Megan Manzano

Steven Literary Agency

My Manuscript Wish List®

Updated 10/05/22

I am looking to represent middle grade, young adult, and adult literary fiction across multiple genres. I am a sucker for atmosphere (in setting and in tone), voice that leaps off the page, characters who will make me laugh and cry all at the same time, and a deep exploration of interpersonal relationships.

Traditionally underrepresented creators are encouraged to query me! Your voices and stories are needed by so many readers.

FOR ADULT FICTION

  • My tastes in literary fiction are best summed up with Erin Morgenstern, Morgan Rogers, Madeline Miller, and N.K. Jemisin. I love great prose with characters at the forefront. I’d especially love to see queer relationships, stories with some kind of speculative element, unusual settings, an exploration of family/found family, and dark academia.
  • While literary fiction is preferred for adult, I’m open to stories that lean upmarket.

FOR MG & YA

  • Contemporary: Give me darker contemporary with complex family dynamics or odd jobs or shadows lurking in a forest. I’d also love to see fluffy contemporary stories about friendships, developing first crushes, beginning to question/learn about your identity and quieter plots – ie stories with more personal and character driven stakes. Anything that explores what it means to grow up is a favorite of mine and really important for younger reads to have in their hands.
  • Thrillers: I’d love a mystery set in a small town, a survival thriller, a story driven by an unreliable narrator, a group of misfits working together to solve a case, or a thriller blended with speculative elements.
  • Romance: Give me more diverse romances: best friends to lovers, slow burn, and stories that make me feel good while reading and have happy endings. If you have a queer rom-com, please send it immediately! Romances that are in the backdrop of a speculative world are more than welcome too.
  • Fantasy: Give me light fantasy, magical realism, and everyday society with a spark of magic. Bonus points if you have Fae! I am NOT accepting high fantasy at this time.

Elements I’m always looking for:

  • Queer Rep
  • Stories by BIPOC authors
  • Neurodiversity
  • Polyamory
  • Teens who don’t go to college
  • Sex positive stories
  • Gray Morality/Anti-Heroes
  • Slow burn relationships
  • Angst
  • Mental health rep
  • Soft/Geeky Characters
  • Strong friendships/sibling relationships

I am not the best fit for:

  • Stories containing vivid descriptions of demon possession, exorcisms, or hauntings. Gore, creepy elements, and atmosphere are fine.
  • Werewolves
  • Superheroes
  • Animal protagonists
  • Books where sports are the main focus
  • Historical Fiction
  • Non-Fiction
  • Picture/Chapter Books
  • Graphic Novels
  • Screenplays

Submission Guidelines

Submit your query, synopsis, and first five pages via QueryManagerPlease do not send unsolicited queries to my personal work e-mail. They will not be accepted.

Vital Info