Jess Regel is a 22-year publishing veteran and founder of Helm Literary who hunts for compulsive, conversation-starting fiction — from voice-driven contemporary to genre-bending literary — across adult, YA, and children's categories, with a passionate commitment to historically excluded writers.
In brief
Jess Regel spent a decade at Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency mastering every department — royalties, contracts, audio, foreign, film, and domestic — before building a commercial list at Foundry Literary + Media and eventually founding Helm Literary, giving them unusual operational depth compared to most agents.
The recurring language across Regel's wishlist is 'compulsive, contagious, and creative' — writers should treat that as a literal filter: if a book doesn't have an urgent read-in-one-sitting quality, it's not the right fit regardless of genre.
Regel explicitly bridges the literary-commercial divide, meaning purely commercial genre work without strong prose and purely experimental literary work without commercial hooks are both likely to miss the mark.
A stated priority is discovering writers from historically excluded backgrounds — this is framed as a founding value of Helm Literary, not a passing note, so diverse voices across any category Regel represents should feel explicitly invited.
The agency homepage (helmliterary.com) is Regel's own suggested first stop for gauging fit — reviewing the client roster there before querying is not optional advice, it's Regel's own instruction.
Lately
Regel describes the ideal submission as a book that bridges the literary-commercial divide — high concept paired with beautiful writing — and specifically calls out 'conversation starters' as a recurring priority across all age categories.
What Jess is looking for
Regel is drawn to fiction that operates at the intersection of literary ambition and commercial momentum — high-concept premises executed with beautiful prose. Priorities include genre-bending literary fiction, atmospheric magical realism, dark and psychologically twisty suspense, and charming, stylized love stories. The through-line is a distinctive narrative voice and a perspective that reframes how readers see the world.
YA is a core pillar of Regel's list. The same standards apply as in adult: voice-driven storytelling, coming-of-age journeys told from unique vantage points, and work that can spark wider cultural conversation. Regel looks for YA that doesn't talk down to its audience and carries genuine literary weight alongside its commercial energy.
Children's fiction rounds out Regel's three-category focus. The 'compulsive, contagious, creative' standard holds here too. Writers should check the Helm Literary homepage to assess whether their project's tone and ambition align with existing clients before querying in this category.
Across every category Regel represents, discovering writers who have historically lacked access to the publishing industry is a founding priority of Helm Literary. This is not a sub-genre but a lens applied to the entire list — writers from underrepresented backgrounds should consider this an active, standing invitation.
Not the right fit
On Jess's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Jess
Before writing a single line of your query, spend time on the Helm Literary homepage reviewing current clients — Regel explicitly names this as the best self-screening tool, and ignoring it signals you haven't done your homework.
Lead with what makes your book a 'conversation starter.' Regel uses this phrase deliberately: what social, cultural, or emotional dialogue does your book enter or ignite? Name it plainly in your query.
The literary-commercial divide is Regel's sweet spot — your query should demonstrate both the high-concept hook (one punchy, irresistible premise sentence) AND the quality of the prose (your sample pages must earn the literary half of that claim).
Voice is everything. If your story could be told by any narrator in any style, it may not be ready. Regel is explicit about wanting characters whose perspective makes readers see the world differently — make that perspective unmistakable from page one.
Writers from historically excluded backgrounds should query with confidence: this is a founding value of Helm Literary, not a quota. Mentioning your background in a query is appropriate and welcomed if relevant to the book.
Do not pitch work that is purely genre-driven without a strong literary dimension, or purely literary without a compelling commercial hook — Regel's stated taste treats both extremes as mismatches.
Regel has 22+ years in the industry across every rights department. Asking basic process questions in a query signals a lack of research; instead, demonstrate your understanding of where your book fits in the market.