Emma Bal is a London-based non-fiction specialist at the Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency whose decade in publishing-house marketing — launching Sunday Times bestsellers and Nobel and Pulitzer winners — gives her an unusually commercial, campaign-oriented lens on the books she takes on.
In brief
Her background is in publicity and marketing at two major houses, not editorial — she thinks instinctively about how a book will reach its audience, which means platform and 'big idea' clarity matter enormously in a pitch to her.
Her current client list skews heavily academic-to-trade crossover: historians, political scientists, food writers, and cultural critics with genuine scholarly credentials writing for general audiences — this is her real sweet spot.
She represents a notably diverse roster by background and subject matter, with recurring themes of diaspora, decolonisation, and intersectional feminism — writers working in those lanes will find a sympathetic home.
Food and cookery are a declared specialism alongside narrative non-fiction — unusually for a non-fiction generalist, she explicitly covers both serious ideas books and recipe-driven titles.
Before joining Madeleine Milburn she personally worked on campaigns for Three Women, Humankind, The Anarchy, She Said, and other major non-fiction titles — her taste is shaped by high-concept, research-backed books with clear cultural stakes.
Lately
Her agency profile describes her as seeking 'passionate and ambitious collaborators who want to share their ideas with the world' — language that emphasises author-agent partnership and long-term career building rather than single-book deals.
What Emma is looking for
Her clearest priority: rigorously researched, intellectually ambitious books written for a general readership. She wants a strong, arguable central idea — something that reframes how readers understand the world — delivered through compelling prose. Character-driven history, investigative journalism, cultural criticism, and issue-driven narrative all fit here. The book must feel urgent: the author needs a persuasive answer to 'why does this need to exist now?'
An explicit specialism, not a sideline. She takes both recipe-led cookbooks and food writing with a strong narrative or cultural dimension. A distinctive authorial voice and a specific angle — regional cuisine, diaspora foodways, a particular culinary tradition — will stand out over generic recipe collections. Visual and illustrated cookbooks are also welcome.
She has a strong track record with historians writing for broad audiences. She's drawn to history that centres underrepresented perspectives — colonial and post-colonial histories, global rather than Anglocentric narratives, and stories that feel newly relevant. Academic credentials are an asset, but the writing must hold a general reader.
She's interested in memoir when it carries cultural or political weight beyond the personal — 'femoir' (feminist memoir), diaspora narratives, immigrant experiences, and first-person accounts that illuminate a wider social reality. Pure celebrity memoir is less her territory; she gravitates toward writers whose lives intersect meaningfully with public events or structural injustices.
She welcomes politically engaged non-fiction, including books on racial justice, feminism, LGBTQ+ issues, and social movements. The writing should be grounded in evidence and specific argument rather than polemic. Authors with direct experience or recognised expertise in their field will be prioritised.
Accessible science, psychology, mental health, and wellness books that carry genuine intellectual weight. She's not looking for generic self-help, but for authors with real expertise who can translate complex ideas for non-specialist readers. Mind/body/spirit, nature writing, ecology, and environmental science also sit here.
Art history, pop culture, fashion, gaming, and visually driven illustrated books are all within her remit. She has a taste for books that sit at the intersection of cultural criticism and beautiful object — gifts with ideas.
She has an appetite for essay collections and formally inventive non-fiction, including books about books and language arts projects. These are harder sells commercially, so she'll be selective — the voice and cultural argument need to be exceptionally strong.
Not the right fit
On Emma's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Emma
Submit through the agency's online submission form rather than cold-emailing; the form structures your materials correctly and reaches the right desk.
Non-fiction is sold on proposal, not completed manuscript — submit a covering letter, a document with your book overview/chapter outline, and sample writing. Do not send a full draft.
Open your covering letter with a sharp answer to two questions: what is this book about, and why does it need to exist right now? Her marketing background means she is evaluating discoverability and cultural moment from line one.
Credentials are load-bearing here. Explain explicitly why you — not someone else — are the right person to write this book. Academic expertise, lived experience, journalistic access, and professional authority all count; vague claims do not.
Her roster signals a strong affinity for intersectional and globally diverse perspectives. If your book engages with diaspora, decolonisation, post-colonial history, or underrepresented communities, make that central — don't bury it.
For cookbooks and food writing, a distinctive angle is essential. Articulate the specific culinary tradition, cultural lens, or narrative thread that sets your book apart from existing titles in the market.
Think about audience clearly and state it. She thinks like a campaign strategist — she will want to know who will buy this book and how it will reach them.
If your project is an essay collection or formally experimental, the voice and the cultural argument need to do heavy lifting; lead with the strongest possible sample.