Literary agent

A literary agent represents authors to publishers — finding promising writers, shaping and pitching manuscripts, negotiating deals, and managing rights, royalties, and an author's career over time. The role lives on industry relationships and market judgement: knowing which editors want what, and what a book can become.

Much of the work is reading, advising, and dealmaking, balancing advocacy for authors with commercial realities. AI can help triage queries, but the relationship-driven negotiation and taste at the heart of the role resist automation.