Ellen Scott is an Associate Literary Agent at WordServe. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Ellen started her publishing career at Encounter Books immediately after graduating from The King’s College in New York City, then moved to her first agent desk at David Black Literary Agency. In addition to her work at WordServe, Ellen works in youth ministry for a church in Brooklyn.
Ellen is primarily interested in religious nonfiction, particularly Biblical analysis, art criticism, essays, material for youth (middle & high schoolers), and faith & culture. Recent favorites include MY BODY IS NOT A PRAYER REQUEST by Dr. Amy Kenny, THE EVANGELICAL IMAGINATION by Karen Swallow Prior, READING WHILE BLACK by Esau McCaulley, and VAN GOGH HAS A BROKEN HEART by Russ Ramsey. Be sure to query if your work counters the purity culture movement, or is rooted in advocacy for the disabled from an orthodox Christian perspective.
In fiction, Ellen is drawn to generational, character-driven, Christ-haunted novels that explore recovery or change through complicated characters. She loves Joan Didion’s memoirs and Zadie Smith’s dialogue. She wishes she’d published TRUST by Hernan Diaz, NEVER LET ME GO by Kazuo Ishiguro, GILEAD by Marilynne Robinson, and SOMEONE by Alice McDermontt. Be sure to query if you’re drawing inspiration from a Greek tragedy in your plot and/or characters.
Ellen lives with her husband in Brooklyn, New York. She can frequently be found reading books and staring at dogs in other people’s tote bags on the subway.