Ellen Goff

Ellen (she/her) graduated from The University of Chicago with a BA in English, a minor in Cinema and Media Studies, and a focus in Creative Writing. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School, in both Fiction and Writing for Children and Young Adults. She has worked everywhere from The White House under the Obama administration to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. At HG Literary, her client list consists of authors writing for all age groups, from picture books to middle grade to young adult to adult, in both fiction and nonfiction. She also represents illustrators as well as graphic novelists. In addition to building her own domestic list, she is the International Rights Manager of the company’s Children’s & YA list. In her elusive free time, Ellen runs an active writing workshop and critique group in the heart of New York City. 

Having grown up in a family of mostly women, she is always hungry for stories celebrating intersectional feminism and narratives that don't shy away from exploring gender and gender roles. She has a soft spot for southern stories that remind her of her home state of Kentucky, and is a perpetual sucker for a darn good love story. While open to historical fiction, she is interested in learning more about history left off the usual curriculum (and thus is not the best fit for World War Two stories).

Ellen will always be on the hunt for time travel and space stories, especially speculative adventures that feel like the following: Star Trek, Loki, Courage the Cowardly Dog and 90s Cartoon Network, Edward Gorey, Kiki’s Delivery Service, The Mirror Visitor series, Batman Beyond (the animated tv series), TJ Klune, What We Do in the Shadows, the Addams Family, and 1999’s The Mummy. She is interested in nearly all types of folklore, but would not be the best fit for fantasy about angels (Supernatural covers that area!).

For picture books, Ellen is only taking on new clients who are author-illustrators, and gravitates toward projects that highlight the sparse and simple.

She is interested in all genres and formats of MG and YA, especially anything spooky, graphic novels, novels-in-verse, and projects that allow her to travel vicariously through place and time.

In adult, she represents fantasy/speculative, romance, and everything in between their fun intersection.

Ellen might be convinced on a nonfiction project if it involves food.

To query Ellen: Please email your query/pitch and the first five pages of your manuscript (pasted at the bottom of your email) to ellen@hgliterary.com. No attachments unless you are an illustrator.

Take a peek at Ellen’s clients below!

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