Agents debate which nonfiction categories are slumping or sinking
The question on the table at the People of Publishing conference was which nonfiction categories need a real rethink and which are just in a slump
Here's the honest version: we don't yet know which categories agents mean, just that the conversation happened. That's frustrating if you write nonfiction and want a straight answer about your corner of the market. But the distinction itself is useful — a slump ends, a structural problem doesn't, and agents are apparently sorting nonfiction into those two piles right now.
Why it matters to you: If you write nonfiction, the category you're in may soon get sorted into "wait it out" or "rethink the approach," and that call is coming from the people who shop your proposals.
This story ran in the Coral Wire edition of Thu, Oct 15 2026, when the Coral Index stood at 20/100 (Storm warning).
Coverage — 1 source
Every outlet found reporting this story.
- Where Nonfiction Is Struggling Right Now and Where It Can Growjanefriedman.com
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