Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc
Calligraph Literary Agency (formerly Zoë Pagnamenta Agency LLC) is a full-service literary agency that represents fiction and non-fiction authors, managing book, translation, dramatic, audio, and speaking rights through commission-based representation from offices in New York and Boston.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc does
Calligraph Literary Agency (formerly Zoë Pagnamenta Agency LLC) is a full-service literary agency formed in 2023 through the merger of the Zoë Pagnamenta Agency, established in 2008, and the Kneerim & Williams Agency, founded in 1990. The firm represents fiction and non-fiction authors — spanning biography, history, memoir, popular science, business, and children's literature — and manages the full lifecycle of their publishing careers from query intake through post-publication rights administration. It operates from offices in New York (Brooklyn) and Boston and is privately held with no disclosed external investment.
The agency's core offering is author representation on a commission basis (industry-standard rates of approximately 15% on domestic deals and 20% on foreign rights), generating revenue by negotiating book deals, subsidiary rights, translation rights, dramatic rights (film, television, theatrical, podcast), audio rights, and speaking engagements. It places film/TV/podcast rights through allied agencies in Los Angeles and New York and sells translation rights through a global network of 20+ subagents covering Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America. Intake is selective and inbound via a query-letter submission process.
Calligraph's competitive position rests on a roster that includes Booker Prize, Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, Nobel Prize in Economics, and #1 New York Times bestselling authors, combined with a multi-decade network of publisher relationships across the U.S., U.K., and international markets. There is no proprietary technology platform; the business is service-based and relationship-driven, with technology limited to standard web presence and email-based submissions.
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc
- Legal name
- Calligraph, LLC
- Website
- https://calligraphlit.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Calligraph Literary Agency (formerly Zoë Pagnamenta Agency LLC) is a full-service literary agency that represents fiction and non-fiction authors, managing book, translation, dramatic, audio, and speaking rights through commission-based representation from offices in New York and Boston.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Literary Agency Services
- NAICS
- Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Audiobook Rights & Licensing (Territorial/Format Rights, Agencies) (MPAJAIAG)
Keywords
Where Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Author Representation and Commission: Literary agencies typically earn commission on book deals. The agency represents authors and sells their rights to publishers, earning a percentage of deals. Standard industry commission rates apply (typically 15% domestic, 20% foreign).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Calligraph provides full-service literary agency representation for authors, handling submissions, contract negotiation, and career management from conception through post-publication. The agency manages subsidiary rights including translation, dramatic (film, TV, theatrical, podcast), audio, and speaking rights, and sells translation rights internationally through a global subagent network. It represents both new and established authors in literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction including biography, history, memoir, popular science, business, and children's books.
Product overview
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency LLC (now operating as part of Calligraph Literary Agency following its 2023 merger with Kneerim & Williams) offers full-service literary agency representation from offices in New York and Boston. The agency provides literary representation services for authors, manages subsidiary rights including translation, dramatic, and podcast rights, and places international rights through a global network of subagents. The agency's core offering consists of author representation, rights management, and global distribution services across print, audio, electronic, film, and television formats.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Literary Representation Services Full-service literary agency representation for new and established authors, handling literary and commercial fiction, and non-fiction including biography, history, memoir, narrative, popular science, popular culture, business, children's books and YA. The agency manages the entire publishing process from concept to post-publication.
- Subsidiary Rights Management Sale and management of subsidiary rights including translation rights, dramatic rights (film, TV, theatrical), podcast rights, and speaking engagements for represented authors.
- International Rights Representation Representation of authors' translation rights in foreign territories through a network of overseas subagents at major book fairs and direct publisher relationships, covering territories including Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, and others.
- Dramatic Rights Placement Placement of dramatic rights including film, television, live theatrical, and podcast rights directly or through allied agencies in Los Angeles and New York for adaptation of client books.
Companies that use Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Abner Stein (London)coreUK rights representation for Carolyn, Katherine, and Sarah's clients through Caspian Dennis at Abner Stein in London.
- Andrew Nurnberg Associates (Multiple Territories)coreSub-agent network covering Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia for translation rights sales.
- Allied Agencies in Los Angeles and New YorkcoreFilm, television, and podcast rights placement through allied agencies in Los Angeles and New York for dramatic adaptations of client books.
- Speaking AgenciessupportingWorks with speaking agencies to arrange speaking engagements for clients at Google, Apple University, Aspen Institute, Fortune 500 companies, and educational institutions.
- The Foreign Office (Spain, Portugal, Brazil)supportingTranslation rights sub-agent covering Spain, Portugal, and Brazil.
- Grayhawk Agency (China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam)supportingTranslation rights sub-agent covering China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
- Marotte et Compagnie (France)supportingTranslation rights sub-agent covering France.
- Literarische Agentur Gaeb & Eggers (Germany)supportingTranslation rights sub-agent covering Germany.
- The English Agency (Japan)supportingTranslation rights sub-agent covering Japan.
- Korean Copyright Center (Korea)supportingTranslation rights sub-agent covering Korea.
- Marianne Schönbach Literary Agency (Netherlands, Scandinavia)supportingTranslation rights sub-agent covering Netherlands and Scandinavia.
- The Italian Literary Agency (Italy)supportingTranslation rights sub-agent covering Italy.
- Dar Cherlin (Middle East, North Africa)supportingTranslation rights sub-agent covering Middle East and North Africa.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- CAA (Creative Artists Agency): A major global talent agency with a significant book publishing division. Represents a broader portfolio of talent across entertainment but its books division directly competes with Calligraph for authors seeking integrated representation across publishing and media.
- WME (William Morris Endeavor): One of the largest talent agencies globally, operating a significant book publishing division. Represents a much broader range of talent across entertainment, but its literary division directly competes with Calligraph for authors seeking integrated book, film, and speaking representation.
Direct peers
- Trident Media Group: A larger literary agency representing hundreds of authors across fiction and non-fiction. Comparable to Calligraph in business model but operates at greater scale, handling submissions, negotiations, and foreign rights sales through its own international network.
- Sterling Lord Literistic: One of the oldest literary agencies in the US, founded in 1952. Comparable to Calligraph in representing major literary authors, managing book and subsidiary rights, and maintaining long-standing relationships with US and international publishers.
- The Wylie Agency: A prestigious boutique literary agency representing major literary and non-fiction authors. Highly comparable to Calligraph in size, business model, and client quality, with a similar focus on high-profile book deals and subsidiary rights sales.
- InkWell Management: A literary agency representing authors of literary fiction, non-fiction, and commercial fiction. Comparable to Calligraph in client roster quality, subsidiary rights management, and international co-agent network for translation rights.
- Aevitas Creative Management: An international literary agency representing major authors across fiction and non-fiction. Comparable to Calligraph in client quality, international rights sales, and subsidiary rights management, with a similar boutique-to-mid-size scale.
- Folio Literary Management: A full-service literary agency representing fiction and non-fiction authors. Comparable to Calligraph in selective representation, full-service model, and rights management including translation and dramatic rights.
- Curtis Brown: A leading UK and international literary agency with a long history of representing prize-winning authors. Directly comparable to Calligraph in business model, client prestige, and international co-agent network for translation rights.
- The Gernert Company: A boutique literary agency representing major literary and non-fiction authors. Closely comparable to Calligraph in size, selective representation model, and focus on high-quality fiction and non-fiction with rights sales across formats.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc social profiles
Digital presenceZoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc
What does Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc do?
Calligraph provides full-service literary agency representation for authors, handling submissions, contract negotiation, and career management from conception through post-publication. The agency manages subsidiary rights including translation, dramatic (film, TV, theatrical, podcast), audio, and speaking rights, and sells translation rights internationally through a global subagent network. It represents both new and established authors in literary and commercial fiction and non-fiction including biography, history, memoir, popular science, business, and children's books.
Is Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc a public or private company?
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc founded?
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc based?
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc make money?
One revenue line is on record: author Representation and Commission.
Who are Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are CAA (Creative Artists Agency) and WME (William Morris Endeavor). Direct peers are Trident Media Group, Sterling Lord Literistic, The Wylie Agency, InkWell Management, Aevitas Creative Management, Folio Literary Management, Curtis Brown and The Gernert Company.
Does Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc.
What industry is Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc in?
Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc's product category is Literary Agency Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAIAG, Audiobook Rights & Licensing (Territorial/Format Rights, Agencies). Its NAICS code is 5131 and its SIC code is 2731.