Top Literary Agents in India
Table of Contents
Connect with the Best Literary Agents in India
Have you finished your first novel? Do you want to get it published?
Then this might be the time to contact a Literary Agent. Whether you need an interlink between you and publishing houses or want to increase your advance pay, Literary Agents are the saviors you need to search for.
Before moving further, let us understand what a literary agent is.
Disclaimer: The list furnished in this article does not indicate any ranking based on quality of services provided by these companies. This is just a collated list of companies operating in this industry. We do not claim any ownership of the accuracy of the data furnished in this article. The readers are requested only to use this as an information for reference and is requested to get in touch with the companies directly to understand their services and service quality. The information provided here is curated based on existing information available on public domain. Any discrepancies in data observed and suggested by readers or the companies directly shall be ammended.
Who is a Literary Agent?
Literary agents are the pioneers who can shape your overall career as they represent your written works and interests. They work as a business interlink between budding as well as bestselling authors and book publishing houses.
Most of you are already aware of the importance of good literary agents and what unexceptional role they play in shaping your dreams. But, the question lies in how to find the perfect literary agent for your book as in India, the options are very few.
We got your back!
What is the role of a literary Agent?
A literary Agent takes part in the following roles
- Preliminary assessment of the manuscript sent by the Author
- Re-present the Author and reach out to various publishers to get a contract
- Facilitate Negotiation of a contract between author and publisher
- Finalize the contract.
How much does a Literary Agent Cost in India?
A literary agent in India charges you based on the following three models. First, a fixed charge once a contract is finalized with the publisher. This could be anywhere between 10,000Rs – 20,000Rs. The charges vary based on the Agent’s experience and level of engagement in the deal finalization.
Second, a Share of Royalty. Certain literary agents do not charge you a fixed service charge, rather, charge a percentage of the royalty from the royalty you receive from the publisher. Let us explain this. Imagine the MRP of your book is 200Rs and the Royalty agreed with the publisher is 10%. You will receive 20Rs as the Royalty and the Agent will receive 2Rs. If they agree to a 10% Author’s Royalty.
Third, the Royalty + Fixed Charges. It is a combo of both the above options, where the Agent takes a fixed charge, additionally, gets a share of the royalty.
Can a literary Agent Steal your work?
No, in most cases, Since you are only required to share the initial 3 chapters of your work with the literary agent for evaluation, there is a very limited chances that your entire work gets compromised.
Before sharing the entire manuscript, there is always an Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) in place which restricts the parties to share the information outside the parties involved in any format. Since the Agent’s work primarily comes through good reference, they are highly cautious of their reputation and would not intend to cause any harm. Having said this, if there arises any dispute in terms of payments between the author and the agent, then you can never say. So be sure to set the expectations correctly over the email with your agent and publisher.
Where Can I find a Literary Agent in India?
We are listing Down some of the most active Literary agents and Literary agencies in India below
Osian’s Literary Agency
One of the most established agencies in the market, Osian Literary Agency was founded in New Delhi. The owner of this Literary Agency is Renuka Chatterji. Particularly, this agency targets author who wants to publish in
- Adult fiction- Novels, Short Stories
- General Non-fiction- Biography, Memoir, Narrative Travel, Current Affairs
Address of office: c/o Osian’s Connoisseurs of Art Pvt Ltd, B-35 Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi, India, 110016
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
First Forays
This edition is extra special. Started in 2018, First Forays has already proved that it is the best choice for budding authors. It was founded by Lalitha Ravindran who was working in Financial Services and IT previously. Allegedly, she wanted to be a book reviewer but when she met an author at Pune Lit Fest, she found her calling.
Her preferred Genre is
- Non-fiction
- Fiction( Drama, Romance, Romance and Historical Fiction)
She avoids sci-fi, poetry, fantasy, and erotica.
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Sherna Khambatta
Sherna is a creative writing and publishing diplomat. She has done her MSc. Publishing from the United Kingdom and delivering good work for years.
Contact Details:
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
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Red Ink Literary And Film Agency
Red Ink Literary Agency was founded in the year 2008 by Anuj Bahri. Surprisingly, Anuj Bahri is a very approachable and humorous person. He frequently visits the Frankfurt Book Fair and this agency is also the result of one of his trips. He was also the agent of Amish Tripathi for the years 2008-2018. It not only targets Indian publishers but also deals with publishers in the USA, Italy, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, and the United Kingdom.
Contact Details:
Address of office: Flat 6, Khan Market, New Delhi – 110003, India.
Website: Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Writer’s Side
Writer’s Side literary agency founded by Kanishka Gupta is a pioneering literary agency based in India. It was founded in the year 2010 and is known for its transparency and no hidden costs. Their uncomplicated contracts are helping authors to move forward for years. Speaking of Kanishka Gupta, she has been on the front page in many international publications.
Fun fact- They are very choosy and accept only 10% of the manuscripts received by them.
Contact Details:
Address of office: 8 Chanan Singh Park, Delhi Cantt, New Delhi – 110010, India
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
The Book Bakers Literary Consultancy
Book Bakers was founded in 2014 by Suhail Mathur, an excellent book reviewer and author of the best-selling book, The Bhairav Putras. The motive of this literary agency is to help first-time authors. They have a very high acceptance rate of around 60% which is a blessing for budding authors.
Contact Details:
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Word Famous Literary Agents
Mumbai-based Word Famous is an agency of two young professionals who are doing a commendable job in helping aspiring writers all over the country.
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Shruti Debi
Shruti Debi has worked a lot in the publishing business. For more than 7 years, she has worked in Picador where she was in charge of editing and publishing some best-selling books. She has even helped in editing and publishing Arvind Adiga’s globally acclaimed book White Tiger. Currently, she has started her own agency titled The Debi Agency and she is also a part of Aitken Alexanders, Delhi. Her genre is both fiction and no fiction.
Contact Details:
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Siyahi
Siyahi Literary Agency, one of the oldest literary agencies in India was founded in 2007. The founder, Mita Kapur has been guiding aspiring writers for ages and that is why she decided to take her passion to the next level. Reliable literary agency, Siyahi offers a variety of works including manuscript editing, book promotion, etc. They deal with different languages and help your book to reach international borders.
Contact Details:
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Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Leadstart
Originally a Publishing House, Leadstart is also a pioneer literary agency. It works as a link between authors, publishers, and online content distribution platforms. They are a platform of media outlets, content creators, and providers.
Contact Details:
Address of office: Unit – 25-26, Building A/1, Near Wadala R.T.O., Wadala (E), Mumbai – 400 037.
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Jacaranda
Jacaranda literary agency is a small organization that has offices in both Singapore and Bangalore. They deal with fiction and nonfiction writers from all around South East Asia including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Malaysia.
Contact Details:
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
The Labyrinth Literary Agency
Founded in the year 2014, Labyrinth Literary Agency is one of the youngest and most reliable literary agencies in India. It works with fiction and non-fiction authors and screenwriters. Speaking of its founder, Anish Chandy, previously worked as a Senior Commissioning Editor at Penguin Random House and he was also in the business development department at Juggernaut Books.
Contact Details:
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
HMA Literary Agency
The international literary agency, HMA, establishes a close partnership between their firm and new authors. They help authors with editorial support and prepare their manuscripts for the fulfillment requirements of publishers and editors. HMA was founded by Heather Adams and Mike Bryan who was also the CEO of Penguin Books.
Contact Details:
Website:
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Jacaranda Literary Agency
Surprisingly, the oldest literary agency in India is also the most globally well connected and helping writers all over the world since 1997. It was founded by Jayapriya Vasudevan. Now, the agency is also partnered with London-based Helen Mangham. They mainly prefer non-fiction works.
Contact Details:
Website:
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Lotus Lane Literary Agency
Lotus Lane Literary Agency was founded in the year 2013 in New Jersey. The founder, Priya Doraswamy is a former lawyer and currently represents more than 55 authors.
Contact Details:
Website:
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Renuka Chatterjee
Delhi-based Literary Agency Speaking Tiger Books was founded by Renuka Chatterjee. She prefers Fiction, Non-Fiction, Politics, memoirs, and Children’s Books.
Contact Details:
Address of office: Speaking Tiger Books LLP, 125-A, Ground Floor, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi – 110049, India
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Hemali Sodhi
Hemali Sodhi is a pioneer literary agent and also the founder of the most reliable literary agency, A Suitable Agency. This Delhi-based literary agency prefers fiction, Non-fiction, Memoir, and Politics.
Contact Details:
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
Preeti Gill
Preeti Gill is an experienced feminist writer. After working with Kali for women and Zubaan, she founded her own literary agency, Manjha House in 2004. Manjha House is situated in Amritsar, Punjab, and does a commendable job offering literary space programs.
Contact Details:
Address of office: 489, Basant Avenue, Amritsar, Punjab, India
Submit Your Manuscript. Click Here Now.
I hope this comprehensive article will help you to find the right Literary Agent for yourself. Also, if you know other literary agents that are suitable enough to cater to the needs of budding authors then feel free to tell me in the comments section.
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