Jennifer Chevais is a generalist literary agent at The Rights Factory who anchors their list in character-driven commercial horror, speculative fiction, and children's fiction, hunting for stories whose people linger long after the last page.
In brief
Chevais explicitly identifies as a generalist, but their agency page prioritizes Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, and Thriller — writers in those four lanes are the clearest match.
The phrase 'just the right fit' attached to nonfiction is a deliberate gate: this is not a broad nonfiction list, and projects that don't feel unmissable are unlikely to land.
Character is the through-line across every category Chevais names — the pitch that leads with plot mechanics rather than a vivid, emotionally textured cast is the wrong pitch.
Commercial horror is singled out as a strong personal interest, making it a stand-out priority beyond the general speculative umbrella.
Chevais also offers editorial developmental services independently, signaling deep manuscript-level engagement — querying writers who emphasize their openness to revision may find a natural connection.
Lately
In spring 2025, Chevais publicly noted remaining openings in their July and August schedule for manuscript developmental reviews and book proposal work, inviting writers looking to advance their projects to reach out directly through their editorial services website.
What Jennifer is looking for
This is Chevais's most explicitly stated personal passion. They want commercial horror — work with mainstream appeal and emotional stakes, not purely literary or purely niche extreme horror. The ideal project is built around characters compelling enough to make the terror personal.
Both fantasy and science fiction are listed as active interests. Given the character-first framing Chevais applies to everything, world-building alone won't carry a pitch — the speculative engine should illuminate deeply human (or deeply inhuman) characters. No explicit sub-genre restrictions stated.
Thriller sits within the active-query list. Chevais's generalist orientation and character emphasis suggest psychological or character-driven thrillers are more likely to connect than pure procedural or plot-mechanism-first entries.
Children's fiction is called out separately from the adult speculative categories, indicating genuine interest across age ranges. No further sub-category breakdown is provided on the current page; picture books, middle grade, and YA all remain possible, but the character-driven mandate applies here too.
Chevais describes nonfiction interest as reserved for 'just the right fit' projects — a clear signal that the bar is high and the category is not a volume priority. Writers with nonfiction should only query if the project has an unmistakable hook, a strong platform, or a deeply unusual angle that would be hard to pass on.
Not the right fit
On Jennifer's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Jennifer
Lead with character, not concept — Chevais's own language is 'characters so strong they'll break your heart or pull it right out,' so open your query letter with a vivid, emotionally specific portrait of your protagonist before you describe the plot.
If you're querying horror, name it as such and lean into the commercial angle — this is Chevais's stated personal interest and the clearest path to genuine enthusiasm.
For speculative fiction (fantasy or sci-fi), ground the world-building summary briefly and spend more query real estate on the emotional stakes your characters face.
Nonfiction writers should query only with an exceptionally high-concept or platform-backed project, and make the 'why this, why now, why no one else could write it' argument explicitly in the letter.
Chevais runs independent developmental editorial services alongside agenting — querying writers who demonstrate self-awareness about their manuscript's stage and openness to deep editorial collaboration are likely to resonate.
Check the live submission form for the current status and any updated category restrictions before sending — status can change between observed snapshots.
The Rights Factory is the agency; address your query to Jennifer Chevais specifically and confirm any agency-wide submission guidelines apply alongside Chevais's individual preferences.