How to Find a Literary Agent (Nonfiction)

Since earning a degree in psychology and biology from UCLA, Eve has spent much of her time in and out of jail—teaching creative writing to incarcerated teens. A former agent with Jill Corcoran Literary, Eve also attended medical school, served as a child welfare case worker, and has taught everything from Kindergarten to college courses. She speaks at conferences all over the country and teaches courses at UCLA on all things publishing. A highly collaborative developmental editor, Eve prides herself on whipping manuscripts into submission-ready shape, and has guided countless aspiring authors on their paths to publication.

Scott Pack is now in his third decade working in the book world. During that time he has been head of buying for the Waterstones book chain, worked for publishers big and small – including a lengthy spell at HarperCollins – and taught numerous workshops on all aspects of writing. These days he splits his time between writing his own books, editing other people's, teaching the editors of tomorrow as part of the Oxford Brookes University MA in Publishing, and he is one of the question setters for BBC's Mastermind. His book, Tips from a Publisher, is out now.

Jon Michael Darga is a senior agent at Aevitas Creative Management who represents titles across a diverse range of genres, including, most recently, the memoirs Horse Barbie by Geena Rocero and I Can't Save You by Anthony Chin-Quee; the cookbook Chili Crisp by James Park; and the New York Times bestsellers How to Piss off Men by Kyle Prue and How to Save a Life: The Untold Story of Grey's Anatomy by Lynette Rice. Prior to Aevitas, Darga was an editor at Penguin Random House, and a graduate of the University of Michigan.

Aemilia Phillips is a literary agent at Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency, representing a range of award-winning writers. She’s excited to work with authors who push boundaries to address social justice issues. A dual Mexican American citizen with interests in narrative non-fiction, hybrid memoir, commercial and literary fiction, and select poetry and self-help, she looks for diverse writing with an impactful story to tell. For non-fiction, Aemilia is looking for obsessed writers who challenge the way we think about the world. She loves character driven projects that at first glance appear to be commercial, but that are also smart cultural critiques. She’s fascinated by complex fictional characters who upend preconceptions, and stories with just a touch of magic.

Max Sinsheimer launched Sinsheimer Literary in 2016 after nearly seven years as an Oxford University Press editor overseeing a food- and drinks-themed list. He represents exclusively adult nonfiction across a range of genres, but with a particular interest in popular science, history, biography, food and cookery, (light) true crime, travel and adventure, and social and environmental issues. As a former university press editor, he welcomes scholarly works that can reach a crossover trade market. He’s not shy about taking on difficult topics, but does expect the writer to leave the reader with something hopeful to cling to.

Megan Close Zavala is a book editor, author coach, and writing teacher. A former literary agent, Megan has worked on well over a thousand script and book projects during her two decades in publishing. She specializes in the genres of memoir, self-help, and business/entrepreneurship. She enjoys guiding clients across the globe through all stages of their manuscript production, from first idea to last page, providing both editorial and mindset support. A lifelong bibliophile and wordsmith, when she is not helping authors make their writing dreams come true, nothing makes her happier than curling up with a good book.