A little about me
I’m a writer and literary agent based in Philadelphia, dedicated to representing aspiring authors to traditional publishing houses. I’m specifically interested in books that highlight lived experiences, marginalized voices, and intersections of culture that affect so many aspects of our lives.
I hold 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, I published a short novella, A Lyrical Soul, about a high school student struggling with drug abuse who later finds inspiration to change his life habits.
After moving to New York, I briefly 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, I switched gears into publishing.
I previously worked independently as an agent as the sole proprietor of Palisade Literary, representing writers for traditional publishing.
In 2025, I joined Neighborhood Literary to continue my career as an associate agent.
I am 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 of my 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, Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, The Idiot by Elif Batuman, The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens, The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi, The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers.
Some of my 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 Andō, Little Fish dir. Chad Hartigan, After Yang dir. Kogonada, The Worst Person in the World dir. Joachim Trier.
Besides books and films, I’m a passionate Philly sports fan. GO BIRDS! I’m also a USCF-rated chess player and play weekly at the Heim Center and Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia.
SENCHA CHATS
In 2024, I started a newsletter on Substack called Sencha Chats that is 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, Japanese sencha is one of my favorite herbal teas 🙂
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
I’m currently open to submissions and accept queries through email and LitConnect. Please see my manuscript wishlist before submitting.
Donovan Levine | Agent, Writer, Copyeditor 