The oldest literary agency in Australia was only established in 1967 and yet since that time the country has published a string of internationally acclaimed authors.
This is remarkable considering that there are still less than 20 registered literary agencies in what is the world’s sixth-largest country.
But Australia is steeped in a storytelling history. For thousands of years the Indigenous Aboriginals have been using Dreaming tracks, otherwise known as the Songlines, to pass on stories about their landscape and culture.
When the British colonisation of Australia began in 1788, they discovered that these Indigenous people had yet to develop a system of writing. So, the stories themselves had to be memorized, as a result they were the very fabric of society.
It was not until 1929 with the book Legendary Tales of the Aborigines that David Unaipon became the first published Aboriginal author in Australian history.
Forty years later the first literary agency opened their doors, and today they remain the largest agency in the country.
This is not to say they have a monopoly on Australian writing talent, because many well-known authors are represented by the other leading agencies throughout its major states.
The literary agencies who charge a reading fee have been excluded from this list.
Alex Adsett Literary
The agency is based in Tugyn, Queensland.
Website: Official Site
Genres: Literary Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Crime & Mystery | Science-Fiction | Fantasy | Romance | Children’s Books | YA | Narrative Non-Fiction
Does not accept: Memoir, Self-Help, Urban Fantasy, Picture Books, Satire.
All queries: Referrals and under-represented backgrounds only. Full details here.
The Authors’ Agent
Website: Official Site
Genres: Children’s Books | YA
Does not accept: Fiction, Non-Fiction
Postal submissions only: The Author’s Agent, PO Box 577, Terrigal, NSW 2260
Query Children’s Books: Query letter, synopsis, the first 20 pages, and an SAE.
Note: The Authors’ Agent business is now owned solely by Alex Adsett of Alex Adsett Literary, who handle the Fiction and Non-Fiction queries. See above.
Cameron’s Management
The agency is based in Sydney.
Website: Official Site
Genres: Literary Fiction | Women’s Fiction | Crime Fiction | Thriller | Historical Fiction | Erotica | YA | Non-Fiction | Memoir | Current Affairs | True Crime | Australian History
Does not accept: Middle Grade, Picture Books, or Poetry.
Email submissions: info@cameronsmanagement.com.au
All Queries: Query letter, synopsis, and the first 3000 words. All within the body of an e-mail. No attachments will be opened.
Note: The agency also represents writers, directors, cinematographers, actors, composers, presenters, and composers. A full service agency.
Curtis Brown
Website: Official Site
Genres: Fiction | Non-Fiction
Email submissions: submission@curtisbrown.com.au
Address your letter to The Submissions Department and the manuscript will be passed to a suitable agent.
All Queries: Query letter, synopsis, bio, and the first 3 chapters.
Note: They only accept submissions during March, June, and October. Manuscripts received outside this window will be deleted.
Drummond Agency
The agency is based in Melbourne.
Website: Official Site
Genres: Fiction | YA | Non-Fiction
Does not accept: Science-Fiction, or Fantasy.
Postal submissions: The Drummond Agency, PO Box 572, Woodend, VIC 3442
E-mail submissions preferred: info@drummondagency.com.au
Query Fiction: Query letter, synopsis, and the first 3 chapters, and an SAE if mailing.
Query Non-Fiction: Query letter, a proposal, outline of chapters, bio, first 3 chapters, and an SAE if mailing.
Query YA: Query letter, synopsis, the first 3 chapters, and an SAE if mailing.
Note: Author must be from Australia or New Zealand.
Jenny Darling Associates
The agency is based in Melbourne.
Website: Official Site
Genres: Literary Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Children’s Books | Non-Fiction
Note: Not currently open to submissions.
Margaret Kennedy Agency
The agency is based in Brisbane.
Website: Official Site
Genres: Fiction | Non-Fiction | Biography | Current Affairs | Social issues | Philosophy | Religion | Science | History
Does not accept: Children’s Books, Genre Fiction, Science-Fiction, Horror, Fantasy, Erotica, or Chick Lit.
E-mail submissions: info@margaretkennedyagency.com
All Queries: Query letter, synopsis, and the first 50 pages.
Note: They only accept submissions in January and July. Not between those months. Only those two months. Manuscripts received outside this window will be deleted.
Left Bank Literary
The agency is based in Sydney.
Website: Official Site
Genres: Fiction | Non-Fiction
Does not accept: YA, Middle Grade, Picture Books, Self-Help, Fantasy, Romance, Poetry.
Email submissions: Using this online form.
All Queries: Query letter only.
Rick Raftos Management
The agency is based in Paddington, New South Wales.
Website: No
Genres: Fiction | Children’s Books | YA | Non-Fiction
Email submissions: raftos@raftos.com.au
All Queries: Query letter only.
Selwa Anthony Author Management
The agency is based in Sydney.
Website: Official Site
Genres: Literary Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Fantasy | Science-Fiction | Non-Fiction
Note: Not currently accepting submissions.
Zeitgeist Agency
The agency is based in Sydney. They also have an office in Brussels.
Website: Official Site
Genres: Literary Fiction | Commercial Fiction | Non-Fiction | Memoir | Narrative Non-Fiction | YA | Middle Grade
Does not accept: Fantasy, Science-Fiction, Picture Books
Email submissions: Using this online form.
All Queries: Query letter, bio, synopsis, and the first 500 words of manuscript.
Note: They only accept submissions on the first of these months; March, April, May, June, July.