Meg Wheeler is a Toronto-based agent and international rights director at Westwood Creative Artists who prioritizes Canadian writers — especially those from underrepresented communities — and hunts for literary and commercial adult fiction, character-driven narrative non-fiction, and a selective range of short story collections.
In brief
Meg Wheeler wears two hats at WCA — agent and international rights director — which keeps their client list intentionally small and curated; expect a more selective, relationship-focused representation style than a high-volume agent.
The strongest preference signal is geographic and demographic: Wheeler explicitly prioritizes Canadian writers, and within that group, BIPOC, queer, and chronically ill or disabled authors — non-Canadian writers face a meaningfully higher bar.
Fiction appetite spans a wide literary-to-commercial spectrum, but with a consistent thread: grounded, world-rooted storytelling. Speculative or magical elements are welcome as flavor, but hard genre (fantasy, sci-fi) is a firm no.
Wheeler has been at WCA since 2015 but only began building a list in late 2018, meaning the list is still relatively young and growing — an active, open-minded slate rather than a locked roster.
Non-fiction is genuinely wanted, not just tolerated: current affairs, investigative true crime, soft science, and politics are prioritized; memoir and cookbooks are considered but with a high bar.
Lately
Wheeler describes a clear philosophy on speculative fiction: magical or fantastical elements are welcome when they serve a story grounded in our world, but the moment a novel leaves Earth for an invented universe, it falls outside their list. Near-future dystopia in the vein of literary speculative fiction is fine; genre fantasy and sci-fi are not.
What Meg is looking for
Wheeler's broadest and most active category. The key criterion is that fiction must be set in the real world — present, past, or near-future — rather than a fully invented secondary world. Within that, Wheeler is enthusiastic about sweeping multi-generational family sagas, immigration and diaspora narratives, beach reads, and historical fiction. Speculative or magical elements used as a layer within a grounded story are very welcome; pure fantasy or science fiction are not. Comps named include Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi and Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue for the saga/diaspora end, and Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, the Trickster series by Eden Robinson, Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waub Rice, Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell, and The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh for speculative-tinged literary work. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel anchors the near-future, literary end.
Wheeler wants crime and thrillers, but with a significant gate: the central characters must not be police or law-enforcement figures. Think crime from the perspective of civilians, investigators outside traditional policing, or morally complex protagonists. Thrillers must deliver genuine, unpredictable twists — 'didn't see that coming' is the stated standard.
Romcoms are explicitly on the list alongside beach reads — Wheeler wants genuinely entertaining, fun commercial fiction. No further restrictions stated beyond the general preference for Canadian writers.
Wheeler's non-fiction priority. Seeks books that illuminate subjects readers hadn't thought deeply about before — the 'teaches me something new' test. Investigative true crime is wanted but must be deeply researched. Soft science and political non-fiction are also strong interests. Narrative non-fiction that combines rigorous research with compelling storytelling is the sweet spot.
Both categories are on the table but Wheeler is upfront about being very selective here. A memoir needs a truly distinctive voice and perspective; a cookbook presumably requires a strong platform or hook. Do not query these without a genuinely compelling angle.
Wheeler will accept short story manuscripts but describes this as a very selective area. Query only if the collection has a strong unifying concept and the craft is exceptionally polished.
Not the right fit
On Meg's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Meg
Send your query to the WCA submissions email address (submissions@wcaltd.com) following the agency's posted guidelines — Wheeler's inbox is shared under that umbrella.
Paste your writing sample (10–20 pages) directly in the body of the email; attachments are not accepted for the writing sample.
Your query package must include: a brief synopsis, a bio with credentials and contact information, any relevant social media handles, and prior submission history for the project.
If your project includes illustrations or art, attach or include an art sample even at the query stage.
Lead with your Canadian identity if applicable — Wheeler's stated preference for Canadian writers is strong, and making this clear upfront is a genuine advantage.
If you are comfortable disclosing it, noting that you are a BIPOC, queer, or chronically ill/disabled writer is explicitly invited by Wheeler and signals direct alignment with their priority list.
Do NOT query with police-protagonist crime fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, YA, MG, picture books, graphic novels, or poetry — these are firm exclusions.
For memoir or cookbooks, make sure your query immediately conveys what makes your project exceptional; Wheeler is very selective in these areas and a generic pitch will not clear the bar.
Wheeler values platform and audience connection — if you have a meaningful readership, community presence, or relevant expertise, mention it concisely in your bio.
Confirm the live query status before sending; open/closed status can change without notice.