Founded in 1965, ILA is a specialist literary agency which handles translation rights in general fiction, non-fiction and children's books, selling in all languages throughout the world except English. Our clients include literary agencies and publishing houses in the UK, the USA and Canada.

ILA started out as a partnership between Anthony Gornall and a select few literary agencies in London and New York, for whom ILA provided translation rights representation. The business has evolved over the years, with our client base expanding significantly in the early 2000s, and ILA is now established as London’s leading independent rights team. The agency is a member of the Association of Authors' Agents and adheres to its Code of Practice.

Who we are

Nicki Kennedy

Nicki Kennedy

Nicki joined ILA in 1989 having previously been a Rights Manager at Hodder & Stoughton and then Hamish Hamilton. She is Managing Director of the agency, and sells rights in France, Germany and Spain, working with our co-agents in Tokyo to negotiate Japanese rights.

Jenny Robson

Jenny Robson

Jenny began her career at ILA in 2006 and is a Director of the agency. She handles rights in Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Sweden and The Netherlands. She works with our co-agents selling rights in China, Korea and Taiwan. She currently chairs the Foreign Rights Committee of the Association of Authors' Agents.

Katherine West

Katherine West

Katherine started her career at David Bennett Books, and worked at The British Museum Press and the Orion Publishing Group before joining ILA in 2007. She handles rights in Georgia, Greece, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine and works with our co-agents selling rights in The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Clementine Ahearne

Clementine Ahearne

Clementine Ahearne joined ILA in 2013, after working in the Rights teams at Puffin and Walker Books. She is a Director of the agency and handles rights for our children’s and young adult titles in Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. She works with our co-agents selling rights in China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

Alix Shaw

Alix Shaw

Alix started her career in sales at Faber before joining PRH as a Rights Executive. She joined ILA in February 2022 and is now a Translation Rights Agent handling rights in the Arabic speaking territories, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Romania, Serbia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Elizabeth Guess

Elizabeth Guess

Elizabeth joined the ILA team as the Translation Rights Assistant in June 2021. In November 2022 she was promoted to Children's and YA Rights Executive, supporting Clementine Ahearne and handling rights in the Arabic-speaking countries, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Jack Viney

Jack Viney

Jack joined ILA in January 2020 as Office Assistant. He supports the team working on tax exemption form and contract processing, as well as a host of other tasks that help ensure the smooth running of the office.

Shemaiah Rose

Shemaiah Rose

Shemaiah joined the ILA team as Contracts and Royalties Assistant in July 2023.

Clients

Bell Lomax Moreton Agency

Founded in 2000, Bell Lomax Moreton represents a wide range of distinguished authors and illustrators, writing and illustrating adult fiction, non-fiction and children’s books.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Clare Hulton Literary Agency

Clare Hulton Literary Agency is a young, creative, commercial and successful London-based agency.

ILA represents all translation rights.

CookeMcDermid

CookeMcDermid was founded in 2017 when two preeminent literary agencies, The Cooke Agency and The McDermid Agency, amalgamated, combining nearly 50 years of experience.

ILA represents translation rights in all children's and young adult titles from CookeMcDermid's catalogue.

Harold Matson Co.

Established in 1937, Harold Matson Co. was one of the founding partners of ILA. The New York based agency represents fiction and non-fiction including a number of high profile estates.

ILA represents all translation rights.

hhb agency

hhb agency ltd was founded in 2005 by Heather Holden-Brown, the agency represents writers of non-fiction and commercial fiction.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Jane Conway-Gordon Ltd

Founded in 1982, Jane Conway-Gordon Ltd handles mostly adult fiction with a specialism in the crime writing genre.

ILA represents all translation rights except German.

Julia Kingsford Ltd

Julia Kingsford Ltd is a boutique literary agency founded in 2021 by Julia Kingsford following her departure from Kingsford Campbell Ltd, the agency she set up in 2014 with Charlie Campbell. She represents adult fiction and non-fiction as well as a small amount of YA and MG fiction.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Kate Barker Literary, TV & Film Agency

Kate Barker Literary, TV & Film Agency is a boutique London-based agency representing writers of fiction and non-fiction. It works creatively with its authors and is actively looking for new writers.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Knights Of

KNIGHTS OF is a multi award-winning inclusive publisher focused on bringing underrepresented voices to the forefront of commercial children’s publishing. With a team led by women of colour, and an unwavering focus on their intended readership for each book, Knights Of works to engage with gatekeepers across the industry, including booksellers, teachers and librarians, and supports non-traditional community spaces with events, outreach, marketing and partnerships.

ILA represents all translation rights.

LaunchBooks Literary Agency

LaunchBooks is based in San Diego, CA. Founder David Fugate represents a wide range of authors writing genre-breaking fiction and trade non-fiction.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Luigi Bonomi Associates

LBA was established by Luigi Bonomi and Amanda Preston in March 2005. The agency represents a wide variety of best-selling and prize-winning authors, journalists and writers.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Miles Stott Children’s Literary Agency Ltd

Founded in 2003 by Nancy Miles, MSCLA is a specialist children’s agency handling baby books, picture books, novelty books, fiction and non-fiction for middle grade and young adult readers.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Old Street Publishing

Founded in 2006, Old Street is an independent British publisher with a small but eclectic list ranging from literary fiction to commercial non-fiction, with the odd – very odd – gift or 'humour' book thrown in.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Pickled Ink

Pickled Ink is a boutique London-based literary and illustration agency, with a client base across advertising, design and publishing sectors.

ILA represent all translation rights.

Robertson Murray Literary Agency

Robertson Murray is a dynamic and growing literary agency with extensive experience in both book publishing and talent management for TV, film and radio, public speaking and more. The agency was founded by Charlotte Robertson and Hilary Murray.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Skylark Literary

Skylark Literary is a specialist Children's & YA literary agency and creative consultancy founded in 2014 by Amber Caraveo and Joanna Moult.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Stimola Literary Studio

Founded in 1997, Rosemary Stimola's agency handles children's books (pre-school through young adult) fiction and non-fiction. The Stimola Literary Studio specialises in picture books, middle/young adult novels.

ILA represents all translation rights except German.

The Agency

Hilary Delamere and Jessica Hare at The Agency represent a range of children's authors and illustrators, both new and established, and handle their publishing and related media rights.

ILA represents rights on behalf of their clients in all languages except for Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.

The Good Literary Agency

The Good Literary Agency is a social enterprise literary agency, working to increase opportunities especially for writers of colour, disability, working class, LGBTQ+ and anyone who feels their story is not being told in the mainstream.

ILA represents all translation rights.

The Hamilton Agency

The Hamilton Agency is a literary agency based in Holland Park in London. It was founded March 2019 by Matthew Hamilton, who was an agent with Aitken Alexander Associates for over twelve years. Previously he was a Publishing Director and Board member at Bloomsbury, and Editorial Director at 4th Estate.

ILA represents all translation rights.

The Hanbury Agency

Founded in 1983, The Hanbury Agency has consistently represented remarkable writers. The agency is dedicated, forward-thinking, delivers a personal service and represents its clients worldwide.

ILA represents all translation rights.

The Shaw Agency

After eighteen years as a literary agent at Aitken Alexander Associates and The Viney Agency, Kate Shaw founded The Shaw Agency in 2019, a boutique literary agency proudly representing brilliant writers.

ILA represents all translation rights.

The Soho Agency

The Soho Agency is a successful and creative London-based agency representing a roster of clients which includes internationally best-selling authors, award-winning on-screen talent, high-profile speakers, leading illustrators, IP creators and major brands.

ILA represents all translation rights.

The Turnbull Agency

The Turnbull Agency was set up by Janet Turnbull Irving to manage John Irving's literary rights.

ILA represents all translation rights.

The Viney Agency

The Viney Agency was established by Charlie Viney in 2008 and represents a diverse range of children’s, adult fiction and non-fiction authors writing across a wide range of subjects.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Valerie Hoskins Associates

<p>Valerie Hoskins Associates was founded in 1983 and has since grown into an internationally respected agency for some of the best writers in the UK.</p>

Zibby Books

Zibby Books was founded by podcaster, author, publisher and media personality Zibby Owens. Zibby aims to help authors have the best publishing experience ever, and to bring readers stories that will make them think and feel...and maybe even change their lives. Their books have four characteristics: a strong sense of voice, a strong sense of place, propulsive narratives, and beautiful writing.

ILA represents all translation rights.

Please do not send us unsolicited submissions

Because we’re a specialist translation rights team, we cannot offer representation to authors directly. If you are seeking an agent for your book, please visit our clients’ websites, where you can find out more about what they are looking for, and how to submit to them. Also please note: we do not offer rights to any English-language publishers. Please do not send us submission queries, or any writing samples. We will not acknowledge receipt of any such messages, attachments, or physical materials sent via the post which we will immediately delete or dispose of securely, as a matter of policy.

Co-Agents

CZECH REPUBLIC, SLOVAKIA & SLOVENIA
Andrew Nurnberg Assoc. (PRAGUE)
MAINLAND CHINA & TAIWAN
Big Apple Agency (TAIPEI & SHANGHAI)
Grayhawk Agency (TAIPEI & SHANGHAI)
JAPAN
English Agency (TOKYO)
Japan Uni Agency (TOKYO)
Tuttle-Mori Agency (TOKYO)
KOREA
Eric Yang Agency (SEOUL)
Shinwon Agency (SEOUL)

Contact Us

Visiting address:
10 Waterloo Court
Theed Street
London SE1 8ST

Registered in England and Wales. Company registration number: 6929465
Registered office: Kings Parade, Lower Coombe Street, Croydon CR10 1AA.

VAT registration number: 627 8506 18

ila@ila-agency.co.uk

+44 (0)20 7379 6611