Meg Gaertner

@fluxbooks + @JollyFishPress are now OPEN to submissions through November 30. My full #mswl is here: manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/meg-gaertner/

I’m particularly interested in seeing YA + MG historical fiction featuring underrepresented experiences + contemporary fiction with timely social themes!

Other specifics: friendship stories (or friendship breakup stories) and stories that bridge the gap between MG and YA. #mswl

I look forward to reading your submissions!

My top MG genres right now are contemporary, horror, historical fiction, and fantasy. Across all genres, I'm eager to see submissions by authors from underrepresented communities. #mswl

I'd love to see standalone stories that address difficult and/or weighty topics in age-appropriate, compassionate, and thoughtful ways, and that are ultimately hopeful, as well as stories that increase the diversity of experiences reflected in MG literature. #mswl

@JollyFishPress is now OPEN to submissions for the months of February/March. (We'll reopen later in the year as well.) Submission guidelines are here: shop.northstareditions.com/jolly-fish-press-submission-guidelines/

My full #mswl is here: manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/meg-gaertner/

But here are some items I'd like to highlight:

ICYMI, I have a profile on the #MSWL website with even more specifics of what I'm looking for: manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/meg-…

If you think we might be a good fit, submit your query letter and your first three chapters as an attached Word document to submissions@northstareditions.com.

I can't wait to read your stories!
#mswl

I am NOT a good fit for:
-instalove
-straight-up romance (romance as a subplot is fine)
-Christian fiction
-elves, dragons, etc.
#mswl

In any YA genre:
-LGBTQIA+ representation
-neurodiversity
-racial or cultural diversity
-male lead characters who subvert toxic masculinity
-found families and diverse ensemble casts
-strong friendships / platonic love stories
-protagonists as changemakers and activists
#mswl

I accept all sub-genres of YA fantasy, but I’m really picky! I’m looking for unique magic systems that feel real and novel, stakes that haven’t been explored before in the genre, and a premise that is truly fresh. #mswl

-high-stakes YA sci-fi w/ strong themes + character development
-YA contemporary that addresses relevant/timely social themes
-YA thrillers/suspense
-YA horror, especially of the uncanny/unsettling kind
-YA historical that highlights excluded or underrepresented experiences #mswl

-“out-of-the-box” YA stories that combine social commentary with a killer voice and a fresh premise
-strong emotional arcs and themes—I want to see characters evolving in ways that feel earned
#mswl

@fluxbooks is now open to agented and unagented submissions, and I am eagerly seeking my next favorite novel! I’m looking for well-crafted YA fiction with engaging plots and one-of-a-kind characters. I accept all genres of YA. More specifics of what I’m looking for below. #mswl

At last, I have a profile on ManuscriptWishList.com. My current wish list is live, though I'll continue to tweet new and specific items as they come to me. #MSWL

manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/meg-…

-LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and neurodivergent narrators and stories are always welcome!

If your manuscript matches any of these items, I’d love to see your work! Submission guidelines can be found on the @fluxbooks and @JollyFishPress websites. 4/4

-contemporary fantasy in YA or MG
-MG whimsical fantasy a la Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli
-YA or MG high fantasy with a unique magic system / based on mythologies underrepresented In literature / that subverts the tropes of the genre

#mswl 3/4

-character-driven YA sci-fi, especially if it explores a theme such as our relationship to technology or what it means to be human
-YA sci-fi blended with any other genre—sci-fi horror, sci-fi fantasy (I’d die for a YA Gideon the Ninth!), sci-fi mystery/thriller, etc.

#mswl 2/4

I want a YA sci-if horror with this sound in it. #mswl

#mswl

Thinking of how much of my grandmother was the matriarch of my family, I’d love to see a sweet/funny middle grade novel (any genre) with a substantial grandparent-grandchild dynamic!

#mswl

A queer middle grade (any genre) with the big-hearted joy of @jhillmanbooks’s BIG WIG!

rollingstone.com/culture/cultur…