A collaborative, editorial process
I work with people already established in their fields who want to write ambitious books for a general audience. For many, writing is not yet their primary focus, so I aim to make the process clear, structured, and workable alongside other commitments.

My approach is shaped by my background as an editor. I represent a focused list and work closely with each author, shaping ideas conceptually, structurally, and line by line. I know the common pitfalls first drafts encounter and try to pre-empt them at the proposal stage. The result is the same – you write a well-crafted proposal – but this approach removes the guesswork from navigating the more mysterious conventions of trade publishing.

Shaping the pitch
A core part of my work is helping authors articulate why their book matters now. Expert‑led non‑fiction asks readers to invest time in subjects they may not yet know they care about. I work with authors to make ideas feel urgent, relevant, and distinctive – questions that editors, and the marketing, publicity, and sales teams around them, examine closely.

Industry perspective & relationships
My experience as Editorial Director at Viking/Penguin and The Bodley Head means I understand how decisions are made inside publishing houses. I’ve worked closely with editors in London and New York and sat in acquisitions meetings on both sides of the Atlantic. This perspective informs how I position and advocate for a book.

A global outlook
International reach is a key focus. A clear example is Vaclav Smil: when we first connected, he had written more than fifty academic books but none for a general audience. Today, he has sold hundreds of thousands of copies, is translated into 35 languages, and achieved his first New York Times bestseller. When I moved into agenting, he chose to follow, and I’ve since sold two more of his books.

At Andrew Nurnberg Associates, I now focus entirely on helping authors shape ideas and reach readers worldwide, supported by an unmatched international rights infrastructure.

Broadly, in the same way as with any author, as described above. But having worked primarily with academics throughout my career, certain nuances emerge – from understanding the rhythms of the academic year to recognising that many scholars are motivated by reach and impact, underpinned by intellectual integrity.

I’ve advised academics on reaching broader audiences at events ranging from the Bodleian Library to the Institute of Historical Research. As The Bookseller observed, “A part of Connor Brown’s success has been ideas generation and working with authors to find new audiences” – something they described as “somewhat unusual in the smart non-fiction space.”

I always welcome conversations with leading researchers who want to explore how their work might reach a wider readership.

Andrew Nurnberg Associates was founded in 1977 and represents a distinguished list of authors, from Samuel Johnson Prize-winning historian Antony Beevor to the estate of Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Harper Lee. While the agency represents a broad range of genres, my focus is exclusively on high‑quality non‑fiction.

ANA has twelve international offices – including Bangkok, Beijing, Budapest, Hanoi, Istanbul, Kyiv, Milan, Moscow, Prague, Sofia, Taipei, and Warsaw – in addition to its London base in Bloomsbury, overlooking the British Museum. These offices are hubs for a global network that covers publishers and readers worldwide. Meetings of the ANA rights team can feel a bit like a mini-United Nations.

Every territory has a dedicated expert at ANA, unlike smaller agencies where one or two people handle global sales. All of these professionals are intimately familiar with their markets, regularly visiting publishers in their regions, and many are fluent in the local language. Our unmatched scale – around 1,000 deals per month – gives us leverage to secure the best terms for our clients. In fact, advances from foreign-language editions frequently surpass those offered by publishers in an author’s home market.

Working with the literary agency with the largest international network gives your book access to publishers and readers worldwide. You would work with me as your primary agent, your point of contact for all aspects of your book. I sell in the English-language market, advocating for your work in London and New York, while ANA’s global infrastructure ensures your work reaches its full international potential.

When we decide to work together, an author signs a representation agreement setting out the scope of our work and industry-standard commission rates. There are no upfront fees, and commission is taken only once payment has been received on your behalf.

I’m always happy to share the agreement and talk through the details early in the process. The practical side should be straightforward, allowing you to focus on your book.

Andrew Nurnberg Associates is a member of the Association of Authors’ Agents and follows its Code of Practice.

Developing a book proposal can take several weeks, or longer if you’re balancing other commitments. Once a proposal is commissioned, writing a book typically takes around a year to 18 months. From delivery of the manuscript to publication, publishers usually require a further year, with a paperback often following a year later.

I often meet writers who hope to author a trade book one day but are waiting for the “right time” – a sabbatical, the end of another commitment, or a quieter period at work or in life. That’s entirely understandable. But even if your schedule is full, thinking things through now and talking them over with someone who can help clarify your ideas means that when the time does come, you could already have a compelling concept ready to develop, and perhaps even the right publisher lined up to help bring it to life.

See Submissions page.