With our shiny new #MSWL on our shiny new website, we've been thinking hard about what sort of stories we want to represent. But what sort of authors do we want? Today's #DATips are about how to be our dream client - ie, a pro author

I'd love to see more contemporary romance queries. One Day is a good indication of what I'm after, but I could do without a traumatic ending. I always look for a unique hook and a believable relationship. Did I mention a unique hook? I love a unique hook.🙏 #mswl

Give me tortured artists cursed by magical paintings - Grumpy architects tasked with illustrating evil fortresses - Language as a magic system - Magical toy makers! I eat this up

Listen I know fantasy loves its mages, assassins, warrior princesses, and knights but please give me more scholars, shamans, mapmakers, artisans, and bards - I would love to see more creatives having adventures in SFF! #MSWL

Very excited to take one-on-one pitches! I’ll be in-person at
Charlotte, NC on March 8
Tampa, FL on April 12
Orlando, FL April 13
Online at Ohio, Colorado & San Francisco. See you then! #amquerying #WritingCommunity #mswl

#MSWL

#MSWL In this I'm also including worlds that blend tech and magic, so this can include a mash-up of fantasy & sci-fi too!

#MSWL I'm a sucker for epic, historical feeling fantasy worlds, but I'd love to see more epic, modern feeling secondary fantasy worlds and worlds that gorgeously blend historical & modern too!

High stakes & romance get my attention well. MG, YA, Adult/New Adult all welcome!

I'd be happy to see this in YA too!!! #MSWL

And for me, enjoying a book generally means there are strong thematic elements. Lastly, I appreciate it when heavier themes are balanced with humor and thoughtful turns of phrase. Make me feel!

Adult:
Upmarket, commercial/literary fiction, book-club fiction, magical realism, rom-com/women’s fiction crossover, historical, mysteries that are fun and light with a genre blend, science fiction (whether five-minutes-in-the-future or epic), fantasy, and romantasy.

#YA I always enjoy a little romance as the A or B plot, however, I lean into the B plot romance more (romance not required).
Plots that create tension and surprise me with unexpected twists.
Vivid and atmospheric settings.

#MG Commercial hooks, literary voice. Unique characters, smart characters who mistakes but learn and overcome their primary flaw. MG voice a must.

#PB Timeless picture books, especially w/ a new format or approach. Unexplored topics, new perspectives, exceptional writing, true-to-life characters. Kid-facing, non-didactic, empowering, authentic, award-worthy.
Also fun, quirky, and funny picture books!

OPENING TO QUERIES FEB 23
Excited to see your queries! See thread for a bit more #MSWL .

#writingcommunity #amquerying

For my guidelines please see my website or:
stormliteraryagency.com/about-us

Chinese dynasties, older African cultures.

Scifi: space operas! And all the punks, steampunk, cyberpunk, scavengerpunk. Oh and aliens.

A note on romance. I do very much appreciate the submissions I've gotten and am reviewing them carefully, I'm just really picky about romance

Took a nap and up late so wanted to do a #mswl post of things I'm missing in my submissions that I didn't realize I needed lol

Historical: Either 70s/Vietnam War/ACROSS THE UNIVERSE vibes, WW1 and 2, even though it's a tough market, and old Historical, like empires,

card declined at therapy so you add to your #MSWL 👀

✨bloody tears in Castlevania
✨“bring yourself back online” intro of Westworld
✨sirens action scene of Sinbad
✨test drive from How to Train Your Dragon
✨That Dinner scene from Arcane
✨Pacific Rim riff

*taps mic* HELLO FRIENDS THERE IS NEWS!

I’d love some in my inbox please? #MSWL
🩷 cozy cottagecore romantasy
📚 book club fiction
🤪 wacky picture books
👀 anything by BIPOC authors
🗣️ literary fiction