A list of Australian literary agents – Updated May 2024

by Virginia Lloyd | Oct 6, 2021 | Blog | 0 comments

LAST UPDATED: 5/1/2024

This list of Australian literary agents is a companion piece to my post listing Australian publishers open to unsolicited manuscript submissions.

While it’s not essential to get a literary agent in Australia to land a traditional publishing deal, you’ll have a much stronger chance of success if you do.

As you scroll through you’ll see that not all agents listed are accepting submissions at this time. That tends to change regularly.

This list, which contains members of The Australian Association of Literary Agents as well as agents who are not, is updated every quarter.

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If you feel ready to submit your query, synopsis and first however-many pages to your dream agent, then go for it! I wish you a successful path to publication.

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Alex Adsett Literary

Agent: Alex Adsett, Abigail Nathan & Rochelle Fernandez

Website: https://alexadsett.com.au

Submission page: https://alexadsett.com.au/submissions

Agent Query Link:https://querymanager.com/AlexAdsettQueries

https://querymanager.com/query/AbigailNathanQueries

https://querymanager.com/query/3065

Note: They state they are always looking for amazing works, but they are currently not accepting open submissions unless you meet one of their exceptions which are as follows (taken directly from their submission page):

You have been invited to submit pursuant to a formal or informal pitch to one of our agents.
Keep an eye on our FindUs page for manuscript pitching opportunities, or social media as to events we might be attending.
If someone we know and trust has personally recommended you to us.
You are an author from an under-represented or diverse background – First Nations, authors of colour, authors from marginalised cultures, neuroatypical authors, authors with disability, or authors from varied socio-economic circumstances. Until mainstream publishing has addressed the imbalance with diversity, we will continue to offer a submission pathway to under-represented and diverse authors.
If we see you regularly at conferences or events, you’re a friend, we have shouted about how much we love your books, and/or you are part of the publishing community.

Annabel Barker Agency

Agent: Annabel Barker

Website: https://annabelbarker.com

Submission page: https://annabelbarker.com/submissions

Agent Query Link: hello@annabelbarker.com

Not accepting submissions at this time

Note: All submissions are currently closed. Their site says they try to open submissions at the end of each year in December. For the most current information, check their website or Instagram.

Australian Literary Management

Agent: Lyn Tranter

Website: https://austlit.com

Submission page: https://austlit.com/submissions

Agent Query Link: alphaalm8@gmail.com

Not accepting submissions at this time

Note: Your work should not currently be considered by another agent or by a publisher when you make a submission to ALM. They do not look at work that has already been rejected by a number of publishers. At this time they are not looking at children’s books by unpublished authors, science fiction, fantasy, anything in the self-help genre, plays, poetry, short stories or screenplays. They do not accept submissions from authors who are not Australian residents. Ensure you attach a 1-2 page synopsis of your work. All attached work should be formatted as a Word Doc or a PDF and should be set out with 1.5 spacing.

Curtis Brown

Agents: Clare Forster, Fiona Inglis, Pippa Masson, Tara Wynne

Website: https://www.curtisbrown.com.au

Submission page: https://www.curtisbrown.com.au/submissions

Agent Query Link: submission@curtisbrown.com.au

Note: They are unable to consider a work that is already published or is under contract. Curtis Brown welcomes submissions during the months of March and August only. Submissions will open on the 1st of the month and will close on the last day of the month. Manuscripts received outside this window will be deleted without consideration or reply. They welcome submissions from any writer and have no prerequisites for work we receive.

Golvan Arts Management

Agent: Debbie Golvan

Website: https://www.golvanarts.com.au

Submission page: https://www.golvanarts.com.au/info/about-golvan-arts

Agent Query Link: https://www.golvanarts.com.au/contact-us

Note: They request a brief written description of the project and some background information about the author, as well as details of any publisher, producer, or other purchaser who is interested in buying rights to the work. Also, include the first one to three pages of your manuscript ONLY. Include in your email if you have already sent your proposal or manuscript to another agent or if publishers or producers have already seen or rejected it. They only represent Australian or Australian-based clients.

High Spot Literary

Agent: Vicki Marsdon, Nadine Nathan, Catherine Wallace, Fergus Inder

Website: https://www.highspotlit.com/

Submission page: https://www.highspotlit.com/submission-information

Agent Query Link: https://www.highspotlit.com/the-agents

Note: They are open to submissions on the first two days of the month ONLY beginning March 1, 2024. Please choose only one agent to submit to and they say that if you submit outside of the first two days of each month, they reserve the right to delete your submission. When submitting, they would like to see A full synopsis with spoilers or a detailed book proposal if non-fiction, the first 3 chapters of your manuscript, the shorter, descriptive text that might appear on the back cover of your novel or book, a short bio (around 5 lines), and details of your manuscript assessment (if any).

HLA Management

Agent: Hilary Linstead

Website: https://www.hlamgt.com.au

Submission page: https://www.hlamgt.com.au/contact-us

Agent Query Link: Not accepting submissions at this time

Note: “HLA Management is not accepting unsolicited material or solicitations at this time. Requests for representation operate exclusively by referral.

HMMG Pty Ltd

Agent: Rachel Barrett

Website: https://www.harrymmiller.com.au

Submission page: No submission page

Agent Query Link: hmm@harrymmiller.com

Not accepting submissions at this time

Note: Literary submissions and screenplays are not being currently accepted.

Jacinta di Mase Management

Agent: Jacinta di Mase

Website: https://www.jacintadimase.com.au

Submission page: https://www.jacintadimase.com.au/submissions

Agent Query Link: Not accepting submissions at this time

Note: Other than those they read at publishing events, they are not currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts. Check their website often for updates and their Facebook and Instagram pages for events they will be attending!

Jane Novak Literary Agency

Agent: Jane Novak

Website: https://www.janenovak.com

Submission page: https://www.janenovak.com/submissions

Agent Query Link: Not accepting submissions at this time

Note: Submissions to the agency are currently closed.

Jenny Darling & Associates

Agent: Jenny Darling

Website: http://jennydarling.com.au

Submission page: http://jennydarling.com.au/submissions

Agent Query Link: Not accepting submissions at this time

Note: They are currently not accepting submissions. Jenny Darling represents Australian authors only.

Key People Literary Management

Agent: Jeanne Ryckmans and Lou Johnson

Website: https://www.keypeoplelm.com

Submission page: https://www.keypeoplelm.com/representation

Agent Query Link: info@keypeoplelm.com

Note: They request all emails include a short message about you, including your bio with relevant experience, previous works, testimonials, reviews, and any useful statistics as well as a brief summary of your latest work, a synopsis, 3 – 5 key selling points, who the target audience/readership is, and a writing sample (approximately 3 chapters and the table of contents or chapter outline).

Left Bank Literary

Agents: Gaby Naher, Grace Heifetz, Tom Gilliatt

Website: https://leftbankliterary.com

Submission page: https://leftbankliterary.com/submissions

Agent Query Link: https://leftbankliterary.com/submissions

Note: Submit using the form on their submission page. Submit your preliminary ‘pitch’ including: Book title, genre, Brief blurb/synopsis, Author bio, and contact details. They are not currently considering YA, middle grade, early reader, picture books, self-help, fantasy, romance, stage/screenplays, comics or poetry submissions.

Margaret Connolly & Associates

Agent: Margaret Connolly

Website: https://margaretconnollyagency.wordpress.com

Submission page: https://margaretconnolly.com/contact

Agent Query Link: contact@margaretconnolly.com

Note: Does not directly state on the site if she is open to submissions.

Margaret Gee Literary Agency

Agents: Margaret Gee

Website: http://margaretgee.com

Submission page: no submission page

Agent Query Link: margaret@margaretgee.com

Note: Manuscripts: Please send a query note to her by email first. Non-commissioned manuscripts posted in will not be returned. She is no longer accepting manuscripts by unpublished authors.

Margaret Kennedy Agency

Agents: Margaret Kennedy, Hannah Douglas

Website: https://www.margaretkennedyagency.com

Submission page: https://www.margaretkennedyagency.com/submissions

Agent Query Link: hannah@margaretkennedyagency.com

Note: They are currently accepting submissions of adult fiction and literary non-fiction in the months of January and July only. Submissions made at other times will not be considered. Submissions require a brief letter explaining what your work is about, and how or why you have come to write it, plus 50 pages of your work in Word format (less, if the whole work is less). For non-fiction, they require a brief letter explaining your concept, plus a book proposal that includes * a project outline * a proposed chapter summary *a list of any comparable titles *a sample chapter/essay (in Word format). Please note whether you have already completed the project.

Melanie Ostell Agency

Agent: Melanie Ostell

Website: https://melanieostell.com.au

Submission page: https://melanieostell.com.au/contact

Agent Query Link: http://querymanager.com/MelanieOstellLiterary

Note: Open to submissions until 31 May, 2024

Don’t submit sample pages until the full manuscript is ready. Only send fiction that has had multiple drafts. The query manager will walk you through what is required for submission. Include your contact information and your bio must include any works published and writing experience, synopsis, draft number, word count and genre, and whether or not this is a multiple submission.

New Author Collective

Agent: Dr Bella Ellwood-Clayton, Lisa Heidke

Website: https://newauthorscollective.com/

Submission page: https://newauthorscollective.com/submissions/

Agent Query Email: newauthorscollective@gmail.com

Note: Closed to Submissions until early 2025

They are specifically interested in Fiction: literary upmarket and commercial, including historical, mystery, romance, dystopian, thriller, psychological thriller and crime, Nonfiction: memoir and history, and Backlists in any of these genres. All submissions must include a “Subject Line, ” including your name, title, genre, and manuscript word count. Within your email, include your contact details, website, actual/intended use of social media dedicated to your role as the author, and a 100-word bio. For Fiction, they ask for a one-page synopsis of the work and the first 50 pages of the manuscript. For Nonfiction, they ask for a book proposal and 2-3 sample chapters of the manuscript. Manuscripts should be formatted in 12pt Times New Roman, left justified, double spaced. Please start each chapter on a new page.

Shaw Literary

Agent: Martin Shaw

Website: http://thebooksdesk.com

Submission page: http://thebooksdesk.com/#submissions

Agent Query Link: martin@thebooksdesk.com

Note: Include a cover letter, synopsis, and a short bio. They’ll mostly consider catholic genres, the agency does also lean towards outstanding literary fiction, irresistible commercial fiction, and strong non-fiction.

Also include if your manuscript has been entered into a literary competition with a publisher affiliation, or has been directly submitted to a publisher or literary agent, either currently or in the past.

Sarah McKenzie Literary Management

Agent: Sarah McKenzie

Website: http://www.smlm.com.au

Submission page: http://www.smlm.com.au

Agent Query Link: submissions@smlm.com.au

Note: Proposals and queries should only be sent by email following the submission guideline. They are currently considering:

full-length adult fiction (literary and commercial), nonfiction (except for academic and spirituality titles), children’s fiction (picture books, middle-grade and young adult, graphic novels)

They are actively pursuing and supporting diverse and marginalised voices. They encourage all authors to read their policy regarding marginalised and diverse voices before submitting to them.

The Author’s Agent

Agent: Brian Cook

Website: http://theauthorsagent.com.au

Submission page: http://theauthorsagent.com.au/index.php?page=guidelines

Agent Query Address: THE AUTHORS’ AGENT: PO Box 577, Terrigal NSW 2260

Note: Submit by mail only. No emails! They represent adult and children’s fiction and some non-fiction. They have a special focus on children’s books and represent writers and illustrators.

The Calidris Literary Agency

Agents: Sally Bird

Website: https://calidrislitagency.com/

Submission page: https://calidrislitagency.com/faq/guidelines-for-authors/

Agent Query Link:https://calidrislitagency.com/contact

Note: They ask that you first send a preliminary email or phone call before submitting work to ensure that it will be of interest to the agency.

The Drummond Agency

Agents: Sheila Drummond

Website: http://www.drummondagency.com.au/index.htm

Submission page: http://www.drummondagency.com.au/submission_guidelines.htm

Agent Query Link: Not accepting submissions at this time

Note: They are currently closed to all submissions until further notice. They do not accept submissions from outside Australia, unless the author is an Australian or New Zealand citizen.

Wolf Literary Services

Agent: Rach Crawford

Website: https://wolflit.com

Submission page: https://querymanager.com/query/rachac

Agent Query Link: https://querymanager.com/query/rachac

Note: Rach accepts queries exclusively via query manager. To submit to WLS, please send a query letter and sample manuscript pages (for fiction) or your full proposal (for nonfiction). Please query only one WLS agent at a time.

Zeitgeist Agency

Agent: Benython Oldfield, Sharon Galant, Thomasin Chinnery, Samuel Bernard

Website: https://www.zeitgeistagency.com

Submission page: https://www.zeitgeistagency.com/submissions-1

Agent Query Link: only available on the site every Friday. https://www.zeitgeistagency.com/submissions-1

Note: Samuel Bernard is currently the only Agent open to Query.

Beginning in February 2024, Zeitgeist will be opening submissions every weekend. The submission portal will open each Friday evening and close each Sunday afternoon.

They are excited by literary fiction, commercial fiction, memoir, and narrative non-fiction. They are not looking to represent Fantasy, Science Fiction, or Picture Books for the moment.

Submissions require the following information:

Title, genre of work, and current word count
Elevator Pitch (30 words)
Bio (100 words)
Synopsis (200 words)
Comparison titles
Anything else (100 words)
First 500 Words of Manuscript

If the agent you were hoping to submit to is currently closed to submissions, don’t despair; there are good reasons agents close their books from time to time. While you consider your next move, why not get some constructive feedback on your submission materials? I’ve helped many writers get published. I’d love to help you too.

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