alterean.

Literary Agents
for Self-Help

As of 9 October 2026, we list 38 UK literary agents representing self-help, and 26 are open to submissions. See what each one is looking for and when we last checked.

38

Agents listed

26

Open today

Abi Fellows

DHH Literary Agency

Abi is a literary agent at DHH Literary Agency. She has broad experience across bookselling, publishing and literary scouting, having worked at Blackwell's, Faber and Faber, Georgina Capel Associates and RR Ltd before returning to agenting at The Good Literary Agency in 2019, building a list focused on writers from marginalised backgrounds. She joined DHH Literary Agency in 2023.

Genres:Children's Books · Commercial Fiction · Current Affairs · Historical Fiction · Historical Non-Fiction +9 more

Open
Last checked 13 days ago

Abigail Bergstrom

Bergstrom Studio

Abigail is the founder of Bergstrom Studio. She graduated in English from King's College London and has worked in publishing for over fifteen years, starting her career at Simon & Schuster before launching Gleam Titles and later founding Bergstrom Studio in 2021. She has guided more than thirty-five titles onto bestseller lists and her authors have been listed for prizes including the Orwell Prize and the Women's Prize for Fiction.

Genres:Commercial Fiction · Current Affairs · Literary Fiction · Memoir · Narrative Non-Fiction +3 more

Open
Last checked 21 days ago

Amanda Preston

LBA Books

Amanda has been a literary agent for over 25 years. In 2005 she co-founded LBA Books. In 2018 she won the RNA Literary Agent of the Year award. She represents a wide range of best-selling and award-winning authors across fiction and non-fiction.

Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Health & Wellness · Historical Fiction +9 more

Open
Last checked yesterday

Amandeep Singh

Graham Maw Christie Literary Agency

Amandeep is an agent at Graham Maw Christie. She joined the agency in 2025, having spent ten years working as an editor, bookseller and agent, most recently at Penguin Random House and The Good Literary Agency. As a commissioning editor, she published only debut authors, and as an agent she continues to champion new voices and works closely on concept and editorial development.

Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Current Affairs · Fantasy · Historical Fiction +9 more

Open
Last checked 17 days ago

Amy O'Shea

Graham Maw Christie Literary Agency

Amy is an agent at Graham Maw Christie Literary Agency. She joined the agency in early 2023 and assists Jane and Jen with social media, admin, royalties and submissions, alongside working on her own projects. Amy graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in Linguistics and English Language.

Genres:Crime · Fantasy · Historical Non-Fiction · Horror · Memoir +6 more

Open
Last checked 17 days ago

Caroline Hardman

Hardman & Swainson

Caroline co-founded Hardman & Swainson and represents a growing list of critically-praised, up-and-coming and bestselling authors. Caroline was previously an agent at the Christopher Little Literary Agency and The Marsh Agency, specialising in translation rights. Caroline has a strong understanding of global trade publishing. Caroline studied English Literature at the University of Leeds, gaining a first class BA and an MA with distinction.

Genres:Commercial Fiction · Crime · Current Affairs · Health & Wellness · Historical Fiction +6 more

Open
Last checked 15 days ago

Donald Winchester

Watson, Little Ltd

Donald is a literary agent at Watson, Little, representing non-fiction and fiction for adults. He began his career at Penguin Press before working for five years at A P Watt, building a list of non-fiction and fiction authors. He joined Watson, Little as an agent in 2013. Donald now splits his time between Scotland and London.

Genres:Business · Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Current Affairs +8 more

Open
Last checked 8 days ago

Elliot Prior

Curtis Brown Ltd

Joined Curtis Brown in 2022 and is an Associate Agent working alongside Gordon Wise. Previously worked for Albatross Agency in Stockholm and as a scout at Eccles Fisher Associates, and before publishing taught English literature at secondary schools in London.

Genres:Biography · Historical Fiction · Historical Non-Fiction · Literary Fiction · Other Non-Fiction +2 more

Open
Last checked 12 days ago

Emily Sweet

Aevitas Creative Management

Emily is a hands-on, creative and energetic literary agent based in London, working with Aevitas Creative Management. She spent ten years as an editor in trade publishing houses before becoming an agent. She takes a personal, collaborative approach with authors, focusing primarily on non-fiction and placing clients with publishers ranging from the major houses to smaller independents. Her broad UK and US client list includes journalists, chefs, academics and health professionals.

Genres:Biography · Current Affairs · Food & Drink · Health & Wellness · Historical Non-Fiction +4 more

Open
Last checked 5 days ago

Fiona Lindsay

Limelight Management

Fiona is the Managing Director of Limelight Management, a boutique London-based literary and talent agency founded in 1989. With a long background in broker deals for television, lifestyle, and expert-led authors, she oversees a selective authors’ list that bridges publishing, broadcast, and branding.

Genres:Biography · Business · Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime +13 more

Open
Last checked 16 days ago

Hattie Grünewald

The Blair Partnership

Hattie represents commercial and upmarket fiction, including book club fiction, crime and thriller, historical and contemporary fiction, and some non-fiction in the areas of lifestyle and personal development. She is currently open to commercial and upmarket fiction submissions with a strong pitch, believable characters and an engaging voice. Hattie is particularly keen to see novels for the book club market with conversation-starting topics and a “you need to read this” quality, including multi-layered family dramas, high-concept love stories and classic storytelling. She seeks sexy and funny rom-coms, unusual escapist historical fiction often featuring mysteries or love stories, ambitious detective fiction, puzzle-y mysteries, humorous cosy crime with series potential and regional crime.

Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Cosy Mystery · Crime · Historical Fiction +5 more

Open
Last checked 10 days ago

Jennifer Christie

Graham Maw Christie Literary Agency

Jennifer is a founder agent at Graham Maw Christie, representing authors across a range of non-fiction. She has worked as a literary agent for 20 years, launching international and Sunday Times bestsellers including Raynor Winn and Helen Villiers. She represents authors across popular science, philosophy, humour, business and memoir, working closely with them to develop ideas, build promotional strategies and shape their books.

Genres:Business · Historical Non-Fiction · Memoir · Narrative Non-Fiction · Other Non-Fiction +1 more

Open
Last checked 17 days ago

Karolina Kaim

WME Literary Agency

Karolina is a literary agent at WME, based in London. She joined WME in 2024 after eight years of commissioning experience at publishing houses in the UK and abroad, and trained in intellectual property law. She works closely with her US colleague to find the best home for the agency's talent.

Genres:Business · Health & Wellness · Memoir · Narrative Non-Fiction · Self-Help

Open
Last checked 14 days ago

Kate Barker

Kate Barker Literary Agency

Kate is a literary agent based in London with over twenty years of experience in publishing. She has worked as an agent, commissioning editor and ghostwriter. She spent ten years at Penguin, where she was an Editorial Director for Viking, acquiring fiction and non-fiction. She has also worked for Orion, a major UK literary agency, digital publisher Bookouture and a speakers bureau.

Genres:Biography · Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Health & Wellness +11 more

Open
Last checked 15 days ago

Laetitia Rutherford

Watson, Little Ltd

Laetitia is a literary agent at Watson, Little, representing literary and upmarket fiction and non-fiction, including lifestyle and wellbeing. She has worked as an agent for fifteen years, representing award-winning writers such as Chris Cleave, Rana Dasgupta, Xiaolu Guo and Evie Wyld. Over her decade at Watson, Little, she has built a successful crime fiction list including Jenny Blackhurst, Alex Marwood and Ajay Chowdhury.

Genres:Health & Wellness · Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction · Self-Help

Open
Last checked 8 days ago

Lauren Gardner

Bell Lomax Moreton

Lauren represents authors and illustrators across children's and young adult fiction, new adult/crossover and commercial women's fiction, and adult non-fiction. She joined Bell Lomax Moreton in 2014 and has built a list of children's and young adult fiction, adult fiction and adult non-fiction authors whose work has won or been shortlisted for prizes including the Waterstones Children's Prize, the Carnegie Medal and the Branford Boase. In 2020 she was selected as one of The Bookseller's Rising Stars.

Genres:Biography · Children's Books · Commercial Fiction · Fantasy · Health & Wellness +9 more

Open
Last checked yesterday

Lucy Morris

Curtis Brown Ltd

Represents commercial and literary fiction and non-fiction, always drawn to brilliant social observation and clever storytelling. Set up the Curtis Brown First Novel Prize in 2019 and is part of the team behind Discoveries, a development programme for unpublished women writers run with the Women's Prize Trust, Audible and Curtis Brown Creative. Represents a number of Curtis Brown Creative graduates, and loves developing ideas with debut authors as well as working with established writers looking for fresh eyes or a change of direction.

Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Literary Fiction · Memoir +4 more

Open
Last checked 12 days ago

Matilda Forbes Watson

WME Literary Agency

Matilda is a Partner and Co-Head of the UK Book division at WME, representing a diverse list of bestselling adult fiction and non-fiction. She joined WME in 2013 and enjoys working with debut authors in the early stages of developing a project, as well as writers with established careers. She supports authors from submission through to publication, connecting them with the specialists and resources available at WME.

Genres:Contemporary Fiction · Current Affairs · Health & Wellness · Literary Fiction · Memoir +2 more

Open
Last checked 14 days ago

Megan Staunton

Bergstrom Studio

Megan Staunton specialises in commercial, self-help and literary non-fiction, including memoir, mindfulness, interior design and midwifery. She has worked in publishing for over six years, having moved from Penguin Random House to agenting at Gleam Titles. She is an advocate for emerging and diverse writers and mentors with Black Girl Writers.

Genres:Commercial Fiction · Literary Fiction · Memoir · Other Non-Fiction · Self-Help

Open
Last checked 21 days ago

Nick Walters

David Luxton Associates

Nick is a Senior Agent and Head of Foreign Rights at David Luxton Associates. He began his publishing career in 2013, interning at various publishing houses including Headline and Faber while completing his MA in Publishing. He joined DLA in 2014 and has built a list of high-profile and bestselling authors, including sports personalities, journalists, musicians, comedians and clinical experts. His main interests are in commercial non-fiction, with an emphasis on sport, lifestyle, self-help and leadership.

Genres:Business · Self-Help · Sports

Open
Last checked 14 days ago

Orli Vogt-Vincent

David Higham Associates

Orli is building a literary fiction and non-fiction list, and also works across Managing Director Lizzy Kremer's list of internationally bestselling writers. In non-fiction she is drawn to work with broad appeal that helps readers understand themselves and the world they live in, and she enjoys working with writers who have built meaningful online platforms and communities.

Genres:Contemporary Fiction · Health & Wellness · Historical Non-Fiction · Literary Fiction · Narrative Non-Fiction +4 more

Open
Last checked 10 days ago

Robert Dudley

Robert Dudley Agency

Robert is the founder and principal of the Robert Dudley Agency, based in Ashford, Kent. He began his career as an independent publisher and book packager under Bowerdean Press before launching his agency in 2000. His firm remains small and highly selective, allowing for personalised editorial feedback and support. 

Genres:Biography · Business · Current Affairs · Historical Non-Fiction · Narrative Non-Fiction +3 more

Open
Last checked 3 days ago

Rowan Lawton

The Soho Agency

Rowan joined The Soho Agency in 2019 after almost two decades in the industry. She started her agenting career at WME and latterly ran Furniss Lawton, the literary division of YMU. Her authors are Sunday Times, Kindle, Apple and Audible number one bestsellers, and have been awarded and shortlisted for prizes including the British Book Awards, the Crime Writers' Association Daggers, the Irish Book Awards, the Sunday Times Sports Book Award and Romantic Novel of the Year. She has judged fiction prizes including Richard & Judy Search for a Bestseller, the Bristol Short Story Prize and the Blue Pencil First Novel Award, and was a Bookseller Rising Star in 2012.

Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction +5 more

Open
Last checked 12 days ago

Sarah Harvey

CAA Publishing

Sarah is a literary agent at CAA who builds a list of commercial to reading-group fiction and commercial non-fiction for the UK market. Sarah joined CAA in 2022, having previously worked at HarperCollins, Hachette, Pan Macmillan, The Curtis Brown Agency, and David Higham Associates. Their background is in translation rights, and they also represent US and translated authors in the UK.

Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Fantasy · Historical Fiction · Historical Non-Fiction +11 more

Open
Last checked today

Sarah Williams

Sophie Hicks Agency

Sarah is a director at the Sophie Hicks Agency, where she also runs the agency's film and television side. She began her publishing career in Canada, working first in publicity and then editorial, before moving to London in 2010 to work with Ed Victor. She joined the Sophie Hicks Agency in 2014. Sarah represents authors across both fiction and non-fiction.

Genres:Commercial Fiction · Food & Drink · Literary Fiction · Memoir · Narrative Non-Fiction +6 more

Open
Last checked 8 days ago

Susan Yearwood

Susan Yearwood Agency

Susan runs the Susan Yearwood Agency, representing debut and published writers in adult fiction, non-fiction and children's/young adult fiction. She gained experience at Virago, Museum Quilts Plc and Penguin Books Ltd in the early to mid-nineties. She founded her agency in 2007, launching debut writers' careers and re-establishing previously published authors.

Genres:Business · Children's Books · Commercial Fiction · Crime · Food & Drink +9 more

Open
Last checked 7 days ago

12currently closed to submissions

Caro Clarke

Portobello Literary

Caro Clarke is the founder and literary agent at Portobello Literary. They founded the agency in 2022 after twelve years working in publishing houses, including Transworld (PRH) and Canongate Books, as a Senior Rights Manager. They were named Rights Professional of the Year at the British Book Awards in 2021. In 2019, they co-founded the Nan Shepherd Prize for underrepresented nature writers.

Genres:Biography · Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Fantasy +16 more

Closed
Last checked 7 days ago

Elly James

HHB Agency Ltd

Elly is director and agent at HHB Agency Ltd. She joined the agency in 2007 to work alongside its founder, Heather Holden-Brown, and became sole director in 2024 after Heather's retirement. Before working as an agent, she worked in television and film development, looking for great storytellers and original voices.

Genres:Biography · Commercial Fiction · Crime · Food & Drink · Historical Non-Fiction +9 more

Closed
Last checked 19 days ago

Emily Barrett

The Blair Partnership

Emily is a literary agent at The Blair Partnership who represents non-fiction for mainstream audiences. Before becoming an agent, she spent a decade working at HarperCollins, Orion and Little, Brown, where she was latterly the Publisher of Sphere Non-Fiction. The books she edited and published included Sunday Times bestsellers, award nominees and winners, and titles translated and exported internationally. She has extensive insider experience across the spectrum of non-fiction.

Genres:Current Affairs · Food & Drink · Health & Wellness · Historical Non-Fiction · Narrative Non-Fiction +4 more

Closed
Last checked 10 days ago

Gabrielle Demblon

Watson, Little Ltd

Gabrielle is a literary agent and Foreign Rights Manager at Watson, Little. Gabrielle joined the agency in 2024, after six years working as a literary scout. Gabrielle heads up the foreign rights department, helping Watson, Little authors find publishers around the world, and is building their own list of authors focused on literary and upmarket fiction, select thrillers and nonfiction.

Genres:Business · Food & Drink · Historical Fiction · Historical Non-Fiction · Horror +7 more

Closed
Last checked 8 days ago

Gaia Banks

Sheil Land Associates Ltd

Gaia is a primary agent at Sheil Land Associates, representing fiction and non-fiction. She has worked in publishing for over 20 years, joining Sheil Land as an agent in 2004 after working in translation rights at John Murray. For 17 years she handled the agency's translation rights for its authors while also acting as a primary agent, becoming a primary agent full-time in 2022. She takes on one or two new writers a year, looking for projects with wide international appeal.

Genres:Biography · Children's Books · Contemporary Fiction · Fantasy · Health & Wellness +8 more

Closed
Last checked 13 days ago

Jamie Maclean

CMM Agency

Jamie is an agent at CMM Agency who represents both fiction and non-fiction, with a particular interest in sexual politics, relationship and lifestyle writing, erotica, thrillers, whodunits and historical crime. He trained at Edinburgh College of Art and began his career at Sotheby's before running several galleries, including his own, the Maclean Gallery. In 1995 he founded the Erotic Review, and he later returned to edit the magazine in 2007 after an earlier period as its publisher.

Genres:Crime · Historical Fiction · Mystery · Politics · Self-Help +1 more

Closed
Last checked 8 days ago

Jessica Killingley

The BKS Agency

Jessica is the Managing Director of The bks Agency, which she co-founded. She spent twenty years working in marketing for Hachette UK and Penguin Random House, running award-winning campaigns for authors such as John Grisham, Stephen King and David Mitchell. She is also a Master-certified coach who works with high-achieving women in senior roles.

Genres:Business · Crime · Health & Wellness · Horror · Literary Fiction +5 more

Closed
Last checked 7 days ago

Louise Buckley

Hannah Sheppard Literary Agency Ltd

Louise is an Associate Literary Agent at Hannah Sheppard Literary Agency. She has worked in publishing for over fifteen years, including time at Pan Macmillan and Zeno Agency Ltd. She also works as an Editorial Consultant and writes a Substack about editing and getting published.

Genres:Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Fantasy · Health & Wellness · Horror +7 more

Closed
Last checked yesterday

Sheila Crowley

Curtis Brown Ltd

Born and bred in Dublin, she started her publishing career at Poolbeg Press before moving to London in 1991, holding senior sales and marketing positions at publishers including HarperCollins and Hodder, and moved to agenting in 2003. Represents a wide range of authors, from award-winning novelists to million-copy-selling non-fiction writers, and is also interested in taking on published writers who want to reinvigorate their career or change direction. Assisted by Helena Maybery.

Genres:Biography · Business · Commercial Fiction · Crime · Historical Fiction +11 more

Closed
Last checked 12 days ago

Stevie Finegan

Zeno Agency Ltd

Stevie is an agent at Zeno Agency, representing fantasy, science fiction, children's books, graphic novels and non-fiction. They joined Zeno in 2020 after working for Gollancz, Icon and several Waterstones bookshops in London. Their degree specialised in children's literature, including a dissertation on defining Young Adult fiction. This background shapes their interest in stories connected with LGBTQIA+, BAME, disability, mental health and other marginalised experiences.

Genres:Children's Books · Commercial Fiction · Current Affairs · Fantasy · Graphic Novels +13 more

Closed
Last checked 6 days ago

Valeria Huerta

Aevitas Creative Management

Valeria is a Senior Agent at ACM UK, representing narrative non-fiction, translated fiction and personal development titles. She joined the agency in 2024 after eight years running her own agency, specialising in lifestyle, health and personal development titles. Her earlier career included rights and editorial roles in Rome and London, at houses such as Faber and Faber, Hachette and Quercus. She holds a BA in Languages and Literature and a Master in Philosophy and Cultural Heritage.

Genres:Health & Wellness · Narrative Non-Fiction · Poetry · Self-Help

Closed
Last checked 5 days ago

Viola Hayden

Curtis Brown Ltd

A publisher for the first seven years of her career before moving to Curtis Brown and agenting. Represents both fiction and non-fiction, skewing towards fiction and almost always towards the more commercial end of the scale, and works alongside Jonny Geller, co-agenting his list. If asked to choose between story and style, she goes for story every time.

Genres:Commercial Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Crime · Health & Wellness · Historical Fiction +6 more

Closed
Last checked 12 days ago