How to Find and Research Literary Agents

Finding the right literary agent is part search and part research. The search is building a list of agents who represent what you write. The research is figuring out which of them are worth querying, in what order, and whether each one is a good fit for your book and your career. Authors who skip the research step tend to query the wrong agents, in the wrong order, with a lower hit rate to show for it. This guide covers both halves: where to find agents, how to build a targeted list, and how to vet each one before you send a single query.

For what an agent actually does once you sign, see Editor World's guide to what a literary agent does. For the querying process this research feeds into, see the guide to submitting to literary agents.

Quick Answer: How Do You Find and Research Literary Agents?

Build a list of agents who represent your genre, then research each one before querying. Find agents through query databases like QueryTracker and Manuscript Wish List, the acknowledgments pages of comparable books, Publishers Marketplace deal listings, agency websites, and writing conferences. For each agent, confirm they represent your category, check their recent sales and client list, read their specific submission guidelines, and look for signs they are actively building their list. Rank your list into tiers rather than querying everyone at once. Query in small batches so you can adjust your materials based on the response. The goal is a targeted list of well-matched agents, not the longest list possible.

Why Research Matters Before You Query

Querying is not a numbers game in the way it can feel like one. Sending the same query to two hundred agents produces worse results than sending a targeted query to forty agents who actually represent your kind of book. Agents can tell when they have received a mass query, and a query that ignores what an agent represents gets a fast pass.

Research fixes this at the source. When you know an agent represents your genre, has sold books like yours recently, and is open to submissions, your query lands in front of someone predisposed to want it. Research also protects your time. You have a limited number of strong queries in you, and the manuscript can only go out once. Spending the research up front means those queries go to the agents most likely to say yes.

Where to Find Literary Agents

Agents are easier to find than most first-time authors expect. The problem is rarely finding names; it is finding the right names. These are the most reliable sources:

Query databases. QueryTracker and similar databases let you filter agents by genre and see which are open to queries. They are the most efficient starting point for building a list.
Manuscript Wish List. Agents post the specific kinds of projects they are actively looking for. Matching your book to a stated wish is one of the strongest possible openings for a query.
Acknowledgments pages. Authors thank their agents. Find recent books similar to yours and read the acknowledgments. An agent who represented a comparable book is a natural fit and a warm angle for your query.
Publishers Marketplace. The deal listings show which agents are actively selling books in your category and to which publishers. This is the clearest signal of an agent who is working and closing deals.
Agency websites. Once you have an agent name, the agency site gives you their bio, their list, their guidelines, and often their specific interests.
Writing conferences. Many conferences offer agent panels and pitch sessions. Meeting an agent in person, or hearing them describe what they want, gives you research you cannot get any other way.

Building a Targeted List

The first filter is simple and non-negotiable: does the agent represent your category? An agent who handles literary fiction is not going to take your epic fantasy, no matter how good it is. Genre fit is the baseline, and querying outside it wastes both your query and the agent's time.

Beyond genre, look for agents whose list suggests your book would be at home there without being a duplicate of something they already represent. An agent who represents three books very close to yours may see yours as competition for their existing clients. An agent who represents adjacent work and has an obvious gap where your book fits is a stronger match. Aim to build a working list of a few dozen well-matched agents, which gives you room to query in batches over time.

100%

Human editing, no AI

2 Hours

Fastest turnaround

5.0 / 5

Google Reviews rating

BBB A+

Accredited since 2010

65+

Countries served

24/7

Available year-round

How to Research an Individual Agent

Once an agent is on your list, research them individually before querying. A handful of checks tell you most of what you need to know:

Recent sales. Has the agent sold books recently, and in your category? An agent with active, recent deals is working the market. Publishers Marketplace and the agency site are the places to check.
Client list. Who does the agent represent, and are those authors publishing with real presses? A visible, credible client list is a strong sign.
What they are looking for. Manuscript Wish List posts, interviews, and agency bios often state exactly what an agent wants right now. Matching that is a real advantage.
Where they are in their career. Newer agents at established agencies are often building their lists actively and can be more open to debut authors. Senior agents may be more selective. Both can be right for you; the point is to know which you are querying.
Reputation. An agent should be a member of a recognized professional body and should not charge reading or representation fees. Legitimate agents earn a commission on sales, not fees from authors. The finer points of spotting a bad agent are covered in a separate guide in this series.

This research is about fit and legitimacy, not deep suspicion. Most agents you find through the sources above are working professionals. The research simply tells you which of them are the best match for your specific book and the right order to approach them in.

Ranking Your List into Tiers

Do not query your whole list at once. Rank it into tiers based on fit, and query in batches. A common approach uses three tiers.

Top tier. The agents who are the strongest match: right genre, recent sales in your space, an obvious gap for your book, and ideally a stated interest that fits. These are your first-choice agents.
Middle tier. Solid matches without the perfect alignment of the top tier. Good agents you would be glad to sign with.
Lower tier. Agents who represent your category and are legitimate, but where the fit is less obvious or the case is thinner.

The reason to tier rather than blast is that your query and materials improve as you learn. If your first batch gets no requests, something in the query, the pages, or the concept needs work, and you have not burned your whole list finding that out. A sensible approach is to query a mix across tiers in each batch, so you are testing your materials against strong matches without saving every top choice for last.

Reading Submission Guidelines Carefully

Every agent and agency has specific submission guidelines, and they vary more than new authors expect. Some want a query only. Some want the first five pages pasted in the email, some the first chapter, some the first fifty pages. Some want a synopsis, some do not. Some use forms, some use email, some use QueryTracker. Following the guidelines exactly is the easiest way to show an agent you are a professional.

Read the guidelines for each agent at the moment you query them, not from memory or from a general sense of what agents want. Guidelines change, and the agent who wanted ten pages last year may want a full synopsis now. Getting this right per agent is part of the research, and it is the part that most directly affects whether your submission is read as intended. For the mechanics of the query itself, see Editor World's guide to writing a query letter.

Tracking Your Research

A simple tracking system saves you from the two most common querying errors: querying the same agent twice, and losing track of who has your materials. A spreadsheet is enough. For each agent, record the name, agency, genre fit, what you found in your research, their specific guidelines, the tier you placed them in, the date you queried, what you sent, and the response.

This record matters most when things start moving. If an agent requests a full manuscript, you want to know instantly who else has your materials so you can manage the process cleanly. If you get an offer, you will need to notify everyone still considering. Good research is only useful if you can find it again when it counts.

Woman-Founded. Purpose-Driven. People First.

Editor World was founded in 2010 by Patti Fisher, a professor of consumer economics and graduate of The Ohio State University, after seeing firsthand the need for high-quality, personalized editing support for writers at every level. Every client who submits a document at Editor World connects directly with a real editor, receives a personal response, and is treated as an individual rather than a transaction. That is the mission Editor World has maintained for 16 years, and it is reflected in every review we receive.

Preparing the Pages Before You Query

Research puts your query in front of the right agents. The pages you send still have to earn the request. Agents decide from the query and the opening pages whether to ask for more, so those pages need to be as strong as the rest of your list-building. A professional edit on the opening chapters and the synopsis catches the issues that quietly cost requests before an agent ever reaches the end. Editor World uses a choose-your-editor model, so you can browse editor profiles by genre experience and verified client ratings and pick an editor whose background fits your book. See Editor World's book editing services, use the instant price calculator to see costs upfront, or browse available editors directly. A free sample edit of your first 300 words is available so you can see an editor's work before committing.

Choose Your Editor Get a Quote Get Started

Frequently Asked Questions About Finding Literary Agents

How do I find literary agents for my book?

Find agents through several reliable sources. Query databases like QueryTracker let you filter by genre and see who's open to submissions. Manuscript Wish List shows the specific projects agents are actively seeking. The acknowledgments pages of recent books similar to yours name the agents who represented them. Publishers Marketplace deal listings show who's actively selling in your category. Agency websites provide bios, client lists, and guidelines. Writing conferences offer agent panels and pitch sessions. The goal is to find agents who represent your specific genre, not to collect the longest possible list.

How do I research a literary agent before querying?

Research each agent individually before querying. Confirm they represent your category, since genre fit is the baseline. Check recent sales to see whether they're actively selling in your space, using Publishers Marketplace and the agency website. Review the client list to confirm they represent authors publishing with real presses. Look for stated interests on Manuscript Wish List, in interviews, or in agency bios. Note where the agent is in their career, since newer agents often build their lists more actively. Confirm they're a member of a recognized professional body and don't charge reading or representation fees.

How many literary agents should I query?

Aim for a targeted list of a few dozen well-matched agents rather than the longest list possible. A targeted query to forty agents who represent your kind of book produces better results than a mass query to two hundred. Rather than querying everyone at once, rank the list into tiers and query in small batches. Batching lets you adjust your query and pages based on the response before you've contacted your entire list. A well-researched, well-matched list of a few dozen agents is more valuable than a large list of poor fits.

Should I query all agents at once or in batches?

Query in batches rather than all at once. Rank the list into tiers based on fit, then send queries in small groups. The reason is that your query and opening pages improve as you learn what's working. If a first batch produces no manuscript requests, something in the query, the pages, or the concept needs revision, and querying in batches means you haven't used up your entire list before that becomes clear. A sensible approach queries a mix of stronger and weaker matches in each batch, so your materials are tested against good matches without saving every first choice for last.

Where can I find out what a literary agent is looking for?

Agents often state what they're looking for directly. Manuscript Wish List is built for this, with agents posting the specific projects they want to represent. Agency bios frequently describe an agent's interests and the categories they handle. Interviews and conference panels are another source, where agents describe current wishes in their own words. Matching your book to an agent's stated interest is one of the strongest openings for a query, because it shows the query is targeted rather than mass-sent. Confirming an agent's interests is a core part of researching them before querying.

How do I know if a literary agent is legitimate?

A legitimate agent earns a commission on sales, typically fifteen percent on domestic deals, and doesn't charge authors reading fees or representation fees. Signs of a legitimate agent include membership in a recognized professional body, a visible client list of authors publishing with real presses, and a record of recent sales you can verify through sources like Publishers Marketplace. Most agents you find through query databases, acknowledgments pages, and agency websites are working professionals. Confirming legitimacy is a basic part of researching an agent, and the warning signs of a bad agent are covered in more depth in a separate guide in this series.

Do newer literary agents or established agents make better targets?

Both can be strong targets, and the right choice depends on the book and the author. Newer agents at established agencies are often building their lists actively and can be more open to debut authors, which can mean a more responsive read and an agent motivated to sell. Established senior agents bring deep industry relationships and a long track record, but may be more selective about new clients. The important thing is to know where an agent is in their career when you query them, so your expectations are realistic. A well-matched newer agent at a reputable agency is a strong option for many first-time authors.

How should I keep track of the agents I research and query?

A simple spreadsheet is enough. For each agent, record the name, agency, genre fit, your research findings, the specific submission guidelines, the tier you assigned, the date you queried, the materials you sent, and the response. This record prevents the two most common querying errors: querying the same agent twice, and losing track of who holds your current materials. The tracking becomes most valuable when an agent requests a full manuscript or makes an offer, because you then need to know immediately who else is considering the work in order to manage the process professionally.

This article was reviewed by the Editor World editorial team. Editor World, founded in 2010 by Patti Fisher, PhD, provides professional editing and proofreading services for academic researchers, graduate students, businesses, and authors worldwide. BBB A+ accredited since 2010 with 5.0/5 Google Reviews and 5.0/5 Facebook Reviews. More than 140 million words edited for over 8,000 clients in 65+ countries. Multiple Gold and Bronze Stevie Award winner. Native English editors from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. 100% human editing, no AI at any stage. Less than 5% of applicants are accepted to the editor panel. Recommended by the Boston University Economics Department. Page last reviewed June 2026.