Miriam Kriss

Miriam Kriss – Editor

Literary agent with 20+ years of experience in NY helping authors hone their work, resulting in numerous NYT bestsellers for debut writers.

Overview

I am a literary agent with over 20 years in New York publishing, experienced in developing and selling all genres of both adult and children's commercial fiction. My passion is helping writers hone their voices and discover their strengths.

Since starting as an agent in 2004, I've helped take numerous debut authors from the slush pile to the New York Times Bestseller List. I always like to say that authors should write their first draft for themselves and their second draft for their audience. Part of that process is fully understanding who their audience is, and what that audience will respond to. With that foundation, authors are able to craft both their manuscript and their pitch to encompass the story they want to tell in a way that will make people excited to read it. Developmental editing has always been a big part of what I've done for my clients and I'm excited to do the same for Reedsy authors in my spare time.

Editorial suggestions, even from a practiced eye, are just that--suggestions. They are meant to ensure your book reaches its full potential. It's been said that when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong. I relish the opportunity to help make sure the story you have on the page lives up to the story you're eager to tell.

[Please note that in order to avoid any conflict of interest, I cannot act as an agent for projects I have edited via Reedsy.]

Services
Fiction
Children's Fantasy Mystery & Crime Romance Science Fiction Thriller & Suspense Women's Fiction Young Adult
Languages
English (US)
Awards
  • Golden Apple Agent of the Year Award Winner 2009

Work experience

Codex Literary

Jul, 2023 — Present
Our mission is to cultivate, champion, and celebrate authors' authentic voices. Combining the intimacy and personalized attention of a boutique agency with a global perspective and a commitment to nurturing creativity, we take pride in being more than representatives – we are partners in the journey.

Irene Goodman Literary Agency

Apr, 2004 — Jul, 2023 (about 19 years)
I helped take numerous debut authors to the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists during my tenure.

Miriam has 102 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Becki R.

Becki R.

Mar, 2026

Pinned
Truly exceptional experience. Miriam gave me insightful, thorough, actionable advice and renewed enthusiasm for a project I'd considered abandoning. This was very good value for the money and honestly one of the better professional investments I've made.
Callie F.

Callie F.

Feb, 2026

Pinned
My initial thoughts after receiving Miriam's feedback on my query package? Wow. The entire experience was so much more than I expected. She went above and beyond to make my query letter shine. I deeply appreciated her editorial suggestions and sharp storytelling instinct, which helped me sharpe...
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Keri Lynn E.

Keri Lynn E.

Nov, 2025

Pinned
Miriam was FANTASTIC. I appreciated her valubable detailed feedback and constructive criticism, and her availibility to answer questions so I could better understand the feedback. Highly recommended!
Kevin Z.

Kevin Z.

Apr, 2026

Miriam provided a very deep and thoughtful read of the manuscript, with sharp line-level feedback and clear engagement with both the prose and the underlying structure. She surfaced plot and clarity issues I hadn’t seen, and her notes translated directly into meaningful revisions. She also offer...
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victoria M.

victoria M.

Apr, 2026

Miriam is great. She is very thorough. She spent the time and gave the attention to my project as if it were her own. I have hired her before and definitely will try to again if she is available. She is really a bargain.

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