Staunton joins Bergstrom Studio as literary agent

Megan Staunton is joining Bergstrom Studio in the newly created role of literary agent as the company expands.  

Staunton, formerly of Gleam Titles and YMU, joins with immediate effect and will report to Bergstrom Studio founder Abigail Bergstrom. She will be building her own list of fiction and non-fiction authors with a particular focus on digital-first writers.  

She joins with two authors, Cathy Reay, a disabled queer journalist, and Rosie Steer, an Edinburgh-based teacher who writes about seasonal living inspired by Scottish folklore and the Celtic Wheel. Staunton will also work across the consultancy side of the studio. 

Staunton previously worked with Bergstrom at Gleam Titles where she was promoted from literary assistant to junior literary agent and quickly started to build her own list. Her clients’ books have included Paula Sutton’s Hill House Living (Ebury), Marley Hall’s Midwife Marley’s Guide for Everyone (Bloomsbury) and Grace Victory’s How to Calm It (#Merky Books). 

Bergstrom Studios launched in July last year, and has seen success with books examining the institutional patterns of misogyny with Fix The System Not The Women by Laura Bates (S&S), Florence Given’s feminist retelling of Jekyll and Hyde Girlcrush (Octopus) and Liv Little’s debut novel which was snapped up by Dialogue in a six-figure pre-empt. The studio continues to consult for published and unpublished writers.

Staunton said: “Starting my career at Penguin Random House before moving into agenting with a digital-first focus means I’ve had the opportunity to see the industry from both sides. I’m delighted to reunite with Abigail on her new venture. I’ve long admired her trailblazing work and what she has created with Bergstrom Studio is hugely exciting for the industry. I’m thrilled to work for a company that is committed to championing change and I can’t wait to start building my list for the future.” 

Bergstrom added: “Megan has proven herself to be an innovative agent with an aptitude for being ahead of the curve when assessing exactly what the market wants. She has an incredible reputation amongst editors and authors alike, and is known for her drive and being a joy to work with. I’m thrilled to be joining forces with her again and couldn’t think of an agent better suited to the role. I am excited to watch her turn digital-first writers into established brand authors.”