Publishing Trends: Q&A with Literary Agent Erin Harris—and What’s On Her Wishlist

What’s really happening in publishing right now—and what do agents wish more writers knew?

At The Novelry, we recently welcomed Erin Harris, Senior Vice President of Folio Literary Management, to a live writing class for our members. Folio is one of Manhattan’s leading full-service literary agencies, representing names like Dolly Parton, Jenny Han, Lois Lowry, Layla F. Saad, Julie Murphy, Dr. Nicole LePera, and many more. Erin herself champions books that make us think and feel in equal measure—stories with heart, intelligence, and irresistible page-turning power.

In an eye-opening session, Erin shared her take on the shifting landscape of publishing, the art of agenting, and what it really takes to capture an agent’s attention.

In this article, you’ll discover:

• Erin’s manuscript wishlist
• Which genres are thriving in today’s market
• The novel she wishes she’d signed
• The overlooked details in query letters that make a big difference
• Her top tips for writers
• And why she loves collaborating with The Novelry

Get ready for sharp insights, candid advice, and a peek behind the curtain of literary agent life. Over to Erin!

A literary agent Q&A with Erin Harris

What’s on your current manuscript wishlist?

This is such a fun question! There are two categories of books that I’m on the hunt for right now:

Wishlist category 1

I would love to find a heart-warming, thought-provoking, and page-turning novel for book club readers that is set in our real world but that also contains a grounded speculative element.

Some recently published titles that I did not represent but that illustrate this type of book are:

My Murder by Katie Williams, a darkly comedic thriller in which a woman is murdered, resurrected, and tasked with solving her own murder case.

The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick, in which people can cure their heartache by choosing to sleep through it.

Florence Knapp’s The Names, in which the same person is given three different first names in three alternate versions of reality—and has three different lives as a result.

Wishlist category 2

I would love to find a novel for book club readers in which various genres are mixed and matched to delightful and surprising effect. 

For example, a co-mingling of horror and historical, as in Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Bewitching.

Or, a project akin to Mona Awad’s Rouge, which engages with a variety of genres from mystery to social commentary to horror to a fairytale retelling.

What’s currently selling well in the publishing industry?

Romance and romantasy are certainly having a moment right now, and it’s thrilling to see new and existing readers excited about books. Though these are not categories I typically work in, I’m very energized by another popular trend: that of the genre mash-up. Many recent novels embrace genre-pastiche, combining genres in fresh and creative permutations. What I love about this trend is that it creates space for creativity, invention, and freshness.

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Which genres are finding it a little tricky to get book deals with publishers at the moment?

I think anything that feels derivative is challenging to sell right now. Above all, I think readers are looking to feel surprised, transported, and of course entertained by what they encounter in a book’s pages. A writer can, of course, work with material that feels familiar, but I think the key is to find a novel way of shaping it.

Is there a published novel you wish you’d represented?

I’m nearly finished reading Karen Russell’s The Antidote, which offers up a brilliant alchemy of literary prose, propulsive storytelling, magic, and insightful social commentary on climate change, oppression, and erased histories. I love it, and I absolutely wished I’d represented this one.

What mistakes do you see in query letters from writers to prospective agents?  

Lately, the query letters I’m reading have been very promising! But some common missteps include:

• Including an overly long or convoluted synopsis of the plot within the query letter itself. Ideally, you want your query letter to tell the reader enough about the manuscript that they understand what it is, but not so much that they feel you’ve spoiled what happens and there isn’t a need to read the manuscript to find out.
• Approaching an agent in a manner that is overly familiar or with a tone that isn’t professional.
• Reaching out to an agent that doesn’t represent the genre of book you’re pitching.

Why do you like working with The Novelry?

I love collaborating with organizations that support writers holistically. The Novelry helps writers to:

• Hone their craft
• Usher manuscripts over the finish line
• Build community
• Understand the business of publishing
• Connect with publishing professionals

This kind of 360-degree care is rare and invaluable. I want to support it!

What’s your top tip for authors preparing to query literary agents?

My number-one top tip for writers who are preparing to query is to carefully research the agents to whom they intend to submit and only submit work to agents they believe would be good partners.

My second tip (I couldn’t limit myself to one) is that writers should only query widely once they feel their manuscript is ready for prime time.

Erin describes the submissions process

A final note from Erin for the writing community

I’m seeking books, especially in the realm of adult fiction, that accomplish several aims simultaneously. I want the fiction I represent to entertain, spark conversation, and promote empathy. I want to represent books that are fun to read but also put something positive into our world, causing readers to think more deeply about, say, historically marginalized perspectives or erased histories or moral/existential questions.

Our thanks go to Erin for joining us in a live session and spending time with our writers, and for offering these essential literary agency insights for all of our readers.

If you’d like to join us for our next live session with a professional from the publishing industry just like Erin—including other literary agents, bestselling authors, editors from major publishing houses, and more—sign up to write with us at The Novelry, where you’ll find classes, coaching, and community to help you get started and type all the way to ‘The End’ with a world-class novel writing school.

Welcome home, writers.