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Assistant Literary Agent

Location: Remote (US)
Position Type: Part-Time
Compensation: Commission-Based

About Us

We are a literary agency dedicated to helping authors develop their work, understand the publishing marketplace, and connect with the right publishing opportunities. We work closely with writers to identify promising projects, strengthen manuscripts, and develop strategies for bringing their work to publishers.

We are expanding our team and are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic, and publishing-minded Assistant Literary Agent to join us.

This is an opportunity for someone who has a strong interest in books and publishing and understands editing, current literary trends, and the commercial publishing market. Prior experience as a literary agent or publishing-house employee is not required.

We are especially interested in people who are curious, proactive, organized, and excited to discover new voices and help authors make their work as strong and marketable as possible.

Position Overview

As an Assistant Literary Agent, you will support the agency's work with both emerging and established writers. You will read and evaluate queries and manuscripts, provide thoughtful editorial and market feedback, help identify new authors, and assist with presenting clients' work to publishing houses.

The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of what makes a manuscript compelling to readers and publishers, keeps up with literary and publishing trends, and has a clear sense of the commercial market and what publishers are currently acquiring.

You do not need an established publishing-industry network or previous agency experience. We are looking for someone with strong editorial instincts, enthusiasm for discovering authors, excellent communication skills, and the drive to learn and grow within the agency.

Key Responsibilities

• Read and Evaluate Queries: Review incoming queries and submissions to identify promising projects and authors.

• Read Manuscripts: Read manuscripts and evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, originality, audience, genre, and commercial potential.

• Editorial Reports: Prepare clear, constructive reports for authors outlining areas that are working well and opportunities for improvement.

• Marketability Recommendations: Provide recommended editorial changes, positioning suggestions, or other revisions that may make a manuscript more competitive and marketable to publishers.

• Publishing Market Research: Stay informed about current literary trends, genre trends, publishing acquisitions, reader interests, and the commercial marketplace.

• Discover New Authors: Proactively search for and identify emerging writers and promising new voices through queries, literary communities, social platforms, contests, and other appropriate channels.

• Author Development: Help authors understand how their manuscript may be positioned for the current publishing market and what changes could strengthen its submission potential.

• Publisher Outreach: Assist with writing and preparing professional queries and submission letters to publishing houses and editors to introduce and market clients' work.

• Submission Support: Research appropriate publishers, editors, and imprints for individual projects and help tailor submissions accordingly.

• Team Collaboration: Participate in weekly remote check-ins with the agency team to discuss submissions, authors, manuscripts, market trends, and ongoing projects.

• Industry Learning: Continue developing knowledge of publishing practices, current acquisitions, editorial expectations, and the changing literary marketplace.

Qualifications & Skills

Prior literary agency or publishing-house experience is not required.

We are looking for candidates who demonstrate:

• Strong editing and proofreading skills.

• A genuine enthusiasm for books, authors, and the publishing industry.

• An understanding of current literary and genre trends.

• A strong understanding of the commercial publishing market.

• The ability to recognize what makes a manuscript compelling and commercially viable.

• Excellent written communication skills.

• Strong attention to detail.

• The ability to provide thoughtful, constructive editorial feedback.

• Strong research and organizational skills.

• Initiative and the ability to work independently in a remote environment.

• A willingness to learn and develop within the literary industry.

• A proactive, enthusiastic, and entrepreneurial mindset.

A background in English, literature, journalism, communications, creative writing, publishing, or a related field is welcome but not required.

Who We're Looking For

We are less concerned with how many years you have worked in publishing and more interested in how you think about books and authors.

This role could be a great fit for someone who:

• Is constantly reading and paying attention to what is being published.

• Has a strong editorial eye and enjoys helping writers improve their work.

• Follows literary trends and understands what is commercially relevant.

• Enjoys discovering new authors before they become widely known.

• Can identify both the creative strengths and commercial challenges of a manuscript.

• Is comfortable giving honest, constructive feedback.

• Is highly self-motivated and takes initiative.

• Wants to build a career in the literary and publishing industry.

You don't need to have an impressive publishing résumé. We want people with talent, enthusiasm, curiosity, and the motivation to grow.

What We Offer

• Remote, flexible working environment.

• Part-time position.

• Commission-based compensation.

• Opportunity to work directly with authors and literary projects.

• Hands-on experience evaluating manuscripts and queries.

• Exposure to the publishing submission process.

• Collaborative weekly team check-ins.

• Opportunity to develop editorial, market, and literary-agenting skills.

• A supportive environment focused on discovering and developing new voices.

How to Apply

Please submit a resume and a brief cover letter introducing yourself, explaining your interest in publishing and literary agency work, and telling us about your experience with editing, reading, literature, or understanding the commercial publishing market.

You do not need to have previous literary-agent or publishing-house experience. We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate strong editorial instincts, knowledge of current literary trends, enthusiasm for discovering authors, and a genuine desire to build a career in publishing.

Please send applications to Ilyana at ilyanabovaagency@gmail.com with the subject line: BBLA ASSISTANT LITERARY AGENT APPLICATION.

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Literary Agent (With Prior Experience)

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Job Opening: Literary Agent (Former Publishing Editor)

Location: Remote (US)

Position Type: Part-Time

Salary Type: Commission-Based

 

About Us

We are a premier literary agency dedicated to launching bestseller careers and protecting author interests across all media. We bridge the gap between creative brilliance and commercial success. Now, we are expanding our team. We want to bring on an experienced professional who understands the publishing industry from the inside out.

 

Position Overview

Are you an experienced publishing editor looking to step onto the other side of the desk? We are seeking a dynamic, market-savvy Literary Agent who previously worked as an editor at a traditional publishing house.

In this role, you will transition from acquiring titles for a single house to scouting, championing, and managing careers for a diverse roster of talented authors. Your insider knowledge of what editors want—combined with your established industry network—will make you an invaluable advocate for our clients.

 

Key Responsibilities

• Client Acquisition: Scout, evaluate, and sign promising new voices and established authors.

• Editorial Development: Use your editorial background to help clients polish manuscripts and proposals before submission.

• Submission Strategy: Pitch projects directly to acquisition editors, utilizing your existing industry rolodex.

• Deal Negotiation: Secure competitive publishing contracts, advances, and audio, film, or foreign subsidiary rights.

• Career Management: Act as the primary business partner and strategist for your authors’ long-term careers.

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Qualifications & Skills

• Industry Experience: Minimum 2–5 years of experience as an Assistant Editor, Associate Editor, or Editor at a traditional publishing house.

• Proven Track Record: History of acquiring or working on commercially successful or critically acclaimed titles.

• Established Network: An active, strong rolodex of editors, publicists, and imprint heads across the industry.

• Negotiation Skills: Strong business acumen with a deep understanding of publishing contracts and subsidiary rights.

• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Self-motivated, growth-oriented, and ready to build a lucrative client roster.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in English, Journalism, Communications, or a related field preferred but not required.

 

What We Offer

• Highly competitive commission splits.

• Access to foreign co-agents.

• Collaborative, mentorship-driven agency culture.

• Fully remote working arrangements.

 

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and a cover letter detailing your editing background, a list of notable titles you have worked on, and the genres you are most excited to represent to our senior agent, Ilyana, at ilyanabovaagency@gmail.com .