What they represent
Spring Literary takes submissions by email only, to submissions@springliterary.com, with a covering email saying who you are and why you are getting in touch. What to send: fiction authors, a one-page synopsis and sample chapters of around 5,000 to 10,000 words as a Word attachment, not the full manuscript. Non-fiction authors, a synopsis, why you are writing the book and three sample sections or chapters, with a short CV if you have one. Picture book authors, one full text, or up to four. Illustrators, a portfolio of up to ten images as PDFs or JPGs, keeping attachments small. Worth knowing: the agency specialises in children's and young adult writing and illustration, and likes work that takes a new approach to storytelling or illustration. It cannot reply to every submission; if you have not heard within six weeks, your work is not a match.
Neil is a literary agent at Spring Literary, which he founded in 2022, representing children's and young adult writers and illustrators. He spent more than 20 years as a publisher at HarperCollins, Penguin Random House and Pavilion, and works with his clients from first idea onwards.
Represents children's books, middle grade and young adult.
