Massimiliano Zantedeschi is an independent agent who bridges literary and commercial fiction — with a particular appetite for work that blurs the line between fact and imagination — alongside a genuine international focus on children's and YA.
In brief
Massimiliano Zantedeschi operates their own boutique agency, positioning themselves as a hands-on partner for writers whose work crosses genre or category boundaries.
The wishlist explicitly invokes Benjamín Labatut as a taste benchmark — a signal that Zantedeschi is drawn to dense, intellectually ambitious narrative nonfiction and hybrid fiction that plays with scientific or philosophical ideas, not just surface-level 'true-crime adjacent' storytelling.
Children's and YA are a stated priority for international rights, suggesting Zantedeschi may be particularly valuable to authors seeking non-English-language placement rather than — or in addition to — a domestic debut.
The breadth of listed fiction categories (action/adventure, crime, horror, fantasy, mystery, thriller, middle grade, picture books) is wide, but the Labatut reference and the 'literary mystery' favorite sub-genre together narrow the genuine sweet spot considerably: literary, ideas-driven, form-aware work wins over pure genre product.
No confirmed public deal record is available at the time of this profile, so the agency's commercial track record cannot yet be assessed from sales data — weight the wishlist signals accordingly.
Lately
Zantedeschi has publicly named Benjamín Labatut's blend of fiction and nonfiction as the kind of writing they are most eager to find right now — signaling a taste for intellectually daring, form-defying narrative over conventional genre work.
What Massimiliano is looking for
Zantedeschi is actively hunting for work that refuses to sit cleanly on one shelf — biography, essay, and narrative nonfiction that carry the electric, idea-saturated quality of writers like Benjamín Labatut, or fiction so grounded in fact that the seam between the two becomes the whole point. This is the sharpest, most personally articulated desire on the wishlist right now.
Zantedeschi is open to both debut and previously published works in picture books and middle grade, with an explicit eye toward international market potential. This suggests a focus on stories with universal resonance that travel well across cultures and languages.
YA sits alongside children's fiction as a stated priority for international rights evaluation. Both published works seeking foreign-language placement and unpublished manuscripts are welcome.
Literary mystery is the only 'favorite sub-genre' explicitly called out, which elevates it above the broader crime and thriller categories also listed. Think character-driven, atmospherically rich mystery rather than plot-machine thrillers — the 'literary' qualifier matters here.
Biography and memoir are listed as open categories, and biography is specifically mentioned in the wishlist alongside the Labatut comparison — suggesting a preference for lives told with narrative ambition and intellectual texture rather than straightforward chronological accounts.
These categories appear on the accepted-fiction list but receive no special emphasis in the wishlist. Zantedeschi may consider strong work here, but writers in these categories should lead with what makes their manuscript distinctive or literary rather than leaning on genre conventions alone.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Massimiliano
Start your subject line with the word 'Query' — this is a hard requirement to avoid spam filters, not a suggestion.
Paste everything directly into the email body: cover letter, a two-to-three page synopsis (with the ending included for novels; an index for biography or essay), and the first two chapters. Zantedeschi will not open unsolicited attachments.
Your cover letter must state the genre and word count of the work. Omitting either is a disqualifier.
Disclose upfront if you are querying other agents or publishers simultaneously — Zantedeschi explicitly asks for this, and honesty here builds rather than damages trust.
If Labatut-style hybrid nonfiction or literary mystery is your genre, say so clearly and early — these are the categories where Zantedeschi's enthusiasm is most explicit, and framing your work in those terms signals you understand their taste.
For children's or YA submissions, briefly note the target market and any international appeal your work may have — the agency's international focus means this context is more relevant here than at most agencies.
Expect silence to mean a pass: Zantedeschi responds only to projects of interest, and only within eight weeks. Do not follow up before that window closes.