Jessica Woollard
I have been a literary agent for thirty years, beginning my career at Toby Eady Associates when China was his main focus. I worked first for Alexandra Pringle then went on to become a Director before leaving ten years later for The Marsh Agency. I joined DHA in January 2016 on returning from Mumbai where I had been living and working as an agent remotely for five years.
I represent a diverse range of narrative non-fiction and have always been attracted to memoir, (I was the agent for H is for Hawk). Working with books that change the way we see the world or can deftly interweave multiple strands – Underland, Entangled Life, Pathogenesis to name a few – is incredibly exciting to me. I represent academics, activists, artists, scientists and journalists including Rob Cowen, Nick Hayes, Jay Griffiths, Lucy Jones, Jonathan Kennedy, Julia Lovell, Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris and Merlin Sheldrake.
I also represent some literary fiction – the way we relate to land often plays a key role here – and international literary fiction with a particular focus on South East Asia, Japan and Africa. Authors include Stanley Donwood, Benjamin Myers, Lola Shoneyin, Tan Twan Eng and the estate of Taichi Yamada.
Authors I work with have gone on to win or be shortlisted for major prizes including the Booker, Baillie Gifford, Boardman Tasker, Children’s Book of the Year at the British Book Awards, Costa, Cundhill History Prize, Guardian First Book Award, National Book Award, Waterstones Book of the Year, Wainwright, Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year, Somerset Maugham, Dolman and Greenaway.
I am assisted by Esme Bright. Please send requests and submissions to both myself and esmebright@davidhigham.co.uk.
Narrative non fiction, it’s all about the writing. Science, natural history, landscape, anthropology, history, politics and philosophy, gender, health, myth and the way these subjects impact on our daily lives; awake, environmentally aware writing.
Internationally relevant literary fiction. I like character led, relatable, warm, life affirming (but also dark) work that leaves a lasting impression on the imagination.
I love Hisham Matar’s My Friends, for his ability to talk so directly to the reader from the first line, its graceful sentences, powerful subject, humanity and ease of touch. And Ali Smith’s How to Be Both for the intensity of her engagement with literature and art, her humour, passion and profound depth of intellect.
Narrative non fiction, it’s all about the writing. Science, natural history, landscape, anthropology, history, politics and philosophy, gender, health, myth and the way these subjects impact on our daily lives; awake, environmentally aware writing.
Internationally relevant literary fiction. I like character led, relatable, warm, life affirming (but also dark) work that leaves a lasting impression on the imagination.
I love Hisham Matar’s My Friends, for his ability to talk so directly to the reader from the first line, its graceful sentences, powerful subject, humanity and ease of touch. And Ali Smith’s How to Be Both for the intensity of her engagement with literature and art, her humour, passion and profound depth of intellect.
