Beth Phelan is a senior literary agent at Gallt & Zacker whose entire acquisition focus is on MG and YA fiction from marginalized creators — and whose track record as #DVpit founder makes her one of the most recognizable champions of underrepresented voices in children's publishing.
In brief
Phelan accepts unsolicited queries only during the first week of each month — her form was observed closed on January 7, 2026, consistent with that window policy; check the live form before submitting.
Her stated acquisition focus is tightly scoped: MG and YA fiction only for new clients. She does sell picture books, graphic novels, novels-in-verse, and adult projects, but exclusively for authors already on her list.
As founder of #DVpit, she has deep roots in the marginalized-creator pipeline; she explicitly names debut voices as a current hunger, making this a rare case where being unpublished is an asset rather than a liability.
Her stated genre range within MG/YA is unusually broad — from light horror and thriller/mystery to romance and magical realism — meaning the gatekeeping is less about genre and more about whose story it is and how it's told.
She holds strong positions on working values: she will not work with authors who generate content with AI or who support book bans or JK Rowling, and she is not a fit for manuscripts touching school shootings, self-harm, disordered eating, or animal cruelty without content warnings.
Lately
Citing #DVpit as the spark, Phelan announced she would reopen to unsolicited queries starting November 2025 — sooner than she had originally planned. The new cadence: open during the first week of every calendar month, MG and YA fiction only. She specifically called out her appetite for debut voices.
What Beth is looking for
YA is the heart of her list. She's drawn to stories with dynamic characters, absorbing worlds, and emotionally resonant relationships — books that push boundaries rather than play it safe. She is hungry for debut voices from BIPOC, queer/trans/nonbinary, disabled, neurodivergent, and other marginalized communities. Genre is wide open within YA: contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, speculative fiction, romance, rom-com, light horror, thriller, and mystery are all in play. What ties them together is emotional depth and a sense of distinct, intersectional identity at the center.
She actively seeks MG alongside YA, with particular enthusiasm for humorous MG, action-adventure, fantasy, and contemporary stories. The same diversity mandate applies: she most wants voices from underrepresented communities telling stories that feel fresh and true. MG that can make her laugh while also landing emotionally is a strong fit.
Nonfiction is on the table, but only if the project is genuinely exceptional and fits the MG or YA age range. She frames this as 'just the right nonfiction project,' signaling she won't take it on speculatively — the concept and execution need to be something she can't pass up.
Not the right fit
On Beth's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Beth
Time your submission carefully: her form opens only during the first week of each calendar month. Submitting outside that window means waiting for the next cycle — check the live form status before you draft anything.
New clients: do not query picture books, graphic novels, novels-in-verse, or adult projects. She has made this a hard rule for anyone not already on her list. Querying these will likely result in an automatic pass regardless of quality.
Lead with your identity and community context if you are from a marginalized background — she is explicitly and enthusiastically seeking those voices, and she names debut writers as a current priority. This is one of the few agents where being unpublished genuinely increases your odds.
If you need disability-related submission accommodations, she accepts queries by email in that specific case. Use the subject-line format: [TITLE]: [Category] [Genre], and paste your query letter plus the first ten pages directly in the body of the email.
Include content warnings proactively. If your manuscript touches on suicide even briefly, a warning is required. School shootings, self-harm, disordered eating, and animal cruelty — even as background elements — also need flagging. Omitting these signals you haven't read her guidelines.
Do not use AI in any part of your manuscript preparation. She has stated plainly she will not work with authors who do, so mentioning any AI-assisted drafting in your query is a disqualifier.
Emotional resonance is her primary criterion. She describes wanting to feel deeply, so pitch the emotional core of your story first — the relationship, the stakes, the wound at the center — before dwelling on plot mechanics.
Genre range within MG/YA is genuinely broad (fantasy, contemporary, romance, thriller, magical realism, light horror are all in play), so don't pre-reject yourself on genre grounds. The more important filter is whether your protagonist's identity and voice are at the intersectional center of the story.
She emphasizes intersectionality specifically. A story featuring a marginalized protagonist is stronger in her inbox when that identity is woven into the narrative's DNA rather than incidental to the plot.