Dana Newman is a Los Angeles–rooted independent agent who built Dana Newman Literary on a foundation of practical and literary nonfiction and literary/upmarket women's fiction, bringing a lawyer's eye for detail to a list that prizes intelligent, well-crafted prose.
In brief
Dana Newman founded their boutique agency in 2010 after 14 years as General Counsel for an entertainment and lighting equipment company — that legal and entertainment-industry background gives them a sharp eye for contracts and for books with crossover commercial potential.
The wishlist skews strongly literary: the named favorites run from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Jhumpa Lahiri to Wallace Stegner and James Salter — this is an agent who rewards beautiful sentence-level craft, not just high concept.
Nonfiction is equally central to the list and spans an unusually wide range: memoir, science, journalism, sports, cookbooks, travel, crafts/DIY, psychology, and LGBTQ-focused projects are all explicitly welcomed.
Query status is unverified as of April 2026 — confirm the live submission form state before querying, since the snapshot does not carry a confirmed open/closed signal.
Dana Newman Literary is a one-agent boutique, which means direct, personal representation — but also that capacity is finite; a tight, focused pitch that proves literary sensibility will matter more here than at larger shops.
Lately
Dana Newman's named reading favorites span Didion-style personal essays, sprawling immigrant sagas, and character-driven literary novels — a consistent through-line of voice-driven, culturally intelligent writing that rewards close reading.
What Dana is looking for
Dana Newman has a deep affinity for literary fiction that prioritizes voice, interiority, and lasting emotional resonance. The named favorites — including works by Ann Patchett, Jhumpa Lahiri, Jeffrey Eugenides, Nathan Hill, and James Salter — signal a preference for novels that are intellectually ambitious and beautifully written, with a strong sense of place or cultural identity. Think layered narratives with real stakes, not just plot-driven commercial reads.
Upmarket women's fiction that bridges commercial appeal with literary quality sits squarely in Dana Newman's wheelhouse. Projects should have a strong protagonist, emotional depth, and writing that elevates the story beyond genre convention. New Adult is also listed, suggesting openness to younger-skewing literary narratives.
Memoir and narrative-driven nonfiction are core to the list. Dana Newman's admiration for Anne Lamott and Joan Didion signals a taste for essays and memoir with a distinctive, honest, literary voice — not just compelling stories, but compelling writing. Personal narrative that also illuminates something larger about culture or society is especially well-suited here.
Dana Newman explicitly welcomes practical nonfiction across a wide band: cookbooks, crafts and DIY, psychology, sports, and travel are all listed. The Born to Run touchstone suggests a particular appetite for sports narratives that transcend the genre — rigorously reported, with a larger human story embedded in the athletic one. Practical books in these categories should have a clear platform and a distinct authorial voice.
Investigative or narrative journalism, biography, and science writing round out the nonfiction side of the list. Projects with a strong journalistic foundation, authoritative credentials, and writing that makes complex subjects accessible to a general reader are the right fit.
LGBTQ-focused nonfiction is explicitly listed as a category Dana Newman seeks. The framing suggests primarily nonfiction, though the broader fiction categories may encompass LGBTQ narratives as well. Projects should align with the overall literary quality standard of the list.
Historical fiction is listed under the fiction categories Dana Newman accepts. Given the literary-leaning taste profile, historical novels with strong prose and genuine period immersion — rather than primarily plot-driven adventure — are the most likely fit.
Not the right fit
On Dana's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Dana
Use the subject line format exactly as specified: include the word QUERY plus the title of your work — Dana Newman has made this a formal requirement, and deviating from it risks the query being overlooked.
Keep the query letter to a single page. The guidelines are explicit about this length cap — brevity and precision are being tested from the first line.
Your query letter must identify four things: the category of your work, the title, the word count, and a concise project overview. Missing any of these is a structural flaw before the agent has even read your premise.
Include your credentials and any publishing history — even if modest, it's requested, and omitting it when you have relevant background is a missed opportunity.
Lead with voice and literary quality. The named reading favorites — from Didion to Lahiri to Salter — are all known for sentence-level distinction. A query that conveys the music of your prose, not just your plot, speaks directly to Dana Newman's sensibility.
For nonfiction, platform and expertise matter. Given the range of practical nonfiction categories listed, make your authority in the subject immediately clear.
Avoid pitching as a pure genre project (thriller, fantasy, sci-fi) — the fiction categories are framed around literary and upmarket work, not commercial genre conventions.
Confirm the current query status via the live agency website or submission form before sending — the status observed in April 2026 was unverified, and boutique agencies frequently update their availability.