About the Agency

Tessler Literary Agency is a full-service boutique agency formed in 2004 by Michelle Tessler. Based in the Flatiron District in Manhattan, we are dedicated to writers of high quality fiction and non-fiction. Our clients include accomplished journalists, scientists, academics, experts in their field, as well as novelists and debut authors with unique voices and stories to tell. We value fresh, original writing that has a compelling point of view.

Our list is made up of best-selling, award-winning, and emerging authors. It is diverse and far-reaching. In non-fiction, it includes narrative, popular science, memoir, history, psychology, business, biography, food, and travel. In many cases, we sign authors who are especially adept at writing books that cross many of these categories at once. In fiction, we represent literary, women's, and commercial. We do not take on genre fiction or children's books.

We work as our clients' creative and business partner throughout the entire publishing process. Sharp editorial focus is given to authors before their work is submitted, and support is provided along the way, as publishers begin to position the book in the marketplace through catalog copy, jacket designs, and marketing, publicity, and launch strategies.

We handle all domestic, UK, translation, and subsidiary rights for our clients—including film and television, audio, and eformats. With a strong network of co-agents throughout the world, we aggressively promote our authors' work internationally and place our titles with leading foreign publishers. We regularly attend the Frankfurt Book Fair, the London Book Fair, and Book Expo America. Translation rights are sold directly in association with: Andrew Nurnberg Associates in Western and Eastern Europe, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Latin America; Tuttle Mori in Japan; Eric Yang Agency in Korea; the Kayi Agency in Turkey; Read n' Right in Greece; and the Deborah Harris Agency in Israel. We work non-exclusively with a variety of Hollywood-based agents for the placement of film, television and documentary rights.

Before forming the agency, Michelle Tessler worked at William Morris and the prestigious literary agency Carlisle & Company (now Inkwell Management). She also spent seven years working in content and business development in the Internet industry, beginning in 1994 when she was hired by best-selling author James Gleick to help launch The Pipeline. In light of the digital opportunities that are transforming publishing, Michelle's experience in the Internet world is of great benefit to her authors, both as they navigate ebook and audio opportunities, and as they look for creative and effective ways to market their books to niche communities that can be targeted online.

Michelle is a member of AALA (Association of American Literary Agents), and Women's Media Group. She regularly attends writing conferences including The Muse & the Marketplace (GrubStreet), Aspen Words, the Kauai Writers Conference, and the Faulkner Festival. She holds a Master's degree in English Literature.