Karen McManus is the current YA mystery gold standard, and I’d love a comp to any of her titles. But I’d also love a creepier THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE; a manuscript as twisty as DANGEROUS GIRLS; or a straight-up horror, like WILDER GIRLS. Give me tension and action!

My hands-down favorite YA dystopian is SCYTHE, so come at me with your clever takes on the future of death and society! I also want to see Gen-Z characters taking on a broken society in the way only they can. Give me the next CREWEL, THE GRACE YEAR, or ACROSS A STAR-SWEPT SEA.

I remain open to everything that’s on my CMALit.com page, but I’m REALLY hoping to fall in love with a few YA manuscripts. I want to hear from authors with brand-new ideas for the market! Without being able to anticipate those myself, though, here are some thoughts:

I hope to continue to see excellent YA mysteries and thrillers, Romance and Big Friendship stories (or any intersection of the two that permeates high school!), MG adventure and sleuths, and historical fiction that tackles big issues in very personal and direct ways #mswl

I am also very interested in MG or YA Non-Fiction that delves into cultural movements led by and for teens #mswl

Here's my current #MSWL:

In young adult fiction: thrillers, psychological suspense, horror, contemporary, mysteries, fantasy, and sci-fi.

Always looking for own voices, diversity, and LGBTQ+!!!

2/3 #WritingCommunity #amquerying

I’m on the hunt for: cozy and/or witty YA romcoms, grounded MG and YA fantasy, MG historical fiction from an underrepresented perspective, contemporary MG & YA graphic novels, really quirky nonfiction. In all categories I’m especially seeking projects by and about BIPOC. #MSWL

✨New year, new possibilities✨ So excited to be OPEN to queries once again! Looking to take on new #MG #YA & #A clients. #MSWL is here: manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/kris… #querytip

2021 #MSWL YA edition: 1. contemporary stories that will have me obsessed like I am w/ the upcoming THE SEA IS SALT AND SO AM I @CassandraHartt 2. A YA Lucy Foley type thriller 3. Rom Coms: sweet, sexy, fun.

📚 Contemporary, commercial YA with an upbeat voice, emotional stakes & a heart of gold! Send all the situational comedies, quirky coming of age & tried-and-true friendship/squad stories. #MSWL

📚 First and foremost, I'm looking for more YA and children's non-fiction by BIPOC, LGBTQ, & other marginalized creators and stories that are bursting with joy and passion -- especially when it comes to fandom/pop culture/geek stories and communities! #MSWL

Happy New Year! Quick reminder that I'm reopening to submissions for *8 weeks only* from tomorrow morning (and I've actually updated my auto-response in advance this time!) Guidelines and my #MSWL on our website here: dkwlitagency.co.uk/submissions/ BRING ON 2021!

#MSWL - graphic novels! I'm particularly eager for grounded/realistic graphic novels or fantasy with one foot in the real world, but open to all GN genres in MG and YA.

#MSWL - and of course, contemporary YA that is heartfelt and full of big emotions always hits home. Some favorites include I'LL GIVE YOU THE SUN, THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR, and of course client books like THE LAST TRUE POETS OF THE SEA, the upcoming INDIVISIBLE, etc.

#MSWL - I want super ambitious YA stories that feel like they somehow break the paradigm. I'd love to see multi-generational stories, stories told from odd points of view (think A.S. King!) and stories that play with genre. I want to get WEIRD in 2021!

#MSWL - something big, sweeping, ROMANTIC. I love love and I love romantic stories, whether they're romantic comedies or sweeping love stories. I want to see love against the odds stories.

#MSWL - YA or MG paranormal: vampires, werewolves, oh my! Particularly interested in paranormal from underrepresented points of view and stories that bring something new to the genre. Related: contemp fantasy a la LEGENDBORN, a 2020 fav, too.

#MSWL: twisty, unputdownable YA thrillers, mystery and suspense. Think Tiffany D. Jackson, Courtney Summers, Karen McManus.

Who will write this for us?! #mswl

I still have not found my FLUFFY, YEARNING AND TENSION-FILLED, LIGHTHEARTED YA contemporary romance 🥺🥺🥺.

PLEASE LET THIS BE THE YEAR😭😭#mswl