Rebecca Williamson

Currently, I am seeking submissions from picture books through young adult. I’m looking for voices that jump off the page and stories that really sucker punch me with any and all kinds of emotion. I tend to be more drawn to complex characters that have a clear arc, such as a goal to achieve or desire to fight for something they believe in.

Aside from just text manuscripts, I am open to author/illustrators and illustrators. I am also interested in biographies, memoirs, and nonfiction ideas from picture books through young adult that are interesting and well-researched.

In young adult:

In YA fiction, my favorite genres to read are romance, fantasy, and contemporary, but I enjoy reading almost anything. Some specifics I’d like to see are:

• Younger protagonists around ages 14-15
• College-aged protagonists that still read like YA, like She Gets The Girl or Begin Again
• Cozy and/or light fantasies with lower stakes, like So This is Ever After, or stories that are Ghibli-esque (a love story is a plus)
• Fluffy rom-coms that make me squeal into my pillow, like This Time It’s Real
• Contemporary romances with more emotional undertones, like Even If It Breaks Your Heart or The Other Side of Perfect
• Historical fiction in romance, fantasy, mystery, etc. that features diverse characters, like The Davenports or The Red Palace
• Girls in sports, like Along for the Ride or Home Field Advantage

For YA nonfiction, biographies, and memoirs, I am open to any topics, but some ideas that I am interested in are social activism, feminism, intersectionality, world cultures and mythologies, the arts (music, dance, theatre, etc.), pop culture, and women’s sports (bonus points for soccer, dance, or gymnastics), but anything can catch my attention if the idea is interesting and/or exciting. Some recent YA nonfiction books I’ve read are Unstoppable! and All Boys Aren’t Blue. (Side note: I really loved the adult nonfiction book Everything I Need I Get From You by Kaitlyn Tiffany.)

In middle grade:

In middle grade fiction, I love reading any genre, though I am more drawn to fantasy, mystery, and contemporary. I particularly enjoy middle grade books with a lot of heart. Some specifics I’m interested in are:

• Upper MG protagonists around 13-14, like Ellen Outside the Lines
• Fun mysteries in any genre
• First crushes, like Keep It Together, Keiko Carter
• Girls in sports
• Found family in any genre
• Fantasies based on world mythologies, like the Pandava Quintet or The Two Wrong Halves of Ruby Taylor
• Protagonists interested in social activism, like Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code or Go With the Flow

For middle grade nonfiction, I am open to any exciting/interesting topic, but my specific interests are the same as what’s listed in young adult listed above. Some recent middle grade nonfiction I’ve read are Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You and We Need To Talk About Vaginas.

In picture books:

In fiction, nonfiction, and biographies, I am looking for stories that stick with readers and will withstand the test of time. I really love a strong plot and well-defined character arc. Otherwise, I am open to anything.

I’m not the best fit for:

• horror or excessive gore
• novels in verse
• apocalypse stories unless it’s more lighthearted, like The Prince and the Apocalypse
• animals or inanimate objects as protagonists in middle grade or young adult
• Picture books based on learning early concepts, like numbers, letters, colors, shapes, etc.
• Wordless picture books or board books

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to submissions@sheldonfogelmanagency.com

Please read our guidelines below or through the links to Sheldon Fogelman Agency’s website or below.

Sheldon Fogelman Agency, Inc. specializes primarily in children’s books of all genres, from picture books through young adult literature. The agency represents both authors and illustrators. We work with our clients on an exclusive basis and primarily take on clients who are looking to build a career in children’s literature.

We always welcome submissions, and look forward to adding up-and-coming new authors and illustrators to our client list each year. However, we receive thousands of submissions annually and are highly selective in offering representation. We consider each submission carefully and do our best to respond quickly; however, please be aware that it takes time to read and consider each manuscript. It may take us up to six weeks to consider an initial query, and if we request more work, the process can take even longer.

Unfortunately, because we receive so many submissions, it is not always possible to respond to each one. If you have not heard from us about a query letter within six weeks, please consider this a rejection. Please do not query us more than once every six months, unless otherwise requested. A rejection from one agent is a rejection from the agency as a whole. Please only submit previously unpublished work. Please note that we do not charge a reading fee. Additionally, we do not accept physical submissions; all submissions must be sent via email to submissions@sheldonfogelmanagency.com.

If you are interested in submitting to us, please adhere to the following guidelines:

For All Submissions

• Please email us your cover letter and a sample of your work (as stipulated below). Your cover letter should include:
  • a brief synopsis of your work
  • your writing history
  • any relevant background (including, but not limited to: education and/or participation in any writing-related professional organizations and/or critique groups)
  • why you’ve chosen to query us
  • how you were referred to us, if at all
• This cover letter should be pasted into the body of your email. You may include your work either as an attachment or pasted below the cover letter in the body of the email.
• If you would like to send your work to a specific agent, please address your query letter to that agent. Otherwise, simply put your work to the attention of the submissions coordinator. Please note, however, that a submission to one agent in our office is considered a submission to all. If one of us receives a submission and believes a colleague would be a better match, we will pass along the submission to them. Along the same lines, a rejection from one agent at our agency is considered a rejection from all.
• All submissions should be sent to submissions@sheldonfogelmanagency.com..
• While every submission will be read and considered, please understand that due to time constraints, we will only reply if we are interested in seeing more of your work.
• If including attachments, please make sure that any and all text attachments are accessible via Microsoft Word (.rtf and .doc preferred). We prefer illustrations in .jpg or .pdf format, and all files sent should not total more than 5 MB combined.

For Picture Books

• If you are a picture book writer, we recommend you include two (2) independent manuscripts(i.e., not two in the same series). Please do not submit any additional manuscripts unless specifically requested. If you are not an illustrator, please do not include images in your submission. We do not recommend hiring an illustrator of your own.
• If you are an illustrator,please include a picture book dummy or graphic novel proposal. You may also link us to your online portfolio, if applicable. Otherwise, please attach a limited sampling of examples of your work to your submission.

For Graphic Novels

• If you are the author and illustrator of a graphic novel, we recommend you include a full plot synopsis and character design sheets, along with the beginning of the script and some sample pages so we can see how the script translates to art. You may also link your online portfolio, if applicable. Otherwise, please attach a limited sampling of examples of your work to your submission.
• If you are a writer but not an illustrator of a graphic novel, we would like to see at least thirty (30) pagesof the script, with clear physical descriptions. We do not recommend hiring an illustrator of your own.

For Chapter Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult

• As a novelist, you may include the first three (3) chaptersof the work and a plot synopsis. Please do not submit the entire work or include chapters from more than one work, unless specifically requested.

If you receive interest in your work from another agent, we request that you please let us know as soon as possible. If you receive an offer of representation from another agency, we expect at least one week after notification of this offer to make a decision about whether to likewise offer.

We appreciate your interest in our agency, and your careful consideration of our submission guidelines.

Guidelines & Details