Zoe Pagnamenta Agency Llc

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.

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

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

• Literary agency services
• Author representation
• Subsidiary rights management
• Translation rights sales
• Dramatic rights placement

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. 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

Core 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.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Abner Stein (London)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK rights representation for Carolyn, Katherine, and Sarah's clients through Caspian Dennis at Abner Stein in London.
• Andrew Nurnberg Associates (Multiple Territories)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSub-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 YorkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFilm, television, and podcast rights placement through allied agencies in Los Angeles and New York for dramatic adaptations of client books.
• Speaking AgenciessupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorks 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)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTranslation rights sub-agent covering Spain, Portugal, and Brazil.
• Grayhawk Agency (China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTranslation rights sub-agent covering China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
• Marotte et Compagnie (France)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTranslation rights sub-agent covering France.
• Literarische Agentur Gaeb & Eggers (Germany)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTranslation rights sub-agent covering Germany.
• The English Agency (Japan)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTranslation rights sub-agent covering Japan.
• Korean Copyright Center (Korea)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTranslation rights sub-agent covering Korea.
• Marianne Schönbach Literary Agency (Netherlands, Scandinavia)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTranslation rights sub-agent covering Netherlands and Scandinavia.
• The Italian Literary Agency (Italy)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTranslation rights sub-agent covering Italy.
• Dar Cherlin (Middle East, North Africa)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTranslation rights sub-agent covering Middle East and North Africa.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad 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

• Xx.com/CalligraphLit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/calligraph-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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