Literary Agent of the Year 2025
Literary Agent of the Year Winner and Shortlist
Proudly sponsored by the London Book Fair
Testimonials on the submissions for this Award show the huge admiration of agents from authors and publishers alike. These nine—five shortlisted before and four new names—balanced tenacious deal-making with sensitive collaboration in 2024, with stellar sales results. Its notable how many of their biggest books came not from brand authors or hot debuts, but from long-term clients who have been nurtured through many contracts.
The Winner
Amanda Harris
Maven Literary Management
After four appearances on the shortlist, Amanda Harris clinches the Literary Agent of the Year Award for a stellar year that combined commercial success with outstanding author care.
Harris has just launched her own Maven Literary Management agency, and her big hits came as she worked out her notice period at the YMU group. Her authors delivered no fewer than 18 Sunday Times bestsellers and the TCM value of her books exceeded £6m, with Dr Julie Smith, Noel Fitzpatrick, Paloma Faith, Fearne Cotton, Graham Norton and Federica Amati among her standouts.
The number of authors who have followed Harris to her new Maven agency is testament to her skills. The judges admired Harris’ superb author care: “She’s got the big deal numbers, but she knows agenting should be about more than that.”
The Shortlist
Claire Paterson Conrad
Janklow & Nesbit
Janklow & Nesbit’s UK agency turns 25 this year, and Claire Paterson Conrad has shaped its identity and success. She’s a fierce advocate for her authors, but her experience at publishers has given her a keen appreciation of editors’ needs too. Clients with big hits in 2024 included Gillian Anderson, Oliver Burkeman and Neneh Cherry. “She’s the perfect literary companion,” said one author.
Elise Dillsworth
Elise Dillsworth Agency
Elise Dillsworth’s eponymous agency has shown the way in diversifying authors and the publishing workforce. Her achievements in 2024 included Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver, a Black American author who died aged 22, and acclaim for long-term clients like poet Anthony Joseph. One author said: “Elise represents the best of the industry—intelligent, measured, passionate and dedicated.”
Silé Edwards
Andrew Nurnberg Associates
Silé Edwards has made a big impact in just two years as an agent at Andrew Nurnberg Associates. Most of her authors have followed her there from her previous agency, and Clara Doran’s Doctor, Interrupted and Simone Soltani’s Cross the Line were among her 2024 standouts. She’s been a superb advocate for better equity, diversity and workplace wellbeing in publishing.
Amanda Harris
Maven Literary Management
Amanda Harris, shortlisted for the fourth time in five years, has just left the YMU Agency to set up on her own. She went out on a high, with seven Sunday Times bestsellers from clients including Davina McCall, Fearne Cotton and Noel Fitzpatrick. She impresses with her range of genres and collegiate approach to publishing. “Becoming Amanda’s client has changed my life,” said one happy author.
Harry Illingworth
DHH Literary Agency
Harry Illingworth of the DHH Literary Agency is shortlisted for the second year in a row. Stuart Turton was his first client to top the bestseller lists, with The Last Murder at the End of the World, and there were six-figure sales for Tom Hindle’s Murder on Lake Garda. Illingworth’s keen eye for sci fi and fantasy was behind the success of Frances White’s debut Voyage of the Damned.
Sophie Lambert
C&W Agency
The C&W Agency’s managing director Sophie Lambert is revered by colleagues, authors and publishers alike. She got big sales in 2024 from the first author she ever signed, Tim Spector, and Christie Watson was among the clients benefiting from her deft positioning and deal-making. “She has impeccable taste, peerless diplomacy and brings joy to the whole publishing process,” read one publisher’s testimonial.
Hellie Ogden
WME
Hellie Ogden has made a big impact at the WME agency since becoming co-head of the UK book division in 2023. Jessa Hastings, MJ Arlidge and Kat Dunn have been among the authors enjoying her support. She also helped steer Samuel Burr’s The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers into the bestseller lists. Ogden is active well beyond WME, including as vice president of the Association of Authors’ Agents.
Eve White
Eve White Literary Agency
The Eve White Literary Agency had a best-ever year in 2024, when long-term support of authors like Ruth Ware and Tia Fisher paid rich dividends. Fitwaffle’s No-Bake Baking by Eloise Head gave White a first ever Sunday Times number one and there were literary awards for several other clients. “There’s no-one I’d rather have by my side,” said one of them.
Vicki Willden-Lebrecht
Bright Agency
“An extraordinary combination of killer instinct and unbeatable taste” is how one publisher described Vicki Willden-Lebrecht. Her Bright Agency had its best year yet in commercial terms in 2024. Dozens of her children’s authors and illustrators did so too, thanks to her ability to squeeze every bit of value out of her rights. She’s been vocal in efforts to revive flagging rates of reading for pleasure.
