Sarah Ballard An agent with C&W Literary Agency (see other agents at this agency). About I studied English Language and Literature at Oxford University and Publishing at Oxford Brookes University before starting my publishing career in editorial at Sceptre, Hodder & Stoughton. I was In House Editor at PFD from 2000, working across the agency's client list to develop and support every sort of writing, and particularly with the legendary agent Pat Kavanagh. I began working solely as a literary agent in my own right in 2008 with the creation of United Agents, which I helped to establish, and where I worked for 16 years. I have held the position of Treasurer to the Association of Authors' Agents and been shortlisted for the British Book Awards Agent of the Year.In 2024 I was delighted to be invited to join the team at C&W, and have brought my list of exceptional authors with me. I very much look forward to opening for submissions, once we have all settled in!I have extremely broad taste in fiction and non-fiction, but the underlying quality of the work that I’m interested in is a sense of urgency, and an attempt to make a change in the world, whether that is fiction with a compelling plot or structure overlaying a set of big ideas; memoir-ish non-fiction flavoured with obsession and unfolding a hidden agenda; or meticulously researched history which changes our world view. I have a particular interest in feminism and feminist approaches - but exploring ideas or angles which are completely new to me is one of the great joys of my job. I prefer to work with writers who are aiming to deliver a book every one or two years, and for whom I can add something to every area of their creative lives. This agent may not respond to all queries. After waiting 60 days, assume your submission will not be accepted. Country & Year Established United Kingdom Agent since 2008 Professional Associations Member of AAA AI Policy Unknown AI policy Collapse section Fiction Open Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Adults. Excluding: Children, Young adults.Genres: GeneralLengths: NovelStyles: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 Open Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Adults. Excluding: Children, Young adults.Lengths: BookStyles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream, Personal.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Memoir.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. Go to agent's webpage Report: Submission/Query Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:X (Twitter) @Sarah_R_BallardInstagram @cwagencyukX (Twitter) @cwagencyuk For the Agent: Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope Agent Impersonation Scams are becoming commonplace.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. Sarah Ballard 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: Category: All Categories Fiction Nonfiction Group by submission Include other agents at the same agency Accuracy We have received 1 report within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Pending 1 response is pending (135 days waiting). This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days Other Information The agent will try to make a decision within 60 days. (100.0 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 60 days.) This agent may not respond to all queries. After waiting the time indicated above, assume your submission will not be accepted. Date compiled: 07 Sep 2026 19:20 UTC (less than a minute ago). Work submitted to this agent was also submitted to...This section is available to subscribers only. Sign up and start your free trial today!Members accepted by this agent also had work accepted by...This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today! Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Other Agents at this AgencySusan ArmstrongClare ConvilleEmma FinnCarrie KaniaSophie LambertLucy Luck CLOSEDCatriona PagetRichard Pike CLOSED Before SubmittingWe 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. DatesLast Updated: 13 Aug 2026We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year. Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only