10 Literary Agents Seeking Memoir (& More)

I read a LOT of agent wishlists, and when it comes to memoirs, most agents say the same thing. While, of course, they are interested in your story, they also want to see that it connects to the universal. Something bigger than you.

Some may call it “universal truth,” others “universal appeal,” or “the bigger story beneath the surface.” Whatever language they use, the point is the same: your memoir has to offer something that reaches beyond the particulars of your life and speaks to a shared human experience. Whether that be identity, mental health, trauma and healing, family dynamics, grief and loss, addiction and recovery, immigration, class and economic survival, chronic illness, caregiving…the list goes on.

Odds are you have this in your memoir already. But you will want to make sure your query letter and proposal highlight both. “Here’s my unique story,” plus “Here’s how and why this story connects to a larger issue/feeling that many people will find meaningful.”

Agents may call it change, insight, or a new perspective, but it always comes back to that thread connecting the personal to the universal. That’s the magic of memoir!

I’m excited to share this agent list today because, despite the rumor out there being that memoirs are hard to sell (I’ve heard this about every genre lately!), there are still plenty of agents who are passionate about reading and representing the memoir.

Also, for those not writing in this specific genre, we’ve added in other genres that each of these agents are looking for.

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