Emily Williamson is a literary agent and founder of Williamson Literary,

Emily represents a variety of projects in nonfiction and fiction, working with major publishers, university presses, and boutique imprints alike to find the perfect home for her clients’ work. She began her editing career in 2011 with Chrysalis Editorial* in Washington, D.C. and founded Williamson Literary in 2016, driven by the desire to help great writers achieve their publishing goals. She has earned degrees from American University (1997) and Johns Hopkins University (2012).

In adult fiction, her agency seeks:  upmarket, contemporary, literary, and commercial; character-driven women’s fiction, book club fiction, domestic suspense, adventure, international, upbeat, feel-good, dark and dangerous, fiction with fantastical elements or magical realism, poignant social commentaries, humor, satire, new takes on old tropes. Send us writing that sings rather than tells, take us on an emotional journey, build vivid scenes for us, craft strong voices and unusual and unforgettable settings (we love stories where place is a character too). Any subject is welcome.

In nonfiction, her agency seeks: history, sports, science, environmental, biographies, travel, culture, adventure, educational, motivational (i.e. work that informs or inspires social change or advocates for women and BIPOC). Give thought to your author platform and develop a strong marketing section for your book proposal.

As a writer, she understands the investment of time and heart it takes to follow this challenging path. It is the core of Williamson Literary—to support the careers of dedicated writers who deserve to see their ideas and imaginings realized. Williamson Literary is also about building relationships: agent-author, agent-publisher, author-publisher.

In the past, Emily spent 13 years as an archaeologist traveling all over the US and abroad in search of many things…sometimes finding nothing. It is this varied, nomadic past that has influenced her own writing and her particular interests as an agent. Emily does other things. She is a poet, a painter, loves the outdoors, traveling, playing with her nutty Border Collie, doing CrossFit, and watching football…not all at once. She is a native of New Jersey, cuts her own firewood, and is one of those annoying people who can’t eat gluten.

Shania N. Soler is a literary agent assistant with Metamorphosis Literary.

Shania was originally from Pennsylvania but moved to Maine to pursue her Bachelor’s in English with a concentration in creative writing. She enjoys all things bookish whether it be themed coffee mugs or page overlays for the books she collects. Her main areas of focus are older aged young adult and new adult novels with the occasional adult. Currently, she’s living in Maine and pursuing her Master’s in English. When she’s not reading, she’ll be spending time with friends, family and her cat, Marlow.

She is seeking: I’m a bit of an all around reader and can get behind most any young adult, new adult or adult novel that takes me on journey. The genres that I’m interested in are:

Historical Fiction
High Fantasy
Contemporary Romance (with the spice!)
Mystery/Thriller
Horror

Think books similar to Stalking Jack the Ripper, Throne of Glass, Fangirl (for the feel good fluffy moments), and The Seven and 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I’m also always down for books with darker elements like Ninth House and Haunting Adeline.

Whether it’s romance that has me giggling with the characters or a fantasy that goes hard on the fighting and a slow burn on the romance I’m all for it. I love a good found family and enemies-to-lover trope. Strong character voices are a must alongside witty dialogue that has me laughing out loud from the sass of the characters—think along the lines of Levi from Fangirl or Celaena from Throne of Glass. Dialogue is everything to me and one of the first things I pay attention to. If your character’s personality doesn’t come through, or the dialogue is stiff and doesn’t flow, then you’ve lost me as a reader. I’m also interested in friendships that have me so invested that they stick with me long after I’ve finished the book. I want to read something that I rave about to my friends and that leaves me mourning its completion, wishing I could read it for the first time all over again.

I’m not big on standalone novels, but if you can get the pacing right and keep me invested throughout, I’m sold. Think books like Icebreaker, Horrid, or The Seven and 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Lizz Nagle is a literary agent with Victress Literary.

“For young adult and middle grade, I’m looking for contemporary, diverse, underrepresented stories with messy, resilient characters driving the show. Bonus points for a mystery, adventure, or thriller element.

“For adult I’m looking for psychological thrillers, domestic suspense/mysteries, and historical fiction.

“Always bonus points for: LGBTQIA+, inclusivity, found families, physical disabilities, grief, addiction, dark and twisty, characters questioning the status quo and deepening their understanding of the human condition.

“Plus all of your thought-provoking, laughter-inducing, social-movement inspiring narrative nonfiction.”

Lizz used to read books while walking to school as a kid and got lost in stories at the Allentown Public Library. She then stayed local, graduating from Cedar Crest College in May of 2009 where she studied English with a creative writing concentration and picked up another Communication major along the way.

After graduating college, mothering, office managing for a Chiropractor, substitute teaching for the Allentown School District, working construction for a little while, and writing for fun herself, Lizz began her agenting career in 2019 at Victress Literary under the mentorship of Victress founder, Shannon Orso. She immediately began seeking out layered, character-driven stories with social relevancy that challenge stereotypes, soften hearts, and spread hope with a message of resilience.

As an agent she values communication, community and collaboration. When not reading, writing, painting, practicing guitar, traveling, or at a concert, she might be found on a hiking trail or with her menagerie of kids and rescue animals.

Margaret Danko is a literary agent with High Line Literary Collective.

Margaret is actively looking for attention-grabbing voices especially historical fiction with a dash of magical realism, literary and upmarket suspense or horror, narratives with a deep sense of place and history, quirky and heartwarming family stories, and women’s fiction and rom-coms full of charm and whimsy.

She is also accepting nonfiction in the areas of humor, lifestyle, new age and general spirituality, popular science especially in environmental and human sciences, mental health/wellness, politics and true crime that challenge established conventions, and select cooking projects with an emphasis on new takes on tradition, especially within the Latine diaspora.

Margaret holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Temple University, where she studied under best-selling authors of fiction and nonfiction, and received her Bachelor’s in Creative Writing, Archaeology and Anthropology from Oberlin College. She began her career as the Editor & Managing Editor of Temple University’s literary publication, TINGE Magazine, and worked as an author coach, developmental editor, and agency administrator before joining the Paper Over Board team full-time.

Margaret is passionate about empowering authors to find the voice and the story that will engage and inspire each and every person who picks up their book and seeks projects in both fiction and nonfiction that encourage readers to view themselves and the world around them in a new light. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two cats, working fastidiously in her free time to keep her plants alive and her cupboards full of tea.
What to Submit to Margaret:

 

Ginger Hutchinson is a literary agent with Movable Type Management.

“What I’m really looking for are writers who are invested in developing their craft, with emotionally grounded and atmospherically rich stories to tell.”

In fiction, she is open to : Action/Adventure, BIPOC Literature, Book club, Caribbean Literature, Commercial, Contemporary, Crime, Domestic Thriller, East Asian Literature, Eco-Fiction, Family Saga, High-Concept, Historical, Horror, LGBTQ, Literary, Mystery, Psychological Thriller, South Asian Literature, South East Asian Literature, Speculative, Thriller, West African Literature, Women’s Fiction.

In nonfiction, she is open to: Books that grapple with racial issues, LGBTQ+ issues, and all social issues, Cultural criticism, Feminism and women\’s issues, LGBTQ, Memoir, Pop Culture, Relationships and family, Science.

After graduating with a degree in Film Studies, Ginger Hutchinson went on to become Wesleyan University’s Kim Frank Fellow of Creative Writing, building upon years of experience as an editor in publication, workshop and teaching environments. As an educator, most recently with the Free Library of Philadelphia, Ginger has been committed to nurturing creativity and embracing the power of storytelling to connect each of us with a sense of purpose, community and appreciation of one another’s unique way of navigating the world.

Ginger grew up in rural Florida amidst a large, rambunctious family and massive system of natural springs; all its pre-historic creatures and people who often seem odd to outsiders are regular characters in the story she carries through life.

Some of her favorite novelists include: Ruth Ozeki, Karen Russell, Lauren Groff, Gillian Flynn, Brit Bennett, Celeste Ng, Rebecca Makkai, and Jesmyn Ward.