I’m *so* excited to be continuing the Agent Series! These interviews spotlight agents who’ve typically been in their roles for less than a year. That’s because newer agents have a bit more bandwidth, are actively looking for clients, and can help grow your career while they grow theirs. One day, I’m hoping I’ll be able to say a talented creator found their champion because of Keep Writing Kidlit! (And then, of course, I’ll interview them about it!) This week, I’m speaking with Natalie Sun, junior agent at HG Literary. Though she’s been building her list for just over six and a half months, she’s been training a lot longer. Natalie does accept text-only picture book manuscripts (Hooray!), but she is selective about them. We discuss her journey in kidlit, the particulars of her wish list, and a game she loves to play.

Let’s meet Natalie!

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NATALIE SUN (she/her) grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia reading as many fantastical adventures as she could get her hands on. After a myriad of publishing internships and graduating from New York University with a major in English and a minor in psychology, she joined HG Literary to assist Carrie Hannigan (partner and literary agent, the H in HG). She’s worked with many of the agency’s clients across a number of genres and is now building her own list.

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Q: HELLO, NATALIE! WELCOME TO KEEP WRITING KIDLIT. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A LITERARY AGENT?

Hi, Megan! Thanks for having me. My main reason for becoming an agent is I love the idea of helping authors achieve their dreams. Initially, I only knew I wanted to work in books, but after a few different internships at agencies and publishers, I realized that agenting is where my heart lies. I love being involved in a writer’s career, their creative process, and being entirely in their corner. Helping clients edit their story and eventually matching them with an editor who understands it is one of my favorite processes and never loses its novelty.

Q: HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THIS ROLE? WHAT TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP DID YOU HAVE?

I joined HG Literary as an assistant to Carrie Hannigan, and she and my colleagues taught me everything I know. I spent about a year assisting without looking for my own projects, and in the process, I learned how to be an agent for her clients, such as editing, creating submission lists and pitch letters, and negotiating deals with the best terms for our authors.

When I felt comfortable enough to take a step further into agenting, I worked with two other agents and was in charge of their query inboxes for a while (since Carrie is no longer open to queries). This taught me that initial process of finding the stories we want to develop and learning how to work with an author in a manner that works for them. I soon opened to queries myself in January 2026, and even as I’ve begun to take on clients, my colleagues have helped me read the manuscripts I’ve been interested in, build my submission lists, suggest editors they know, and provide all kinds of advice. For anyone signing with a newer agent who’s worried about their credibility, ask about their agency’s support system and what ways the company is invested in their success!

Q: HOW ARE YOU BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH EDITORS?

During my time as an assistant, I spent a lot of time getting to know the other editorial assistants that my colleagues worked with and look forward to growing with them as we move into acquiring together. Our agency has a huge database of all editors that any of us know or meet with, which has been incredibly helpful for narrowing down those who share my interests. I am always trying to meet with new editors to expand my network and do that every chance I get. Many publishers have mixers and parties, which is great for meeting new editors as well.

Q: WHAT SETS HG LITERARY APART FROM OTHER AGENCIES?

HG Literary is a place where every single person is invested in an author’s success. What sets us most apart is that we will often co-agent projects with each other if an author writes in a genre that better suits another agent here. For example, if an adult agent signs a client who writes a picture book later on, a kidlit agent will take the reins and champion that project through. We don’t want our clients to ever feel boxed in to what they were signed for so we say that if you sign with one agent at HG, you’re signing with all of us!

Another strategy that distinguishes us – If we have a picture book text writer, we’ll sometimes pair them with another kidlit agent’s illustrator whose style is a match for the story before going on submission. This can help editors better visualize the story and can tip the scales for publishers. It’s resulted in multiple deals for our creators.

We also have dedicated contracts and foreign rights departments, so the literary representation we provide is incredibly robust and no matter what kind of deal an author is offered, they will always have the best possible terms we can get them as a company.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR YOUR FIRST YEAR OF AGENTING? DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF CLIENTS YOU WANT TO SIGN?

Publishing is a very slow-moving industry, so I want to make sure I am not taking on too much too fast. While I’m eager to jump into this next chapter in my career, I want to be thoughtful and considerate and ensure none of my clients end up waiting for me to figure out what I’m doing. There is so much foundation I need to build for myself, such as growing my editor database, and once I’ve established it, I’ll be better equipped to move quicker with future clients. There’s no specific number I have in mind because I don’t want to scramble to meet that number and take on clients I’m not the right fit for, nor would I want to pass on a really good story just because I’ve already hit a self-imposed limit.

Q: HAVE YOU SIGNED YOUR FIRST CLIENT YET? IF SO, HOW DID YOU FIND THEM? WAS IT FROM THE SLUSH PILE? A REFERRAL? OR ANOTHER WAY?

I have! I’ve signed two so far, actually – one romance and one fantasy, both adult. They both came my way via Query Manager. I’d love to find a kidlit creator next!

Q: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE WAY YOU WORK. ARE YOU EDITORIAL? DO YOU LIKE TO HELP CHOOSE A WRITER’S NEXT PROJECT? HOW DO YOU PREFER TO COMMUNICATE?

I am a very editorial agent and love to help develop my clients’ projects with them. As an agency, we provide an average of two to three rounds of edits for our authors, though this can vary.

When it comes to a client’s next project, I want them to work on what they feel most passionately about, though usually I request to be kept in the loop so I can provide guidance, if needed. I’m happy to look at pitches, drafts, or whatever the writer has come up with. Sometimes, a story isn’t working or can’t be sold in the current market, and I never want a client to put in months of time and effort only to be told that I can’t do anything with it.

My personal preference for communication, particularly for feedback, is Zoom. This can be a mentally taxing industry, and I find that the care and compassion I have for my authors is best articulated when they can see my face. Of course, some authors prefer email because they like to be able to refer back to my notes. When it comes to updates or questions, I will usually stick to email.

Q: THIS BLOG IS MOSTLY GEARED TOWARD PB WRITERS. WHAT ARE A FEW OF YOUR CURRENT FAVORITE PICTURE BOOKS? WHY?

BIG by Vashti Harrison: This is the story that made me realize how much I adore books that can make you cry, but not necessarily out of grief. It’s such a beautiful and important book that I hope can provide comfort to any child who has ever been told they’re too big. Harrison also has such a beautiful art style, and I wish I could give the girl in the book a hug.

WAITING FOR WINGS by Lois Ehlert: This was my favorite picture book as a kid. I love how vibrant the illustrations are, how the format is used to tell the story, and how simply the life cycle of a butterfly is explained.

POKKO AND THE DRUM by Matthew Forsythe: It’s such a beautiful and fun book about persistence, taking space, and creating something wondrous when you do draw attention to yourself. It’s one of those books where the message comes after the story, but is no less meaningful.

Q: I NOTICED YOUR FAVORITES ARE ALL BY AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATORS. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR MSWL? DO YOU LEAN TOWARD AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATORS? ARE YOU OPEN TO TEXT-ONLY PICTURE BOOK AUTHORS?

It’s a total coincidence that my favorites are all by author-illustrators. There are other picture books I love that aren’t, such as NAVIGATING NIGHT by Julie Leung and Angie Kang. So no, I don’t necessarily lean toward one or the other!

As for my MSWL, I am looking for all kinds of fiction from authors and author/illustrators. I specialize in fantasy, and in that category, my favorite topics are found family, original magic systems (particularly those that utilize aspects from underrepresented cultures), complex dynamics, retellings (especially fairytales and Greek mythology), and romance. I’m a sucker for any well-executed trope and animal companions. Any book that can make me cry will absolutely hook me!

For kidlit specifically, I want humor in middle grade and heart in picture books. Any story that can amuse or hook kids while teaching them something important about themselves or the world is one I’m interested in. Stories come first for me; I don’t want books that overtly try to get a message across. That’s not why kids are reading, after all. And I’m very open to text-only authors, but I’m actually very selective about picture books in general.

Q: CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY? DO YOU EVER SEE THAT CHANGING?

Throughout my career thus far, I’ve ironically found it much easier to hold all the moving parts of a novel in my head than a picture book, which is so much harder to craft than most people think! It really has to make me feel that spark of relatability and importance for me to want to take it on. It’s such an art to capture that picture book voice, and if an author doesn’t already naturally have it, it’s not my strength to help them develop it.

This may change down the line when I gain more experience. It also ties in to how I feel about rhyme. If an author is skilled at it, I’m more than happy to read rhyme, but often I notice the book is hostage to rhyme and I’d rather read the story without it.

Q: WOULD YOU BE MORE LIKELY TO SIGN CLIENTS WHO WRITE IN MUTIPLE GENRES?

Not necessarily! I would never shy away from a client who is interested in writing multiple genres, but my job is to help authors meet their goals, so whether that’s sticking in one genre that works for them or branching out, I’m here to support them.

Q: IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE IN YOUR QUERY INBOX? WHAT’S NOT A FIT FOR YOUR LIST?

I’m not the best fit for religious books, literary fiction, nonfiction, horror, novels-in-verse, or graphic novels. I’m just not as interested in those genres and wouldn’t be able to champion them in the way the writer deserves!

Q: LET’S TALK PERSONALIZATION. DO YOU WANT TO SEE IT IN A QUERY? IF SO, CAN YOU SHARE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF PERSONALIZATION?

Personalization does not make or break a query letter for me. It never hurts and I do like to know there is a reason the author is choosing to query me, but that’s something I can always tell in the contents of the query letter or sample pages! For example, if there is no personalization, but it’s a funny middle grade fantasy, I’ll be able to tell the writer read my wish list. Alternatively, a query for a nonfiction novel-in-verse is not going to make me want to sign the author no matter how highly personalized it is.

I know this is a business and I am not going to be the only agent an author reaches out to, so I would never expect a gushing query about why I am the only possible agent for someone. A good example of personalization can be something as simple as: “I read that you enjoy found family in your wish list, which my book has.” Anything along those lines. Or if one of my fun facts is relatable, such as: “I also survived NYU.” The only thing I absolutely *DO* want to see is my name at the top – it’s a professional courtesy and if you’ve gotten to the point where you are submitting to me, then my name is certainly somewhere on my wish list, query form, etc.

Q: WHAT’S YOUR STRATEGY FOR GOING THROUGH YOUR QUERY INBOX? DO YOU GO IN THE ORDER RECEIVED? DO YOU JUMP AROUND? DO YOU HAVE A “MAYBE” PILE FOR WORK THAT WARRANTS FURTHER CONSIDERATION?

I go in the order received, which I feel is the fairest. When I read a query and pages I’m interested in, I will usually request immediately. Occasionally, I’ll have something in my “maybe” pile, but I get so many queries and there are countless other books out there where I do feel that instant connection, so if I’m waffling, I’m probably not the right agent for it. If it is in my maybe pile, I will usually sleep on it and see if I still feel excited about it after a few days.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME WAYS WE CAN GET TO KNOW YOU OR INTERACT WITH YOU? WILL YOU BE AT ANY UPCOMING CONFERENCES? ARE YOU ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

I’m not active on social media in an agent capacity as of now, but I do pop on the HG Literary Instagram occasionally at @hgliterary.

I also try to appear at conferences when I can! Keep your eyes peeled for me at SCBWI (I was just there in June), and I participate in pitch events, most recently for Philadelphia Stories in June.

Q: WHAT’S A FUN FACT ABOUT YOU?

I’m on level 21,741 on Candy Crush.

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THOSE OF US IN THE QUERY TRENCHES?

Never compare yourself to other writers or feel bad if people around you are getting signed. Some authors miraculously get their agent after 10 queries, and others after 500. It’s possible you just haven’t queried the right agent yet and it’s really important to take your time finding that person who is the best match for you! I’ve read so many queries that were amazing, but just not the kind of book I could successfully represent. Always keep going and honing your craft. The right project will meet the right agent.

I’ve enjoyed doing these interviews for so many reasons, but one of them is learning about each agent’s agency as a whole. It can be hard to research an entire agency, especially if you’re newer to querying and just beginning to explore your options. And so, it’s been enlightening to hear the things an agent loves about their agency! HG Literary seems like an extremely supportive place, and I never would’ve known all the ways the employees work together – everything from co-agenting projects to pairing authors with illustrators. Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Natalie!

GOOD NEWS! Natalie is currently open to queries, accepting them exclusively via Query Manager. (Any unsolicited queries sent to her email address will be deleted.) If you think you’d be a fit for her list, please send her a query letter and either a full picture book manuscript or the first twenty pages of a longer work. She replies to every single query, trying hard to respond quickly. (She knows the wait can be agonizing for authors!) Typically, you’ll hear from her within two weeks, though this of course varies if she’s out of the office or especially busy. If she hasn’t responded, particularly for full manuscript requests which take longer, she is happy to be nudged!

Natalie is also generously GIVING AWAY A QUERY CRITIQUE! In order to enter, subscribe to the newsletter! You must also be following HG Literary on Instagram. Everyone who’s subscribed and followed by 11:59PM PT on August 12th, 2026 is eligible to win. (No purchase necessary. You must be 18+ to enter.)

You can read more about Natalie on the website for HG Literary, and on Manuscript Wish List.