Akin Akinwumi

“I have laid a plan for something new, quite out of the beaten track.”– Laurence Sterne

My name is Akin Akinwumi. My professional background spans literary agenting, acquisitions and editing, project development, literary advocacy initiatives, grants and fundraising, literary arts programming, and mentorship.I’m committed to supporting writing that both challenges and delights—work that is as engrossing as it is thought-provoking, and that insists on asking urgent, enduring questions about how we live, think, and imagine the contemporary world and our place within it.The spirit of innovation at the heart of Sterne’s declaration guides what I do. Whether nurturing new and distinctive writers and their bold visions, developing programs and events that support writers at all stages of their careers, creating opportunities for literary exploration, guiding ambitious projects, or championing work that expands the bounds of contemporary literature.

About Me

I spent six years as a literary agent at Willenfield Literary Agency, representing authors across a range of categories, including literary fiction, literary nonfiction, general nonfiction, visual narrative, poetry, and hybrid forms. In that role, I championed work defined by inventiveness, restlessness, and creative daring—bringing a nontraditional, forward-thinking approach to publishing, literary representation, and career development.Writers I’ve worked with include Simon Okotie, Anna Moschovakis, Brad Fox, Mandy-Suzanne Wong, Daniel Allen Cox, Nina Dunic, Babak Lakghomi, Geoffrey D. Morrison, Monica Datta, Isaac Yuen, Will Rees, and others. I was fortunate to work on some outstanding book titles, and authors I have worked with have won or have been nominated, longlisted, or shortlisted for the Dublin Literary Award, Giller Prize, Trillium Award, Republic of Consciousness Prize, National Book Foundation’s Science + Literature Award, and many other awards and prizes. I have spoken about publishing at a number of conferences, venues, and universities across Canada, the US, the UK, Switzerland, and others.In addition to all things literary and publishing, I am an enthusiast of the arts and creative industries in general. I am a fan of modern and contemporary art, independent and world cinema, and innovative, unconventional documentaries.I live near a bend of the Sturgeon River in St. Albert near Edmonton with my wife, two children, and two dogs.

Acquisitions

I’m currently Editor-at-Large at Toronto-based Dundurn Press where I acquire fiction and nonfiction. I’m particularly interested in novels, short story collections, book-length essays, memoir, biography, reportage, environmental narrative, science writing, travelogue, and cultural criticism.I’m on the lookout for ambitious, intellectually bold books that blend classic aesthetics with a fresh, contemporary sensibility, and that astonish with their vision and style. I am particularly interested in books with brilliant, sophisticated prose offering readers a transformative and transcending experience, at once eloquent, philosophically profound, and puzzling—masterly and enriching, brimming with illuminating questions, and intent on taking us, line by line, on a journey of lucidity and substance.

Independent book Editing

As an independent developmental and substantive editor, I collaborate with publishers and literary agents on a range of projects, with a focus on prose writing, journalism, memoir, and other forms. As an editor, my editorial approach is grounded in the ethos of “first do no harm.” I believe every writer’s words, style, and outlook have their own integrity, and my role is to strengthen, not overwrite it. So, I focus on refining structure, sharpening language, and bringing clarity to the vision of the writers I work with, ensuring that their work emerges more fully itself—resonant, distinct, and true to its original pulse.

Other Engagements

I have over a decade’s experience of teaching professionally, including at Simon Fraser University and other universities and institutions. I am available for creative writing and publishing workshops, guest lectures, seminars, events, festivals, residencies, and group time with writers, students and faculty, and literary arts organizations on a wide range of topics, including editing, the business of publishing, navigating the contemporary literary publishing environment, career development as a literary writer, and more.I have also served on juries for literary prizes and other awards, bringing my editorial eye to evaluating submissions and selecting nominees and winners. I am available to serve on such juries, panels, or award committees—whether for regional, national, or international literary events—bringing fairness, critical engagement, and a deep appreciation for rigorous, inventive writing.