Below is a non-comprehensive, always-in-flux list of things I love to read and see in stories. In general at Disney Hyperion, we are looking for high-concept and commercial fiction with franchise potential (but this is not an absolute).
*Please note: I am unable to even look at unagented submissions. If you are unagented and interested in being published traditionally, here are some Tips for: Traditional Publishing Path. Any submissions sent to me through the contact page of this website will be deleted without being read and the sender will be blocked.*
A Note on Representation
I am a firm believer in the importance of representation. As such, I focus on stories by and about people from marginalized communities, particularly disabled/neurodiverse people; trans, nonbinary, or gender-nonconforming people; a-spec people; BIPOC; and people with intersectional identities that are under-represented.
Age Categories/Formats
- Middle Grade—prose novels; graphic novels (must have both an illustrator and author attached)
- I’m currently very actively looking for middle grade stories!
- Young Adult—prose, graphic novel (must have both an illustrator and author attached)
Genre
I’m a big ol’ scaredy-cat, so straight-up horror/thriller is probably not for me. Other than that, I’m open to any genre! Some of my favorites, though, are:
- Fantasy, and just about any sub-genre therein
- Romance: I particularly look for LGBTQ+ romances (and especially in middle grade)
- Crossover: I love stories that can sit between two (or more!) genres
Elements I Love
- Stories about transition periods and characters caught in the in-between
- Stories that explore what we owe to one another
- Stories (and characters!) that are messy but kind
- Stories featuring non-Christian holidays
- Stories with dragons or fae
- Stories that take tropes and lore and twist them on their heads
- Stories that do not feature any romance, or in which the romance doesn’t overtake the main character’s life
- Stories where a character from a marginalized community becomes Over It and decides to tear the system down
- Stories full of queer joy and/or POC joy
- Stories set in queernorm worlds
- Stories that make me laugh (please!)
- Stories with voice-y narrators (this is a near-must for me in middle grade!)
- Stories that will make a kid/teen reader think “Hey, wait a second! I should have rights!”
Things That Aren’t for Me
- Nonfiction
- Horror or thriller
- Horse stories (nothing against horses in stories, but I am not the Horse Girl you’re looking for)
Things That Will Be Automatic Passes
- Girl main characters who are ~not like other girls~
- Stories with main characters from marginalized communities that center trauma
- Stories about sexual assault (stories with characters who have experienced sexual assault/harassment are okay)
- Stories that feature explicit/graphic self-harm or eating disorders
- Stories in which someone’s problems are magically solved/disappear once they’re in a relationship
- Stories in which a disabled character’s HEA (happily ever after) means they are “cured” of their disability
- Stories that include unnecessary references to/appreciation for the 1997 boy wizard series
- Romances between Character A (a teenager) and Character B (an immortal being) with an age difference that would generally be deemed inappropriate if Character B weren’t immortal
Comps (in no particular order)
Books:
- The Witch King by H.E. Edgmon
- Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
- Almost Flying by Jake Maia Arlow
- Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
- Hildafolk series by Luke Pearson
- Home Field Advantage by Dahlia Adler
- Loveless by Alice Oseman
- Malice by Heather Walter
TV/Movies:
- Schitt’s Creek
- Ted Lasso
- Kevin Can F*ck Himself
- Steven Universe
- She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
- Legally Blonde
- Practical Magic
- Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
- Dead End: Paranormal Park
If you’re the type who likes a more vibes-based or visual list, check out the MSWL tag on Tumblr or the MSWL/Comps highlight on my Instagram!