Sidney Boker is an InkWell Management agent who champions emotionally driven, commercially minded fiction — from sweeping fantasy and psychological horror to voice-forward contemporary and romance — with a particular pull toward queer, female-driven, and genre-bending stories that are a little weird and a lot heartfelt.
In brief
Sidney joined InkWell in 2022 and has built a wishlist centered on commercial and upmarket fiction that balances emotional depth with narrative momentum — their touchstones lean cinematic and character-first across every genre.
Fantasy is the clear throughline of their stated preferences, with a strong secondary appetite for psychological horror and voice-driven contemporary; the wishlist comps skew queer, feminist, and emotionally raw throughout.
Sidney explicitly calls out sapphic and LGBTQ+ narratives across nearly every category — this is not a niche interest but a consistent throughline of taste.
Standalones are preferred in fantasy, multi-POV is welcome but must be distinctly voiced (The Poisonwood Bible is their stated gold standard), and genre-bending is actively encouraged rather than just tolerated.
Sidney's background — Columbia Publishing Course, editorial stints at both a literary agency and a commercial press, plus reviewing experience — suggests comfort with both the literary end of commercial fiction and the genre market.
Lately
Check out my #MSWL here: manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/si..., and submission guidelines here: inkwellmanagement.com/contact/! no ai stuff pls.
Sidney posted a public note in early 2026 pointing writers to their submission guidelines and explicitly requesting that no AI-generated material be submitted.
What Sidney is looking for
Sidney's most enthusiastically described category. They want high to low fantasy — and very selectively soft to hard sci-fi — where the speculative elements exist in service of character and theme rather than for worldbuilding spectacle. Standalones are preferred. The tonal range runs from epic and intense at one end to gentle, funny, and intimate at the other. Queer, visually rich, emotionally raw storytelling is central to the vision. Sidney is especially drawn to work featuring underrepresented folklore, obscure mythologies, and non-Western creatures and gods. An Arcane-style story focused on sisterhood and sapphic tension — rather than the political machinations side of that world — is high on the wish list.
Sidney is drawn to horror that leans surreal, psychological, or darkly comedic — not shock-value gore. Relationships and humanity need to be at the core. Female-driven horror with emotional weight is a particular sweet spot. Think atmosphere and dread over visceral disgust.
Sidney wants layered character work and emotional complexity across the contemporary spectrum — from twisty, voice-driven thrillers to humorous literary fiction. Sexy, chaotic, and voice-forward writing is welcome. Themes Sidney gravitates toward include grief, identity, relationships, and unusual life situations. There's real enthusiasm for work that's hard to genre-pin if the voice justifies it.
Sidney is after historical fiction with dramatic tension, fierce loyalty, and deep female friendships. Sapphic, feminist, or socially sharp work is especially welcome, as are stories from historically underrepresented and overlooked perspectives. A speculative or magical thread woven in makes it even more appealing — pure realism isn't required.
Sidney wants big yearning, banter with real tension, and romances that make readers believe in love. Queer romance is very welcome. Sidney has specifically called out a desire for something with a Below Deck-style setup — boats, money, status dynamics, close quarters, and high drama — and something at the intersection of sports romance and high-stakes ensemble dynamics.
Not the right fit
On Sidney's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Sidney
Address Sidney directly and use their correct name — avoid gendered salutations unless their own materials confirm them.
No AI-generated content of any kind; Sidney has stated this explicitly and recently.
Lead with what makes your book emotionally distinct, not just its plot — Sidney's stated priority is character and feeling over premise and worldbuilding.
If your book crosses genres or defies easy categorization, say so confidently rather than apologizing for it; Sidney actively invites genre-bending work.
Queer, sapphic, and female-driven narratives get a warm reception — if your book features these elements, foreground them in your query.
For fantasy, specify upfront whether it's a standalone; Sidney prefers standalones in that category.
If submitting multi-POV work, be ready to address in your query how each perspective is distinguished — Sidney cites The Poisonwood Bible as the benchmark.
Wishlist gaps Sidney has named (sapphic western, Below Deck-style drama, underrepresented folklore) represent genuine unmet needs — if your book fits one of these, say so early.
Do not query with picture books, nonfiction, or gore-first horror.