There are many things to consider when trying to find the best literary agent for academic books. Including, but not limited to, their background in the publishing industry, ability to spot quality talent, educational credentials, networking skills, and most importantly their ability to sell books.
Finding someone with the skills necessary skills to explain how your content will aid in enriching the future of the reader can be difficult when you don’t know where to begin.
Luckily, I have done the legwork to help you gain momentum on kickstarting your publishing journey. This list of the 12 best literary agents for academic books as well as how to get in contact with them.
12 Best Literary Agents For Academic Books
#1 - Sterling Lord Literistic
As a company with a rich heritage and a team of agents who are passionate about the writers they represent, Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. stands out. With a long history of literary excellence and a diverse client list to match, Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. is one of the most dynamic independent agencies in New York.
Their roster includes National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize winners, New York Times bestsellers, commercial novelists, literary novelists, politicians, scientists, journalists, and noted children's literature authors. Attesting to the agency's past achievements and its promise for the future is the combination of established authors and newly emerging voices.
Currently, they accept submissions directly through their ‘Submissions’ page on their website and will only respond to authors they have an interest in due to their submission load.
Headquarter Location:
New York, New York, United States
Website:
#2 - Inkwell Management
Inkwell is proud to represent many of the world's bestselling and most-loved authors, as well as major literary prize winners. The company is regarded as one of the most innovative and significant players in the industry internationally.
Queries are accepted via email. Your query may be addressed to the agency at large or to the agent to whom you are submitting it.
Send a query letter and a sample of your writing (1-2 chapters) in the body of your email. The email will be discarded if it contains a large attachment. All genres except screenplays are accepted at the moment. Due to the submission volume, authors they are interested in working with will be responded to within 2 months.
Headquarter Location:
521 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2600, New York, NY, 10175
Website:
https://inkwellmanagement.com/
Email:
submissions@inkwellmanagement.com
Telephone:
212.922.3500
#3 - Dystel & Goderich Literary Management
As one of the most dynamic literary agencies in the US, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret LLC boasts an impressive client list as well as a sterling reputation. Jane Dystel founded the company in 1994 and leads a team of smart, hardworking, compassionate agents focused on their authors' success. The business savvy and integrity of our company make the agency a full-service company.
If you would like to submit to Michael Bourret, Jim McCarthy, Lauren Abramo, Amy Bishop, or Michaela Whatnall, you will need to use the Query Manager application found on their ‘Meet Our Agents’ page on the agency’s website. All other agents working with them accept direct queries to their listed email (found on the same "Meet Our Agents" page).
Include your full query in the email body, not as an attachment, when sending your query letter. Don't query more than one agent at this agency. If one of their agents passes a query, no one else in the agency will accept the manuscript. Be sure to include a sample chapter of your academic book in the body of the email below your query letter.
If successful you will be contacted within 8 weeks of receipt of your submission.
Headquarter Location:
One Union Square West, Suite 904, New York, NY, 10003
Website:
Telephone:
212.627.9100
#4 - Yates & Yates
A decade of unparalleled experience has made Yates & Yates the go-to firm for authors at every level. As part of their holistic approach, they offer agency representation, marketing, and legal guidance, creative counseling, business management consulting services, and career coaching.
By focusing their efforts, honing and sharpening their message, obtaining broad distribution, increasing their influence, and building a lasting career, they can help their clients achieve lasting and successful careers. Their goal is to make our clients' ideas matter.
The agency currently represents the Non-fiction (which includes academic works), self-help, business, Christian living, political, and memoir genres.
Queries are accepted via email. In your query:
Briefly describe yourself, your qualifications, awards, and experience.
Describe your book idea in detail, including the promise, premise, felt need, hook and target audience.
Headquarter Location:
1551 N. Tustin Ave., Suite 710, Santa Ana, California, 92705
Website:
Email:
Telephone:
714.480.4000
#5 - The Stuart Agency
The Stuart Agency represents a variety of high-quality nonfiction and fiction writers, including Pulitzer Prize winners and entertainment figures, as well as journalism, public intellectuals, academics, and novelists. With over 25 years of experience as an agent, Andrew Stuart leads our company, which works closely with clients at every stage of the publishing process.
As part of their services, they provide intensive editorial guidance from proposal through a finished manuscript; coordinate with clients and publishers for maximum publicity and marketing; sell rights worldwide by working with a network of top foreign agents; handle film and television rights; navigate the new world of digital publishing, and strategize about the next step in a client's writing career.
Queries are accepted via the ‘Submissions’ page on their website and are pretty straightforward to follow.
Headquarter Location:
462 7th Ave., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10018
Website:
Email:
Telephone:
646.564.2983
#6 - Aevitas Creative Management
The Aevitas Creative Literary Agency represents scores of award-winning authors, performers, thinkers, artists, and public figures across five cities (Boston, New York, Washington DC, London, and Los Angeles).
Their mission is to help promote and cultivate insights, expertise, and stories that are both timeless and timely. They represent content that is necessary and innovative that will provoke debate and challenge conventional wisdom while also being enlightening and entertaining.
Queries are accepted primarily through their Query Manager application on their submission page. Upon request, hard copy queries may also be accepted via downloading their submission form (found on their contact page).
Headquarter Location:
19 W. 21st Street, Suite 501, New York, NY 10010
Website:
https://www.aevitascreative.com/
Telephone:
212.765.6900
#7 - Fletcher & Company
The Fletcher & Company literary management company specializes in nonfiction and fiction writers across all media platforms offering full-service literary management. They represent authors from a variety of genres with multiple agents ready and willing to help you realize all your literary dreams.
Queries are accepted via email only. If you would like to query, please include a letter, brief synopsis, and the first five or ten pages of your manuscript/proposal in the body of your email. In the subject line, indicate the agent to whom you are addressing the query. Email attachments should not be included with your initial query, as they will be deleted.
Responses are generally sent out within 4-6 weeks, and they ask that you only query with one of their agents at a time.
Headquarter Location:
78 5th Ave # 3, New York, NY 10011, United States
Website:
https://www.fletcherandco.com/
Email:
Telephone:
212.614.0778
#8 - Hornfischer Literary Management
Hornfischer Literary Management, L.P., handles nonfiction and selects fiction from a broad range of genres. HLM represents award-winning nonfiction writers, historians, memoirists, scientists, journalists, and professionals, to name a few.
Since becoming a literary agent twenty-five years ago, Hornfischer has represented many New York Times bestsellers and several major prize winners. There is a strong relationship between the company and the leading New York publishing houses.
Queries are accepted via email. Since they receive a lot of e-mails, most of which are urgent and client-related, they can't respond to you personally unless they decide to pursue your project.
Headquarter Location:
Austin, Texas, United States
Website:
https://www.hornfischerlit.com/
Email:
#9 - Massie & Mcquilkin
The mission of Massie & Mcquilkin is to bring quality fiction and non-fiction to the largest possible audience. To ensure that their clients’ needs are met by their publishers, we work closely with them at every stage of their project's development, submission, and placement.
Send in your query letter including a brief description of your project as well as any relevant personal or professional information (such as awards you have won, regular media appearances you make, and/or academic or professional affiliations you may have) to the email address of your selected agent (specific emails can be found on the agency’s contact page).
It is not advisable to query more than one agent at an agency at the same time, although if one agent passes on your work, you are welcome to query another. Make sure your email subject line includes the word "Query." and add the first 5-10 pages into the email body.
Headquarter Location:
27 West 20th Street, Suite 305, New York, NY 10011
Website:
Email:
(For general submission questions, use the agent’s direct emails for submissions)
Telephone:
212.352.2055
#10 - David Black Literary Agency
The David Black Agency, established in 1989, earned a reputation in the publishing industry for ensuring that each book and author achieve their fullest potential and reach the widest possible audience by serving the editorial needs of our clients throughout the life cycle of a book, from conception to publication.
Their team is dedicated to developing our clients' careers across all global media platforms and branding tools. There are currently seven agents who collaborate supportively and collaboratively for the benefit of their clients.
Queries should be sent directly to your preferred agent. Check each agent's page to see if they are accepting queries and what type of material they are looking for. There may be more specific instructions for what to submit from some agents, but if they don't, please send a 1-2 page query letter to the email address of the agent you wish to query.
Headquarter Location:
335 Adams St. Suite 2707, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Website:
https://www.davidblackagency.com/
Telephone:
718-852-5500
