Sarah Khalil (Agent)
Sarah represents serious nonfiction and memoir with a lens toward social, economic, and environmental justice; anti-imperialist thought; pop/cultural criticism and histories; cross-cultural narratives; and writing from Caribbean, MENA, Muslim, and LGBTQIA+ creators; all deeply explored by experts—academics, journalists, and those with lived experience. Radical thought, artful storytelling, and propulsive narrative are the cornerstones of her taste. She is also seeking select fiction in the same space.
Prior to Calligraph’s founding, Sarah was at Kneerim & Williams for four years, developing several of the agency’s best-selling and award-winning authors alongside Jill Kneerim and Katherine Flynn. She has worked at Beacon Press and the IP law firm Sennott, Williams, & Rogers. She holds an MA in Publishing & Writing from Emerson College and a BA in English Literature with a minor in History from the American University of Beirut.
Sarah is the director of the agency’s internship program. She co-directs the AALA’s Literary Agents of Change Mentorship Program, which serves junior literary agents from underrepresented backgrounds. She has been invited to participate in publishing-related events organized by Harvard University, the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism, the Authors Guild, the Boston Book Festival, and the Gotham Writers Conference, among others.
Sarah Khalil's Availability During Manuscript Mart Week:
- Wednesday, May 14: 4:00–7:00
- Friday, May 16: 4:00–7:00
Zoom Meetings with Sarah will be scheduled within these time periods (all EDT), but are subject to change. If Sarah must make a change to this schedule, we will arrange a mutually agreeable Zoom time outside of Manuscript Mart Week.
What I'm Looking For
As a nonfiction agent I'm primarily looking for book proposals.
Sample Titles or Authors
EVICTED, Matthew Desmond
AN EMPTY VESSEL, by Ian Kumekawa (forthcoming Spring 2025)
FLOATING IN A MOST PECULIAR WAY, by Louis Chude-Sokei
Specializes In / Will Consider
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Investigative Journalism, LGBTQIA+, Current Affairs, History, Memoir, Multicultural/Global Perspectives, Narrative, Politics, Pop Culture, Science, Technology, Dating/Relationships, Adventure/True Story, Food & Lifestyle, Nature/Ecology, Women's concerns