Publishers Marketplace: Erin Harris


	Pulitzer Prize & National Book Award Finalist; A "Best Book of the Year" by Washington Post and Denver Post

ABOUT ME

I’m an agent who loves to champion the careers of both debut and established authors. As a graduate of the MFA program in Creative Writing at the New School, I bring a strong editorial eye and hands-on approach to my agenting practice, ushering writers through all stages of the publishing process and fostering long-term professional partnerships.

I got my start in publishing in 2008 at the Irene Skolnick Literary Agency and moved to Folio Literary Management in 2012. We’re a mid-sized, full service agency located in the heart of Manhattan that represents a range of award winners and NYT bestsellers. We pride ourselves on stellar, individualized client care.

Outside of the office, I’m a co-founder and host of H.I.P. Lit a creative community and monthly event series based in Brooklyn, where we’ve featured some incredible folks, including: Téa Obreht, Salman Rushdie, Adam Wilson, Courtney Maum, Robin Wasserman, Kaityln Greenidge, Teddy Wayne, Stephanie Danler, Kristopher Jansma, Benjamin Hale, and many more.

(If you’d like to learn more about me and my agenting practice, please check out these interviews I did for Slice Magazine and Poets & Writers.)

WHAT I REPRESENT

I represent literary fiction and upmarket/book club fiction that celebrates language and storytelling equally. I love manuscripts that combine a strong, original premise with dazzling writing that leaps off the page. I’m willing to be surprised by what grabs me, but I tend to gravitate toward the following:

*novels with an international scope that focus on issues of cultural identity
*novels that include an element of magic, fabulism, or sci-fi, so long as they reach beyond genre
*contemporary or historical narratives that feature strong female protagonists
*upmarket suspense, thrillers, and mysteries that are written with style and keep me on the edge of my seat (typically with strong female protagonists)

(Some recent non-client favorites: Jesse Burton’s THE MUSE, Catherine Banner’s THE HOUSE AT THE EDGE OF NIGHT, Yaa Gayasi’s HOMEGOING, Lydia Yuknavitch's THE SMALL BACKS OF CHILDREN, Fiona Barton’s THE WIDOW, Ruth Ware’s THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10.)

In YA, I represent both speculative and contemporary. I’m seeking novels that are high-concept, urgent, and fresh. I love a good love story, and I’m hungry for narratives that strike an emotional chord and introduce me to characters I can root for the whole way through. More specifically, I like:

*YA fantasy, with unique world-building
*contemporary YA with a focus on diversity and underrepresented voices
*contemporary YA with a touch of magical realism
*YA retellings of classic tales, folklore, legends etc.
*YA psychological suspense or mystery

(Some recent non-client favorites: Jeff Zentner’s THE SERPENT KINGS, Renee Ahdieh’s THE WRATH AND THE DAWN, Laura Ruby’s BONE GAP, Kara Thomas’s THE DARKEST CORNERS, and Jennifer Niven’s ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES.)

In narrative nonfiction, I work on: memoir that transcends the author’s experience to shed light on larger societal or global issues; subject driven-narratives; investigative journalism; “big idea” books written by experts in the areas of psychology, sociology, or cultural history.

(Some recent non-client favorties: Alex Mar’s WITCHES OF AMERICA, Ta-Nehisi Coates’s BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME, Melissa Broder’s SO SAD TODAY, Angela Duckworth’s GRIT.)

I am actively taking on new clients in fiction, YA, and narrative nonfiction, so please reach out if you think we would be a good match. (Instructions for how to submit below).