Penelope Burns is a self-described generalist at Gelfman Schneider who hunts for distinctive voices across literary and commercial fiction in Adult, YA, and Middle Grade, with a secondary appetite for narrative nonfiction.
In brief
Burns describes herself as a true generalist — her list spans adult literary fiction, commercial fiction, YA, and middle grade, making her a viable target for a wider range of projects than most agents her size.
A 2025 public note confirms she is actively receiving queries and asks writers to submit only the first three chapters despite what her form's upload field may suggest — a concrete, recent signal that she is open and engaged.
Her agency bio emphasizes voice above all else; projects that lead with a compelling, distinctive narrative voice are the strongest fit regardless of genre.
She also handles some narrative nonfiction, though this appears to be a smaller, more selective part of her list compared to fiction.
Her path — intern-to-agent at Gelfman Schneider, with a detour through book-to-film scouting — suggests she has an eye for commercially adaptable material alongside literary merit.
Lately
Excited to pop into QuestPit today! If I like your pitch and you think we'd bit a fit, please feel free to send your query and first three chapters to me via this link: querytracker.net/query/penelo...
Burns posted a note clarifying that her query form's upload field incorrectly prompts for a full manuscript — she cannot fix the field display but asks writers to disregard it and submit only the first three chapters instead.
What Penelope is looking for
Burns actively seeks literary fiction for adults with a strong, memorable voice. As a self-described generalist, she is open to a wide tonal and thematic range — the governing criterion is whether the prose commands attention from the first page.
Commercial adult fiction is a core part of her list. She represents an eclectic mix, so the genre matters less than the hook and the execution. Broadly accessible stories with genuine narrative drive are a good match.
YA is an explicit part of her stated list. Both literary and commercial YA appear welcome; voice and originality are the primary filters here as elsewhere.
Middle grade is included in her stated categories, though it receives less emphasis in her public-facing materials than adult fiction and YA. Well-crafted MG with a standout voice is worth querying.
Burns takes some narrative nonfiction, but this is the narrowest slice of her list. The agency overall skews toward narrative NF with a topical angle; writers should make sure their project has clear commercial narrative shape rather than being primarily academic or prescriptive.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Penelope
Submit only the first three chapters of your manuscript — despite what the form's upload field may display, Burns has explicitly asked for three chapters, not the full manuscript.
Lead with voice. Her agency bio singles out 'an engaging voice' as the constant she is looking for across every category; your query letter and your opening pages must demonstrate that voice immediately.
She is a generalist, so do not over-engineer your pitch around genre conventions — focus on what makes your particular story and narrator distinctive.
If your project is narrative nonfiction, make the narrative arc and the human story central to your pitch; she is not seeking primarily analytical or prescriptive NF.
Her background includes book-to-film scouting, so projects with cinematic or high-concept qualities may resonate — worth signaling in your query if that dimension is genuine to the work.
The 2019 closed-form status is long outdated; a 2025 public note confirms she is open. Verify the live form status immediately before submitting in case anything has changed.