Monika Woods is a Curtis Brown, Ltd. agent who hunts for plot-driven literary fiction and creatively ambitious nonfiction — with a particular appetite for vivid subcultures, underrepresented perspectives, and original prose that crackles on the sentence level.
In brief
Monika Woods operates at the intersection of literary ambition and commercial momentum — they want fiction that moves and nonfiction that thinks critically and originally.
Their stated wishlist is unusually specific about geography and culture (New Orleans, Detroit, New York City, Poland, the Roma, hip-hop), which signals they respond strongly to writing rooted in a distinct place or community rather than generic universal settings.
The wishlist references Adrian Nicole LeBlanc's *Random Family* and Eve Babitz's *Sex & Rage* as touchstones — a pairing that reveals a consistent appetite for immersive, character-rich narrative nonfiction and sharp, voice-forward fiction about women's lives.
Nonfiction categories are broad (cookbooks, true crime, humor, travel, memoir, science, pop culture, journalism, illustrated, biography, history, psychology) — but the framing 'creatively critical' suggests Woods is not seeking purely commercial how-to or straight genre nonfiction.
Query status was recorded as unknown as of April 2026; always verify the live submission form before sending.
Lately
Woods has publicly named Adrian Nicole LeBlanc's deeply reported, character-driven narrative nonfiction and Eve Babitz's sharp, voice-forward California fiction as the kind of writing they'd most want to represent next — a pairing that telegraphs a clear aesthetic: immersive, literary, and rooted in a specific milieu.
What Monika is looking for
Woods is specifically drawn to plot-driven literary novels — meaning the writing must be artistically ambitious without sacrificing narrative momentum. Original, distinctive prose is the non-negotiable baseline. Particular interest in fiction exploring feminism, love, New York City, New Orleans, and being a bridesmaid (suggesting interest in women's inner lives rendered with wit and depth). Touchstone sensibility: voice-forward, culturally specific, and built around characters who feel fully realized.
Woods wants nonfiction that is creatively critical — work that doesn't just report facts but reframes, challenges, or illuminates its subject through original thinking and strong writing. Journalism, current affairs, and long-form narrative all fit. Subject-matter sweet spots include hip-hop, technology, Detroit, Poland, the Roma, and New York City. The ideal project reads more like a literary work than a standard information book.
Memoir is on the list with an implicit expectation of the same originality of voice and perspective that Woods requires in all prose. Unique vantage points — cultural, geographic, or experiential — are likely to stand out. Generic celebrity or 'journey of recovery' memoirs are unlikely to be the right fit given the emphasis on fresh perspective.
Woods explicitly calls out 'a great cookbook' as something they're excited to find, which suggests they're looking for something with a strong point of view and authorial voice, not merely a recipe collection. Food writing that has a cultural or narrative dimension would align well with their broader taste.
Pop culture nonfiction, humor writing, and illustrated books are all listed categories. Given Woods's stated affinities (The Gilmore Girls, 30 Rock, hip-hop), projects that approach popular culture critically and intelligently — rather than superficially — will have the strongest appeal.
These categories are listed, but Woods's framing of nonfiction as 'creatively critical' and valuing 'unique perspectives' suggests they are not seeking textbook-style or conventionally structured nonfiction. A strong authorial voice and an angle that surprises the reader will be key differentiators.
Both appear among listed nonfiction categories, but given the overall emphasis on literary quality and original perspective, projects in these areas will need a compelling narrative or argumentative hook beyond the subject alone to be competitive in Woods's inbox.
Not the right fit
On Monika's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Monika
Send a description of your project plus the first ten pages of your manuscript in a single email to mmw@cbltd.com — this is the format Woods explicitly requests.
Woods reviews every query personally and responds only if interested in more material; treat silence as a pass and move on rather than following up repeatedly.
Lead with what makes your project culturally specific: if your work is rooted in one of Woods's named interests (New Orleans, Detroit, hip-hop, Poland, the Roma, feminism, New York City, technology), flag that connection concisely in the opening of your query letter — it is a genuine differentiator.
For literary fiction, make the prose quality unmistakable from your first page. Woods explicitly prizes original prose above most other qualities; your opening ten pages are your real pitch.
For nonfiction, articulate not just your subject but your critical angle — what you think about the subject, not merely what happened. 'Creatively critical' is the bar; a flat summary of facts will not stand out.
If you are submitting a cookbook, frame the voice and cultural perspective, not just the cuisine — Woods wants 'a great cookbook,' which implies one with a compelling point of view.
Avoid genre labels like 'thriller' or 'fantasy' in your pitch; these categories are not part of Woods's list and using them may signal a mismatch.
Verify that submissions are currently open at Curtis Brown, Ltd. before sending — status was unconfirmed as of the last observation.