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Rob McQuilkin

An agent with Massie McQuilkin & Altman Literary Agents (see other agents at this agency).

About

A graduate of Phillips Academy and Columbia University, ROB McQUILKIN (partner) started out in publishing at Warner Books (now known as Grand Central Publishing), where he acquired the paperback rights to books including Primary Colors, by Anonymous (Joe Klein). He left Warner Books for Anchor Books/Doubleday, where, as Editor, he acquired books by and/or worked closely with writers including Anita Hill (Speaking Truth to Power), Phillip Lopate (Totally, Tenderly, Tragically), and Lois Gould (Mommy Dressing), also acquiring the paperback rights to bestsellers such as Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air. Rob cut his teeth as an agent while working with Ike Williams and Jill Kneerim at The Palmer & Dodge Agency (now known as Kneerim & Williams), before leaving to start his own agency. Representing clients who have won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and le Prix Medicis, among other major awards and prizes, Rob specializes in fiction, memoir, history, cultural criticism, and poetry.

This agent may not respond to all queries. After waiting 42 days, assume your submission will not be accepted.

Country

United States

AI Policy

Unknown AI policy

Statistics Synopsis

Faster
Rob McQuilkin's overall average response time is faster than most agents.

Collapse section Fiction Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Adults.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Novel

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.

Collapse section Nonfiction Temp Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Adults.

Lengths:

Book

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Critical, Literary, Mainstream, Personal.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
History: General, Art history, Biographies.
Memoir.
Society/Culture.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

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A legitimate agent will not contact you and request money to represent you. Never pay an agent an up-front fee. That is not how literary agent representation works. Agents earn a commission only after they've landed a publishing deal for you. Also, agents scarcely ever contact writers. If an agent that you haven't queried contacts you about representation, be suspicious. Look up the agent and check if the email address is correct for that agent/agency.

Rob McQuilkin Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the agency or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

Filter:
Accuracy
We have received 3 reports from 3 different members within the past 12 months. The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
14 min | 18.3 mean avg | 18.0 median | 23 max days (4.5 std dev)

Other Information

The agent will try to make a decision within 42 days.
This agent may not respond to all queries. After waiting the time indicated above, assume your submission will not be accepted.
Most recent response reported was received on 08 Jun 2026.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 21 May 2026.
Date compiled: 05 Sep 2026 23:14 UTC (less than a minute ago).

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Your Submissions

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Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the agent or agency being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the agent/agency meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the agency/agent.
  • Unless the agency's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • For agency submissions, it is standard to submit a query letter and sample instead of the full manuscript. Do this unless otherwise instructed.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 03 Aug 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.

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