M.H.F. Saint is an Achilles Literary Agency agent who specializes narrowly in Progression Fantasy, LitRPG, and closely adjacent science fantasy—one of the few agents in traditional publishing with a genuine, deeply personal investment in the web-serial and GameLit ecosystem.
In brief
Saint's stated focus is strikingly narrow by industry standards: Progression Fantasy and LitRPG are the explicit core, with cyberpunk-flavored sci-fi only considered when it has clear LitRPG or PF elements — this is not a general SFF agent.
The wishlist reads like a power reader of Royal Road and web-serial culture: touchstones include The Wandering Inn, Azarinth Healer, Mother of Learning, and Dungeon Crawler Carl — signals that Saint wants the energy of long-form serialized fantasy translated into a publishable manuscript.
Saint explicitly states they have also worked in comics and video games, giving them an unusually cross-media perspective on genre storytelling — relevant for authors whose work has transmedia potential.
Graphic novel and comic submissions are only considered when ready-to-publish art accompanies the manuscript — a hard gate, not a soft preference.
The submission process is intentionally relationship-first: Saint asks writers to share personal context (childhood books, why they write, recent learnings) before pitching — writers who treat this as a standard query letter will be screened out immediately.
Lately
Saint's submission profile states they are currently closed to new queries, with reopening anticipated at some point in Q1 2026. Writers should monitor the live form for the specific open date.
What M.H.F. is looking for
This is Saint's primary focus. They want manuscripts with robust, internally consistent power systems, meaningful character growth tied to that progression, and genuine depth of worldbuilding — not just mechanics stapled onto a thin story. The ideal submission feels like a web serial that has been tightened into a compelling, publishable arc. Touchstones drawn from Saint's own favorites include the Cradle series and works in the spirit of The Wandering Inn and Mother of Learning.
LitRPG is listed co-equally with Progression Fantasy as Saint's core focus. Game-mechanic-driven narratives with strong characterization are the target. Saint's media tastes (anime, video games) suggest they respond well to the genre's visual storytelling DNA when it's converted into prose with genuine stakes and character interiority.
Saint will consider cyberpunk and near-future science fiction, but only when the manuscript has clear LitRPG or Progression Fantasy elements. This is an explicit gate — general cyberpunk or science fiction without those elements falls outside the current focus. Writers with pure sci-fi should not query Saint at this time.
Saint expresses genuine enthusiasm for science fantasy that blends intricate worldbuilding with deep character work and maintains a thread of hope rather than unrelenting grimdark. Literary prose quality — citing the styles of Max Gladstone, Patrick Rothfuss, and Tamsin Muir as aspirational benchmarks — combined with tight plotting is the stated ideal for this tier.
Saint has a background in comics and will consider graphic novel or comic manuscripts, but only when camera-ready, publication-quality art accompanies the submission. Text-only comic scripts or pitches without completed art are explicitly excluded. This is a hard condition, not a preference.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query M.H.F.
Saint is currently CLOSED — new submission slots are expected to open sometime in Q1 2026. Check the live submission form before emailing.
Put your favorite childhood book in the subject line. This is an explicit, non-optional instruction — skipping it signals you did not read the guidelines.
Your query email must go beyond a standard pitch: include who you are as a person, why you write (not just what you write), recent things you have learned that fascinate you, books you love and specifically why, your best writing advice, and even a friend whose work you think Saint should consider. Treat this as a conversation opener, not a sales pitch.
Anchor your pitch in Progression Fantasy or LitRPG — these are the only categories Saint is actively building. A beautifully written general epic fantasy will likely be passed over regardless of quality.
If your manuscript sits in the web-serial tradition, lean into that. Saint's touchstones are almost entirely drawn from web-fiction culture; name-dropping the genre and your familiarity with it is a strength here, not a liability.
For cyberpunk or sci-fi, make the LitRPG or PF elements explicit and prominent in your pitch — do not assume Saint will infer them from the premise.
Graphic novel or comic submissions must arrive with finished, publication-ready art. Do not pitch a comic script alone.
Saint's stated aesthetic values: deep worldbuilding, genuine character interiority tied to power progression, and a tone of hope. If your manuscript is relentlessly dark with no optimistic thread, it may not be the right fit.
Prose quality matters: Saint specifically cites Max Gladstone, Patrick Rothfuss, and Tamsin Muir as prose benchmarks. If your writing can be compared to any of them with a straight face, say so and show evidence.