A list of Australian literary agents – Updated February 2023

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

LAST UPDATED: 2/01/2023

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.

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

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

(As a smaller publishing pool, Australian literary agents are always swimming in manuscripts. They must lock the gate from time to time to prevent themselves drowning out of sheer exhaustion; to catch up on their reading, or — sacrilege — to read an actual published book written by someone other than a client.)

I’ll update this list, which contains members of The Australian Association of Literary Agents as well as agents who are not, every quarter.

Ready to submit your work?

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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Let me edit your query letter or synopsis and save time, disappointment, and the frustration of not knowing why you never heard back.

My constructive feedback and industry experience has helped many people get literary agents and book deals.

Alex Adsett Literary

Agent: Alex Adsett

Website: https://alexadsett.com.au

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

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

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: Applicants must live in Australia. Open to submissions from creators of graphic novels, graphic memoir and other forms. They would love to hear from comic makers and cartoonists creating projects for all ages (i.e. for young children, middle grade, young adult, and adult). For graphic novels (art and text): 10-20 sample pages in .jpg or .pdf format, as well as a short synopsis. For graphic novels (text only): first 10 pages of script. Please also send a short bio telling us who you are. They had planned to re-open their general submissions in December 2022. For up-to-date details, please visit their Instagram page for 2023 dates.

Australian Literary Management

Agent: Lyn Tranter

Website: http://austlit.com

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

Agent Query Link: alphaalm8@gmail.com

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. 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.

Cameron’s Management

Agent: Jeanne Ryckmans

Website: http://cameronsmanagement.com.au

Submission page: https://www.cameronsmanagement.com.au/submissions-1

Agent Query Link: Not accepting submissions at this time

Note: As of January 2022, they are not accepting new submissions from authors, other than from those already represented by the agency.

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 February, June, and October only. Submissions 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.

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: 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: They will endeavor to be open to receiving adult fiction and non-fiction manuscripts in late 2023. 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.

Left Bank Literary

Agents: Gaby Naher, Grace Heifetz

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 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: info@melanieostell.com.au

Note: Submissions are now closed for 2022. The submissions window will re-open on Wednesday 1 March 2023.

For fiction and memoir: they request the first three chapters (or 50 pages, 1.5 line spacing) and a 300-word synopsis. For narrative non-fiction: a chapter breakdown, two sample chapters (including chapter one) and your reasons for wanting to write this work.

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)

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.

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: Currently closed to unsolicited queries. Will reopen in 2023. 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

Website: https://www.zeitgeistagency.com

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

Agent Query Link: query_sydney@zeitgeistagency.com

Note: They only accept submissions on the first of each month. 2023 Dates: Wednesday March 1st, Monday April 3rd, Monday May 1st, Thursday June 1st, Monday July 3rd. They are excited by literary fiction, commercial fiction, memoir, and narrative non-fiction. They are not looking to represent YA, Fantasy, Science Fiction or Children’s Books for the moment.

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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