Resources Listing Literary Agents and Artist's Representatives

Are you looking for lists of agents? Start with a book! A book contains in one easy-to-use and inexpensive package a compilation of information that would take you days of work to find online--if you even could find all of it. Then use online resources to supplement and update what's in your book. Here are recommended print and online resources, for the US market, except as noted (the links take you to a specific Amazon or Bookshop page, for more information or to buy, or a more detailed review on my site.):

General and Adult Publishing:

2022/30th Edition Guide to Literary Agents: This is the most widely used general guide to agents. In it you'll find more than 1,000 agents listed as well as advice on finding and working with an agent. (More info. or buy at: Amazon.com | Bookshop | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK )
2022/100th Edition Writer's Market: Among the approximately 900 pages in this general market guide you will find agents, book and magazine publishers, and much more. Note that PRH bought Writer's Digest Books, the long-time publisher of this and similar guides, several years ago, and has stopped what used to be annual updates. No signs of a new edition as of early 2026. (More info. or buy at: Amazon.com | Bookshop | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK )
Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents (29th edition): An alternative guide to both publishers and agents, produced by a literary agent and updated for 2023. (More info. or buy at: Amazon.com | Bookshop | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK )
2018 Artist's Market: This was a substantial general resource for illustrators of all types, fine artists, and designers. It includes listings of artist's representatives. The 2018 edition seems to be the final one. (More info. or buy at: Amazon.com | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK )
UK: Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2026: This is the general market guide for illustrators and authors to get for the UK. (More info. or buy at: Amazon UK | Bookshop | Amazon Canada | Amazon US )
Canada: The Canadian Writer's Market, 2013 edition (most recent): This is (or was) the Canadian equivalent of Writer's Market. (More info. or buy at: Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon US )

Children's Books:

Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market: includes a comprehensive list of agents, as well as lists of publishers and loads of basic information. Like Writer's Market, CWIM is now published by PRH. After the 33rd edition, released in early 2022, there has not been another. The link here takes you to my review of it.
SCBWI members should use their "Agents Directory": It's in "The Essential Guide," which is available on their website as a free download to members. Note that the SCBWI updates the listings in "The Essential Guide" twice a year, so it is more up-to-date than CWIM.
UK: Children's Writers' and Artist's Yearbook 2026: This is the children's book option for the UK. You can also find it at ( Bookshop | Amazon Canada | Amazon US )
Canada: There is no Canadian equivalent--you'll need to use The Canadian Writer's Market (see above).
More useful books: Not just agents--notes on different kinds of books for writers and illustrators. This is revised and expanded from the resource section in my C.I. Guide to Publishing Children's Books.
I Need an Agent!: The complete text of the chapter about agents in my C.I. Guide to Publishing Children's Books.

Going Without an Agent:

How to Be Your Own Literary Agent: An Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book Published: by Richard Curtis, well-known literary agent. This does not list agents, but it may help you find a way to live without one--and the insights into how publishing works are worth it even if you do have an agent.

Online Resources:

Agent Hunter: A new website that aims to be a UK equivalent of AgentQuery.
Agent Query: A searchable online database of agents--a useful tool. QueryTracker is a similar site. See which one you like best.
Publishers Marketplace: You have to pay a monthly fee to get access to their searchable database of deals, reported by agents.
The Safest Way to Search for an Agent: An excellent, detailed guide by Victoria Strauss.

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