Canadian Literary Agents: A Complete List

So, you’ve finished your manuscript, edited it, re-written it, edited again, proofread, sent it out to beta readers, and now you’re ready for the next step: finding an agent.

As we all know, finding an agent isn’t as easy as it sounds. It’s time consuming, riddled with rejections, can be anxiety inducing, and, sometimes, exhilarating. But before making that step and sending out submissions you first need to identify who to send your submission to. In this article we’ll give some background info on the agenting market in Canada and, most importantly, give you a list of all Canadian Literary Agents.

READY TO GET STARTED? JUMP STRAIGHT TO THE LIST OF ALL CANADIAN AGENTS HERE

How Do You Get A Literary Agent In Canada?

The Canadian literary agent market is a similar set up to their US and UK counterparts. There are significantly fewer Canadian based agents than in the US, for example, but there’s still plenty of choice when it comes to working on your shortlist.

The general rule for submitting to a Canadian agent is to send through a full submission pack, this includes:

1. A query letter – keep this concise, introduce yourself and your book, include some comparable titles, and finally hook them with a dazzling elevator pitch.
2. Synopsis – make sure you synopsis is easy to follow. If in doubt, ask someone who hasn’t read your chapters to read it for you.
3. Sample chapters – possibly the most crucial part of your submission pack. Make sure your opening chapters grab the reader from the first line by asking beta readers to give you honest feedback. Be extra particular when it comes to proofreading the first three chapters and catch any spelling or grammar errors.

When it comes to submissions, each agency (and agent) will have their own list of requirements. These can vary between agencies and agents though, so be sure to check each agency website to ensure you’re sending the right things and submitting to the right place (e.g. via email, or using Query Manager) before hitting “send”.

The good news is that Canadian agencies are open to submissions from international authors (including the UK and the US) not just Canadian based authors.

In a recent interview with Sam Hiyate, CEO of The Rights Factory, we chatted with him about the publishing industry as a whole and in particular the Canadian territory. Make sure to check out his interview for some insights into the Canadian market.

How Do I Know Which Canadian Literary Agent To Approach?

Finding the right agent can be an all-encompassing task, and as writers ourselves we know just how difficult this process is. With that said, we’ve broken the process down to four easy steps:

Step 1: Find A List Of All The Canadian Literary Agents

You can find a complete list of Canadian Literary Agents looking for new and debut authors by scrolling down on this article (or click here to get there even faster!). Or, better yet, use AgentMatch (our database of literary agents) to whittle down your list by searching on genre, location, and client list status (i.e. whether they’re open to submissions).

Canadian agents tend to accept submissions from international authors, so don’t be concerned about finding an agent nearby With email or zoom, you will still maintain a great relationship with them from wherever you’re based.

Step 2: Identify The Agents That Want You

Submitting to agents is time consuming, so don’t spend time contacting agents that aren’t interested in your genre or style of writing. Focus your energy on submitting to agents who:

• Are open to submissions in your genre
• Welcome submissions from new writers via their slushpile (aka accepting unsolicited applications/submissions)

After doing this you’ll have the beginnings of your longlist. Next, you need to whittle it down even further…

Step 3: Identify The Agents That You Want

The author-agent relationship is a key foundation to your writing career, so make sure you choose someone you feel comfortable working with. Someone who can be both your biggest cheerleader and your most honest critic.

So, take your longlist and pick out 12 agents you think could be a good match for you and your writing. This will become your shortlist.

• Do they represent some of your favourite authors in your genres?
• Or maybe they represent a favourite author in a different genre.
• Or they don’t represent a particular favourite writer of yours, but they have commented admiringly on that author.
• You have particular reason to like or admire the agent’s literary agency.
• They share a passion of yours.
• They made a comment in a blog / on YouTube / at our Festival of Writing / or anywhere else . . . and for whatever reason that comment struck a chord in you.

Step 4: Get Submitting

Now you have your shortlist, it’s time to circulate your submission pack. Keep track of the responses you receive. If you’re receiving lots of rejections then that suggests your work isn’t quite there yet. If you’re getting requests to see the full manuscript then you know you’re on the right track. So follow the advice on preparing your submission pack set out above and see how you get on!

And don’t forget, you can always get your submission pack reviewed by a professional editor if you think you need some detailed advice and feedback on your opening chapters.

Check out Harry Bingham’s 45 tips to getting a literary agent for more advice.

A Complete List Of All Canadian Literary Agents

As promised, here’s a complete list of all Canadian literary agents. You can also access this list plus detailed profile summaries and exclusive interviews with agents on AgentMatch. Sign up to the Free Trial to get started on your submission journey.

Good luck on your querying journey!