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!

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-…

-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

That's it for now!

For YA submissions, send a query letter + first 3 chapters to Flux at: submissions@northstareditions.com

For MG submissions, send a query letter + first 3 chapters to Jolly Fish Press at: submit@jollyfishpress.com

Can't wait to read your stories! #mswl

-Immersive YA high fantasy and sci-fi with well-defined rules (be it unique magic systems or technology)

-YA inspired by or reimagining folklore or mythology

-Humorous, voice-y MG, as well as MG that recognizes the harder truths of the world while being ultimately hopeful
#mswl

-YA stories featuring LGBTQIA+ and neurodiverse main characters, as well as feminist, post-colonial, intersectional, and environmentally conscious themes.
Diverse ensemble casts welcome.
I also love my found families and strong friendships.
#mswl

-Similarly, YA stories with a point. I’m always asking myself, “What is this story trying to say?”

BONUS if that “point” is wrapped up in thrilling plot, sparkling dialogue, an emotional arc, and to-die-for characters.

#mswl

More specifically, I’m seeking:

-Engaging, escapist YA that also offers social commentary. Bonus for genre-blending. Do you have a sci-fi thriller that interrogates what it means to be human? A horror fantasy that comments on the immigrant experience? Send it my way!

#mswl

Generally, I’m looking for YA contemporary, thriller, mystery, horror, historical fiction, high fantasy, and sci-fi stories.

In MG, I’m looking for contemporary, action/adventure, mystery, fantasy, and sci-fi stories. #mswl

Heads up, writers and agents: @JollyFishPress and @fluxbooks are now OPEN TO SUBMISSIONS!!!

I'm so excited to dive in to your submissions and find my next favorite YA and MG! Here’s what’s on my #MSWL

YA stories that combine social commentary w/ a fresh premise + a killer voice are my sweet spot. Does your story have feminist, intersectional, post-colonial, or environmentally conscious themes? Does it challenge readers to look at the world in a new way? Submit! #mswl (3/7)

For YA, I’m pretty wide open in terms of genre:
contemporary
thriller
mystery
horror
high fantasy with a unique magic system
historical fiction about underrepresented experiences
science fiction
#mswl (2/7)