I'm so happy you're considering querying me. I'm limited in the types of manuscripts/creators I am accepting right now, so please read the following instructions carefully. Most importantly: I AM ONLY ACCEPTING CHILDREN'S LITERATURE! Please don't submit if your story is not written for an audience 18 years of age or younger.

__________________________________________

I'm looking for a GRAPHIC NOVELIST (author/illustrator only) whose gn is for middle grade or young adult audience. I'd like to see a sample of your graphic novel script, a partial dummy, and 1-2 fully rendered pages. The genre can be any genre except horror (the graphic type not the suspenseful type) or paranormal. Both fiction and nonfiction are welcomed, and it's okay if your graphic novel plays with the form and mixes in other storytelling styles or elements (e.g. Emmie & Friends series).

My favourite graphic novels include:

• The Witch Boy series by Molly Knox Ostertag
• Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
• The Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi
• The Emmie & Friends series by Terri Libenson
• New Kid by Jerry Craft
• Real Friends by Shannon Hale
• Nat Enough by Maria Scriven

I would love to see graphic novels comparable to these non-graphic stories:

• Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury
• The Summer I Turned Pretty (or anything by Jenny Han)
• When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
• The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
• The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula Le Guin
• Hatchet or Northwind by Gary Paulsen
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

__________________________________________

I'm looking to add a Canadian children's writer to my roster. If you illustrate too, that's great, but it isn't necessary. I like to work with creators who write across age categories, but you can write in any category from board books through young adult. Please (briefly) tell me what your connection to Canada is in the bio section of your query letter (e.g. born and raised, immigrated to, ex-pat, etc.) and tell me what other age categories you like to write in other than the submission you're sending.

You can send me any children's story EXCEPT:

• stories that have already been published
• stories that have not already gone through multiple rounds of edits (including at least one round based on feedback from other writers)
• stories that fall in the categories of inspirational (Christian) fiction, paranormal, epic fantasy, hard science fiction, historical fiction, or horror (the graphic kind not the suspenseful kind)

I would especially love to see:

• lyrical (non-rhyming) picture books that prioritize character and story over concept
• middle grade animal fantasy comparable to The Wish Tree, Warriors, or Silverwing (I'm less keen on supernatural creatures like dragons, fairies, and ghosts).
• young adult romance that's accessible but with a slightly elevated tone (ala Jenny Han or John Green)
• contemporary stories with a speculative element

_______________________________________

A BIT ABOUT ME:

I'm an editorial agent. My goal is to submit only the best work to publishers. If you like workshopping ideas and are open to constructive criticism, we'll probably work well together. I love brainstorming, and my clients will often run story ideas past me to figure out if they're on the right track, or to help decide which idea to work on next.

I'm very responsive as an agent. It's rare for my clients not to hear back from me within a day or two of receiving their email, and they know to nudge me if ever in doubt. My clients and I meet about three times a year over video call to talk about submissions and other projects they're working on, and to talk career strategy. I believe a client/agent relationship is based on trust and collaboration. I'm hyper aware of the power imbalance the industry creates and aim to be approachable to accessible (within reason).

I'm looking to represent authors across their careers, not on a per project basis. I prefer to work with clients who have developed their craft across multiple age categories and/or genres. I believe honing your craft in multiple categories makes you a better storyteller overall. I don't expect anyone to be a master of multiple genres, or even have multiple manuscripts polished and submission-ready, but I will want to get a sense of your overall body of work to help me decide if I think I can represent all your work long-term.

DIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT TO ME! If you're part of a marginalized group, and are comfortable revealing yourself as part of that community, please share that with me in the bio section of your query letter. This is especially important if your identity informs the stories you tell. I want to make sure marginalized people are given space to tell their own stories.

Please don't worry about the formatting of submissions, typos, and the like. I know that people make mistakes and don't assume malicious intent unless you give me a damn good reason. I just need a clear, concise query, and intriguing, well-crafted samples.

I prefer submissions through Query Manager, but if you're neurodivergent, disabled, or otherwise find it difficult to use this form, feel free to query me at jes at therightsfactory dot com. You don't have to tell me why you chose email: you can just send it (no questions asked). Make sure you put QUERY in the subject line so I can catch it and flag it. I usually confirm receipt within a week of you sending an email, so nudge me if that doesn't happen. No attachments via email please! Include your query letter and text sample in the body of the email, and a link to any other required samples.

I hope this information has been helpful as you try to decide if you'd like to query me. If you have any questions, please reach out!

All the best,

Jes