MSWL

Manuscript Wish List

Sera believes that words have the power to change lives, and she’s looking to represent authors and illustrators who want to make the world a more inclusive, welcoming place for us all. Sera seeks stories that grab her attention from the first page and take her on a wild ride of emotions; stories that move and inspire readers to evaluate their own selves and strive for something more. Her most favorite books make her laugh, cry, and feel so connected to the characters that her heart aches for them when she reads the last page.

Sera is not looking for:

adult fiction or nonfiction

author-only graphic novels

demonic possessions

historical fiction

high fantasy 

rhyming picture books

In 2023, Sera is excited to sign:

Sera is especially interested in inclusive narratives and authentic representation. She welcomes queries by children’s authors and illustrators who identify as BIPOC, LQBTQIA+ and other underrepresented and marginalized identities and cultures. 

Sera is specifically looking for:

Young Adult: Sera loves fast-paced, compelling, and mind-bending stories with unreliable narrators. She enjoys stories that incorporate setting as a character (such as Stolen by Lucy Christopher) and twisting plots with endings that are surprising yet inevitable (such as They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera; Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chboksy). She would love to see contemporary stories that tackle tough topics, especially if they incorporate a magical element to them (such as We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson); horror (no demonic possessions); psychological thrillers; and speculative fiction, including magical realism, ghost stories, and fantastical worlds (no high fantasy). Sera is also interested in novels in verse.

Some of her favorite YA authors include Elizabeth Acevedo, Shaun David Hutchinson, Walter Dean Myers, Amy Reed, Adam Silvera, Courtney Summers, Aiden Thomas, Renée Watson, and Nancy Werlin.

Middle Grade: Sera is seeking voice-driven contemporary fiction; stories that tackle tough topics (such as From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks; Melissa’s Story by Alex Gino); adventure stories; horror (no demonic possession); speculative fiction, including magical realism, ghost stories, and fantastical worlds (no high fantasy). Sera is also interested in novels in verse.

Some of Sera’s favorite MG authors include Kwame Alexander, Katherine Applegate, Erin Dionne, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Rebecca Stead, and Jacqueline Woodson.

Graphic Novels (author/illustrator only): As an experienced graphic novel publishing professional, Sera would love to represent more graphic stories in all genres of the children’s market, especially stories with a parallel imaginative or magical world to them (such as Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani). 

Some of Sera’s favorite graphic novelists include Cece Bell, Jerry Craft, Victoria Jameson, David Small, and Gene Luen Yang.

Select Picture Books: Sera is only looking for specific picture books in the following categories: tough topics (such as Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty and Bryan Collier; The Breaking News by Sarah Reul); horror—author-illustrator only for horror (such as Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown; Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann); and authentic stories about historically excluded identities, communities, and histories.

Some of Sera’s favorite picture book authors and illustrators include Deborah Freedman, Ezra Jack Keats, Jon Klassen, Larissa Marantz, Yuyi Morales, Kadir Nelson, Raul the Third, Dan Santat, Allen Say, and David Weisner.

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