Hello! I’m Maria, a Senior Literary Agent and Senior Advisor at @psliteraryagency . I’ve been an agent at PSLA for almost 12 years now, representing writers and illustrators across many categories and genres.
Right now I’m on the hunt for upmarket fiction (pretty much any genre). There’s a full manuscript wish list pinned to my feed if you want to know more about the type of books I’m interested in. To summarize though: send me sad, weird, and beautiful (bonus points for all three in one manuscript).
I’m on the board of the Association of American Literary Agents (@aalitagents ), where I’m a member of the Programming, Communications, AI, and Contracts committees. And I occasionally teach workshops on publishing-related topics. (Check my website to register for upcoming events.)
Things I’ve been into lately: collecting cardboard (Lorcana), slaying vampires (Buffy re-watch), creating fantasy worlds (D&D), divining (tarot), expecting the unexpected (Big Brother).
Here is my manuscript wish list for 2026! The tl;dr is that I’m looking for upmarket and literary fiction (fantasy, grounded science fiction, magical realism, horror, mysteries, contemporary), nonfiction (art, cultural history, nature, science, psychology, wellness, occult), middle grade fantasy, illustrated picture books, and graphic novels for all ages.
Books with these elements are definitely for me: unique magic systems, animal sidekicks, lush worldbuilding, creepy locations, dark comedy & satire, macabre fairy tales, messy friendships, queer characters, family feuds, weird shit, niche subcultures, poetic language.
Even more details are on my website. 🖤
#mswl #literaryagents #publishing
Want a glimpse into a literary agent’s query inbox? This is what my submissions looked like last month.
- 387 queries addressed directly to me
- queries for novels far surpassed nonfiction projects
- more than half of the queries were for adult projects
- literary fiction was the most popular genre for adult fiction, followed by fantasy and upmarket
- fantasy was the most popular genre for both YA and MG submissions
- I requested material from 17 submissions
- Most popular genres of those requested manuscripts: literary fiction, upmarket fiction, speculative, and horror
- 37 queries didn’t include a word count; 75 queries didn’t include sample pages; 65 queries didn’t include a genre
- 22 query letters included attachments (which goes against our submission guidelines)
Take a look at even more stats in the carousel. Have questions? Want to see something else next time? Let me know in the comments.
It’s publication day for Volume #3 of The Racc Pack! Congrats to my client @hellocookie and @heywhitneywrites on another great addition to the series. 📘
Why do literary agents pass on projects? Most agents don't have time to send personalized feedback when a project isn't right for them. It can be tempting to take a rejection personally, but sometimes it doesn't have anything to do with the writing! Even the best writers can have trouble securing an agent. Here are some of the common reasons why a literary agent might be saying no to your book.
It’s publication day for One Goal: How Soccer Can Help Save the Planet, a brilliant book illustrated by my client @bonyfingers . I’m counting down the days to our soccer-filled summer. ⚽️
