Biography Literary Agents Open to Submissions

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, nonfiction, historical fiction, medical suspense, legal thrillers, women protagonists, biography, memoir, history, psychology, health, self-improvement, business, entrepreneurship, management, finance, business parables

Wants: Query letter, proposal, book proposal, overview, author platform, marketing plan, comparative works, chapter summaries, sample chapters

Margret McBride is interested in a wide range of commercial and literary fiction and nonfiction, historical fiction, medical suspense, legal thrillers, and stories featuring strong female protagonists. Her nonfiction interests include biography, memoir, history, psychology, health, self-improvement, and business, especially entrepreneurship, management, and finance, with a particular weakness for perfectly executed business parables.

Submit to Margret McBride through her official QueryTracker or QueryManager link. The agency asks writers to query only one agent at a time. For nonfiction, send a complete polished proposal with overview, author platform, promotion or marketing plan, comparative works, chapter summaries, and at least 2 sample chapters.

Literary fiction, crime fiction, thrillers, queer fiction, commercial women's fiction, memoir, biography, cookbooks, food writing, journalism, health and wellness, graphic nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Vicky Bijur started the Vicky Bijur Literary Agency in 1988. She represents fiction and nonfiction, including memoir, biography, cookbooks, food writing, journalism, health and wellness, and graphic nonfiction. The agency submissions page says it is looking for literary fiction, crime fiction/thrillers, queer fiction, high-end commercial women's fiction, memoir, and nonfiction including biography, cookbooks, food writing, journalism, health/wellness, and graphic nonfiction. Vicky Bijur is currently accepting fiction and nonfiction submissions, but she is not the right agent for science fiction, fantasy, romance, or self-help.

Send queries by email only to queries@vickybijuragency.com. Include a brief query letter with publication history, current project, and other relevant experience, and paste a sample of the first ten pages into the body of the email. Do not send unsolicited attachments.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, mystery, thriller, suspense, science fiction, fantasy, horror, historical fiction, family saga, women's fiction, young adult, narrative nonfiction, history, biography, science, business, psychology, pop culture, food writing

Wants: Query letter, first five pages, proposal

Sandy Lu founded Book Wyrm Literary Agency after more than a decade as a literary agent. In fiction she seeks stories with a unique voice, thrilling plot, lasting characters, humor or emotion, and especially loves historical fiction, atmospheric world-building, and anything dark, twisted, or with a supernatural bent. In nonfiction she looks for projects that connect unexpected topics, explain complex research for general audiences, introduce cutting-edge science or little-known historical facts and figures, teach useful skills, or expand readers' knowledge of the world. Book Wyrm submissions are open for literary and commercial fiction, mystery, thriller, suspense, science fiction, fantasy, horror, historical fiction, family saga, upmarket women's fiction, YA, narrative nonfiction, history, biography, science, business, psychology, pop culture, and food writing.

Submit through Sandy Lu's official Book Wyrm linked QueryManager form. The form asks for author details, book title, word count, genre, query letter, AI disclosure, publication history, and the first 5 pages, or a full proposal for nonfiction. Book Wyrm does not accept email queries.

Nonfiction, memoir, journalism, biography, humor, lgbtq and voices, social issues

Wants: Query letter, proposal

Robert Guinsler is Vice President at Sterling Lord Literistic and represents a wide variety of prize-winning and New York Times bestselling nonfiction authors and projects. His list includes geopolitical journalism, impassioned memoirs, comedic collections, LGBTQ+ voices, and work across the nonfiction spectrum.

Submit through Sterling Lord Literistic's official submissions page. SLL uses its online submissions portal rather than email queries, can only respond if interested in seeing more material, and does not represent screenplays.

Nonfiction, memoir, biography, business, cookbooks, design, health and wellness, humor, idea-driven nonfiction, journalism, lifestyle, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, psychology, religion, science and technology, self-help, social issues, sports, travel, true crime

Wants: Query letter, project description, book proposal

Monika Verma represents distinctive voices in nonfiction. LGR lists her categories as memoir, biography, business, cookbooks, design, health and wellness, humor, idea-driven nonfiction, journalism, lifestyle, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, psychology, religion, science and technology, self-help, social issues, sports, travel, and true crime.

Submit through Levine Greenberg Rostan's official online submission form. The form asks writers to choose the agent being queried and notes that Monika Verma is open to queries. The LGR submission page also lists submission-form guidance and warns writers to use official agency channels.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, story collections, thrillers, book club fiction, literary suspense, genre-bending fiction, upmarket women's fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, young adult fiction, underrepresented voices

Wants: Author biography, query letter, one sentence pitch, comparable books, first twenty pages, full nonfiction proposal, ai disclosure

Michelle Brower is Founding Partner and Literary Agent at Trellis Literary Management. Her list spans literary and commercial fiction, from thought-provoking story collections to page-turning thrillers. She is primarily interested in work that focuses on storytelling and emotional connection rather than formal experimentation. She is looking for book club novels with commercial ideas and literary execution, literary fiction, literary suspense, genre fiction for a non-genre audience, and upmarket women's fiction. In nonfiction, she wants a personal story that illuminates a greater subject. She also very selectively represents literary YA fiction and supports underrepresented voices in all of these areas.

Submit to Michelle Brower through her official QueryManager link. Trellis accepts unsolicited submissions only through QueryManager. Do not submit to multiple Trellis agents during the 8-12 week review window. Michelle's QueryManager form asks for an author bio, why Trellis, title, word count, genre, query letter, one-sentence pitch, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 20 pages or full nonfiction proposal.

Essays, literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, journalism, politics, history, memoir, biography, satire, cultural studies, science, sports

Wants: Query letter, first ten to fifteen pages, proposal, ai disclosure

Matt McGowan is Vice President and Senior Agent at Frances Goldin Literary Agency. He is looking for emotionally, intellectually, and formally adventurous work of all kinds and is particularly interested in writers who believe nonfiction can be as artful as fiction. Queries for essays, literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, pop culture, journalism, politics, history, memoir, biography, black humor/satire, cultural studies, science, and sports are all welcome.

Email Matt McGowan at mm@goldinlit.com. Submit to only one Frances Goldin agent at a time. For fiction, memoir, essays, or narrative nonfiction, send a query letter and the first 10-15 pages in the body of the email. For all other nonfiction, send a query letter and attach a proposal if you have one. Submissions must be the original work of the author and not generated or co-written using AI tools.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, memoir, history, biography, business, young adult, middle grade, self-help, psychology, science

Rees Literary Agency represents literary and commercial fiction, memoirs, history, biography, business, young adult and middle grade, self-help, psychology, and science. The official contact page lists Lorin Rees as an agency contact at Lorin@reesagency.com.

Email Lorin Rees at lorin@reesagency.com. The official site does not publish more detailed Lorin-specific submission materials in the exposed text.

Historical fiction, multicultural fiction, cozy mystery, romance, science fiction, speculative fiction, suspense, thrillers, upmarket women's fiction, fantasy, action and adventure, literary fiction, military fiction, advice and relationships, biography, business, economics, leadership, diet, health and medical, history, politics, current affairs, how-to, humor, lifestyle, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, religion, spirituality, self-help, true crime, young adult

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first three chapters, first fifty pages, author bio, marketing plan, book proposal, target audience, competitive analysis, chapter outline, sample chapters

Leticia Gomez is CEO and Founder of Savvy Literary Services and a literary, film, and television agent who champions underrepresented voices, especially underserved writers and readers. Savvy has placed fiction and nonfiction with traditional publishers and lists interest in historical, multicultural, cozy mystery, romance, speculative, suspense/thriller, upmarket women's fiction, fantasy, action/adventure, literary fiction, military, and a broad range of nonfiction including advice, biography, business, health, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, self-help, and true crime.

Complete the official Savvy submission form and email submission documents directly to Leticia Gomez at leticia@savvyliterary.com. Include Leticia's first name in the query letter and submit to only one Savvy agent. Fiction submissions should include a query or elevator pitch with title, genre, and word count, a synopsis, the first 3 chapters or 50 pages, a detailed author bio, and a marketing plan. Nonfiction submissions should include a query and a polished book proposal with overview, target audience, marketing plan, competitive analysis, author bio, chapter outline and descriptions, and at least 3 sample chapters.

Literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, contemporary fiction, multicultural fiction, short stories, biography, history, cultural issues

Wants: Query letter, biographical information, previous publications, first thirty pages, proposal

Kiele Raymond seeks bold new voices in literary fiction and narrative nonfiction. She is open to queries and particularly interested in narratives set in and around the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the American Southwest. She treats each project with editorial care and is interested in stories that examine individual and cultural modes of sense-making. She also likes authoritative-yet-evasive narrators, anti-heroes bound to institutions or ecosystems, and histories that show the importance of subversive communities and local action.

Submit to Kiele Raymond through her QueryManager link from the official Thompson Literary bios page. Her QueryManager asks for a query letter, salient biographical information or previous publications, and an upload of the first 30 pages or, for nonfiction, the full proposal.

Memoir, biography, food writing, graphic nonfiction, essays, pop science, pop culture, self-help, historical narrative, humor, business, high concept suspense, women's fiction, literary fiction, verse novels, graphic novels

Wants: Query letter, first chapter, graphic excerpt, proposal

Gordon Warnock seeks fresh voices, timely and timeless projects, socially responsible nonfiction by authors with strong expertise or platforms, memoir and biography, food narrative and history, graphic and illustrated nonfiction, essays on social issues, pop science, pop or geek culture, self-help, historical narrative, humor, how-to, business and career, high-concept suspense, book club women's fiction, literary fiction, verse novels for YA and MG, and graphic novels for adults, YA, and MG.

Query Gordon Warnock by email at querygordon@fuseliterary.com or through conferences he attends. For text-based works, paste the first chapter below the query, for memoir, paste the first chapter, for graphic nonfiction or graphic novels, attach a 10-page sequential PDF excerpt of finished artwork not exceeding 50 MB. Unsolicited submissions by paper mail or social media will be discarded unread.

Thriller, mystery, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, romance, science fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir, biography, middle grade

Wants: Query letter, first chapter

Ronald is focused on cinematic stories with strong hooks and relatable characters, and is actively looking for thriller and mystery, historical and contemporary fiction, romance, grounded science fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoir and biography, and middle grade.

Email a query letter to assistant@bookhaven.com with the word "Query" in the subject line and the first chapter attached as a Word document.

Literary fiction, nonfiction, history, journalism, music, film, sports, biography, narrative nonfiction, criticism, essays, hybrid nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Jim Rutman represents adult literary fiction and nonfiction. In fiction, he is interested in audacious novels that test the form and prioritize language. His nonfiction interests are wide ranging, including history, journalism, music, film, sports, biography, traditional narrative approaches, criticism, and essays. He is often drawn to interdisciplinary and hybrid treatments and authorities seeking to complicate long-held assumptions.

Submit to Sterling Lord Literistic through the official submissions page online form. SLL says it can only respond to queries if interested in seeing more material and does not represent screenplays.

Narrative nonfiction, literary fiction, memoir, biography, science, social issues, women's issues

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, bio, first twenty five pages

Eve MacSweeney is developing narrative nonfiction and literary fiction that speak to emotionally driven stories, singular voices, and compelling social issues, especially as they concern the lives of women. Her official profile also notes memoirs focused on the criminal justice system, science-based investigation, biography, and literary fiction.

Email submissions@calligraphlit.com with a query letter, brief synopsis, short bio, and 25 pages of sample material in the body of the email. Include Eve MacSweeney's name, the project title, and genre in the subject line. Do not query Eve directly, send attachments, or submit by postal mail or phone.

Fiction and non-fiction

High-quality adult non-fiction and fiction, YA for young teens. Non-fiction: natural history, memoir, biography, history, cookery, current affairs, humour, lifestyle

Send an initial letter to Barn Cottage, Veryan, Truro, Cornwall TR2 5QA with a short description of your book or idea. The agency prefers postal submissions due to high email volume.

Fiction, non-fiction, children's, memoir, biography, natural history, literary fiction, mystery, suspense, women's fiction, health, fitness, young adult, faith, popular culture

Wants: Query letter, first 50 pages

Laura represents a wide range of fiction, nonfiction and books for children. Her interests include memoir and biography, natural history, literary fiction, mystery, suspense, women's fiction, health and fitness, children's and young adult, faith issues and popular culture.

Email Laura directly at lbp@cbltd.com and attach the first 50 pages of your project. Include 'lbpquery' in the subject line.

Literary fiction, upmarket fiction, narrative non-fiction, creative non-fiction, young adult literary fiction, middle grade literary fiction

Wants: Query letter, first 30 pages, author biography

Katie Grimm seeks plot-driven literary and upmarket fiction, narrative and creative nonfiction, and literary fiction for young adult and middle grade audiences. She looks for voice-driven books with a heartbeat and sense of purpose, particularly interested in the darker and weirder side of human history, previously under- or misrepresented experiences, and narratives that contribute to larger cultural conversations.

Send query via Query Manager at https://querymanager.com or KGRIMM with query letter, first 30 pages, and author biography.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, chick lit, mystery, suspense, thriller, picture books, middle grade, young adult, memoir, celebrity biography, arts, popular culture, self-help, health, spiritual

Wants: Query letter, first pages, synopsis, bio

She seeks literary fiction with unique voices and commercial fiction including women's fiction, mysteries, and thrillers. For children's books, she wants picture books and character-driven middle grade and Young Adult with distinctive voices. In nonfiction, she represents memoirs, celebrity biographies, books about arts and popular culture, and empowering self-help titles.

For fiction queries, send the first twenty pages in the email body to jenndec@aol.com with a one-paragraph bio and synopsis. For nonfiction, attach the complete proposal as a Word document with a sample chapter, plus bio and synopsis in the email body.

Non-fiction

Big ideas, popular psychology, contemporary issues, economics/business (not how-to), popular science, history, biography, literature/pop culture, investigative journalism, narrative non-fiction

Submit via the online form at https://felicitybryan.com or submissions or submit-your-work/

Fiction and non-fiction, children's

Projects with wide international appeal. Fiction: general, mystery, romance, suspense-thriller, fantasy/SF, own voices, children's. Non-fiction: biography, history, mind-body-spirit, health, lifestyle, science

Email - submissions@sheilland.co.uk

Commercial fiction, women's fiction, intelligent crime, thrillers, historical fiction, history, nature, science, self-development, biography, memoir, lifestyle, food

Quality commercial and popular literary fiction with emotional heft, original voices and broad appeal, including twisty thrillers, ghost stories, and epic romantic stories. For non-fiction, experts in their fields writing about history, nature, science, self-development, biography, memoir, original thinking, lifestyle and food — particularly books that educate and illuminate worlds readers don't know, strong women's voices, and food writers with fresh perspectives or a built community.

Email submissions@hhbagency.com with the genre in the subject line. Put your covering letter in the body of the email including a brief pitch, relevant background, and comparison titles. Attach the first three chapters or around 50 pages as a Word document, plus a synopsis. Fiction writers must have completed the manuscript before submitting. Non-fiction writers may submit before completion.

Nonfiction, cultural history, biography, art history, film, religion and spirituality, psychology, philosophy, popular science, self-help, health and nutrition, pop culture, subcultures, fashion, food narrative, cookbooks

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Dado Derviskadic loves working with writers who have deep and singular insight into their chosen world. In nonfiction he is primarily interested in cultural history, biography, art history, film, religion and spirituality, psychology, philosophy, pop science and motivational self-help, health and nutrition, pop culture and subcultures, fashion, food narrative, and cookbooks.

Send queries to dado@foliolitmanagement.com with the query letter and first ten pages of the manuscript or proposal in the body of the email. Write QUERY in the subject line. If there is no response within 4 weeks, assume the project is not right for him.

Memoir, geography, economics, politics, history, nature writing, biography, science, travel, literary fiction

Wants: Genres include memoir; geography; economics; politics; history; nature writing; biography; science; travel; and literary fiction.

See source page for more info

Email james@jameslockhartagency.com with a covering letter in the body of the email and the first 30 pages attached as a Word doc or PDF.

Fiction, non-fiction, children's fiction 8 and

Distinctive fiction, non-fiction including memoir, history, narrative, biography, lifestyle, sports, self-help, humour, pop culture. Not horror, sci-fi, screenplays, or picture books

Email info@lisarichards.ie. For fiction, include the first three or four chapters, a covering letter, and an SAE if required. For non-fiction, send a detailed proposal, a sample chapter, and a cover letter.

Literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, current affairs, politics, pop culture, popular science, history, journalism, memoir, biography

David Kuhn is co-CEO of Aevitas Creative Management. His official Aevitas profile says he represents literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, current affairs, politics, pop culture, popular science, history, journalism, memoir, and biography.

Submit through the official Aevitas contact or submissions page if David Kuhn is available in the agent dropdown. Aevitas asks writers to include a query letter and, for nonfiction, a proposal if available, for fiction, include sample pages as directed by the form. Do not send unsolicited material outside the official route.

Literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, cultural history, politics, biography, arts

Wants: Query letter, short bio, first ten pages

Edward Orloff is interested in literary fiction and narrative nonfiction, especially cultural history, politics, biography, and the arts.

Email queries to queries@mccormicklit.com and indicate in the subject line that you are querying Edward Orloff. Include a query letter describing the work, a short bio, and up to ten sample pages in the body of the email. Do not send attachments.

Literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, poetry

Literary fiction with clarity, energy and intention, ambitious structure/craft, tactile/idiosyncratic sentences, strange/spooked books, big family novels and love stories, literary genre-bending. Non-fiction: literary biography, social/cultural/oral history, creative scholarship, memoir/essay, interests include art, design, psychoanalysis, food, women's lives

Email submissions@aitkenalexander.co.uk with subject line marked FAO Harriet Moore. Include a cover letter with a short book description, any writing credits or qualifications, and a brief bio. For fiction, attach the first three chapters or 50 pages plus a short synopsis. For narrative non-fiction, attach a short overview and up to 10,000 words of sample writing. For subject-led non-fiction, attach a proposal of approximately 5,000 words and at least 5,000 words of sample writing. Attachments should be Microsoft Word compatible. Submit to one agent only, no postal submissions. If you have not heard back within three months, treat this as a pass.

Narrative and commercial non-fiction, literary fiction

Strong new voices in non-fiction across musical, visual, dramatic, cultural and culinary arts, history, memoir, biography, essays and humour, select fiction and literary-quality short stories

Email - natalie@greyhoundliterary.co.uk

Literary fiction, essay collections, cultural criticism, military history, intellectual history, narrative journalism, narrative nonfiction, practical nonfiction, biography, history, memoir, pop culture, young adult, middle grade, upmarket women's fiction

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

Benjamin is interested in representing literary fiction, essay collections, cultural criticism, military and intellectual history, and narrative journalism. The agency also welcomes narrative/practical nonfiction, biography, history, memoir, pop culture, literary fiction, young adult, middle grade, and upmarket women's fiction.

Email a query letter to query@elizabethkaplanlit.com. Do not send attachments, fiction writers may paste the first ten pages into the body of the email. The agency replies only if interested.

Fiction, nonfiction, literary fiction, commercial fiction, women's fiction, romance, mystery, thriller, memoir, narrative nonfiction, self-help, health, wellness, cookbooks, business, biography

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, sample pages

Denise says she will look at anything, with emphasis on strong writing and storytelling across fiction and nonfiction. Her stated interests include literary and commercial fiction, women's fiction, romance, mystery, thriller, memoir, narrative nonfiction, self-help, health and wellness, cookbooks, business, and biography.

Submit through the Barone Literary online submissions form. Include a query letter, synopsis, and sample pages as requested by the form.

Fiction, nonfiction, memoir, food writing, cookbooks, nature, environment, biography, pop culture, travel, adventure, true crime, politics, health, fitness, picture books, middle grade, young adult

Wants: Pitch

The Unter Agency is interested in quality fiction and general nonfiction, especially memoir, food/cooking, nature/environment, biography, pop culture, travel/adventure, true crime, politics and health/fitness, plus all types of children's literature.

Email Jennifer Unter with a pitch at Jennifer@theunteragency.com. If there is no response within three months, consider it a pass.

Narrative nonfiction, history, biography, politics, current affairs, foreign affairs, memoir, food, health, adventure, environment, travel, historical fiction

Wants: Query letter, first three pages

Deborah is interested in narrative nonfiction in history, biography, politics, current and foreign affairs, memoir, food, health, adventure, the environment and travel, especially academic writers ready to move to more popular writing. For fiction, she is interested in great storytelling, especially in a historical context.

Email queries only, with no attachments. For fiction, paste the first three pages into the email. For nonfiction, include evidence of a full-length book idea, author credentials, and market.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, mystery, thriller, suspense, historical fiction, biography, memoir, narrative history, pop culture, sports, travel, health, medicine, science, multicultural

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages, author bio

BJ Robbins represents quality fiction, both literary and commercial, and general nonfiction, with particular interest in memoir, biography, narrative history, pop culture, sports, travel and adventure, medicine and health. The agency is especially looking for literary/commercial crossovers with book-club potential, smart speculative fiction, and multicultural stories.

Email BJ Robbins with a succinct description of the work, relevant bio information, and the first ten pages in the body of the email. Do not send attachments unless requested.

Practical nonfiction, business, health, wellness, mind body spirit, psychology, parenting, technology, narrative nonfiction, memoir, biography, history, pop culture, current affairs, women's interest, social trends, sports, fitness, literary fiction, upmarket fiction, suspense, thriller

Wants: Query letter, author bio

Dana is interested in practical nonfiction by authors with smart, unique perspectives and established platforms, compelling narrative nonfiction, memoir, biography, history, pop culture, current affairs, women's interest, social trends, sports and fitness, plus select literary fiction, upmarket fiction, and suspense/thriller.

Email dananewmanliterary@gmail.com with QUERY and the title in the subject line. Send a one-page query letter in the body of the email with category, title, word count, project overview, credentials, publishing history, contact details, and disclosure of simultaneous submissions. Do not send attachments.