Brent Howard is a Gramercy Literary agent building a focused list anchored in high-stakes, intellectually rigorous narrative nonfiction with broad cultural resonance.
In brief
The clearest signal in the available record is Brent Howard's emphatic, recent public push for ambitious narrative nonfiction — projects that combine scholarly rigor with propulsive storytelling and wide cultural impact.
The touchstone titles named (Say Nothing, The Wager, The Splendid and the Vile, The Warmth of Other Suns, SPQR) span true crime, military history, social history, and classical history — suggesting Howard's appetite crosses subgenres as long as the writing and research are exceptional.
Howard describes themselves as 'actively building' in this space, which is a meaningful phrase: it signals they are not merely open to the category but are making it a deliberate priority and have room for new clients.
Beyond narrative nonfiction, the current record does not supply confirmed deal data or a broader stated wishlist, so writers in other categories should verify directly before querying.
Query status was observed as open in April 2026 and reaffirmed by an active public wishlist post in May 2026 — both recent signals, but always confirm the live form before submitting.
Lately
Wish list time: I’m actively building a list of ambitious narrative nonfiction—and I’m looking for projects with the intellectual rigor, narrative force, and the cultural reach of Say Nothing, The Wager, The Splendid and the Vile, The Warmth of Other Suns, and SPQR, etc. #MSWL
Howard posted an explicit wishlist statement emphasizing a desire to grow a narrative nonfiction list defined by intellectual rigor, storytelling power, and broad cultural impact, citing landmark works in history and social history as the benchmark for the kinds of projects being sought.
What Brent is looking for
Howard is deliberately and actively building in this space and wants projects that hit on all three cylinders: intellectual rigor (deep, credible research), narrative force (the pacing and structure of great storytelling), and cultural reach (a subject that resonates far beyond a niche audience). The touchstones named skew toward history — political violence, military drama, social history, classical antiquity — but the unifying quality is the ambition to make serious nonfiction feel as propulsive as a thriller.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Brent
Open your query letter by naming the cultural or historical stakes of your book — Howard's wishlist language ('cultural reach') suggests they want to immediately understand why this story matters to a broad audience, not just specialists.
The phrase 'intellectual rigor' is key: signal your research credentials or access early. A brief note on primary sources, archival access, or relevant expertise will resonate.
Narrative force is the third pillar — your sample pages need to demonstrate propulsive, compelling prose, not academic writing. If your first chapter reads like a journal article, revise before submitting.
Use the touchstone titles strategically: if your book shares DNA with one of Howard's named comps (Keefe, Grann, Larson, Wilkerson, Beard), say so in one sentence and explain specifically why — not just genre, but structure, tone, or scope.
Howard says they are 'actively building' this list, which is an invitation — lead with confidence that your project fits, and don't bury the lede with excessive backstory about yourself.
Verify the submission form requirements at Gramercy Literary's website immediately before querying, as guidelines can change.