Beth Phelan
Literary Agent
Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency
she/her. mg & ya literary agent @galltzackerlit . founder 501c3 NPO @_DiverseVoices (#DVpit/#DVart, DVcon &more). closed to unsolicited submissions.
- #mswl (128)
- #querytip (24)
- #pubtip (3)
- #askagent (25)
- #askTBA (17)
- #askDVpit (30)
- #asklitAOC (12)
- #askGZLA (41)
Literary Agent
Unique hobbies but not too quirky/MPDG. ❄️
Joyful queer MG! 🎉
Fun voicey fantasy! 🎤
Fat BIPOC! 🥰
Stuff that is genre-bending/mash-ups, unexpected but effective! ⚔️
#mswl
Literary Agent
Stories where the protagonist builds their own community/family. 🫶🏼
Books that will radicalize teens/kids. 📢
Truly escapist fantasy with a world I become absolutely obsessed with! 🤯
Experimental (but not tooooo gimmicky) storytelling that just works! 👏🏼
#mswl
Literary Agent
again summarizing some recent #mswl for the timeline!
Fat BIPOC characters
Indigenous stories
Autistic BIPOC creators
Trans femme authors
Queer joy in MG
YA thrillers
Monsters
LOL MG and YA
Afro Latinx creators
Voicey fantasy
#amquerying #writingcommunity 💖✨
Literary Agent
It’s 2022! A reminder that I’m open to queries and looking for all sorts of MG and YA, contemporary and fantasy. I have high hopes of finding some great new clients this year. And I finally updated my page here: manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/beth… #mswl
Literary Agent
beth phelan @beth_phelan
I’ve been getting thru my requested submissions and looking for more!#mswl:
YA grounded thrillers, high concept contemporary with a speculative twist
MG non-portal fantasy, speculative twists, intergenerational stories
Everything with and by marginalized people please!
Hungry for submissions! Also really looking to be swept off my feet with a great voicey fantasy (non-royal, preferably). #mswl
Literary Agent
I’ve been getting thru my requested submissions and looking for more!
#mswl:
YA grounded thrillers, high concept contemporary with a speculative twist
MG non-portal fantasy, speculative twists, intergenerational stories
Everything with and by marginalized people please!
Literary Agent
2. Commercial fantasy adventure series, ensemble casts with or without a talking creature or two
3. Monsters!
4. Contemporary family stories
5. LOL high concept, character-strong stories
6. Hooky, character-driven contemporary series
#mswl cont ⬇️
Literary Agent
beth phelan @beth_phelan
It’s my last weekend to get caught up before i open to queries on April 12!I’ve responded to almost all outstanding queries (email me if you’re still waiting--i missed it) but still catching up on requested fulls (please keep being patient)!
#mswl ⬇️⬇️⬇️
First thing to note is that I only represent MG and YA. I love every genre from light contemporary to high fantasy and everything in between. I don’t represent artists or graphic novelists and don’t typically represent verse.
#mswl ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Literary Agent
i am still closed and catching up on lots of reading, but.... if you have a YA or MG with monsters rooted in underrepresented mythologies/cultures/folklore/history (#ownvoices only please)... well, i'd like to see that. can be fantasy or contemporary! #mswl
Literary Agent
beth phelan, here sometimes @beth_phelan
I wanna troll @petejknapp by slapping my own mswl tag on his wishlist tweets 🤔😜in seriousness, would love
-FUNNY stuff
-larger-than-life narrative voice
-MG fantasy series
-character ensembles
-YA after high school about teens not going to college
-family stories
-something that feels like a bottle episode
#mswl
Literary Agent
#MSWL in-this-moment:
- Fun MG fantasy with secondary non-human characters
- LOL MG and YA
- Undeniable VOICE
- Ensemble casts
- Monsters
- MG with non "trad" parents/guardians
Literary Agent
anxiety has been making it hard to focus very well, but i will say that in addition to the rest of my #MSWL i am also highly motivated to read more LOL MG fantasy adventure. have a few fantastic mss in my queue and would add some more… :)
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
when i updated my website, i also updated my wishlist! please bookmark this for the new year, when i finally, at long last, reopen to queries! #mswl #amquerying #querytip
bethphelan.com/submission-wis…
Literary Agent
if anyone has a MG or YA with a PROTAGONIST who has ADHD, i'd love to see it. in particular, a type that isn't the more commonly associated hyperactive but features the inattentiveness, procrastination, disorganized thoughts, etc. would be open to realistic or fantasy #MSWL
Literary Agent
i want more diverse mg fantasy with secondary animal characters that steal my heart #mswl
Literary Agent
I want urban fantasy in MG too please! Series potential and big friend groups, family-focused, heartfelt—would love to fight some surprise tears reading a fun, sweeping adventure. #MSWL
Literary Agent
For my MG, right now I really want magical adventure! Send me something fantastical and fun, with a great hook, and friendships that shine. Especially if there are any non-human magical characters incorporated in a fresh way. #MSWL
Literary Agent
I’m still looking for my fresh take on vampires in YA, whether grounded in this world or else reimagined and renamed in a fantasy one. I’d love to see more unexpected urban fantasy in general too, with characters I’d follow anywhere. #MSWL
Literary Agent
beth phelan @beth_phelan
Gonna drop a few #MSWL tweets as I’ve been going through my queries this weekend (sorry if you’re still waiting on a response—I’m getting there!) and trying to listen to what my gut is craving. I’m focusing on MG and YA, so let’s get started:I would really love some character-driven YA fantasy that is both dark AND funny. Especially if there is a big eclectic cast and truly unique magic. Voicey characters but still high stakes and a world with details that awe, from city life to wildlife. #MSWL