QUERIES

WILLIAM CLARK began accepting queries via email in 1993, and was an early adopter of electronic submissions. He is drawn to nonfiction with authority, narrative momentum, cultural or historical depth, and a clear sense of why the author is the right person to write the book. Projects on the agency list often combine original reporting, archival depth, expertise, immersion, or distinctive lived experience with a strong commercial frame. He also represents select literary and upmarket fiction. He is not the right fit for most prescriptive self-help, generalized wellness, spirituality without a platform, conventional business books, lightly framed lifestyle projects, or memoirs that do not open outward onto a larger world. He does not consider children’s or young adult books, dramatic works, or unsolicited hard-copy submissions.

WILLIAM CLARK welcomes queries for works that reflect human voice, judgment, and responsibility in every stage of their writing. Some authors may choose to experiment with generative AI tools to brainstorm, organize research, or interrogate ideas, but any submitted works must be works of clear human authorship and expression. In addition to the significant ethical concerns of using AI to create “original” work, publishing agreements require that an author’s work be copyrightable, and AI-generated text is not. If an author uses AI to create even a small part of their manuscript, they will be in breach of their warranties to the publisher and their contract will be subject to termination and penalties. WILLIAM CLARK requires that his clients’ work be wholly original to them and that no generative AI is used to compose or create any part of the work that he represents.