Although many independent publishers accept unagented submissions, there are still many benefits to having an agent on your side.
In addition to having extensive industry contacts, literary agents can help you get a great publishing deal, negotiate contracts, and also help you sell the rights to your book for film and TV adaptations.
In this post, we’ve rounded up 16 great Australian literary agents who are ready to help authors take their writing careers to the next level.
Australian Literary Agents
Here are 16 Australian literary agents open to unsolicited submissions of fiction and nonfiction.
1. Hannah Douglas
Hannah Douglas is an agent for the MK Agency, which was founded in 1996 by Margaret Kennedy.
Hannah has experience working in both book and magazine publishing, and has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Literature.
Hannah is especially interested in food writing, fiction “with something to say,” and nonfiction from subject matter experts who can write for a general readership.
Please note that the MK agency only accepts submissions in January and July.
Genres: Adult literary fiction (not genre fiction), literary nonfiction
Contact: www.margaretkennedyagency.com/submissions
2. Fiona Inglis
Fiona Inglis is a literary agent with Curtis Brown Australia, which is based in Paddington, New South Wales.
Fiona is also the current managing director of the Australian agency, and has been with Curtis Brown since 1993. She represents literary fiction and nonfiction.
Please note that Fiona only accepts submissions in February, June, and October.
Genres: Literary Fiction, Nonfiction
Contact: [email protected]
3. Pippa Masson
Pippa Masson is another literary agent with Curtis Brown Australia. She has been with the agency since 2001 in a variety of roles, and she is currently Treasurer of the Australian Literary Agent’s Association.
As the daughter of a writer, Pippa feels that she understands writing and writers very well.
Genres: Adult Fiction, Nonfiction, Children’s Books
Contact: [email protected]
4. Benjamin Paz
Prior to earning a Masters of Publishing and joining Curtis Brown, Benjamin Paz had an engineering career.
In his role as rights manager, he loves bringing stories to life via different mediums, whether it’s audio, film, or theatrical adaptations.
Benjamin especially loves innovative crime fiction, thrillers with strong hooks and unpredictable twists, and strongly drawn character dramas.
Please review the agency’s full submission guidelines here.
Genres: Adult Fiction, Literary Fiction, Nonfiction (except self-help and cookbooks)
Contact: [email protected]
5. Tara Wynne
Tara Wynne’s first publishing job was at Sheil Land Associates in Bloomsbury, next door to the house of Charles Dickens. She joined Curtis Brown UK in 1998 and arrived at Curtis Brown Australia in 2002.
Tara tends to be more commercial in her leanings, representing a broad range of plot-driven fiction. As for nonfiction, she enjoys reading about “big ideas told through a more personal and accessible lens.”
Genres: Adult Fiction, Literary Fiction, Nonfiction (except self-help and cookbooks)
Contact: [email protected]
6. Alexandra Adsett
Alexandra Adsett founded Alex Adsett Literary in 2008. She has been in the publishing and bookselling industry for nearly 25 years.
Please check their submission guidelines, as they are currently only open to unsolicited submissions from underrepresented authors, personal referrals, and members of the publishing community.
Genres: Fiction, Narrative Nonfiction, Crime, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Picture Books
Contact: [email protected]
7. Brian Cook
Brian Cook took over management of The Author’s Agent following the retirement of Averill Chase in 2011.
For over 40 years, Cook has worked closely with writers and illustrators, helping them at every stage from ideation to publication, and promoting and representing the work of Australian authors to publishers both locally and globally.
Please note that The Author’s Agent only accepts submissions by mail. Read their full submission guidelines here.
Genres: Children’s Books, YA
Contact: [email protected]
8. Clare Forster
Prior to joining Curtis Brown, Clare Forster worked as a publisher for Harper Collins and Penguin Books.
She has worked with a wide range of authors, representing narrative nonfiction across memoir, history and science; children’s books and YA; and award-winning literary fiction and best-selling crime, mystery, historical and general fiction.
Genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Children’s Books
Contact: [email protected]
9. Sally Bird
Sally Bird founded Calidris Literary Agency in Sydney in 1997. She has worked numerous roles in publishing over the years, including sales and marketing, editing, and project management.
Sally handles all genres except children’s books, speculative fiction, fantasy, poetry and screenplays.
Genres: Fiction, Nonfiction
Contact: calidrislitagency.com/contact/
10. Sarah McKenzie
With over 15 years of experience in publishing and writing, Sarah McKenzie has worked as a commissioning editor, managing editor, and consulting publisher.
Sarah has also published her own nonfiction book. She is the founder and managing director of Sarah McKenzie Literary Management.
Genres: Commercial Fiction, Literary Fiction, Nonfiction, Children’s Books
Contact: [email protected]
11. Gaby Naher
Gaby Naher has over 30 years of experience in the book industry, having worked as a literary agent, publicist, and bookseller in Sydney, London, and New York.
Gaby is also the former President of the Australian Literary Agents Association. She currently runs the Left Bank Literary Agency.
Genres: Adult Fiction, Literary Fiction, Nonfiction (excluding self-help)
Contact: leftbankliterary.com/submissions
12. Grace Heifetz
Grace Heifetz previously served in a number of roles at Curtis Brown until 2019. Today, she works as a literary agent with Left Bank Literary alongside Gaby Naher.
Grace also serves on the board on the Blue Mountains Writers Festival and the National Young Writers’ Festival.
Genres: Adult Fiction, Literary Fiction, Nonfiction (excluding self-help)
Contact: leftbankliterary.com/submissions
13. Benython Oldfield
Based in Sydney, Benython Oldfieldis the director of Zeitgeist Agency. Benython is trained as a journalist and began his publishing career at Random House in the 1990s.
Together with his business partner Sharon, Benython represents writers and illustrators around the world from their offices in Sydney and Brussels.
Please note that Zeitgeist is only open to submissions on March 1, April 1, and May 1 this year. For more details, please review their submission guidelines.
Genres: Literary Fiction, Nonfiction
Contact: [email protected]
14. Lyn Tranter
Lyn Tranter has been the sole owner of Australian Literary Management since 1993, taking the reins from founder Caroline Lurie.
After working in England and hitch-hiking through Europe and Asia, Lyn married the poet John Tranter in 1968, and has been actively involved in the Australian writing community throughout her adult life.
Lyn travels widely, building the agency’s reputation and establishing strong connections with writers, publishers and other literary agencies. Be sure to review their submission guidelines before sending your manuscript or proposal.
Genres: Fiction (except science fiction), Nonfiction (except self-help)
Contact: [email protected]
15. Margaret Connolly
Based in Sydney, Margaret Connolly has been a literary agent for 30 years. After working as a lawyer, she was approached to join Curtis Brown in the mid-1980s, before opening Margaret Connolly & Associates in 1992.
The agency represents a diverse list of authors and illustrators across a wide range of genres, and is a member of the Australian Literary Agents’ Association.
Genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Children’s Books
Contact: [email protected]
16. Melanie Ostell
Melanie Ostell has over 25 years of experience in the Australian book publishing industry, having worked as an editor, publisher, and educator.
At Melanie Ostell Literary, she works closely with her authors to ensure their manuscripts or proposals are sufficiently developed before pursuing publication.
Genres: Fiction, Narrative Nonfiction, Memoir
Contact: [email protected]
Submitting Your Work to Australian Literary Agents
Before you submit your manuscript or proposal to any of the agents on this list, please be sure to review their submission guidelines carefully. You can also review our tips on how to write a great book proposal.
If you’re searching for a publisher for your book, we also have a list of Australian publishers currently open to submissions.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 18 Australian Publishers Currently Accepting Submissions
- 25 UK Literary Agents Currently Accepting Submissions
- 16 Canadian Literary Agents Currently Accepting Submissions
- 21 Foreign Rights Agencies That Can Help You Sell More Books Abroad
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
