"This longtime agent has a long backlist but an exclusive roster of active clients," writes Aileen Gallagher about the Arthur Klebanoff, Scott Meredith Literary Agency. It's tough to come in as an unsolicited client but this is a major agency if you're a nonfiction writer (hopefully one with some sort of 'name.') To successfully pitch a nonfiction book, "The first element is the credential of the author," Klebanoff says. "The second is something unique that that author brings to whatever proposal this is. It can't simply be another book of X. It has to, although sometimes the credential answers this question already, it has to deliver the voice of the book. It has to be clear what voice the reader is going to experience."

Don't pitch fiction. If you do get in touch, if at all possible, do so via referral.