Elana Roth Parker

For Adult, some of the same. Nothing too self-serious. I love a fun concept with a strong voice. Thinking of THURSDAY MURDER CLUB or FINLEY DONOVAN as a good example. I'm up for SFF but more accessible and commercial. Or cozy!

For MG and YA, I could use some projects to reinvigorate things. Humor and optimism and joy would be nice. Fanciful, fantastic twists. Books that have FUN and let readers have fun. (I really can't handle depressing stories right now.)

MG, YA or adult, I'm always looking for high-concept, commercial reads. Great plots and hooks. Strong voices and characters in those well-drawn worlds and situations. I'm up for some genre blending. A rom-com in a dystopian world? Agatha Christie in space? Murder mystery and dragons? Do it.

I haven't done an #MSWL day in a hot minute. I'm not open to queries just yet. Probably March? But my general categories don't tend to change that much... I updated my page here anyway:
www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/elana-roth-parker/

Honestly the more I think about it, the more I'd like a genre within genre. Like a rom-com set in a dystopian future (🤯). Or a murder mystery. That would be more interesting to me than "teen takes down oppressive futuristic system."

June queries are all answered. And I did a little (minor?) updating of my wish-list. #mswl
elana.me/wish-list

I'm notoriously bad at punch list #MSWL stuff. But I really do read for FUN. I like characters I can root for, surprising plots, fully-drawn worlds, humor and wit. I don't like depressing/disturbing stories, or issue-driven novels.

I updated my #MSWL listing now that I'm looking for adult fiction too. Nutshell: commercial, escapist, fun or thrilling reads in MG, YA and adult. manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/elan…

As far as what I want in adult: Good hooks, gripping plots, strong characters. I either want light, funny & swoony for the romcom/romance, or layered, smart and edge-of-seat for the thrillers. Sticking with commercial, contemporary for adult for now. No SFF. #mswl #querytip

I only do MG and YA. My taste leans commercial and escapist and ultimately…fun. Big imaginations. Joy of adventure. Humor. Romance. Big feelings. I’ts okay if we’re not a match. There’s a bazillion agents these days. #MSWL

Sub guidelines are easy. I use Query Manager. You’ll need a query letter and 10 sample pages to paste into the form. I’m not uptight about query format as long as you have in there CONCISELY:
- the pitch
- a plot teaser
- a little bit about you

QueryManager.com/queryelana

For better reference, I'm not looking for Joy from INSIDE-OUT trying to force happiness on every memory. I'm looking for the team of emotions working together that creates something beautiful and moving. But I want to enjoy my read. Not feel despair. That help? #MSWL

I feel like I need to clarify what I mean about books that make me happy. I'm NOT looking for books that ARE HAPPY all the way through. That's nuts. Books need conflict and complications and ups and downs. I am looking for books that MAKE ME HAPPY. #MSWL

I have more space for MG on my list than YA. My YA list is really healthy and active. In either case, I'm looking for people who complement it, but don't replicate it. (Does that make sense?)

YA:
- Would love some more big romance with a hook. Smart and swoony. If there's an irreverent quality to it (ala VIOLET MADE OF THORNS), all the better.
- Speculative twists and hooks. Splashes of magic or sci-fi.
- Books that feel like going on a vacation somewhere exciting.

MG:
- I like zany humor and mad-cap adventures. (See TIME VILLAINS and 7TH GRADE V. GALAXY on my list.)
- Epic fantasy is great—but the more original the world the better.
- A sense of FUN and POSSIBILITY and MAGIC (doesn't have to be literal magic, but it doesn't hurt).

Let's talk #MSWL! (Is this still a useful hashtag? I'm so rusty.) When I reopen on 3/1, I'll want...

MG/YA generally:
- I want books that make me happy. I do not want to be depressed.
- Things really need to stand out right now. BIG concepts. BIG feels. BIG twists.

Okee dokee. Queries are reopened. I see some of you are already on that! But here’s a re-up of last week’s #MSWL thread. #querytip

Major emphasis on marginalized creators doing all of the above. Kids of all backgrounds and identities and abilities being KIDS. #MSWL

At the moment, I'd say I want to see YA and MG that leads with joy. Falling in love. Doing something exciting. Exploring new worlds. Kids with quirky passions. Humor. Families (of all configurations) that love each other. #MSWL