Nine UK literary agents open for queries right now

Plus: What to read at a crunch point for journalism | The Hay Festival | Sugar and Spice book signing event & more

Sprouty the snowman

My dear wordsmiths,

If we’ve not met - my name is Nicola and by day I’m a journalism leader and by night a querying author with a weekend side gig as a radio presenter. As someone who has been there and is indeed there right now, I share what I can about journalism and writing in a realistic way, plus keep a beady eye out for opportunities. I live in the lovely northern English countryside and share anecdotes from my day to day journalism, radio and query life - plus insights into what the local pheasants have been up to recently. (spoiler, lazing about, eating everything, narrowly avoiding being squashed on the roads, being too fat to fly and getting stuck while trying to squeeze through fences..)

If you feel you can support my work, that would be great!

Filling my cup this week, and following a large snowfall here in Lancashire ( see my excellent snowman above), is the story of the strangers snowed in a Britain’s highest pub in neighbouring county Yorkshire. New friendships forged in idyllic - if cold - circumstances is very much giving romance novel vibes. It’s a true story though and you can read all about it via one of our titles The Yorkshire Post - here. As soon as I saw it I thought - that sounds familiar.

My favourite novel by Yorkshire author Milly Johnson, ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day’, follows a similar storyline. Her book is about six people holed up in an inn on the North Yorkshire moors just before Christmas, having to muck in with cooking and entertaining themselves. And in the four days they spend with each other, they are all changed forever. On that note, congrats to Milly! Simon and Schuster have signed three new novels with Milly, starting with Christmas novel Let the bells ring out which will publish in October 2025 in hardback.

Milly was my very first guest on the Booky podcast last year - you can listen HERE

Nine UK literary agents currently open for querying (with links)

Let’s do this. If you are ready to submit your manuscript, here are nine lit agents open for submissions. Obviously, do your own research to see if they are a fit for you, and check the submission guidelines as they vary widely. These were all open for submissions as I wrote - obviously this can change at any time. My top advice is don’t submit until you are 100% ready - don’t waste those opportunities. I’ve been there, done it, bought the t-shirt.

1. Hannah Ferguson at Hardman & Swainson: ‘I never really know what I’m looking for until I find it – which is part of the fun of the job – and makes it really hard for authors out there…I know! But I love fiction, stories that will whisk me away to another place, be it in time, geographically, or just into another life that’s different from my own. I tend to represent women’s fiction, from the more literary to the very commercial. I love those wonderful book club reads that really capture a reader’s attention or heart, and I’m always on the lookout for great crime and thrillers and interesting non-fiction.’

2. Viola Hayden at Curtis Brown: ‘I am an agent at Curtis Brown, actively building my own list and also working alongside Jonny Geller. I joined the company in January 2020, having spent the previous seven years as an editor. I am looking for commercial and reading group fiction, but also narrative non-fiction and some memoir.’

3. Chris Wellbelove at Aitken Alexander Associates: ‘I represent fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Writers on my list include Daisy Johnson, Evie Wyld, The Secret Barrister, Kaliane Bradley, Kevin Jared Hosein, Vanessa Onwuemezi, Andrew McMillan, Kayo Chingonyi, Liz Berry, Jonathan Liew, Matthew Green, Sophie Elmhirst, Grace Blakeley, Gary Stevenson, Jerome Roos, Andrew Pontzen, Wayne McGregor and Ita O’Brien.’

4. Sophie Laurimore at The Soho Agency: Sophie continues to grow and nurture some of the country’s most important and best loved factual talent.  She is a creative agent who likes to help talent exploit all aspects of their brand and have fun whilst doing it.

5. Rebecca Ritchie at A.M.Heath: ‘In addition to accomplished, confident storytelling, I’m looking for compelling characters I can invest in: protagonists I can root for, fall in love with, or cheer on from the sidelines. Or give me an unreliable narrator who can lead me on an unexpected journey: one who can pull the wool over my eyes or the rug out from under me.’

6. Holly Faulks at Greene and Heaton: ‘I joined Greene & Heaton in 2015 and am actively building a list of fiction and non-fiction clients. In non-fiction I am looking for writing on current affairs, language, lifestyle and popular science as well as memoir. I am also looking for literary and upmarket commercial fiction. In all genres I am particularly keen to hear from under-represented writers and to champion stories that may have been overlooked.’

7. Sian Ellis-Martin at Blake Friedman: ‘I’m building a list of fiction and non-fiction across genres. I’m keen to hear from authors who feel their voice is underrepresented in publishing and it’s important to me to work with authors and books from a wide variety of backgrounds. Story is key to the books I enjoy; I’m always looking for an element of plot to drive me through a novel, wherever it sits on the commercial to accessible literary spectrum. Equally, I’m drawn to non-fiction that reads almost like a story at the same time as it educates and informs.’

8. Rebeka Finch at Darley Anderson: Rebeka is primarily focused on building her own list of romance and romantasy authors. Drawing inspiration from her personal reading preferences and her deep-seated love for commercial new adult, romance, and romantasy fiction.

9. Jamie Cowen at The Ampersand Agency: Jamie is looking for commercial fiction, especially science fiction, fantasy, horror, crime and thrillers. He is also looking for sport-related non-fiction and is keen to see submissions from under-represented voices and LGBTQ writers.

News, events, reading and opportunities

BOOKS

EVENT Sugar and Spice book signing event: Being held on Saturday, July 19, the day will be a filled with your authors, books, vendors and of course all things literary. Hosted at the Sheffield United Football Club Executive Entrance on Level Two, overlooking the football pitch this in-person event promises to be a treat for book lovers across other genres. You will be able to have your books personally signed, meet and chat with fellow bookworms, share recommendations, and immerse yourself in the vibrant world of literature.

EVENT Hay-on-Wye Festival: The Hay Festival Hay-on-Wye takes place on 22 May–1 June. Forty-four Earlybird events are now on sale for this famous festival. From Michael Morpurgo and Ben Murray in concert to Spanish writer Javier Cercas in conversation with Kirsty Lang about his Terra Alta Crime Trilogy, there’s a heady mix of authors, creatives, thought-leaders and celebrities on show.

JOURNALISM

Keeping up to speed on the industry in a worrying week:

READING: What the news community says about Zuck’s plans to bin fact-checking - via Journalism.co.uk. Meta landed a Zuckerpunch to the media industry by ending Facebook and Instagram fact-checking ahead of the Trump administration ( at least they got a pun in)

READING: Journalism, media, and technology trends and predictions 2025, via Reuters Institute. News organisations are braced for multiple challenges in 2025 that will likely include further attacks from hostile politicians, continued economic headwinds, and battles to protect intellectual property in the face of rapacious AI-driven platforms.

READING: Swipe, Watch, Share: Unlocking Gen Z news consumption habits: Their distinct preferences and behaviors set Gen Z apart in news consumption. Unlike other demographics, Gen Z marches to the beat of their own drum when consuming news.

EVENT: The International Journalism Festival, Perugia: Taking place from 17-21 April, the event features critical discussion, events and networking for the industry.

Thanks for reading. Don’t forget to send me in your events or book launches - and let me know if you would like to be profiled on here!

Have a great week, Nicola x