Eric Smith

Eric Smith – Editor

Eric is a literary agent and Young Adult author who has worked on award-winning and New York Times bestselling books.

Overview

Hi Reedsy!

With over a decade of experience in publishing under my belt, from working at a publishing house to my career as an agent to writing actual books, I'm a full time book person. Other hobbies would be great, but words are my jam.

I would love to help you edit or craft your book proposal, polish up that query letter, or dig into a novel you need an extra set of eyes on. I specialize in Young Adult fiction, genre-blending adult fiction, and non-fiction across the board, having worked on memoirs, cookbooks, essay collections, and more.

Please note, if you're planning to query me, it's best you not hire me on here. That blurs some complicated lines.

So, let's get to work!

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Fiction
Chick Lit Contemporary Fiction Literary Fiction Middle Grade Romantic Comedy Young Adult
Languages
English (US)

Work experience

Neighborhood Literary

Mar, 2025 — Present
Founder and owner of Neighborhood Literary, a boutique agency headquartered in Philadelphia, representing a number of award-winning and bestselling authors.

Arcadia University

Sep, 2015 — Jun, 2025 (over 9 years)
Mentored graduate students in Arcadia University's wonderful low residency MFA program, where I worked with a bundle of brilliant young writers.

P.S. Literary

Apr, 2015 — Jan, 2025 (almost 10 years)
Literary agent at P.S. Literary, representing a wide array of categories and genres. Responsible for editing and polishing client manuscripts, helping authors find those books the perfect home, and managing their relationships with their respective publishers. A list of select projects are below.

Portfolio

The Song of Us

Fussner, Kate

HarperCollins

13 Ways to Say Goodbye

Fussner, Kate

HarperCollins

Icarus

Ancrum, K.

HarperCollins

The Corruption of Hollis Brown

Ancrum, K.

HarperCollins

Thrill Ride

Ratcliffe, Amy

Kensington

Roll for Love

England, M. K.

Running Press Kids

Mr. Nice Spy

Smith, Tiana

Berkley

So Witches We Became

Baguchinsky, Jill

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Dust: A Novel

Stine, Alison

Wednesday Books

Icarus

Ancrum, K.

HarperTeen

Have You Seen This Girl

Tyndall, Nita

HarperTeen

The Spy and I

Smith, Tiana

Berkley

The Unmothers: A Novel

Anderson, Leslie J.

Quirk Books

From Dust, a Flame

Podos, Rebecca

Suggested Reading

Connis, Dave

Trashlands: a novel

Stine, Alison

Who I Was with Her

Tyndall, Nita

Ruinsong

Ember, Julia

Eric has 110 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Kristen M.

Kristen M.

Apr, 2026

The recommendations Eric provided were constructive and intelligent. I am looking forward to getting back to the keyboard knowing our collaboration will strengthen manuscript.
Bertram M.

Bertram M.

Apr, 2026

Eric was fast, professional, kind, and understanding. He helped with my query letter simply because he likes helping others. His feedback was insightful and made a real difference for me. No matter the outcome of my project, thank you for the support.
Charles S.

Charles S.

Apr, 2026

Eric’s insight and attention to detail were remarkable. He brought genuine enthusiasm to the manuscript alongside rigorous craft notes. His feedback was specific, honest, and always in service of making the work stronger. He identified the structural and character issues that mattered most and co...
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Jeff J.

Jeff J.

Mar, 2026

Eric was amazing to work with. From the first message until the last, he was patient, kind, and extremely helpful. The edits he suggested have improved my query and proposal letters tremendously, and I am currently continuing my querying process with greater confidence. We spoke over Zoom as well...
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Mark R.

Mark R.

Mar, 2026

I highly recommend Eric. His turn around time is incredible, especially considering the in-depth analysis he provides. His notes helped me strengthen my pitch, opening pages, and synopsis. I only wish I had asked for his help sooner! You will not regret hiring him as you begin to query.

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