Tasneem Motala

Tasneem Motala is an Junior Agent with Belcastro Agency. She is looking to work with authors writing character-driven Picture Books, YA, Graphic Novels, and Adult fiction, with or without a touch of magic.

As much as she’d love to represent the things that made her into the adult she is today, like Beyblade and Yu-Gi-Oh!, Tasneem will happily immerse herself in stories that give her that same sense of joy but for YA and Adult audiences. Contemporary books on the power of friendship, nostalgia, bittersweet endings, second chances, and regrets like those told in anime like Flavors of Youth and Barakamon, are always on her radar.

All of this being said, Tasneem also has proven time and time again to step outside of her comfort zone and help facilitate new trends and ideas. Intrigued by the convergence of speculative fiction and societal contemplation, Tasneem is currently captivated by sci-fi tales that delve into the multifaceted realms of futurism, cyberpunk, and the exploration of humanity from marginalized perspectives. She seeks narratives that challenge conventional notions, daringly exploring what it truly means to be human in a rapidly evolving world.

Lately she’s been very drawn to romance within genre fiction, not as a subplot but as the main driving force of the story.

Across all categories she is exclusively looking for works from marginalized authors, especially under the BIPOC umbrella! This includes authors and illustrators who might identify under any of these marginalizations: LGBTQ+, Neurodivergent, or Disabled/Differently Abled. This is an honour-system, but if you feel comfortable with it then you have the option of disclosing your specifics in my QueryManager form.

Tasneem’s QueryManager is a safe space for marginalized writers who want to share their stories.

MSWL

Poetry

See current poetry clients, Casey Aimer and Ellen Chang-Richardson, for examples!

• Genre-specific poetry, using the tropes and conceits of a specific literary genre as a lens through which to see and process the world.
• Very interested in visual poetry and experimentation with layout, spacing, and formatting.

Picture Books

• Cute, funny, or both!
• Would love stories with factual backmatter that feeds kids curiosity and wonder about the world.
• Contemporary stories that focus on feelings of adventure in the mundane or accomplishment in simplicity (akin to the Netflix series Old Enough).

Graphic Novels

This category includes basically everything I put in the genre sections, so check those out! But here are two I’d love for GNs specifically:

• Something that’s politically/socially critical while also being a huge ironic parody of capitalism, privilege, and/or class wars (Crowded, Neo Yokio, Glass Onion).
• Slice of Life with an underlying mystery (Supernatural?? Aliens?? Ghosts?? Murders??) that gets more intense and focused as the story progresses (Dandadan or Grave Seasons).

Contemporary (MG/YA + Adult)

• Stories that revolve around a physical or virtual game made possible with new technology, and the people who play them (The King’s Avatar, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Beyblade)
• That crossover period between graduating high school and becoming an adult where life is equally great (independence!!) and terrible (responsibility…).
• Protagonists with really niche and specific hobbies and interests (someone who’s besties with their hamster, or is obsessed with horology, etc).
• Sports Anime Vibes! (Haikyu!!).

Fantasy (MG/YA + Adult)

• Lesser known folklore and fairy tale retellings, including those with mythical creatures.
• Contemporary-based, like KPOP Demon Hunters, Fantasy High, or All of Us Villains.
• Very interested in seeing more stuff in the LitRPG space

Science Fiction (YA + Adult)

• Stories that delve into afrofuturism, the various “punks” (such as cyber, steam, and solar), and the exploration of humanity from marginalized perspectives.
• BIG MECH SUITS (Pacific Rim and Gurren Lagann).
• Utopian facades that hide society-shattering secrets.

Romance (YA + Adult)

Some dynamics and things I’ve been searching for:

• A+ Student/Degenerate Trash (My Little Monster, All of Our Demise)
• Neurodivergent relationships (Extraordinary Attorney Woo)
• Gaming, whether professionally or casually (Falling Into Your Smile and Love 020)
• One is convinced they’re a monster, literally or metaphorically.

Submission Guidelines

NO unsolicited email queries, I only take queries through QueryManager.

Will reopen to queries on September 1st, 2025

MSWL Page last updated on June 5th, 2025

Guidelines & Details