, she is not looking for memoir unless the personal is a means to tell a larger sociocultural story. She is not the right fit for procedural commercial novels or plot-less literary fiction.
Featured Clients: Fiction: Kelsey McKinney, Danya Kukafka; Non-Fiction: Claire Comstock-Gay, Sarah Marshall, Blythe Roberson; YA: Gabby Noone, Lio Min
Aemilia Phillips (Fiction, Nonfiction, YA) 5 spots left
Aemilia Phillips grew up just outside of New York City, her time there interspersed with frequent trips to visit her family in Mazatlán, Mexico. Aemilia graduated from Harvard University with high honors, and is putting her English degree to good use in the world of publishing, working with a range of fiction and non-fiction writers. She joined Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency after completing the Columbia University Publishing Course, and now lives in Manhattan. She runs on coffee, and can often be found outdoors with a book in hand. Aemilia is available for Pitch Plus sessions only.
Looking For: I’m particularly interested in writers who push conventional boundaries in order to address cultural, political, and social justice issues. With family on both sides of the Mexican border and interests in journalism, narrative non-fiction, and literary fiction, I look for diverse, smart writing with an impactful story to tell.
For non-fiction I’m looking for driven, obsessed writers and topics that challenge the way we think about the world, with a particular interest in Latin American and feminist voices. I love books that at first glance appear to be commercial, but that are also smart cultural critiques that force readers to examine new viewpoints. I’m fascinated by darker, complex fictional characters who upend preconceptions, stories with just a touch of magic, and novels that allow me to step into someone else’s shoes.
NOT Looking For: I don't work with picture books or middle grade books. On the adult side, I'm not interested in hard sci fi, romance, commercial thrillers, how-to / self help, parenting, art books and cookbooks. I've also found it hard to connect with novel-length satires.
Featured Clients: Activist Ahmed Badr
Pulitzer Prize winner Adriana Gallardo
Founder of Latina Rebels Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez (her book, FOR BROWN GIRLS WITH SHARP EDGES AND TENDER HEARTS out this Sept from Seal)
Lizz Huerta (her book THE LOST DREAMER out from FSG childrens in early 2022)
Poet and Pen award finalist José Olivarez
What is one thing you wish all writers knew either about agents' behind-the-scenes work or about the agent-writer relationship? Pick an agent who YOU are excited about, not just the first agent who knocks on your door. You're the one who knows your work and your audience the best, and you want an agent who understands that and is a true partner. Make sure you collaborate well editorially, and that you're a good personality fit and listen to each other. Remember, your agent works for you, not the other way around!
Eric Smith (Fiction, Nonfiction, YA, middle grade) 5 spots left
Eric Smith is a literary agent and Young Adult author living in Philadelphia. An agent with P.S. Literary, he's worked on New York Times bestselling and award-winning books. As an author, his novels include the IndieBound bestseller The Geek's Guide to Dating, Don't Read the Comments (a YALSA 2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults selection), and the forthcoming You Can Go Your Own Way. He plays way too many video games and cries over every movie. Eric is available for Pitch Plus sessions only.
Looking For: I'm looking for upper Middle Grade and Young Adult novels across all genres, though I have a soft spot for anything that genre-blends a little bit. In the adult fiction space, I'm looking for accessible (stress on that!) sci-fi and fantasy, genre-blending literary fiction, and anything rom-com. When it comes to non-fiction, I enjoy anything in the wellness space, as well as essay collections and memoir. I'm the kind of person who is drawn to character-driven storytelling. Make me care passionately about the character, whether they are fictional or not. Then you've got me.
NOT Looking For: I'm not a fan of anything "epic" in fantasy or sci-fi, or novels that are significantly over 100,000 words. Military sci-fi also isn't really for me. I don't get particularly excited about non-fiction on politics or sports. Please no books about suicide.
Featured Clients: I represent a number of authors writing in various categories and genres! Some of those writers include acclaimed sci-fi author Mike Chen (Here and Now and Then, A Beginning at the End, We Could Be Heroes), Philip K. Dick award winner Alison Stine (Road Out of Winter, Trashlands), LAMBDA winner Rebecca Podos (From Dust, a Flame), Irish Book Award nominee Helen Corcoran (Queen of Coin and Whispers), Stonewall honoree Robin Stevenson (When You Get the Chance), and many more.
What factors do you think are most important for writers to consider and ask agents about before accepting an offer of representation? I think the most important question to ask when you're at this stage is about communication. Communication can make or break any relationship, including the one between an agent and author. Is the agent someone who is fairly accessible, will communicate frequently? How do they communicate with clients? Email? Phone calls? How frequently will they check in? Most agents will discuss this with you, and it's hugely important.
I have some authors in my agent life who I talk to frequently, nearly every day about video games and other such non-book nonsense. And others who only really reach out regarding projects. And both of those kinds of communication are okay! It's up to you to determine what works well for you, and to talk to your agent about it.