How to Get Literary Agents for Non-Fiction

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What are non-fiction agents looking for? All agents are looking for the identical thing: saleable manuscripts - of the type that may well essentially make some capital. So agents are looking for:

1) anything celebrity-led, and written by or endorsed by that celebrity
2) really powerful private memoir
three) funny & exotic travel
4) common science
five) narrative-led history
6) biography, if the subject in question is genuinely famous
7) key new diet and motivational work
8) strong, quirky one-offs - eg: The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (Kate Summerscale) / Longitude (Dava Sobel)

What they're not searching for is anything niche. ('How to' books in minor topic areas, books of local history, biographies of little-known subjects, etc). While these books could possibly well sell to the correct publishers, they won't sell for sufficient revenue to make it worth an agent's while to get involved. For books like this, it's fine to method publishers direct. Use Writer's Industry (US/Can) or The Writers' & Artists' Yearbook (UK & ROW) for contacts.

Where to uncover non-fiction literary agents
Particularly couple of agents specialise in non-fiction. The vast majority of all literary agents will manage fiction and non-fiction, literary and commercial perform. Although some specialist non-fiction agents do exist, you will frequently be much better off looking for a decent all-objective agent for your work. I've sold 4 non-fiction books myself, and all of those were by way of a good common purpose agent. It did not occur to me to switch to a 'specialist' agent, and I'm very specific that I wouldn't have achieved a greater outcome if I had accomplished. What matters is the good quality of the agent, not no matter if they specialise in a certain region.

There are however exceptions to this general rule, namely:

a) If you are writing a well being, diet plan or how to book, you might well want an agent who specialises in this niche.

b) Ditto, if you are writing a cookbook. (But if you are, you'd do properly to have a Tv deal sewn up 1st - this is not an simple region to crack.)

c) If you want a ghostwriter to tell your story for you, you probably want an agent who has worked in this way with previous customers. But be realistic. Especially few personal stories are intriguing and commercial enough to justify the expense of ghostwriting - in general, if you want a story written, you will need to have to write it yourself (or ask us to help.)

If you will need significantly more information, then do consult the listing directories already mentioned - use those in conjunction with agents' websites to narrow down who's interested in what.

How to give literary agents what they want
First, you need to decide what you are going to present to agents. With fiction, you at all times need to have to write the whole damn book. With non-fiction, you can generally get away with offering agents a book proposal - that is, an outline version of the book you intend to write. If your book is strongly story-led (which will be true of most memoir, for example), you'd be well advised to write the complete darn thing before looking for agents. If your story is additional topic-led, it is usually fine to function off the back of a proposal.

Secondly, you need to deliver a terrific, saleable manuscript. That indicates:

a) Robust, favorite, entertaining writing. Even if your subject is an incredibly interesting one, men and women will not want to read what you have to say about it if you write badly or boringly. So don't.

b) Write for the market! It's so obvious, but most non-fiction manuscripts that come across our desks aren't written for the market. Private memoir that's fifty percent 'how to'. A footnote heavy biography of some obscure French civil servant. A 'book' on dieting that is only 20,000 words lengthy. If you're not positive what the market is for your certain book, then go to a bookstore and don't leave till you know the answer.

Thirdly, if you get knocked back by literary agents (non-fiction or generalist) - or if you want to give your self the preferred achievable chance prior to you approach them - then for pete's sake go out and get some difficult tough-hitting assistance from experts. You will need to bring the suggestions, the talent and the work ethic. Skilled editors can bring their knowledge of the market, their contacts, and their expertise in writing. Put those two things together, and you can have a effective mixture - and eventual achievement. Most desirable of luck.