Submission Information and Guidelines
The Seymour Agency is currently open to submissions. Read the information below and contact us in Canton, New York if you have questions.
We strive to represent diverse authors and content that reflects the many communities, cultures, and countries we serve. Being inclusive is our mission.

Our Guidelines
For email queries, a one-page letter will suffice. No attachments, please. All of The Seymour Agency agents prefer email queries and ask that you paste the first five pages of your manuscript into the bottom of your email.
Be sure to include the following details:
A great pitch for your book, 3-5 lines long. This helps us to immediately see what the hook is, as well as what the story is about.
Genre/Target Audience
Word Count
Contact Information and Bio
References (Conference, Recommendation, etc.)
In the interest of protecting the environment, please forward all submissions electronically.
Please query one agent at a time. However, if that agent passes on a project, please feel free to query another Seymour agent.
We make a conscious effort to reply to every query we receive. If you do not receive a request for additional materials within three weeks, you should assume that we are not interested in that particular project.
Please know that our opinion is but one, and another agent may feel differently. We wish you the very best in all of your writing endeavors! Thank you for your interest in The Seymour Agency!
Helpful Advice for Authors Who Are Submitting
First impressions count. Use spellcheck and format your manuscript properly
(1" margins, 12pt font, header with title, page #, author name).
Beware of typos.
Avoid passive writing.
Do your homework. Know your target audience and genre.
Be unique. Every theme/storyline has been done before. What makes your manuscript different?
Edit. Edit. Edit. Make sure your story begins in the right place, that secondary characters don't steal the show, and the tension escalates.
Every agent/editor/reader wants a book they can't stop reading, so be mindful of pacing.
Create characters a reader will care about.
Typing "The End" is only the beginning. Be prepared to promote and market both your book and your brand. For example, blog spots and websites build readership and establish an online presence.
Networking through writing groups and formal organizations (ACFW, RWA, MWA, FWA) can introduce you to new friends, critique partners, and offer resources tailored to your genre.
Develop your craft and don't stop writing. Writers improve with every manuscript, and completing more books increases your odds of achieving publication.
Acquiring Agents

President
Accepts queries in the following genres:
Action/Suspense/Thriller
Cookbooks
Cozies and Amateur Sleuth
Inspirational
Mystery
Romance
Sci-Fi
Fantasy
Women's Fiction
YA/Children's/MG
Vice President and Agent
Julie Gwinn accepts queries in the following genres:
Adult Only
Historical Fiction
Inspirational Fiction and Non-Fiction
Mysteries and Suspense
Romance (Contemporary, Historical, Suspense, Inspirational, and Amish)
Spec Fiction and Fantasy
Women's Fiction
To Query: https://querymanager.com/JulieGwinn


Executive Director and Agent
PB/MG/YA Fiction and Non-Fiction
General Fiction (Contemporary and Upmarket)
Mystery
Speculative Fiction (SFF)
Non-Fiction (Business, Leadership, and Memoir)
Media Rights Manager, Communications Manager, and Agent
Lesley Sabga accepts queries in the following genres:
Fiction, Young Adult, and Adult:
Mysteries (all genres)
Psychological Thrillers and Domestic Suspense
Romance (all genres)
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Women's Fiction


Agent
Tina Wainscott accepts queries in the following genres:
Prescriptive
Self-Help
Spirituality Non-Fiction
To Query: http://QueryMe.Online/TinaWainscottTSA.
Agent
Jennifer Wills accepts queries in the following genres:
Picture Books and Cookbooks
Sci-Fi
Fantasy
Horror/Suspense
Narrative Non-Fiction
Memoir
To Query: https://querymanager.com/query/JenniferWills.


In Adult Non-Fiction:
Self-Help
Relationships and Dating
True Crime
Psychology
Health and Fitness
Parenting and Family
Spirituality/New Age
Memoirs
Motivational/Inspirational
Lifestyle
Celebrity
Pets
Business
You must be an expert in the field and have a platform.
What kind of platform do you need for nonfiction? Are you a celebrity with a story to tell? An expert in the field (doctor, journalist, therapist, CEO, trainer, psychologist, etc.)? Do you have a direct route to the consumer? Are you a social influencer or public speaker? Publishers want to see how your name or brand will draw readers to your book.
Middle-Grade Fiction:
Contemporary
Fantasy
Horror
Humor
Mystery
Children’s Fiction:
Picture Books (Non-Rhyming Preferred)
To Query: https://QueryManager.com/QueryLynnetteNovak
#MSWL: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/lynnette-novak/
**Lynnette is currently closed to all queries with the exception of illustration samples/portfolios and adult nonfiction proposals.
Agent
Lynnette Novak accepts queries in the following genres:
Mysteries (Traditional, Amateur Sleuth, and Cozy)
Psychological Suspense
Thrillers
Contemporary
Fantasy
Horror
Mysteries
Psychological Suspense
Thrillers
Agent
Joyce Sweeney accepts queries in the following genres:
Picture Books (no graphic novels please)
Middle Grade


Agent
Elisa Houot accepts queries in the following genres:
Picture Books (non-rhyming preferred).
Middle Grade Fiction:
Action/Adventure
Mystery
Contemporary
Humor
Magical realism
Fantasy
Young Adult and New Adult:
Romance
Contemporary
Magical Realism
Mystery
Thriller
Fantasy
Adult Fiction:
Cozy Mystery
Thriller
Romance
To query: https://QueryManager.com/ElisaHouot.
Agent
Jonathan Rosen
Jonathan Rosen accepts queries in the following genres:
Fiction:
Young Adult
Mysteries and Thrillers
Sports
Romantic Comedy
Non-Fiction:
Biographies and Memoirs
Pop Culture
Humor
Sports
Journalism.
To Query, please send first five pages to: jonathan@theseymouragency.com


Agent
Cole Lanahan
Cole Lanahan accepts queries in the following genres:
Adult Fiction:
Romance (all genres)
Psychological Suspense
Young Adult Fiction:
All genres
Non-Fiction:
Humor
Business
Self-Help
Lifestyle
Arts and Crafts
To Query: https://querymanager.com/ColeLanahan
Agent
Michael L Joy accepts queries in the following genres:
Adult Fiction:
Crime
Graphic Novels (Script Form)
Mystery
Suspense
Thrillers
Non-Fiction:
Art
Business Self-Help
Music
Pop Culture
True Crime
Graphic Novels
