Lynnette Novak is a voice-driven, genre-savvy agent at The Seymour Agency with a background in seventeen years of freelance editing — she hunts for unforgettable horror, romantasy, and romcom across age categories, plus a surprisingly broad adult nonfiction roster requiring platform and expertise.
In brief
Lynnette is currently closed to unsolicited queries; only referrals and conference-connected writers can submit — confirm her form status before approaching.
Her stated wishlist spans an unusually wide range: illustrated children's content, MG through adult fiction, AND adult nonfiction — but her loudest enthusiasm is for horror and romantasy at every age level.
As of December 1, 2024, she formally dropped thrillers, mysteries, and romantic suspense from her list — a hard line, not a soft preference.
She brings a genuine editorial eye to her work: seventeen years of developmental editing means she likely engages deeply with manuscripts before and after sale.
Historical romance is a recent addition to her adult fiction wish list, signaling a broadening of her romance appetite beyond contemporary and romantasy.
Lately
After agenting for 9 years, I've heard a lot of bad advice for writers like: "Don't write your novel before querying. Contact agents with your idea. If there's interest, write the book. Don't waste your time writing something they don't want." 1/2
As of late December 2025, Lynnette confirmed she remains closed to general queries and directed writers to watch for a future announcement when she reopens.
What Lynnette is looking for
This is her most emphatic ask across the board. She wants horror at the middle grade, young adult, and adult levels — and has specifically called out her desire for unforgettable, standout horror. If your manuscript has genuine dread, dark atmosphere, and memorable scares, this is the category to lead with.
Romantasy appears on her wish list at three age levels — YA, new adult, and adult — making it one of her clearest areas of sustained interest. She is drawn to the blend of a compelling love story set within a fantasy world, and her general love of 'unique worlds' reinforces this.
Romcom is another category she wants across multiple age brackets. Her noted love of 'light and funny' and 'a good love story' aligns here. Voice is especially important — flat or generic humor will not land with her.
She welcomes contemporary romance at the new adult and adult levels, with a particular soft spot for LGBTQ+ and diverse relationships. She also lists commercial women's fiction and LGBTQ romance as favorite sub-genres, so romance with meaningful identity or community dimensions is a strong fit.
A recent addition to her adult fiction list, signaling an expanding appetite in the romance space. Writers with historicals set in compelling, underrepresented eras or featuring BIPOC and LGBTQ+ protagonists may find a particularly receptive reader.
Listed alongside her adult fiction categories. Her stated love of 'dark and suspenseful' and 'mysterious twists' runs through this, so dark romance with genuine psychological tension is more likely to resonate than lighter versions of the subgenre.
Commercial women's fiction is a favorite sub-genre she names directly. Work with a strong emotional core, a defined female perspective, and commercial hooks fits best — she is not looking for literary fiction.
At the middle grade level she wants stories that feel real or grounded even when fantastical — contemporary, magical realism, and fantasy that stays tethered to emotional truth rather than sprawling world-building. BIPOC and LGBTQ+ MG voices are especially welcome.
Her YA appetite is broad but genre-specific: she is not looking for contemporary YA without a genre element. Voice is critical here — YA submissions that feel flat or generic are unlikely to appeal regardless of concept.
She accepts both fiction and nonfiction picture books, with a stated preference for non-rhyming manuscripts. She is also open to illustrated MG and illustrated covers for children's and adult publishing. NOTE: for picture book illustration work, she represents illustrators directly — submit with portfolio samples or a portfolio link.
Her nonfiction list is wide in category — memoirs, narrative nonfiction, self-help, health/fitness, spirituality/New Age, parenting, business, true crime, pets, psychology, relationships, lifestyle, motivational, and celebrity — but narrow in one critical requirement: you must be a credentialed expert or have a demonstrable platform. She explicitly asks whether you are a doctor, CEO, therapist, social influencer, or public speaker with a direct route to your audience. No platform, no consideration.
Not the right fit
On Lynnette's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Lynnette
She is currently closed — do not query until she announces she has reopened, unless you have a direct referral from someone she knows or you met her at a conference.
Always confirm the live submission form status immediately before querying; her closure is active and no reopening date has been announced.
Paste your query letter and the first five pages directly into the submission form — do not send unsolicited material by email.
For nonfiction: paste your query into the form and attach a full proposal; lead the query with your platform and credentials before you describe the book.
For illustrators: attach portfolio samples or include a link to your online portfolio; she actively represents illustrators for board books, picture books, illustrated MG, and cover work.
Voice is the single quality she names most often — make sure the manuscript's voice comes through in your query pages, not just in your pitch summary.
If you are writing horror at any age level, lean into what makes it genuinely frightening; she has explicitly said she wants unforgettable horror, which signals she is disappointed by safe or derivative executions.
BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and broadly diverse stories are specifically and repeatedly flagged as welcome — if your work centers marginalized identities, say so clearly in your query.
Do NOT query with thrillers, mysteries, romantic suspense, sci-fi, epic fantasy, literary fiction, poetry, or novellas — these are firm nos.
If your category falls anywhere near 'grounded' vs. 'epic' fantasy, be explicit in your query about the scope of your world-building; she distinguishes carefully between grounded/contemporary fantasy (yes) and epic fantasy (no).