Illinois

Illinois' literary agent community is centered on Chicago, which has built a respected publishing and literary infrastructure of its own, distinct from the coasts.

Chicago-based agents often work across general fiction and nonfiction, and the city's strong journalism and academic institutions give some agencies a notable nonfiction and narrative journalism specialty. As the Midwest's largest publishing hub, Chicago serves as a natural gathering point for regional writers, and its agents maintain active relationships with both New York publishers and the city's own respected independent presses.