Meg Gaertner
Editor
Flux Books
Jolly Fish Press
Senior editor @fluxbooks + @jollyfishpress . YA fantasy/sci-fi writer. Swing dancer. Music lover. Philosophizer. Tweets are my own. she/her. meggaertner.com
Editor
@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!
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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!
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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
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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
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@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:
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ICYMI, I have a profile on the #MSWL website with even more specifics of what I'm looking for: manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/meg-…
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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
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I am NOT a good fit for:
-instalove
-straight-up romance (romance as a subplot is fine)
-Christian fiction
-elves, dragons, etc.
#mswl
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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
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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
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-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
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-“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
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@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
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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-…
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-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
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-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
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Meg Gaertner @MEGaertner
Hey writers! I won’t be able to participate in #SFFpit for long today, but I’m always on the lookout for engaging SFF in the YA and MG spheres.Here are some specific wish list items and how to reach me: 1/4
-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
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NASA Exoplanets @NASAExoplanets
The misconception that there is no sound in space originates because most space is a ~vacuum, providing no way for sound waves to travel. A galaxy cluster has so much gas that we've picked up actual sound. Here it's amplified, and mixed with other data, to hear a black hole! pic.twitter.com/RobcZs7F9eI want a YA sci-if horror with this sound in it. #mswl
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#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!
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#mswl
A queer middle grade (any genre) with the big-hearted joy of @jhillmanbooks’s BIG WIG!
rollingstone.com/culture/cultur…