US Biography Literary Agents Open to Submissions

Fiction, history, biography, environmental issues, nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, first five to ten pages

Neil Olson is an agent at Massie McQuilkin & Altman. He has been in publishing for more than 30 years and is primarily interested in fiction, history, biography, and environmental issues.

Email Neil Olson at neil@mmqalit.com. Include Query in the subject line, a query letter that briefly describes the project, relevant personal or professional information, and the first 5-10 pages pasted into the body of the email. Query only one MMQA agent at a time, if one agent passes, you may query another. MMQA accepts electronic submissions only 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.

Big idea nonfiction, memoir, pop culture, pop science, psychology, philosophy, prescriptive nonfiction, ecology, cultural history, social history, narrative nonfiction, investigative journalism, biography, essays, criticism, cookbooks, literary fiction, commercial fiction

Wants: Query letter

Lauren Hall is especially interested in wide-ranging nonfiction, including big idea books, high-concept and outward-facing memoir, pop culture, pop science, psychology, philosophy, voicey prescriptive projects, ecology, cultural and social history, deeply reported narrative, investigative journalism, biography, essays and criticism, and select design-driven books and cookbooks. She is also interested in select literary and commercial fiction, particularly absurdist or surreal but not fantastical narratives and characters with vivid inner lives.

Email submissions to lauren@foliolit.com. Include the word QUERY and the title of the project in the subject line. Lauren Hall does not accept physical queries through the mail.

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.

Fiction, nonfiction, memoir, biography, literary fiction, narrative nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, first five to ten pages, bio

Lane Zachary is looking for fiction and nonfiction that are beautifully crafted and have the capacity to change the way readers see and live in the world. Her background includes memoirs and biographies, and the official MMQA about page lists her long publishing career and authors recognized by major prizes and bestseller lists.

Email queries directly to lane@mmqalit.com. Include the word Query in the subject line, include a query letter describing the project plus relevant personal or professional information, and paste the first 5-10 pages into the body of the email. Query only one MMQA agent at a time.

Adult nonfiction, women's issues, pop culture, self-help, gift books, history, biography, literary legacies, narrative nonfiction, upmarket fiction

Wants: Query letter, author bio, first ten pages, overview, table of contents

Laura Mazer specializes in adult nonfiction, especially women's issues, intelligent pop culture, counterintuitive self-help, packaged gift or concept books, geeky deep dives into everyday life, history, biography, and fresh celebrations of literary legacies, especially stories about women. She also represents select upmarket fiction.

Email submissions to submissions@wsherman.com. Include your last name, title, and Laura Mazer's name in the subject line. For fiction, paste a query letter and the first 10 pages in the email body. For nonfiction, send a query letter and author bio, the agency guidelines also ask for a table of contents and overview for nonfiction. Do not send attachments or query multiple Wendy Sherman agents simultaneously.

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.

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, 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.

General fiction, literary fiction, anthology, biography, business, cooking, health, history, politics, current affairs, humor, lifestyle, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, pop culture, reference, sports, true crime, general nonfiction

Wants: Query letter

Bill focuses heavily on sports and nonfiction, with AALA-listed interests including biography, business, cooking, health, history/politics/current affairs, humor, lifestyle, memoir, narrative nonfiction, parenting, pop culture, reference, sports, true crime, general nonfiction, general fiction, and literary fiction.

Contact Bill Ames at bill@amesliterary.com for submission instructions, which vary based on genre, length, and topic.

Literary fiction, commercial fiction, mystery, historical fiction, biography, memoir, history, young adult fiction

Wants: Query letter

He is particularly drawn to historical fiction and voice-driven narratives, especially when both dark and humorous. He is also looking for realistic young adult fiction.

Query by email only. Query letters should be no more than two pages and should include a convincing overview of the book project and information about the author and his or her writing credits. Address queries to the specific agent.

Biography, history, current affairs, international relations, politics, arts, sciences, sports, popular culture, literary fiction, genre fiction

Wants: Query letter

He is looking for engaging stories that make complex ideas accessible to the curious reader and bold arguments that challenge the conventional wisdom. He is also interested in finding new, compelling voices in literary and genre fiction, especially novels that bridge the gap between the two.

Query by email only. Query letters should be no more than two pages and should include a convincing overview of the book project and information about the author and his or her writing credits.

Literary fiction, non-fiction, memoir, narrative non-fiction, history, biography, food writing, cultural criticism, graphic novels, young adult fiction

Wants: Query letter

Emily seeks voice-driven literary fiction and non-fiction, including original writing that jumps off the page. She is drawn to beautifully crafted writing, characters that come fully alive on the page, and stories rooted strongly in their setting. Humor is always welcome.

Query by email only. Query letters should be no more than two pages and should include a convincing overview of the book project and information about the author and writing credits.

Literary fiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction, narrative non-fiction, biography, memoir, current affairs, cultural criticism, science, sports, children's

Wants: Query letter, first ten pages

He works primarily with quality fiction – literary, historical, strongly written commercial – and with voice-driven nonfiction across a range of areas including narrative history, biography, memoir, current affairs, cultural trends and criticism, science, and sports.

Email query letters to mail@dclagency.com and paste the first ten pages of your manuscript below your letter. Address your email to a specific agent who you think might be the right fit. Submitting to more than one agent at a time is permitted, but indicate in your letter which agents you are querying. Emails with attachments will not be opened.

Literary fiction, near historical fiction, narrative non-fiction, adventure, popular science, history, politics, current affairs, social history, memoir, biography

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

Wendy specializes in literary fiction and narrative nonfiction. She represents award winning literary novelists, short story writers, journalists, activists, anthropologists, scientists, doctors, and educators.

Make your submission letter to the point and as brief as possible. Include a short synopsis of your work, an author bio, and the first five pages of your manuscript pasted into the body of your email, no attachments please.

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.

Literary fiction, nonfiction, cultural history, political nonfiction, hybrid memoir, literary criticism, biography, literature in translation

Wants: Query letter, bio, first five to ten pages

Elianna Kan represents international literary voices in any language, literary fiction, and literary nonfiction in English. She is particularly interested in voice-driven literary fiction and select nonfiction, including cultural history, political reportage, hybrid memoir, literary criticism, and biography. She reads and edits in English and Spanish and is a native Russian speaker, and is drawn to voice-driven narratives from underrepresented places.

Email queries directly to Elianna Kan at elianna@mmqalit.com. MMQA asks for a query letter briefly describing the project, relevant personal or professional information, the word Query in the subject line, and the first 5-10 pages pasted into the body of the email. Query only one MMQA agent at a time.

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.

Young adult fiction, middle grade fiction, graphic novels, women's fiction, romance, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, horror, psychological thriller, narrative nonfiction, biography, culture, social justice, history

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, first five pages, comparable books, full nonfiction proposal, ai disclosure

Michelle Witte founded Mansion Street Literary Management and represents MG and YA fiction, graphic novels, adult fiction, and narrative nonfiction. In YA she is looking for rom-com, historical, science fiction and fantasy, horror, psychological thrillers, and mashups of those categories; in MG, fun voices in adventure, contemporary, mystery, humor, horror, speculative, science fiction and fantasy, plus select graphic novels. In adult fiction she seeks women's fiction, romance, and speculative work. For nonfiction she is interested in biographies, culture, social justice, and history with a fresh lens and a personal element.

Submit to Michelle Witte through the official QueryManager link on the Mansion Street submissions page. Her form asks for project details, query letter, synopsis, comparable books, AI disclosure, and the first 5 pages or a full proposal for nonfiction. Mansion Street says if you do not hear back within 8 weeks, consider it a pass.

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, memoir, biography, history, science narratives, medical narratives

Wants: Query letter, first 25 pages

Jane is interested in women's commercial fiction and big think non-fiction. She loves to read commercial and literary fiction, memoir, biography and history, with particular interest in current events, politics, legal subjects, science and medical narratives.

Send query letter via email with full query in body, include first 25 pages of manuscript for fiction or proposal with sample chapter for nonfiction in email body. For picture books, include full text and dummy or sample art as PDF attachments under 20MB.

Commercial fiction, literary fiction, women's fiction, thriller, mystery, psychology, science, history, biography, diet, health, fitness, how-to, self-help, narrative non-fiction

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

Harvey loves great adult commercial and literary fiction and nonfiction books with a strong narrative voice in all disciplines, written by authors who already have an established professional platform in their field of expertise.

Submit via email with a short synopsis of your work, an author bio, and the first five pages of your manuscript pasted into the body of your email. Do not send attachments.

Grounded genre fiction, upmarket romance, psychological thrillers, folk horror, book club fiction, narrative non-fiction

Wants: Query letter, one sentence pitch, first 20 pages, comparable books, biography

Gracie is interested in grounded genre fiction, upmarket romance, psychological thrillers, folk horror, book club fiction, and narrative nonfiction examining culture and social issues. Across young adult and adult categories, she's interested in underrepresented voices, inventive storytelling, and delicious prose.

Submit via Query Manager only. Include query letter, one sentence pitch, first 20 pages, and comparable books. Do not query via email.

Music history, music journalism, memoir, biography, narrative non-fiction, media, film, tv, essay, literature, pop culture, young adult fiction, middle grade fiction

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

David specializes in music-related nonfiction, biography, narrative nonfiction, and young adult and middle-grade fiction. He seeks contemporary, adventure, thriller, and mystery in Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction.

Make your submission letter to the point and as brief as possible. Include a short synopsis of your work, an author bio, and the first five pages of your manuscript pasted into the body of your email, no attachments please.

Fiction, nonfiction, mystery, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, young adult, middle grade, biography, history, pop culture, sports, business, wellness, narrative nonfiction

Wants: Query letter, synopsis, author bio

Jonathan represents a select fiction and nonfiction list including mysteries, thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, young adult, middle grade, biographies, history, pop culture, sports, business, wellness, and general narrative nonfiction.

Email a query through the protected email listed on the Lyons and Salky literary representation page with a synopsis and short author biography in the body of the email. Do not include attachments or sample chapters.

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, 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.

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.