Laura Gruszka is a junior agent at Writers House building a children's-first list with a strong commitment to underrepresented voices, a manga-influenced eye for art, and a prose-obsessed sensibility that spans picture books through adult literary fiction and graphic novels.
In brief
Gruszka trained for over four years under senior agent Rebecca Sherman at Writers House and is now actively building their own list — this is an agent at the start of a career with room to take on new clients when open.
Their submission window closed August 1, 2024, with a possible reopening hinted around November 2024; no confirmed reopen date has been recorded, so writers must verify the live form status before submitting anything.
The single most consistent throughline in Gruszka's stated taste is PROSE QUALITY — in MG and YA especially, line-level craft is the first filter, ahead of concept or genre.
Gruszka's top priority across every category is amplifying creators from marginalized communities, and this applies regardless of whether the work is explicitly about identity — the community membership matters even when the story isn't autobiographical.
Their graphic novel taste is manga-shaped and skews strongly toward literary/memoir/contemporary; they explicitly name superhero comic tradition as a poor fit, so writers pitching cape-and-cowl stories should look elsewhere.
Lately
Gruszka announced a temporary closure to unsolicited queries beginning August 1, 2024, noting that only referrals, conference connections, and writers previously invited to keep them in mind would be accepted afterward. A tentative November 2024 reopening was floated but not confirmed. The agent stated the relevant page would be updated at reopening.
What Laura is looking for
Gruszka welcomes the full tonal range — from pure comedy to quiet slice-of-life — but consistently gravitates toward an unforgettable protagonist, a distinctive voice, and a clean story arc. For illustration, they want art that carries its own personality: unmistakable style, kinetic energy, and emotional warmth. A particular soft spot exists for layered spreads that reward re-reading, the kind where young readers keep finding hidden details. Tone-wise, works tuned to the off-kilter warmth of animated storytelling in the vein of Adventure Time or Over the Garden Wall are a strong match. Note: Gruszka seeks both authors AND illustrators — author-illustrators and illustrators seeking author partnerships are equally welcome.
Sentence-level craft is the entry ticket: Gruszka falls for prose first, whether it is lush and lyrical or punchy and deeply voiced. Genre preferences lean toward magic, folklore, and wildly imagined worlds — particularly books that stretch or subvert familiar genre shapes rather than fulfilling them. Quieter, character-driven contemporary MG is equally welcome. Verse novels are considered, but only when the verse form is doing real stylistic work, not merely lineated prose.
Same prose-first standard as MG: Gruszka is looking for YA where the writing itself is as considered as the story. Genre, contemporary, and issue-driven narratives all have a home here. Books that place young readers inside a genuinely difficult emotional experience — or that help them see their world with fresh tenderness — are the ideal. The bar is high; concept alone will not carry a query.
Gruszka grew up reading manga, and that aesthetic vocabulary — expressive linework, emotional interiority, visual rhythm — shapes what they respond to. Contemporary, genre, and memoir formats are all welcome. Highly illustrated chapter books and MG/YA also fall under this umbrella. Superhero-tradition comics are explicitly not a fit.
The same manga-influenced, literary sensibility that governs children's graphic novel taste carries into adult work. Gruszka is open but this category is secondary to the children's and YA focus.
Gruszka lists adult literary fiction as an open category but has not elaborated on specific preferences here. Given the children's-book depth of the wishlist, adult literary is likely considered selectively and may benefit from a referral or conference connection, especially while queries are closed.
Listed as a sought category alongside picture books and MG/YA. Gruszka has not offered detailed preferences specific to chapter books beyond the overarching voice-and-character standards.
Not the right fit
On Laura's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Laura
The submission window is currently closed as of August 1, 2024. Do not cold-query — unsolicited submissions sent after that date are deleted unread. Wait for a confirmed reopening announcement on the agent's official page before submitting.
The two clearest paths in during the closure are: a personal referral from an existing client or industry contact, or having met Gruszka at a conference. If either applies to you, note it prominently at the top of your query.
Lead with your identity as a creator if you are from a marginalized community — Gruszka has explicitly asked for this, and it applies even if your book is not about identity. This is not a formality; it is a stated acquisition priority.
For MG and YA, open with a sentence or two that showcases your prose voice before you describe the plot. Gruszka has said prose quality is the first thing they respond to — a flat synopsis-first query undersells what they're actually evaluating.
If your picture book or graphic novel has art, make the visual sensibility clear. Reference your style honestly; Gruszka's taste runs toward expressive, personality-driven illustration with manga-influenced energy rather than generic or licensed-character-style art.
Verse manuscripts need a specific framing: show how the form itself is doing meaningful work, not just packaging prose in line breaks. A brief note on what the verse form enables that prose could not is worth including.
Gruszka is not seeking superhero or traditional cape-and-cowl comics — do not query in this mode even when the window reopens.
Writers House has a specific submission form; find it via the agency's official website and follow its current instructions exactly at the time you query.