How to Get a Literary Agent in the UK: What Agencies Actually Ask For

Last reviewed by Robert Prime, 9 November 2026. Each agency’s rules were read on its own page that day.

Quick Answer: Finish and revise your book, make a list of agents who represent your kind of writing, and send each one exactly what their website asks for. For a novel that is usually a covering letter, a short synopsis and the first three chapters. A UK agent earns commission when your book sells, so be wary of anyone who asks you to pay up front.

Do you need a literary agent?

If you want a deal with one of the large UK publishers, in most cases yes. Bloomsbury’s page says it no longer accepts unsolicited manuscripts for adult fiction and most non-fiction: “you must have a literary agent”. You don’t need an agent to self-publish. If you’re not sure which route you want, read self-publishing vs traditional publishing in the UK first.

What a literary agent does, and what it costs

An agent sells your book to publishers, negotiates the contract, and supports your career. Penguin describes agents as working with authors on “securing opportunities, to managing negotiations, to offering advice and support”.

Jericho Writers gives typical commission as 15% on UK sales, and 20% on overseas sales and film and TV rights. It adds that rates vary, so check the agency’s terms before you sign.

You shouldn’t pay to be read. The Society of Authors says reputable agents “do not charge reading, editing or any other fees”. The Association of Authors’ Agents’ code says members should not charge such a fee beyond agreed commission without written consent. Some agencies also sell editorial services, so if money is mentioned, find out exactly what for.

How to get a literary agent, step by step

1. Finish the book

For fiction, finish and revise the whole manuscript before you submit. Aitken Alexander asks writers to “only submit work that you feel is ready and of publishable standard”. Beta readers can show you what isn’t working. Non-fiction is often sold on a proposal, so you may not need the full text.

2. Find agents who represent your kind of book

Start with the Association of Authors’ Agents’ members directory and the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook. Then read each agent’s profile. Janklow & Nesbit asks you to “visit our agents’ profiles before submitting”. Look for agents who represent books like yours, and aim for a list you can work through in small batches.

3. Check they’re open

Don’t assume. Aitken Alexander’s page says it is “closed to submissions until 1st March 2027”, and that work sent before then “will be deleted without being read”.

4. Send exactly what each agency asks for

Requirements differ, as these five show:

5. Write the covering letter

Say what the book is, its genre and length, which recent books it sits beside, and why you are writing to this agent. Add a few lines about yourself that are relevant to the book. Keep it to a page. Madeleine Milburn asks for “a one or two-line elevator pitch”, so write that first.

6. Write the synopsis

A synopsis gives away the ending. Madeleine Milburn says it should “’tell the story,’ with spoilers, rather than ‘sell’ the story”. Keep it to the length the agency asks for, often one page.

7. Write it yourself

Agencies have started to rule out AI. A M Heath says submissions must not be “generated, co-written or edited using artificial intelligence”. Greyhound asks that work be “neither generated by nor co-written with AI”, and asks writers not to use it for query letters either.

8. Wait, then follow up as the agency says

Janklow & Nesbit says that if it is interested you will hear within eight weeks. Many agencies don’t reply to everyone. If you get an offer, tell the other agents who have your book, as Madeleine Milburn asks.

Watch out for scams

RCW and Greyhound both warn that scammers are impersonating agents. RCW says: “We do not ask authors to pay joining or reading fees”. Check that an email comes from the agency’s own domain. Our vanity publishing warning signs guide lists the wider red flags.

Questions to ask if an agent offers

• Who else do you represent in my genre?
• Which publishers would you send this to?
• What is your commission, including overseas and film rights?
• What edits do you want before you submit?
• What happens if we part ways?

What if you can’t get an agent?

Many good books don’t find one. You can keep revising, write the next book, or publish it yourself. Our guide to how to self-publish a book in the UK goes through each step. Writing for children? See which children’s book publishers in the UK take submissions directly.

Sources, read 9 November 2026: each agency page linked above, the AAA code of practice, Penguin, Bloomsbury, Jericho Writers, the Society of Authors and Aitken Alexander.