How Do Agents Become Agents? Understanding the Role of the Literary Agent in Publishing
- David Salariya
- 6 days ago
- 7 min read
How Do Agents Become Agents?
Unlike many careers in publishing, the path to becoming a literary agent is rarely linear, and seldom advertised. It’s a role more often grown into than applied for, shaped by instinct, connections, and a passion for reading and for books. Entry routes vary widely: some agents started as agency assistants, others moved across from editorial, bookselling, or publicity. But all develop a finely honed sense of what sells, and a deep familiarity with the publishing marketplace.
There’s no formal qualification. Becoming an agent depends less on certificates and more on credibility, built by reading widely, networking constantly, and understanding both the creative and commercial aspects of writing.
What Do Literary Agents Actually Do?
The role of a literary agent is to act as a bridge between the author or artist and the publisher. But this belies the sheer breadth of responsibilities involved. On any given day, a literary agent may be:
Evaluating new submissions and deciding what to take on
Editing or developing a manuscript before submission
Pitching books to editors and negotiating offers
Managing contracts, rights, and royalty payments
Liaising between authors and publishers through the production process
Strategising authors’ careers across multiple books and genres
Selling foreign, audio, and film rights
Reading client work and market trends
Attending fairs, launches, and industry events
Tackling problem of a project being late
Agents are talent scouts, editors, managers, part-time lawyers (spiritually, at least), and full-time therapists - often all before lunch.
A Day in the Life of A Literary Agent
Though the pace can vary, an agent’s day tends to be reactive. Emails : queries from fledgling authors, contract updates from publishers, requests from clients. There may be acquisition meetings to prepare for, submissions to track, or offers to negotiate.
Client are the priority. That may mean advising on a book synopsis, responding to publisher feedback, or unpicking contractual queries. Reading is often relegated to the fringes - early mornings, late evenings, and weekends - especially when a promising new submission lands.
While the outward-facing tasks (selling, networking, chasing deals) dominate the perception of the role, much of the work is quieter and ongoing: sustaining relationships, reading drafts, nudging publishers, checking royalty statements, and ensuring authors feel supported and heard.
Building and Maintaining a List
An agent’s value lies in their list: the authors they represent. Building that list takes time, often years. New agents may begin with just a few writers, gradually adding more through unsolicited submissions, business referrals, or personal connections.
Once a few books are successfully placed, a reputation starts to build, and new authors seek representation. That’s when the list begins to shape itself. But it still requires careful management. Each client needs editorial feedback, business advice, and long-term strategic thinking.
Maintaining a list also means knowing when to say no. Not every project is right for every agent. Taste, timing, and trust all come into play.
When Did Agents Become So Powerful?
In the early 20th century, many authors submitted directly to publishers. Editors had the time, and often the mandate, to read and develop unsolicited work. But as publishing houses merged, departments shrank, and editors became overwhelmed, the volume of submissions was no longer manageable.
As publishing houses grew leaner and more commercially focused - often acting as pipelines for distribution and marketing rather than development hubs, the role of the agent became even more crucial.
Once, editors had the time and remit to read widely, nurture talent, and shape manuscripts. Today, many are overloaded with acquisition targets, internal meetings, and market positioning. It’s agents who now take on the developmental role: refining manuscripts, understanding an author’s voice, and delivering only what’s truly pitch-ready.
In short: agents became more powerful because someone had to do the editorial heavy lifting - and publishers, by necessity or design, shifted that work upstream.
Literary agents stepped into this gap. They filtered submissions, developed manuscripts, and began pitching editors only what was deemed market-ready. Over time, editors came to rely on agents as gatekeepers, curators of quality and commercial potential.
Today, most large publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Literary agents have become the main point of access for debut authors, and trusted partners for publishers.
Their role is now both structural and strategic.
Where Do Agents Sit in the Publishing Hierarchy?
Agents occupy a unique position, not in-house, yet integral. They serve the author first, but juggle relationships with editors, publicists, rights teams, and legal departments like seasoned diplomatic trapeze artists.
Their work stretches beyond the UK market. They may manage translation deals, audio sales, media adaptations, or merchandising rights. Many will attend international book fairs, negotiate global contracts, and partner with co-agents in other territories.
In this matrix of relationships, the agent is both advocate and strategist, ensuring the author’s voice is heard and their work is properly valued, not just in financial terms, but in editorial and creative terms as well.
What Does a Literary Agent Cost?
In the UK, literary agents operate on a commission-only basis. They charge no upfront fees. Standard commission rates are:
15% on UK book deals
20% on foreign, film/TV, or audio rights
The agent earns only when the author earns. If a book doesn’t sell, the agent makes nothing, even after months of work. This structure aligns incentives, ensures transparency, and underscores the importance of trust in the agent–author relationship.
Reputable agents don’t charge reading fees. Any agent asking for money before a deal is struck should be treated with caution.
One Last Thing: Why Agents Matter
Literary agents are no longer optional extras. They are the linchpins of the modern publishing process, scouts, editors, negotiators, mentors.
Their rise mirrors the evolution of publishing itself: as the trade has become more complex, fast-moving, and commercially driven, agents have stepped in to provide stability, context, and advocacy.
For writers and artists, they are often the first believer. For publishers, they are a reliable source of talent. And for the publishing system itself, they are the quiet architecture that helps keep the whole house standing.
UK Literary Agents for Children’s Books (UK-Based)
UK-based literary agents who represent children’s book creators – including authors (fiction and non-fiction across picture book, middle grade, and YA), illustrators, and author-illustrators.
Each agent, their agency, types of clients and age ranges represented, and if they handle children’s non-fiction, notable clients/books, and links to their agency website and submission guidelines.
Agents Currently Open to Unsolicited Submissions
(As of mid-2025, the following agents are actively accepting new children’s book submissions. Notable categories/genres they’re seeking and any special submission requirements are highlighted. Always double-check current guidelines before submitting.)
Julia Churchill (A.M. Heath) Open to all children’s & YA fiction. Looking for anything from “a slick YA thriller” to “a little gem of a junior novel,” whether funny, heartfelt, or high-concept – even novels in verse or a “clever non-fiction concept” for kids that feels fresh amheath.com.
Submission: via online form with cover letter, synopsis, and first 3 chapters
Jo Williamson (Antony Harwood) - Open and actively seeking middle-grade fiction with strong voices (fresh adventures, mythology twists, or laugh-out-loud series) as well as YA romance with a great hook antonyharwood.com.
Lorna Hemingway (Bell Lomax Moreton) – Open to picture books, chapter books, MG, YA, and children’s non-fiction projects. Especially eager for funny picture books with strong hooks, imaginative board books (innovative formats), laugh-out-loud chapter/MG series with big characters, and even YA graphic novels with binge-worthy stories belllomaxmoreton.co.uk
Chloe Seager (Madeleine Milburn Agency) – Open to children's’ fiction across ages, but actively looking for funny middle-grade books and high-concept teen/YA horror or thrillers horror. Also welcomes clever/funny chapter-book series and adventurous YA. Submission: via dedicated children’s submissions email with cover letter, synopsis & first chapters.
Christabel McKinley (David Higham Associates) – Open to everything “across children’s, from picture books to YA, including non-fiction & graphic novels”
She has a broad taste, from charming picture book texts to edgy YA and illustrated factual books for kids. Submission: email to DHA children’s submissions with a synopsis + sample (follows DHA guidelines; query will reach Christabel if it fits her list).
Hannah Sheppard (H. Sheppard Lit. – Open during specific periods (first week of each month, via online form) to middle-grade and YA fiction. She seeks commercial YA, heartfelt or humorous MG, and is open to genre fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, etc.) as well. Currently closed July–Aug for backlog, reopening in September
Submission:fill out form on agency site during open window, including synopsis and first 3 chapters.
The Catchpole Agency (James & Lucy Catchpole) –
Opens periodically (e.g. a summer submissions window for picture book authors, author-illustrators, and children’s fiction writers. They prefer a query email with a short sample pasted in (no attachments) – if they like it, they’ll ask for more.
Submission:Check their social media or site for open dates (usually announce when accepting subs.
Gemma Cooper (Gemma Cooper Literary) – Open as of 2024 at her new agency, seeking children’s fiction from picture books to YA. Gemma is on the lookout for the next big series or standout voice – she represents bestselling series and is known to work with anything from quirky chapter books to blockbuster YA adventuresliteraryrambles.com. Submission: via her agency website form, first week of each month (initial queries with sample).
Each of the above agents welcomes unsolicited queries in their subject of interest. Be sure to follow each agency’s specific submission guidelines (format of cover/query letter, synopsis, sample pages, etc.to maximise your chance of consideration.
Good luck with your submissions!
David Salariya is a recovering publisher, former picture-book impresario, and one-man Renaissance fair of ideas. For decades, he toiled in the ink-spattered trenches of children’s nonfiction, producing a bewildering number of bestsellers under labels such as You Wouldn’t Want to Be… and A Very Peculiar History....and Spectacular Visual Guide...(Titles which, in hindsight, read like warnings to his younger self.)
Once the founder of a respectable publishing house, David now haunts the South Coast like a benevolent ghost of book fairs past, sketching things that should not be sketched, and muttering about metadata, margins, and moral rights.
He is currently seeking - though “conjuring faint hope of a literary agent with a strong constitution” may be a better group of words - and a relaxed attitude to genre with nerves of steel and a fondness for footnotes. Applicants should expect occasional outbreaks of brilliance, bouts of melancholy, a fully stocked ideas cupboard.
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