Andrew Wylie
- Dec 29, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 10, 2025
Discover how Andrew Wylie, founder of The Wylie Agency, redefined the role of the literary agent. From representing Nobel laureates to protecting author rights worldwide, Wylie’s fearless approach reshaped the power dynamics of modern publishing.
Andrew Wylie: The Literary Powerhouse Behind the World’s Most Iconic Authors
Andrew Wylie, founder and president of the Wylie Agency, is one of the most formidable and controversial figures in modern publishing. Widely regarded as both a champion and a disruptor, he has built his reputation on sharp intellect, uncompromising negotiation tactics, and an unflinching defense of author rights. The industry knows him as “The Jackal,” a nickname born of his aggressive pursuit of the best possible deals for his clients—though Wylie himself dismisses the moniker.
“The Jackal thing doesn’t interest me,” he has repeatedly told interviewers, brushing off the mythology while reinforcing his focus on the work itself.
Since establishing the Wylie Agency in 1980, Wylie has redefined what it means to be a literary agent. Where others saw the role as a quiet, behind-the-scenes intermediary, he transformed it into one of visible authority, reshaping the power balance between publishers and authors. His reputation for dark humor and a combative streak may precede him, but it is his results that have set him apart: a roster of over 1,500 writers and estates that includes Nobel Prize laureates, Pulitzer winners, and some of the most celebrated names in literary history.
The scope of Wylie’s client list is staggering. He has represented literary giants such as Jorge Luis Borges, Milan Kundera, and Philip Roth, while safeguarding the estates of iconic figures like Vladimir Nabokov and Susan Sontag. By positioning authors as global brands and rigorously protecting their intellectual property, Wylie has elevated the profession of agenting into one of cultural stewardship. He is not simply matching manuscripts to publishers—he is strategizing decades-long careers, ensuring that writers retain creative control while maximizing their reach across languages and markets.
His influence has been felt in moments of high drama as well as in the quiet intricacies of rights management. During the international uproar over Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, Wylie emerged as a relentless advocate, ensuring Rushdie’s voice remained both protected and amplified. Beyond crisis management, he has worked to expand international readership for authors like Borges, ensuring their work was not confined to national borders but instead reached audiences worldwide.
What makes Wylie singular is not just his roster but his vision. He has insisted on treating literature with the same seriousness as any global industry, demanding fair contracts, broad translation rights, and enduring visibility for his authors. In doing so, he has raised the standards of the publishing world itself. His legacy lies not only in the monumental careers he has shaped but also in the way he has redefined the relationships between writers, agents, and publishers, permanently altering the architecture of global literature.
The Rise of Andrew Wylie
Andrew Wylie was born in 1947, the son of a journalist father and a mother deeply engaged in the arts, an upbringing that immersed him early in the world of ideas and culture. After attending Harvard University, where he studied literature and cultivated a sharp analytical mind, Wylie gravitated toward the publishing scene of New York in the 1970s. He began not as an agent but as a literary entrepreneur, running a small press and even dabbling in book importing, all of which sharpened his instincts for what kinds of writing could endure in an often commercial-driven market.
By the time he founded the Wylie Agency in 1980, Wylie was already set on distinguishing himself from the standard practices of literary representation. At the time, many agents operated conservatively, prioritizing safe commercial projects and leaning heavily on established publishing structures. Wylie took the opposite approach: he sought out writers with uncompromising literary vision, many of them international, and committed to negotiating contracts that treated their work not as disposable commodities but as cultural assets with long-term value.
His philosophy was radical for its time yet deceptively straightforward: champion literary excellence and protect author rights without compromise. Instead of focusing on short-term gains, Wylie emphasized building legacies—structuring contracts that preserved intellectual property, maintained translation rights, and allowed authors to thrive across borders and generations. This posture appealed to writers who felt underserved by an industry that often prioritized profit over principle.
Wylie’s early signings reflected this ethos. He actively pursued authors with bold, difficult, or unconventional voices, earning a reputation for representing writers who were not easily categorized or marketable by traditional standards. His willingness to invest in their long-term careers rather than chase immediate returns set him apart, drawing serious literary figures to his side at a time when few agents dared to take such risks.
In this way, Wylie not only built an agency but also reshaped the role of the agent itself. His rise was not the result of playing by the existing rules of publishing but of rewriting them—insisting that the most daring and original voices in literature deserved the most robust and uncompromising advocacy.
The Wylie Agency: A Roster of Legends
Founded in 1980, the Wylie Agency quickly established itself as one of the most powerful forces in international publishing. Today, it represents over 1,000 writers and estates across literature, journalism, and intellectual thought. The client list includes Nobel and Pulitzer laureates, globally recognized novelists, and the estates of authors whose work shaped the modern literary canon.
The agency’s strength lies in its deliberate curation of clients. Wylie has consistently sought writers whose work challenges convention, expands cultural conversations, and holds lasting relevance. By representing both contemporary authors and historic estates, the agency ensures that vital voices remain accessible to new generations of readers across languages and markets.
Notable Clients and Estates:
Salman Rushdie
Author of Midnight’s Children and The Satanic Verses, Rushdie has combined international acclaim with controversy, with Wylie providing unwavering advocacy throughout his career.
Continue reading: Salman Rushdie: A Defiant Voice in Global Literature.
Orhan Pamuk
Turkish novelist and Nobel laureate, celebrated for works such as My Name is Red and Snow, which probe themes of history, identity, and cultural memory.
Continue reading: Orhan Pamuk: Nobel Laureate and Voice of Modern Turkey.
Roberto Bolaño
Chilean author of The Savage Detectives and 2666, whose work redefined Latin American literature with its ambition and scope
Continue reading: Roberto Bolaño: The Visionary Voice of Latin American Literature.
Saul Bellow Estate
Preserves the legacy of the Nobel laureate and author of Herzog and Humboldt’s Gift, a towering figure in American postwar fiction.
Continue reading: Saul Bellow: Chronicler of the American Soul.
Jorge Luis Borges Estate
Maintains the influence of Borges, whose explorations of time, language, and imagination continue to shape global literature.
Central to the agency’s reputation is Wylie’s relentless approach to contract negotiations. He has long insisted that authors retain subsidiary rights, including foreign translations, film and television adaptations, and emerging digital formats. This strategy empowers writers to extend their reach globally while maintaining control over their intellectual property.
A Visionary Approach to Publishing
From the beginning, Andrew Wylie has pursued an ambitious model of representation that places literature on a global stage. He recognized early that the true power of a book lies not only in its initial release but in its ability to transcend borders and cultures. Under his leadership, the agency built one of the most aggressive and successful foreign rights programs in publishing, with titles frequently appearing in dozens of translations and reaching readers on every continent. This strategy reinforced his belief that serious literature deserves the widest possible audience, regardless of geography.
Wylie has also positioned himself as an outspoken commentator on the state of publishing. He has frequently challenged industry trends that, in his view, dilute the value of literary work. Among his most pointed critiques are the rise of self-publishing models and the dominance of platforms like Amazon, which he argues prioritize volume and profit over cultural importance. He has likewise raised concerns about the consolidation of major publishing houses, warning that fewer gatekeepers with greater control risk narrowing the diversity of voices that reach the market.
Legacy and Influence
Andrew Wylie’s career has left an unmistakable imprint on modern publishing. By demanding that writers be treated as cultural forces rather than commodities, he expanded the influence of literary agents from transactional intermediaries to central players in shaping the global book market. His meticulous stewardship of both living authors and literary estates has ensured that works of lasting value continue to thrive long after their initial publication.
Wylie’s style has never been without controversy. His unwillingness to compromise, coupled with his often confrontational stance toward publishers, has earned him detractors as well as admirers. Yet even his critics acknowledge that his approach permanently altered the landscape of author representation, setting standards that continue to influence how contracts are negotiated and how literary rights are protected. His reputation rests not only on the remarkable authors he represents but also on the structural changes he forced the industry to confront.
The Wylie Agency Today
Operating from its offices in New York and London, the Wylie Agency stands as one of the most respected and influential literary firms in the world. It continues to expand the reach of its authors through international rights deals, strategic partnerships, and careful estate management. Under Wylie’s direction, the agency remains committed to safeguarding the cultural and financial interests of its clients while anticipating the shifts that define the future of publishing.
For details on Andrew Wylie’s work and to view the agency’s roster, readers can visit the official website of The Wylie Agency.
Agent Highlights
Name: Andrew Wylie
Agency: The Wylie Agency
AAR Member: No
Email: awylie@wylieagency.com (Does not accept email queries)
Website: https://wylieagency.com/
Fiction Genres: Literary Fiction
Nonfiction Genres: Current Affairs, Business, Narrative, Psychology, Gay and Lesbian, Cultural/Social Issues
Special Interests: Represents internationally acclaimed authors
Submission Guidelines: The Wylie Agency does not accept unsolicited submissions
Facts/Tidbits: Represents renowned authors including Philip Roth, Saul Bellow, Norman Mailer, Salman Rushdie, Martin Amis, and Dave Eggers
Current Status: Closed to queries