Folio Literary Management
Folio Literary Management is a New York-based independent literary agency representing hundreds of fiction, non-fiction, and children's authors. It places manuscripts with major publishers and manages international, dramatic, and audio rights through a global co-agent network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Folio Literary Management does
Folio Literary Management is a full-service, independent literary agency headquartered in New York City (630 9th Avenue, The Film Center Building) that represents hundreds of authors across fiction, non-fiction, and children's literature. The agency places manuscripts with major U.S. publishers and international publishers, and manages subsidiary rights — international, dramatic, and audio — on behalf of its author clients. It operates a dedicated children's literature sub-brand called Folio Jr. and is legally organized as Folio Literary Management LLC, a privately held, partner-owned firm led by Founding Partner Jeff Kleinman.
The agency's product offering is structured around four core service modules: literary representation services (domestic and international manuscript placement), International Rights Management (sales to foreign publishers through 18+ co-agent partnerships spanning 30+ territories), Dramatic Rights (TV, film, and documentary adaptations), and Audio Rights (audiobook contract negotiation). Underlying production is people-intensive rather than technology-driven — 51-100 staff including agents, Senior Vice Presidents, a dedicated International Rights Manager, an Audio Rights Director, and literary associates form the operational backbone. The firm has no disclosed proprietary technology platform, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities.
Folio generates revenue through commissions on author deals — typically a percentage of advances and royalties from publishers — across domestic publishing, international rights sales, dramatic adaptations, and audio contracts. Its go-to-market is agent-led: authors submit queries to specific agents who evaluate and represent manuscripts. The agency's global geographic footprint is enabled entirely through co-agent partnerships rather than owned international offices. The firm grew inorganically in 2019 with the acquisition of the Emma Sweeney Agency and shows no evidence of external venture capital, institutional ownership, or public listing.
Folio Literary Management firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Folio Literary Management
- Legal name
- Folio Literary Management LLC
- Website
- https://foliolit.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Folio Literary Management is a New York-based independent literary agency representing hundreds of fiction, non-fiction, and children's authors. It places manuscripts with major publishers and manages international, dramatic, and audio rights through a global co-agent network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Folio Literary Management industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Literary Agency Services
- NAICS
- Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115), All Other Publishers (513199)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Manuscript Development Services (Coaching, Developmental Editing) (MPAJAJAF)
Keywords
Where Folio Literary Management is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Folio Literary Management business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Literary Representation and Commission: Folio Literary Management generates revenue through commission-based representation of authors. The agency places manuscripts with publishers and manages subsidiary rights including international, dramatic, and audio rights, earning commissions on deals negotiated on behalf of authors.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Folio Literary Management product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Folio Literary Management is a full-service independent literary agency that represents authors and places their fiction, non-fiction, and children's manuscripts with major publishers in the U.S. and internationally. The agency negotiates publishing deals and manages subsidiary rights including international, dramatic (TV/film), and audio rights on behalf of authors, earning commissions on those deals. It operates a children's literature sub-brand called Folio Jr. and represents both debut and established authors across more than 30 international territories through co-agent partnerships.
Product overview
Folio Literary Management is a full-service, independent literary agency offering comprehensive representation for authors. The core offering is literary representation services for placing fiction and non-fiction with major publishers. This is supported by specialized service modules including International Rights Management (for global market sales), Dramatic Rights (for TV/film/documentary adaptation), and Audio Rights (for audio book contracts). The company also operates Folio Jr. as a sub-brand focused on children's literature. The agency represents both first-time authors and established authors, helping develop careers from manuscript evaluation through publication.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Folio Jr. A division focused on children's literature submissions, with its own website at foliojr.com
Products and services
- Literary Representation Services Full-service author representation placing fiction and non-fiction manuscripts with major U.S. and international publishers. The agency evaluates submissions, negotiates publishing deals, and manages the author's career from manuscript through publication and beyond.
- Folio Jr. (Children's Literature Division) Specialized division focused on representation of children's literature authors, including picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction. Operates as a distinct sub-brand with its own submission portal and website.
Companies that use Folio Literary Management
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Folio Literary Management technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Folio Literary Management partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Lorella Belli Literary Agency (UK)coreUK co-agent for Folio Literary Management handling literary rights in the United Kingdom market.
- Michelle Lapautre Literary Agency (France)coreFrance co-agent representing Folio authors in the French publishing market.
- Thomas Schluck Literary Agency (Germany)coreGermany co-agent for Folio Literary Management handling rights in the German-speaking market.
- Tuttle-Mori Agency (Japan)coreJapan co-agent for Folio Literary Management handling rights in the Japanese market.
- Danny Hong Agency (Korea)coreKorea co-agent representing Folio authors in the Korean publishing market.
- The Grayhawk Agency (China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam)coreAsia co-agent handling Folio Literary Management rights across multiple Asian territories.
- Riff Agency (Brazil)coreBrazil co-agent representing Folio authors in the South American market.
- Sebes & Bisseling (Scandinavia and Netherlands)coreScandinavian and Dutch co-agent handling Folio Literary Management rights in Northern Europe.
- International Editors' Co (Spain and Portugal)coreSpain and Portugal co-agent for Folio Literary Management.
- Iris Literary Agency (Greece)coreGreece co-agent representing Folio authors.
- The Italian Literary Agency (Italy)coreItalian co-agent for Folio Literary Management handling literary rights.
- The Book Publishers Association of Israel (Israel)coreIsrael co-agent representing Folio authors in the Middle East market.
- Rights People (UK Children's)coreUK co-agent specializing in children's rights for Folio Literary Management.
- Berla & Griffini (Italy Children's)coreItalian co-agent specializing in children's rights.
- Prava I Prevodi (Eastern Europe)coreEastern Europe co-agent covering Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Russia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Croatia.
- GRAAL Ltd (Poland)corePoland co-agent representing Folio authors.
- Livia Stoia Literary Agency (Romania)coreRomania co-agent for Folio Literary Management.
- Libris Agency (Turkey)coreTurkey co-agent representing Folio authors.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Folio Literary Management competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Trident Media Group: Independent literary agency offering full-service representation including international, film/TV, and audio rights to a broad author base — directly comparable to Folio's multi-rights model.
- InkWell Management: Independent literary agency representing literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction with strong international and dramatic rights operations, similar in scale and scope to Folio.
- The Book Group: Independent literary agency with strong international rights infrastructure and a roster spanning fiction, non-fiction, and children's — a comparable mid-sized independent competitor.
- Waxman Leavell Literary Agency: Independent literary agency representing narrative non-fiction and select fiction authors with full subsidiary rights management — comparable scope and positioning.
- Writers House: One of the largest independent literary agencies in the U.S., representing fiction, non-fiction, and children's authors with global subsidiary rights capabilities — closely comparable to Folio's full-service independent model.
- Sterling Lord Literistic: Long-established independent literary agency placing adult fiction and non-fiction with major publishers and managing subsidiary rights — a direct comparable in the independent agency segment.
- Maria B. Campbell Associates: Independent literary agency specializing in international rights representation for U.S. authors; comparable to Folio's international co-agent-led rights model.
Broad incumbents
- WME (William Morris Endeavor): Major talent agency with a substantial literary division representing authors alongside entertainment clients; competes with Folio in author representation while bundling broader talent services.
- CAA (Creative Artists Agency): Global talent agency with a literary/book department representing bestselling authors; broader entertainment and brand capabilities create a different but overlapping value proposition vs. Folio.
- UTA (United Talent Agency): Talent agency with literary representation across publishing and adaptation rights; competes for high-profile author mandates that Folio also pursues.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Folio Literary Management social profiles
Digital presenceFolio Literary Management financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Folio Literary Management leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Folio Literary Management funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Folio Literary Management M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Folio Literary Management
What does Folio Literary Management do?
Folio Literary Management is a full-service independent literary agency that represents authors and places their fiction, non-fiction, and children's manuscripts with major publishers in the U.S. and internationally. The agency negotiates publishing deals and manages subsidiary rights including international, dramatic (TV/film), and audio rights on behalf of authors, earning commissions on those deals. It operates a children's literature sub-brand called Folio Jr. and represents both debut and established authors across more than 30 international territories through co-agent partnerships.
Is Folio Literary Management a public or private company?
Folio Literary Management is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Folio Literary Management founded?
Folio Literary Management was founded in -1. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Folio Literary Management based?
Folio Literary Management is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Folio Literary Management make money?
One revenue line is on record: literary Representation and Commission.
Who are Folio Literary Management's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Trident Media Group, InkWell Management, The Book Group, Waxman Leavell Literary Agency, Writers House, Sterling Lord Literistic and Maria B. Campbell Associates. Broad incumbents are WME (William Morris Endeavor), CAA (Creative Artists Agency) and UTA (United Talent Agency).
Does Folio Literary Management have an API?
No public API is recorded for Folio Literary Management.
What industry is Folio Literary Management in?
Folio Literary Management's product category is Literary Agency Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAJAF, Manuscript Development Services (Coaching, Developmental Editing). Its NAICS code is 7115 and its SIC code is 2741.