Top 10 Literary Agencies in India (Including a Sub-Literary Agency That Helps You Get a Deal)
- sehar rollingauthors
- Nov 13
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 19
A literary agency acts as an intermediary between a writer and a publisher. The literary agency assesses the manuscript, negotiates a contract, sells rights (including foreign rights and adaptation rights), and sometimes helps authors get their manuscript publication-ready. In India’s fast-evolving publishing ecosystem, agencies play a crucial role for both emerging voices and established authors.
Table of Contents
Top Literary Agencies in India
Rolling Authors: Your Partner to Get a Deal
Red Ink Literary & Film Agency
Siyahi Literary Consultancy
Writer’s Side
Jacaranda Literary Agency
Sherna Khambatta Literary Agency
Lotus Lane Literary Agency
Labyrinth Literary Agency
Osian’s Literary Agency
First Forays Literary Agency
How to Select a Suitable Agent in India
1. Experience within your genre (literary fiction, commercial fiction, non-fiction, narrative, books for children, etc.).
2. Clear submission guidelines.
3. Track record of sale of rights, international deals, and translation deals.
4. Understandable terms in contracts (royalties, advances and subsidiary rights).
5. Responsiveness, involvement, and the level of editorial feedback they provide.
Top Literary Agencies in India
1. Rolling Authors: Your Partner to Get a Deal (Sub-Literary Agency)
At Rolling Authors, they provide sub-literary agency support—assisting writers in giving their manuscripts an elegant narrative appeal while ensuring compelling, professional proposal presentations for submission to well-established agencies, including some listed below.
They don’t step into the role of an agency themselves; instead, they make sure each submission aligns with the guidelines of the targeted agency (form, voice, tone, and overall professionalism), increasing the writer’s odds of being selected.
Think of them as an “agent prep team”—for authors who want to move ahead with their pitch to an esteemed agency, Rolling Authors helps them get there. www.rollingauthors.com
2. Red Ink Literary & Film Agency
Founded as part of the storied Bahrisons Bookstore (in New Delhi); one of the oldest agencies in the country.
Focuses on literary fiction and narrative non-fiction from the Indian subcontinent; works with local and international publishers.
Translation program to acquire or bring international bestsellers into Indian languages; mostly develops projects with big publishers in India.
3. Siyahi Literary Consultancy
Founded in 2007 by Mita Kapur; one of the most trusted agencies/consultancy in India.
Offers manuscript editing and feedback; helps authors from submission to marketing; has strong rights and translation deals to get translated globally.
4. Writer's Side
Founded by Kanishka Gupta in 2010.
They represent over 1,000 writers in a variety of genres and are known for fair practices, reading fees or charges, and clear, transparent contracts.
5. Jacaranda Literary Agency
Operates in Singapore, but possesses strong connections to the Indian publishing industry. Literary agents working with Jacaranda include Jayapriya Vasudevan, etc. (Jacaranda represents Indian voices and builds regional relationships with agents.)
6. Sherna Khambatta Literary Agency
Focusing on both fiction and non-fiction, they represent authors from India and abroad.
7. Lotus Lane Literary Agency
An emerging agency and a small-scale practice, but always discussed for close editorial assistance or support.
8. Labyrinth Literary Agency
Labyrinth is well-known within writer communities, and is considered very selective, and focused on specific genres; It operates regionally.
9. Osian’s Literary Agency
Osian’s Literary Agency was established by Osian’s Connoisseurs of Art and Neville Tuli, with Renuka Chatterjee spearheading their publishing efforts. Osian’s Literary Agency often worked with authors known for notable or quality fiction and narrative non fiction. It helped to produce a semi-mainstream publishing list at a time when Indian literary representation was very much in its infancy.
10. First Forays Literary Agency
A newer agency and one of Hachette India’s agency partners; First Forays supports authors by providing manuscript evaluations and sub-agency support for proposals and submissions.
Key Takeaways
There are many great literary agencies in India; so it's important to know their areas of strength and submission guidelines.
Literary fiction and narrative non-fiction are strong genres for many of these agencies.
Many agencies (Red Ink, Siyahi, Writer’s Side) specialize in just about everything—rights, translations, international publishers, etc.
Polished manuscript + solid proposal = significant increased odds.
Rolling Authors helps to bridge the gap between author and agent deal by refining work + proposals.
Expert Insights
“An agent is looking at the submission not only in terms of story but how to market it—voice, genre, and international appeal, are often tipping points.”
— Editorial Lead, Rolling Authors
"Terms of transparency matter. If an agency isn't charging a reading fee, authors should see how rights/royalties are handled."
— Publishing Consultant, India
Examples & Case Studies
Writer's Side & Avni Doshi: Burnt Sugar (also known as Girl in White Cotton) was a finalist for the Booker Prize in 2020. Writer's Side represented her in South Asia.
Red Ink & Translation Program: Red Ink has supported titles for translation into Indian language versions, including bestsellers by James Patterson.
Siyahi Workshops & Retreats: Siyahi is an agency with various writer's retreats for authors to get more information on craft, refine or workshop manuscripts, and network with industry insiders.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q1. Do agencies in India charge to read or represent a manuscript?
Most at the top level, such as Writer's Side, Red Ink, or Siyahi, do not typically charge initial reading of the manuscript for representation based on merit.
Q2. Can authors submit in a regional Indian language?
Yes—both Red Ink and Siyahi work with vernacular and translation rights; they both work with sub-agents in other countries as appropriate.
Q3. How important is international/translation appeal?
Very important. If you have an agency that can sell your translation or foreign rights, it means additional exposure, revenue differential, and earning potential for authors. Agents with translation capabilities have value.
Q4. How long does it usually take before hearing back from an agency?
There is a very wide spectrum: weeks or months. Many agencies are inundated with submissions and will only respond when interested.
Q5. What can I do in advance of submitting that might help with the overall acceptance process?
The first step isn’t to submit your manuscript—it’s to complete it. Most literary agencies don’t ask for the full book upfront. Instead, they typically want a query letter, a synopsis, and in some cases the first three chapters. The full manuscript is only sent if an agent specifically requests it after reviewing your initial materials.
Before you contact agents, it's beneficial to make sure your manuscript is polished, your synopsis is taut, and your query is strong. Many writers opt to use trustworthy editorial or author-support businesses—such as reputable teams like Rolling Authors—to prepare these components, but it is entirely your choice.
At Rolling Authors, we believe all authors should have an opportunity to be represented by one of these agencies. As a sub-literary agency we help you with pulling your manuscript together, pitching, and the standards we know Red Ink, Siyahi, or Writer's Side would be looking for.
Are you ready to give your manuscript the best chance at landing a literary deal?
Visit www.rollingauthors.com and let’s get your work agency-ready.
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