Madison Hernick is a rising assistant literary agent at United Talent Agency who hunts for emotionally immersive, character-driven adult fiction — from elevated rom-coms and dark academia to psychological thrillers and fresh fantasy — alongside sharp, culturally diagnostic nonfiction that speaks to Gen Z psychology, modern feminism, and the mess of contemporary relationships.
In brief
Hernick's wishlist is unusually self-aware: they articulate a clear binary — slow-burn cerebral reads vs. propulsive one-sitting page-turners — and everything they want sits at one of those two poles. Writers who can identify which pole their book occupies will write stronger query letters.
Their nonfiction appetite is narrower and more specific than their fiction list, centering on culturally urgent texts about Gen Z digital life, men's emotional health, and feminist revisionism — this is not a generalist NF agent; a proposal needs a strong cultural thesis to land.
No confirmed deal record is available in the public record at this time, which is consistent with Hernick's status as an assistant agent still building their list — this is an opportunity for debut and early-career writers to get in early with an agent who has strong taste and institutional backing at a major agency.
The comp titles Hernick names span literary fiction (Babel, Circe), upmarket commercial (Hello Beautiful, Yellowface), and breezy romance (Book Lovers, Seven Days in June), signaling they are equally comfortable pitching to prestige imprints and mainstream commercial houses.
Their stated dream project — a lesbian retelling of the rival-athletes romance dynamic — is one of the most specific 'I want this' signals on their wishlist; a writer sitting on an LGBTQ+ competitive-world romance should move this query to the top of their list.
Lately
Hernick publicly named a highly specific gap on their current list: a lesbian rivals-to-lovers romance set in a competitive arena — pageant queens, competitive cheer, or pop stars were all offered as the ideal setting. This level of precision is rare in a wishlist and signals an active, near-term need rather than a vague openness.
What Madison is looking for
Hernick gravitates toward fiction that bridges intellect and emotional intimacy — narratives that follow a character so deeply the reader loses themselves in the perspective. Unreliable or morally complicated narrators are a genuine draw, as are unexpected twists and endings that land with emotional force (tears or laughter both qualify). Dark academia aesthetics, family sagas, and stories rooted in nostalgia, Catholic guilt, toxic friendships, or performative activism all fit this lane.
Hernick wants elevated, funny, and whimsical rom-coms — the kind that feel effortlessly warm while still saying something. Nora Ephron is the explicit touchstone; anything that carries that mix of wit, heart, and cultural sharpness is exactly right. Small-town, Western, and sports romance that feels true-to-life rather than formulaic is equally welcome. The recurring hunger here is for love stories that do not sacrifice intelligence for charm.
Hernick is actively seeking fresh, contemporary fantasy and romantasy — not genre fantasy for its own sake, but speculative fiction that uses its premise to say something emotionally or culturally resonant. Magical realism, mythological retellings, and historical reimaginings of overlooked figures are all on the wish list. LGBTQ+ voices and perspectives are especially encouraged in this space.
This is Hernick's most loudly stated current gap. They are specifically hunting for a lesbian rivals-to-lovers romance set in a high-stakes competitive world — pageant queens, competitive cheer, pop stars, or similar arenas are the explicit examples given. More broadly, LGBTQ+ love stories in any subgenre of fiction are welcomed. Writers with a sharp F/F romance manuscript should treat this as an urgent, timed opportunity.
Hernick is drawn to domestic suspense and psychological thrillers where character psychology is the engine — not just plot mechanics. The same appetite for unreliable narrators and earned twists that defines their literary fiction taste applies here. The bar is character depth; pure-procedural or action-forward thrillers are a harder sell.
Hernick's nonfiction appetite is selective but highly specific. They want books that interrogate contemporary psychology — particularly as it intersects with Gen Z digital culture: phone addiction, quiet quitting, self-diagnosis, influencer culture, and the emotional lives of men (toxic masculinity, weaponized therapy-speak, the incel pipeline). Texts that expand the feminist lexicon, recover overlooked women and queer people from historical erasure, or challenge entrenched institutions are also on the list. The key word is urgency — the book needs a live cultural argument, not a retrospective survey.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Madison
Send a query letter and the first 50 pages in the same email — this is Hernick's stated preference. For nonfiction, send the complete proposal instead of sample pages.
The query letter should be clear and concise; Hernick names this explicitly. Lead with what kind of book it is (cerebral/slow-burn vs. propulsive/fast-paced), because Hernick has already told you those are the two poles they respond to — positioning your book on one of them is instant signal that you've read them.
If your book has a twist or an unreliable narrator, say so directly and early. This is one of the most consistently expressed desires in Hernick's wishlist and a well-placed mention will earn attention.
For LGBTQ+ romance — especially F/F rivals-to-lovers — open your letter by naming that dynamic. This is a stated gap, not just a welcome category, and a writer who can fill it should make that clear in the first two sentences.
For nonfiction, lead with your cultural argument, not your credentials. Hernick's wishlist is organized around 'what does this book say about now' — the proposal should answer that question before it answers 'why are you the one to write it.'
Comp titles are a strong tool with this agent. Hernick names specific books and authors in their wishlist; if your manuscript genuinely sits between two of those titles, say so. Vague or mismatched comps will work against you.
Hernick is an assistant agent at a major agency — early in their career, actively building a list. For debut writers who have had trouble breaking through with more established agents, this is a meaningful window worth prioritizing.