Gender Bias and Literary Agents – Get a Literary Agent

Gender can impact agent decisions (even when it shouldn’t), but you can make choices that work in your favor. You can avoid mistakes that lead to unnecessary bias, and, instead, keep agents focused on your pitch, target market, and book. This article shows how gender considerations can vary by genre, but, no matter what you write, you can communicate confidence instead of coming off as offensive or defensive.

A Writer’s Gender and Literary Agents – FAQ

• How a Writer’s Gender Affects Literary Agents
• There’s Nothing Wrong with Your Gender, But…
• How Agents See Gender
• Reduce Resistance, Increase Clarity
• Adult Fiction and Gender
• Adult Nonfiction and Gender
• Children’s Books and Gender
• Myths I Hear from Writers About Gender
• 9 Things You Can Do If You’re the Wrong Gender to Get Requests
• Subgenres With Extra Gender Noise

How a Writer’s Gender Affects Literary Agents

Writers of every gender sign with literary agents every day, but gender often affects how their work is perceived—sometimes subtly, sometimes blatantly. Understanding how literary agents and publishers think about a writer’s gender will increase your Odds of Getting a Literary Agent.

Gender bias exists—that’s a fact—and women buy roughly 80–85% of books. But that doesn’t mean “women always win” or “men always lose.” It simply means you should consider potential tweaks when writing and pitching your book, to give it the broadest appeal, and to increase your chances of your book getting published.

Not much has been written about this topic, probably because most people are afraid to talk about it. Much of what you’ll see is either (a) vague feel-good messaging that ignores reality, (b) angry ranting that offers no solutions, or (c) simplistic “just use a pen name” advice that treats a nuanced issue like, well, something not nuanced.

Gender dynamics don’t show up in just one place, by the way. They show up in how agents predict readership, how editors pitch acquisition teams, how marketing departments position books, how media responds, and how audiences click—or don’t. The sooner you acknowledge that tendencies and biases exist, the better you can navigate them.

I’ve had to do that during my decades in publishing, not just as a literary agent helping writers get book deals, but also as Marketing & Licensing Manager for the book division of Blue Mountain Arts, and, starting in 2011, helping 400+ authors get literary agents and/or traditional publishers as an author coach/consultant.

Each case is different, and, regardless of what your gender is, there are things that you likely should or shouldn’t say to avoid a problem, take advantage of an opportunity, or both. Much of the time, gender isn’t an issue that warrants serious consideration. But, when it matters, it can matter a lot—and it’s not always obvious.

There’s Nothing Wrong with Your Gender, But…

I won’t suggest you hide who you are, or apologize for who you are. I simply want to help you get published on purpose, with your eyes open.

How Agents “See” Gender (Even If You Never Mention It)

Most query letters don’t ask for gender.

But agents can infer it from:

• your name (or pen name)
• pronouns in your bio (if you include them)
• your author photo (if you include one)
• your platform (community, topics, audience)
• the subject matter or “lens” of the book
• the voice on the page (especially in certain genres)

Sometimes agents can’t tell a writer’s gender. Sometimes they assume wrong. Sometimes they don’t care. But often—especially in genre categories with strong audience expectations—gender becomes part of the market equation (consciously or subconsciously): “Who is likely to buy this, and what expectations will they bring to it?”

Sometimes it’s a smart strategy to use your initials or a pseudonym when querying agents—not to deceive agents into thinking you’re a different gender, but to prevent their gender bias from limiting your success. In some categories, a neutral set of initials on the query letter lets the pages speak first before assumptions kick in or identities are revealed. That type of choice is personal and strategic, not a requirement, and it’s the type of thing I talk through one-on-one with writers, when applicable, during an Author Coaching/Consulting Session.

The goal isn’t to try and “make agents unbiased.” The goal is to make your project feel like a confident “yes”—commercially, creatively, and strategically.

Reduce Resistance, Increase Clarity

When gender creates resistance it usually shows up as:

• hesitation (“I’m not sure this will sell the way the author thinks it will”)
• category confusion (“I don’t know where this goes on a shelf”)
• tone misread (“This voice isn’t delivering the promise the pitch implies”)
• audience uncertainty (“Who is this for, exactly?”)

Your job in a query is to reduce those doubts as much as possible, and replace them with clarity:

• clear audience
• clear promise
• clear positioning
• clear authority (when needed)
• clear craft signal

That’s what gets requests.

Adult Fiction: Where Gender Can Matter Most (And How To Neutralize It)

Gender influence in adult fiction isn’t about your identity as much as it’s about reader expectations and category conventions. Some genres carry “default assumptions” about who writes them and who reads them. Are those assumptions always accurate? No. Are they still part of how the market behaves? Often, yes.

How can you succeed anyway? Make the hook and emotional promise unmistakable. Literary agents don’t fall in love with a demographic label. They fall in love with a story and a book they believe they can sell.

Here’s how gender problems tend to show up by category:

Romance / Rom-Com / “Romantic Adjacent”

Romance is a place where gender assumptions can be loud—because the readership is large, loyal, and expectation-driven. If you’re a man writing romance: you may face an extra layer of “Will romance readers trust this voice?” That doesn’t mean you can’t sell it. It means you must signal genre fluency:

• nail the romance beats
• deliver the emotional payoff on-page
• use comps that prove you understand today’s romance market
• avoid pitching it like an outsider (“a romance, but smarter/darker/not like other romances” is a classic red flag)

A pen name can reduce resistance if you’re writing into a category where readers strongly associate the author brand with a particular vibe. But a pen name is a tool, not a requirement. And when writing from the POV of the opposite gender, it shouldn’t be obvious to readers—including literary agents—that “someone of a certain gender” wrote it.

The most obvious cases I’ve seen involve how men of different cultures (not just American men) write women characters, or how they write about women characters. If the first female descriptor is about how the woman looks vs who she is, a man probably wrote it. If the description is sexual in nature, a man very likely wrote it.

Thrillers / Crime / High-Stakes Suspense

Historically male-coded in parts of the market—yet many of the biggest names in modern suspense are women, and readers don’t care when the story hits. Where gender can affect perception: sometimes agents assume “male thriller” vs “female thriller” implies different pacing, character focus, or tone.
That’s not fair, but it’s real.

Show the agent, fast, what the reading experience is:

• crisp premise
• escalating stakes
• tight cause-and-effect
• a protagonist with urgency
• comps that match tone and market lane

Literary Fiction

Literary agents in this lane tend to respond more to voice and artistic authority than “gender expectations,” but gender can still shape how a voice is interpreted (especially around intimacy, trauma, sexuality, or power). Don’t defend your right to write it—prove you can write it through the pages and the pitch.

Adult Nonfiction: Where Gender Can Shape “Authority Signals”

In nonfiction, gender dynamics often show up around one word: authority. Not “truth.” Not “credentials.” Perceived authority.

Common patterns I see from querying nonfiction writers:

• Women sometimes under-sell their expertise or soften claims too much (“I’m not an expert, but…”)
• Men sometimes over-claim expertise without showing proof (“This book will revolutionize…”)
• Nonbinary/trans writers sometimes worry their identity will “complicate” marketability—when positioning, audience clarity, and platform alignment, not identity itself, are usually far more important

Your Fix: Build a “Pile of Proof”

When you query nonfiction, your job is to make an agent feel and/or believe: “This author can deliver the manuscript and has credibility with the target audience.”

A pile of proof can include:

• professional credentials
• lived experience directly tied to the book’s promise
• a track record (speaking, consulting, media, publications)
• demonstrated access (unique reporting, interviews, data, community)
• platform metrics that match the readership (not just big numbers)

Just keep in mind that you don’t need a giant platform for every category. You do need a believable route to readers.

How To Phrase Authority Without Sounding Salesy

Avoid:

• “I’m the perfect person to write this.”
• “No one else can write this book.”

Use:

• “My work as ___ has shown me ___.”
• “I’ve spent ___ years doing ___, which gives me ___ insight/access.”
• “I can reach ___ audience through ___ channels/communities.”

That language has authority and it’s grounded.

Children’s Books: Where Gender Shows Up Differently

Children’s publishing is its own ecosystem—gender tends to matter less as “author category” and more as voice authenticity and market fit.

Picture Books (PB)

Agents care about:

• concept plus read-aloud rhythm
• emotional takeaway
• originality in language and structure
• illustrator potential (if you’re not illustrating)

Gender rarely blocks a PB if the manuscript is genuinely strong.

Middle Grade (MG) and Young Adult (YA)

Here the issue is often voice plus perspective. If you’re writing a protagonist with a lived experience far from your own, you may face extra scrutiny—not because you “aren’t allowed,” but because that market is especially sensitive to authenticity and harm.
The best solution:

• write with specificity, not stereotypes
• use sensitivity readers when appropriate
• be humble in revision
• don’t pitch your book as “representing” a community you’re not part of—pitch it as a story with a clear character and emotional core

Myths I Hear from Writers About Gender

These are the myths I frequently hear from writers anxious about gender and publishing:

Myth 1: “Agents only want women for romance.”

Reality: Romance is reader-driven. Agents want what sells. If you can deliver the reader promise—and it’s your lucky day to break through—you can sell it.

Myth 2: “Men can’t write women convincingly.”

Reality: Some can’t. Some can. The market doesn’t punish your identity; it punishes flat characterization and cliché.

Myth 3: “Women can’t sell big, ambitious nonfiction unless they’re famous.”

Reality: Plenty of women sell major nonfiction. The key is positioning plus proof plus audience path.

Myth 4: “If I’m nonbinary/trans, agents will automatically pass.”

Reality: Some agents will be ignorant or biased. Your biggest leverage is still: irresistible concept plus market clarity plus professional presentation.

Myth 5: “A pen name fixes everything.”

Reality: A pen name can reduce resistance in some lanes—but it also creates long-term brand and logistics considerations. It’s a strategy, not a magic spell. And sometimes, especially when you’re publishing across genres or age categories, using initials or a neutral pen name is less about hiding your gender and more about giving the work a clean slate in the agent’s mind.

9 Things You Can Do If You’re the “Wrong” Gender—to Get Requests

1) Make the book’s market lane obvious

Most rejection is “not right for me / not sure I can sell it.”

Your query should answer, clearly:

• what category is this?
• who buys it?
• what’s the reading experience?

2) Use comps that signal the right readership

Comps aren’t just “books like mine.” They’re: “readers who loved these will love this.”

That reduces literary agent anxiety.

3) Remove apologetic language (especially common with writers taught to “be nice”)

Avoid:

• “I know you’re busy…”
• “I’m probably not ready but…”
• “This might be dumb but…”

Confidence isn’t arrogance.

It’s clarity.

4) Add a single line that signals you understand the audience

One line like this can do a lot of work:

• “This is for readers who want ___ (tone/emotion) with ___ (hook) in the vein of ___.”
• “This blends ___ and ___, delivering ___.”

That helps prevent literary agents from projecting stereotypes onto your work.

5) If you’re querying nonfiction, build proof in 3–5 bullets

I’m not talking about a resume. Or selling.

If you haven’t already done so, see this article called How to Sell Yourself and Your Book to Literary Agents—Without Begging or Bragging.

Clarifying:

• expertise
• access
• audience
• outcomes

6) If gender might create resistance in your genre, don’t argue—demonstrate fluency

For example, romance: show you understand romance.

Thriller: show you understand thriller pace.

Women’s fiction: show emotional depth and relational stakes.

Don’t pitch from defensiveness. Pitch from mastery.

Sometimes that mastery includes a thoughtful choice about how your name appears on the page. Some of my coaching and consulting clients decide, after we talk through their market, to use initials or a slightly different byline to keep agents focused on their hook and category vs their gender. Other times, we decide it doesn’t matter at all.

The same thing goes when it comes to a writer’s age. If you haven’t yet seen it, read this article called How a Writer’s Age Impacts Literary Agents.

7) Consider a pen name only if it solves a real marketing problem

Good reasons:

• you’re writing in radically different genres with different audiences (let’s say children’s books as well as books about how to make beer)
• your existing public identity conflicts with your target readership (politics, perhaps)
• you want separation for privacy or brand strategy

Weak reasons:

• “Maybe agents won’t like my gender” (too vague)
• “I’m scared” (fear is valid—but strategy needs specifics)

8) Target literary agents based on clearly communicated interests—not assumptions
Don’t assume:

• “This agent won’t want me because I’m ___.”

I’ll never forget the type a lady wrote to me and said she didn’t think it made sense to do an author coaching/consulting call with me because I’m a man and she writes romance.

Seriously?

Do:

• “This agent sells what I write, and represents authors like me.”

9) Get eyes on your materials from someone who knows what agents react to
This is where coaching and consulting with someone can change things—not because someone like me would try to “fix your gender,” but because I can help:

• sharpen positioning
• remove red-flag phrasing
• strengthen your hook
• tighten the query voice
• align comps and category
• make your authority feel inevitable

If a query is borderline, perception fills in the blanks.

If a query is locked in, perception follows the clarity you provide.

It’s always better for you to control your narrative vs leave it in the hands of agents.

Special Considerations: Subgenres With Extra Gender “Noise”

If you want to go deeper, these are areas where gender assumptions can be louder, and where small positioning choices can make a big difference:

• Romance / Romantic comedy (author brand plus reader trust cues)
• Erotica / spicy romance (platform, branding, boundaries)
• Christian fiction and inspirational nonfiction (identity cues, community fit)
• Military/political thrillers (authority signaling)
• Women’s fiction vs upmarket (category clarity)
• Memoir (privacy, vulnerability, audience expectation)

Sometimes that’s as simple as one line in the bio or a neutral byline. Other times it’s deciding that claiming your full identity is part of the book’s power and market fit.
And don’t worry—you don’t need to lose your voice.

The Bottom Line

Your gender shouldn’t determine whether your work gets represented. And yet—because publishing is a human industry—gender can influence perception. The empowering truth is: you have more control than most writers realize.

You can:

• position your book cleanly
• signal audience and promise
• build authority where needed
• remove friction from your pitch
• query strategically
• and get expert eyes on your materials when you’re close but not landing requests

If you do those things, you won’t feel like you’re being evaluated as a “type” of human or writer—instead, you’ll be being evaluated as what you actually are: a writer with a book that an agent hopefully wants to try and sell.

Next Steps

If you want to talk about the best way to handle your gender—or anything else—when it comes to getting a literary agent, you can find out more about scheduling a coaching or consulting call with me on my Literary Agent Advice page. I never met an author whose pitch materials and/or book I couldn’t help make better—and I’d love to help you.

This article about “How a Writer’s Gender Affects Literary Agents” was written by a former literary agent turned author coach. Mark Malatesta is the creator of The Directory of Book Agents, host of Ask a Publishing Agent, and founder of Literary Agent Undercover and The Bestselling Author.

Mark has helped hundreds of authors get offers from literary agents and/or traditional publishers. Writers of all Book Genres have used our Book Agent Advice coaching/consulting to get Top Literary Agents at the Best Literary Agencies on our List of Literary Agents.