List of UK literary agencies
| Company type | Literary agency |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1875 |
Key people | Caradoc King (chairman and joint managing director), Derek Johns (joint managing director) |
| Products | Literary agency services |
| Website | www |
Literary agencies
1970 Watson, Little Ltd James Wills (managing director)Lynne Reid Banks, D. J. Enright, Margaret Mahy, James Wong, Evie Wyldwww.watsonlittle.com Founded by Sheila Watson and Mandy Little; headquartered in London. 1973 (US) Janklow & Nesbit (UK) Will Francis (Managing Director, London office)Alan Rusbridger, Rebecca Stottwww.janklowandnesbit.co.uk London branch launched in 2000. 1974 Independent Talent Group Duncan Heath(co-chairman), Sally Long-Innes (co-chair and managing director) www.independenttalent.com Initially Duncan Heath & Associates; acquired by ICM in 1985; underwent management buyout in 2002; rebranded Independent Talent in 2007. 1974 MBA Diana Tyler (joint managing director), Laura Longrigg (joint managing director)www.mbalit.co.uk Represents authors across books, film, television, radio, and theatre scripts. 1976 Ed Victor Literary Agency Ed Victor(executive chairman), Sophie Hicks (joint managing director), Margaret Phillips (joint managing director)www.edvictor.com Acquired by Curtis Brown in 2017. 1976 Aitken Alexander Associates Gillon Aitken (chairman), Clare Alexander (joint managing director), Sally Riley (joint managing director)www.aitkenalexander.co.uk Originally known as Gillon Aitken Associates; also operated under the name Aitken & Stone. 1982 Blake Friedmann Carole Blake (joint managing director), Julian Friedmann (joint managing director)www.blakefriedmann.co.uk Resulted from the merger of Julian Friedmann Literary Agency and Carole Blake Literary Agency. 1985 Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency Caroline Sheldon John Agard, Patrice Lawrencewww.carolinesheldon.co.uk Specializes in fiction and authors/illustrators of children’s books. 1986 Artellus Limited Gabriele Pantucci (Chairman), Leslie Gardner (managing director)Anthony Burgess,Robert Aickman (Estate), Roger Lewisartellusltd.co.uk 1988 Andrew Lownie Literary Agency Andrew Lownie(managing director)www.andrewlownie.co.uk 1988 Darley Anderson Darley Anderson (founder and proprietor)Lee Child, Martina Colewww.darleyanderson.com 1995 David Godwin Associates (DGA) David Godwin (director), Heather Godwin (director)Sade Adeniran, Lucy Ellmann, Aminatta Forna, Ian Jack, Vikram Seth, Marina Warnerdavidgodwinassociates.com London-based agency representing international novelists, poets, biographers, historians, journalists. 1996 Lucas Alexander Whitley (LAW) Mark Lucas (director), Julian Alexander (director), Araminta Whitley (director), Philippa Milnes-Smith (managing director)Frank Gardner, Sophie Kinsella, Andy McNab, Kate Mosse, Condé Nast, Philip Reeve, Chris Riddell, Nigel Slater, Alison Weirhttp://www.lawagency.co.uk/ Based in London; established in 1996; expanded children's and YA division in 2001 under Philippa Milnes-Smith’s leadership. 1997 Annette Green Authors' Agency (AGA) Annette Green, David Smith, Adam Macqueen, Elizabeth Haynes, Maria McCann, Ian Marchant, Louis Barfe, Katherine Clements http://www.annettegreenagency.co.uk/ Founded by Annette Green in 1997; David Smith joined from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer law firm in 2001. 1997 BookBlast Ltd Georgia de Chamberet, Jemma Jupp, Ben Fiagbe Lesley Blanch (estate), George Elton Mayo (estate) http://www.bookblast.com London-based agency focusing on translations with a cross-cultural emphasis and literary estates; supports independent publishers. 2000 Conville & Walsh Clare Conville, Patrick Walsh, Jake Smith-Bosanquet (managing director), Alan Oliver (finance director)DBC Pierre, S. J. Watson, Charlie Brooker, Belle de Jour, Vic Reeves, Francis Bacon (estate)www.convilleandwalsh.com 2002 Jenny Brown Associates Jenny Brown www.jennybrownassociates.com Scotland’s largest literary agency. 2003 Eve White Literary Agency Eve White(Owner, CEO and Agent), Ludo Cinelli (Managing Director and Agent)Andy Stanton, Ruth Warewww.evewhite.co.uk Independent London-based agency representing authors of fiction, non-fiction, children’s and YA genres with bestselling and award-winning titles. 2005 Graham Maw Christie Literary Agency Jennifer Christie, Jane Graham MawRaynor Winn,Vex King, Michael Foleywww.grahammawchristie.com Focuses on non-fiction with numerous international bestsellers and Sunday Times bestsellers covering various topics. 2007 United Agents Peter Bennett-Jones (co-chairman), Lindy King (co-chairman), St. John Donald (managing director)www.unitedagents.co.uk Notably secured $500K for North American rights to Tina Seskis's debut novel in 2013. 2008 Writers House UK Angharad Kowal (managing director)www.writershouse.com Opened London office in 2008 to support US authors across UK Commonwealth markets; closed operations there in 2017. 2009 The Bent Agency Jenny Bent, Molly Ker Hawn [2] Operating from London and New York; represents adult fiction/non-fiction as well as children’s/YA with focus on bestselling works. 2012 Madeleine Milburn Ltd Madeleine Milburn, Giles Milburn CJ Daugherty among others www.madeleinemilburn.co.uk Mayfair-based literary, television & film agency recognized for launching new authors globally with significant deals. 2012 Hardman & Swainson Caroline Hardman & Joanna Swainson founders, Hannah Ferguson agentwww.hardmanswainson.com London-centered agency representing diverse fiction and non-fiction since its inception in 2012. 2012 Elise Dillsworth Agency (EDA) Elise Dillsworth Robert Antoni among others http://elisedillsworthagency.com/ Represents international authors specializing in literary/general fiction and non-fiction from its London base.| Established | Agency Name | Leadership | Prominent Clients | Website | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1875 | A P Watt | Caradoc King (chairman and joint managing director), Derek Johns (joint managing director) | Philip Pullman | www.apwatt.co.uk | Recognized as the oldest literary agency globally. Became part of United Agents Partnership in December 2012. |
| 1898 (US) | WME (UK) | Simon Trewin (head of UK Literary Division) | www.wmeagency.com | The world’s largest talent agency, created in 2009 through the merger of William Morris Agency and Endeavor Agency. | |
| 1899 | Curtis Brown | Jonathan Lloyd (chief executive), Jonny Geller (managing director, books division) | Bonnie Garmus, Bono, Monica Ali, John Le Carré, Daphne du Maurier | curtisbrown.co.uk | |
| 1919 | AM Heath | Bill Hamilton (managing director) | Hilary Mantel, George Orwell (estate) | www.amheath.com | |
| 1924 | Peters Fraser & Dunlop (PFD) | Caroline Michel (chief executive) | Simon Schama, Jeanette Winterson, C. S. Forester (estate) | www.petersfraserdunlop.com | Part of Rights House Group since 2010; established in 1989 via merger of A. D. Peters Agency and Fraser and Dunlop Agency. |
| 1932 | Eric Glass Ltd | ericglass.agency | Founded by Eric Glass. | ||
| 1935 | David Higham Associates | Anthony Goff (managing director) | J. M. Coetzee, Roald Dahl (estate), Stephen Fry, Eric Hobsbawm, Jacqueline Wilson, Rosemary Sutcliff | www.davidhigham.co.uk | Originated as Pearn, Pollinger & Higham; renamed in 1956. |
| 1956 | Johnson & Alcock | Michael Alcock, Andrew Hewson | Candace Allen, Beryl Bainbridge (estate), Lawrence Scott, D. M. Thomas | www.johnsonandalcock.co.uk | Formed in 2003 through the merger of Michael Alcock Management and John Johnson Agency. |
| 1961 | Roger Hancock Ltd | Lucy Hancock (director) | Tony Hancock, Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie, Annie Leake | [1] | Established by Roger Hancock. |
| 1962 | Sheil Land Associates | Sonia Land (chief executive) | Peter Ackroyd, Melvyn Bragg, Susan Hill, Patrick O’Brian (estate) | www.sheilland.co.uk | London-based; includes Richard Scott Simon Ltd and Christy & Moore Ltd; US partners include Georges Borchardt, Inc. |
| 1963 | Greene & Heaton | Carol Heaton | Michael Frayn, Richard Reed | www.greeneheaton.co.uk | Founded by Elaine Greene, later joined by Carol Heaton. |
| 1967 | Rogers, Coleridge & White | Gill Coleridge (chairman), Peter Straus (managing director) | David Aaronovitch, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Nick Hornby, Kazuo Ishiguro, James Kelman, Ian McEwan, Caryl Phillips, Zadie Smith, Meera Syal, Donna Tartt | www.rcwlitagency.com | Originated from Deborah Rogers Ltd; represents fiction, non-fiction, children’s and young adult literature. |