This month we’re reading…
Take It From Me: An Agent's Guide to Building a Nonfiction Writing Career from Scratch, Alia Hanna Habib. Join us Sunday, February 1st at 4:30 pm for the first conversation of 2026 with the author herself (!!!)
What are we reading?
Alia Hanna Habib remembers what it was like to be on the outside of the publishing world, looking in. Arriving in New York, a first-generation college student with a love of reading and loads of ambition, she had no idea how to break into the business of books. Now, years later, in her career as an agent, she hears from prospective clients who, whether they’re experts at the top of their fields or wholly new to the writing game, consider finding success in publishing to be a mysterious and daunting endeavor. Ever determined to flout the stereotype of agent as gatekeeper, however, Habib is prepared to hand emerging writers the key.
Drawing on wisdom from her star-studded list of clients, including Hanif Abdurraqib, Judy Batalion, Merve Emre, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and Clint Smith, Habib provides context and clarity to each step of the publishing process, from the germination of a book idea to finding an agent to represent it, from crafting an engaging proposal to navigating the perils of publicity. Readers will find real-life samples of her authors’ pitch letters and book proposals, as well as templates writers can use when querying agents or promoting their work on social media. She also incorporates the advice of trusted industry colleagues—attorneys, accountants, editors, publishers, publicists, and more—gifting readers with a full team of experts to answer all the questions they’ve had about the publishing world, but were too afraid, or didn’t know, to ask.
Essential for both the aspiring novice and the seasoned professional, Take It from Me is a guidebook writers will return to again and again. At times laugh-out-loud funny, at others brutally honest about her own experiences in publishing and in life, Habib offers a clear-eyed look at the challenges facing today’s aspiring nonfiction writers and then gives them the comprehensive, expert guidance they need to put those roadblocks in the rearview mirror.
Why?
Well, we are a book club for writers, and this is a book written with emerging writers in mind. More than that, we are enormous fans of Habib’s contributions to the world of books both as a writer and an agent. In addition to being a debut author and one of New York Magazine’s Most Powerful New Yorkers You’ve Never Heard Of, Alia Hanna Habib is also a Vice President and literary agent at The Gernert Company, where she represents MacArthur Fellows, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, National Book Award finalists, and numerous New York Times bestselling authors.
Her perspective on and position within the industry is singular. To get a sense of her insight, generosity and excellent instincts, check out her Substack, Delivery & Acceptance, or any of the incredible works that she’s helped bring into the world. An incomplete list: Nikole Hannah-Jones’ The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, Hanif Abdurraqib’s There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension, Clint Smith’s How the Word Is Passed, and Lauren Oyler’s Fake Accounts.
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