A little about me
Donovan Levine is a writer and literary agent based in Philadelphia, dedicated to representing aspiring authors to traditional publishing houses. He is specifically interested in books that highlight lived experiences, marginalized voices, and intersections of culture that affect so many aspects of our lives.
Donovan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. He has previously worked as a building manager for KU’s student union building and as the Editor-in-Chief for KU’s student newspaper, The Keystone.
In 2021, Donovan published his first book, A Lyrical Soul, a YA novella about a high school student struggling with drug abuse who later finds inspiration to change his life habits.
After moving to New York, Donovan worked as a music video and documentary editor for Judi Beecher in Tribeca, Manhattan. When the pandemic, A.I. licensing, and writer’s strikes made film too volatile of a career, he switched gears into publishing.
Donovan previously launched his own agency, Palisade Literary, to represent authors, particularly of underrepresented backgrounds and areas of life, for traditional or hybrid publication.
In 2025, Donovan joined Neighborhood Literary to continue his career as an associate agent.
Donovan is also a member of the American Association of Literary Agents (AALA) and serves as a committee member for the People of Publishing Conference.
What I Like
Some favorite books and collections:
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri, Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, How it Feels to Float by Helena Fox, The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Pachinko by Min Jin Lee.
Some favorite movies:
Wings of Desire dir. Wim Wenders, Gladiator dir. Ridley Scott, Comet dir. Sam Esmail, Sicario dir. Denis Villeneuve, Good Will Hunting dir. Gus van Sant, Sword of the Stranger dir. Masahiro AndΕ, The Darjeeling Limited dir. Wes Anderson, After Yang dir. Kogonada.
Besides books and films, Donovan is a passionate Philly sports fan, repping the Eagles and Sixers. He is also a USCF-rated chess player and practices weekly at the Heim Center in Philadelphia.
SENCHA CHATS
In 2024, I started a newsletter on Substack called Sencha Chats that is a small newsletter dedicated to my publishing journey, ramblings about the industry, and casual chats over tea with other industry professionals.
Free subscribers get access to general querying tips, book reviews, teasers to other chats, and my usual ramblings. Paid subscribers will have access to more in-depth chats and interviews, real life query examples, financial literacy blogs, and other publishing insights you won’t find for free. But everyone, free or paid, will have access to community chats and reading sprints over tea!
Also, sencha green tea is one of my favorite herbal drinks π
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
I am currently closed to submissions.
Donovan Levine | Agent, Writer, Copyeditor 