Ten agents at David Higman agency seeking authors: adult fiction, kid lit, and nonfiction

David Higham Agency

6th Floor, Waverley House
7–12 Noel Street
London W1F 8GQ

https://www.davidhigham.co.uk/

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David Higham Agency was established in 1935. It represents commercial and literary fiction and nonfiction, in all media and languages, and are a leading agency for children’s authors and illustrators.

The agency also has a Film, TV & Theatre department for writers originating and scripting material for stage, screen and new media, as well as selling screen and stage rights to the books we handle.

Like everyone else, they want to find more diverse authors.

David Higham Agency has thirteen literary agents, ten of whom are open to new clients, including Christabel McKinley, who was recently promoted from assistant to agent. Like all new agents, she needs authors.

Christabel McKinley joined David Higham Associates in 2018, having previously worked in translation rights and at a scouting agency. She graduated with a degree in Russian and English Literature from Trinity College Dublin, after which she spent a year teaching English in South Korea.

Christabel assists Caroline Walsh and is also building a list of children’s authors and illustrators, from picture books to Young Adult fiction.

She is particularly drawn to writing that feels authentically child-oriented with clear insight into the way young people feel and think. Her favourite works for children include Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot and Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn.

Query Christabel at: childrenssubmissions@davidhigham.co.uk  

Include your name and book title in the subject header; address your chosen agent in the first line of the email {eg: Dear Ms Christabel McKinley}; for young fiction and novels attach the first 3 chapters and a synopsis {max 2 pages}. For picture books, attach the full manuscript(s); send a maximum of three texts. Attachments must be Word documents or PDFs.

Other agents at David Higham Agency accepting submissions:

Veronique Baxter, Agent and Director. She is looking for literary fiction, fiction with a speculative edge, historical fiction that surprises and upmarket crime and thrillers.

In children’s books, Veronique is looking for standout middle-grade and YA with heart or adventure, or preferably both!

In non-fiction, she is particularly drawn to feminism, history, current affairs, memoir and narrative non-fiction.  

If you would like to submit your work to Veronique, please email: veroniquemanuscripts@davidhigham.co.uk

Include a covering letter, a synopsis, and the first three chapters of your book. Full submission guidelines here.

Nicola Chang rrepresents writers of fiction and nonfiction as well as a small list of poets. She primarily represents literary fiction and general and narrative non-fiction and is looking to take on and develop writers who are working across these genres, including poets who are also working in prose.

Query Nicola at: submissions@davidhigham.co.uk

Full submission guidelines here.

Elise Dillsworth set up her agency in 2012, and became an associate of David Higham Agency in 2020. She represents literary and commercial fiction and nonfiction, with a keen aim to reflect writing that is international.

Query Elise at: elise@elisedillsworthagency.com 

Include your name and title of the work in the subject line. For fiction, attach the first three chapters {or about 50 pages} and a short synopsis in Microsoft Word or PDF format. For nonfiction, attach a proposal and a writing sample {about 30 pages}. Full guidelines here.

Read more about the Elise Dillsworth Agency here.

Jemima Forrester joined David Higham in 2016 having previously been senior commissioning editor at Orion Publishing Group. She is looking for commercial and upmarket fiction, including accessible literary fiction, crime and thrillers, historical, psychological suspense, women’s fiction and speculative/high-concept novels.

In nonfiction, she is looking for innovative lifestyle, cookery and popular-culture projects, unique personal stories and humour.

In both fiction and non-fiction, Jemima is actively seeking diverse voices and books with a strong feminist angle.

Query Jemima at: jemimaforrester@davidhigham.co.uk

Include a covering letter, a synopsis and the first three chapters of your book. Please put your name and the title of your manuscript in the subject line of your email.

Andrew Gordon joined David Higham Agency in 2007 and is an agent and acompany director.He primarily represents nonfiction. He welcomes approaches from experts in their field who want to communicate their ideas to a wider audience.

He’s open to new projects, especially history, current affairs, biography and memoir, narrative nonfiction, sport, popular culture, popular science and psychology, smart thinking and business books with a strong story.

In fiction, he likes novels that grab the attention, whether literary or commercial. He does not represent any YA authors, or science fiction/fantasy.

Full submission guidelines here.

Jane Gregory currently accepts only crime fiction submissions, including but not limited to: procedural, psychological, thriller, domestic noir, historical. 

Query Jane at:  maryjones@davidhigham.co.uk

Attach a synopsis (not a jacket-style blurb) and the first three chapters (in Word, double-spaced and with page numbers) of your book. Please put your name and the title of your manuscript in the subject line of your email.

Lizzy Kremer is an agent, a director of the company and Head of the Books Department.

She represents commercial and literary fiction and nonfiction. She is always keen to discover compelling new voices in commercial and literary fiction and has posted on the subject of what she looks for in fiction submissions here; on the subject of fiction for women here; on crime writing here; and on genre fiction here.

Query Lizzy at: lizzymanuscripts@davidhigham.co.uk

Attach a synopsis and the first three chapters of your book. Please put your name and the title of your manuscript in the subject line of your email.

Harriet Moore represents literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, and poetry. She is mostly looking for new fiction at the moment.

In fiction, she admires clarity, energy, emotional candour, intense interior portraits, close observation, texture, craft and compression.

Some examples: Jane Bowles’ Two Serious Ladies; Amina Cain’s Indelicacy; James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room; Ottessa Moshfegh’s My Year of Rest and Relaxation; Carson McCullers’ The Member of the Wedding; Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle; Elizabeth Strout’s My Name is Lucy Barton; Edward St Aubyn’s Patrick Melrose novels; all Marilynne Robinson; the short stories of Joy Williams, Lydia Davis, Mary Gaitskill.

In all forms {fiction, nonfiction and poetry} she is interested in how writing and visual art correspond, and a scholarly attention to the ordinary and everyday.

Full submission guidelines here.

Caroline Walsh joined David Higham Associates in 1996 after twelve years as a children’s books editor. Her client list is made up predominantly of children’s writers and illustrators, many of them award-winners and bestsellers. In addition she handles some adult fiction and nonfiction.

She is always on the look-out for original contemporary writing and talented author/illustrators. 

Full submission guidelines here.

Literary agent Paige Sisley en route
to our workshop in Collingwood in the Before Times

If you’re interested in meeting an agent and in getting published, don’t miss our online How to Get Published, Saturday, Nov 27, with guest, literary agent Paige Sisley. Details here.

Beyond that, Brian Henry’s schedule continues to take shape...

November

Online: Free Writers' Meet-Ups sponsored by the Burlington Public Library, Monday evenings, Nov 1, 15 & 29. Details here. 

Online: Writing for Children and for Young Adults, Sunday, Nov 14, with guests Katie Hearn,  editorial director, Annick Press, and picture book author Lana Button.  Details here. {Probably full, but email to join the wait list and to be the first to hear about our next Kid Lit workshop.}

Online: How to Make Yourself Write ~ A Creativity Workout, Sunday, Jan 23, 2022. Details here.

In-person: Exploring Creative Writing class, 10 weeks of discovering your creative side, Thursday evenings, Jan 20 – March 31, in Burlington, Ontario. Details here. 

Details of online classes offered in the new year to come.

Writing Retreats:

Jackson's Point on Lake Simcoe: Writing Retreat at The Briars Resort and Spa. Get away to this modern lakeside resort built around a historic country estate.  Friday, March 4 – Monday, March 7, 2022. Details here.

Algonquin Park: Writing Retreat at Arowhon Pines Resort, Friday, June 3 – Monday, June 6. Details here.

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