It’s that time of year again: let’s refresh my #MSWL! What follows is what I’m looking for as an agent — keep in mind I rep adult fiction & nonfiction on the adult side. 🧵

"Author/illustrator picture books. I love Liz Climo & Kim Smith, beautiful & colorful art, and geeky & queer stories."
@readbystephanie #MSWL

psliterary.com/submissions/

A few #mswl bits I'll be on the hunt for in 2023: fun mystery/crime (think Finlay Donovan or Sunshine Vicram), horror (Stephen Graham Jones, Grady Hendrix), journalistic + narrative nonfiction (Patrick Radden Keefe, Jane Mayer, Erik Larson), and pop science (Brusatte, Imbler)!

Hey #WritingCommunity, I'm back online and my big romantic heart is searching for some new #Romantasy in my inbox. I like mine, fun, contemporary, maybe a little slice-of-life, but open to all sorts.
#mswl

As a reminder, Saffron is currently open to submissions for MG and YA! She's looking for creative and immersive worlds filled with adventure and intrigue, and MC's with a standout voice and lots of heart!

Find her #MSWL here: ashliterary.com/#saffronwishli…

Sort of sucks that I have the day this every time I share an #MSWL, but writers, I am not allowed to read your unsolicited query! It will be deleted unread. A Twitter thread is not a request and no, you’re not going to fool me by saying it is.

And yes, any books that could be comped with any of the above are very much on my #mswl!

Looking at all the books I read, I definitely favoured romance and fantasy in 2022. This is partly because it’s two genres I love, and also because I actively chose books that I saw all over TikTok for ~research~ (god, isn’t working in publishing great??)

I ALSO can't wait to announce a ton of projects I've been working on very secretly for years! Keep an eye on @PWKidsBookshelf and @PublishersLunch this year to see what's been grabbing my attention—and add them all to your TBR because I have great taste imho.

Alas, I can't accept unagented submissions unless I've invited you to submit at a convention or conference, so nab an agent first, and then have them share your awesome work with me! I can't wait to see all the treasures about to land in my inbox. #MSWL

⭐️And across the board, energetic, expressive, inventive, accessible, and commercial art (ideally full-color for middle grade, at least two-color for everything)

⭐️Contemp stories with a creative, fresh link to holidays or seasonal moments, especially holidays other than Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween, and particularly holidays celebrated in the author’s culture

⭐️Middle grade humor with a big heart—I’d particularly like to explore careers outside of policing that nonetheless lend themselves to multiple adventures over the course of a series

⭐️YA contemp romance with substance, especially centering characters with marginalized identities (think Heartstopper, Pumpkinheads)

I'm pulling back a bit on graphic novels this year, but still open to GNs for 8-12-year-olds and teens. I can't accept author-only submissions at this time (but will consider agency-driven pairings!), GNs under 160 pages, or black and white middle grade. I'm hoping to see:

⭐️Upmarket contemporary romance with substance, centering characters of traditionally marginalized identities (think Furia, Felix Ever After)

⭐️High-stakes competition with a subversive bent and meaningful consequences for the characters (What's the next Squid Game? Must be just as political, need not be just as gory.)
⭐️Epic romance embedded within a larger story (a la Raybearer)

⭐️Thrillers, psychological horror, supernatural, mystery, and speculative fiction that radically represents and explores queer, female, and BIPOC rage, revenge, and reclamation of power (think Elatsoe, Iron Widow, Sadie)

⭐️High-concept fantasy & contemporary fantasy that uses the conventions of its genre to critique, subvert, or illuminate a truth about our world (PLEASE send me the next Raybearer, Graceling, Witch King)
⭐️Fantasy/contemporary fantasy set in non-European-inspired settings

I also acquire young adult fiction (12+ or 14+) and the occasional crossover book that still suits YA. I'd love to see:
⭐️Comedic writing paired with a sticky concept that can be summed up in a single sentence (a la Me & Earl, Gentleman's Guide)