non-fiction guidelines

We are interested in a diverse and wide range of subject matter, from anthropology to zoology. We are able to become fascinated by most subjects, but our regular favourites include:

Agriculture, archaeology, architecture, art, astronomy, biography, climate change, culture, design, ecology, environment, farming, food, gardening, global warming, health, history, home life, linguistics, medicine, natural history, politics, psychology, reference, rural life, science, water supplies.

We tend to go for non-fiction authors who have some or all of the following qualities:

Writing ability
Advanced educational qualifications
Authority i.e. credentials, expertise and credibility
Something fresh and original to say
Passionate interest in their subject
Enthusiasm for communicating their knowledge and thinking to a general audience
Burning curiosity and a searching mind
A desire to help people and improve the world
A critical interest in new ideas, theories or explanations
A wide-ranging and unusual perspective
Appreciation of simplicity and complexity
Both front and backlist potential.

Because we want to sell books all over the English-speaking world and also in translation, we are not keen to represent authors whose books are of limited appeal, whether because of their highly specialised subject matter, or restricted geographical interest, or tiny audience.

Types of Non-fiction that we don’t cover are:

Autobiographies
Children’s books
Conspiracy theories
Educational textbooks
Local history
Memoirs
Ph.d theses
Poetry
Self-help
‘Sob stories’ about unfortunate personal experiences
War stories