YA! I write YA (Contemporary and Thriller) but I’m open to most YA genres. Here are a few things I’d love to see in any combination:

Romance! I’m always looking for a love story in just about every genre I read. It doesn’t have to be the central focus of the book but a little romance is never a bad thing as far as I’m concerned. I’m a sucker for a good rom-com with smart and funny characters, flirty banter, tropes galore, and plenty of swoons (think Kasie West, Becky Wallace, Emiko Jean, Debbie Rigaud, Lynn Painter, and Jenny Han).

I also love Contemporary stories where, if there’s romance, it’s part of a bigger story! Give me books with complicated family relationships, real-life problems, and resilient protagonists (think Deb Caletti, Renée Watson, Jeff Zentner, Jason Reynolds, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, and, well, me).

I’m craving a good Thriller! I’m a huge fan of action-adventure or survival stories, something with plenty of suspense, intrigue, or even a dystopian twist. Pacing is key in stories like this, so bring on those cliffhanger chapter endings and maybe a dash–or more–of romance (think Holly Jackson, Anna Carey, April Henry, Kim Liggett, and my book GIRL ON THE RUN)!

And even though I write contemporary stories, I read a TON of Sci-fi and Fantasy (I chose an alternate history pirate fantasy my first year as a mentor) including Magical Realism, Speculative Fiction, and Retellings (think Marissa Meyer, Andy Weir, Leigh Bardugo, Margaret Rogerson, Joanna Ruth Meyers, and Tricia Levenseller).

Have you written about vampires and things that go bump in the night? I’m looking for Paranormal/Urban Fantasy in the vein of Twilight/Buffy. I re-read and rewatched all the Twilight books & movies after reading Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer and I’m re-watching Buffy & Angel right now before In Every Generation by Kendare Blake comes out next year. I’m excited to find fresh new takes on supernatural stories (think Jennifer L. Armentrout, Stephenie Meyer, L.L. Mckinney, Cassandra Clare, and Richelle Mead).

As a wheelchair user, I’m very excited to see characters with visible Disabilities in stories that focus on more than just disability (see the What I’m NOT Looking For section below for more on this). I’d love to see disabled characters in all the genres listed above (really any genre) doing the same kind of things that able-bodied characters do (falling in love, experiencing heartbreak, dealing with family/friend struggles, exploring mysteries or action-packed adventures, maybe encountering an alien, magic, vampires or becoming one themselves)! Check out the description for my upcoming Contemporary YA, EVERY TIME YOU GO AWAY. for an example.

Some of my favorite (mostly) YA authors (in no particular order) include:

I’m generally not the ideal reader for stories that involve reincarnation, amnesia, politics, self-harm, suicide, rape, or horror/torture elements.

I mentioned that I’d like to see stories featuring characters with visible disabilities but I’m not interested in stories that are only about disability. I’m also not the reader for stories where disabled characters are inspirational footnotes in the lives of able-bodied characters or where disabled characters kill themselves.

I tend to prefer stories with a single or dual point of view.

I’m also not accepting New Adult.

I love this process, I just do. I still can’t believe I get to be a mentor and help writers the way others helped me. So what can you expect from me as a mentor? I’m prompt and thorough. I will be your cheerleader and I’ll help you however I can, but I’ll also tell you honestly if something isn’t working for me and I’ll make suggestions that you can take or not because this is YOUR book. I’ll help you brainstorm solutions if you want or be a sounding board if you need it. I will never impose my opinion on you but I will explain why I think something needs work/further attention. I’ll help you polish/fix/rewrite your query letter and help you with your synopsis (I LOVE writing synopses). I’ll be providing a ‘Big Picture’ letter based on my first read of your MS, then further edits, including line edits, as we go. I’ll plan on reading your MS several times and working with you until it’s as shiny as possible.

I like to set up a video chat, if possible, for our first “meeting” so we can talk over your manuscript and my edit letter (which you’ll already have). After that, I’ll probably communicate primarily via email (unless we decide on something else). I most likely won’t bombard you with emails once we have a good revision plan in place beyond quick check-ins to make sure everything is going well, but I will always be quick to reply any time you reach out for any reason. Of course, we can figure out a communication style/schedule that works best for us, this is just typically what has worked with previous mentees.

I’m looking for someone who is prompt and reliable, someone with drive and dedication who can take constructive criticism and meet a deadline. I plan on giving 100% to my mentee and I want the same in return.

Questions?
Tweet me @Abigailswriting or DM me on Instagram @abigailjohnsonya

Head back to the Pitch Wars post to see the complete list of mentor wishlists or click through the links below.

Pitch Wars 2021 Young Adult Mentors’ Wish Lists

1. Mary E. Roach (Accepts NA)
2. Amelia Diane Coombs (Accepts NA)
3. Diana Urban
4. Susan Bishop Crispell (Accepts NA)
5. TJ Ohler (Accepts NA)
6. Laurie Dennison (Accepts NA)
7. Justine Pucella Winans (Accepts NA)
8. Zoulfa Katouh and Molly X Chang (Accepts NA)
9. Sonora Reyes (Accepts NA)
10. Abigail Johnson
11. Rosiee Thor and Emily Grey
12. Carlyn Greenwald (Accepts NA)
13. M.T. Khan (Accepts NA)
14. Sarvenaz Taghavian
15. Emery Lee
16. Margie Fuston (Accepts NA)
17. Aashna Avachat (Accepts NA)
18. Allison Saft (Accepts NA)
19. Fiona McLaren
20. Jessica Lewis
21. Brianna Bourne (Accepts NA)
22. Jamie McHenry
23. Meg Long and Rochelle Hassan (Accepts NA)
24. Laura Weymouth (Accepts NA)
25. Natalie Crown and Angelica Monai (Accepts NA)
26. Skyla Arndt and Alex Brown (Accepts NA)
27. Charity Alyse and Cimone Watson (Accepts NA)
28. Emily Thiede and Lauren Blackwood (Accepts NA)
29. Anna Sortino and Annika J. Cosgrove (Accepts NA)
30. Jenny Perinovic and Kyrie McCauley (Accepts NA)
31. Carrie S. Allen and Sabrina Lotfi
32. Jamie Howard and Meredith Tate (Accepts NA)
33. KL Burd (Accepts NA)
34. Jennifer Yu (Accepts NA)
35. Hoda Agharazi and Lyssa Mia Smith (Accepts NA)
36. Em X. Liu and Grace D. Li (Accepts NA)
37. Carly Heath (Accepts NA)
38. Kiana Krystle (Accepts NA)
39. Sarah Underwood and Kat Dunn (Accepts NA)
40. Joel Brigham (Accepts NA)
41. Dante Medema and Liz Lawson (Accepts NA)
42. Aty S. Behsam and Maedeh B. Saaina (Accepts NA)
43. Kylie Schachte (Accepts NA)
44. Gabi Burton (Accepts NA)
45. Aaron Cole and Tamara Cole (Accepts NA)
46. Hannah V. Sawyerr and Olivia Liu (Accepts NA)
47. Bethany Mangle (Accepts NA)
48. Lane Clarke (Accepts NA)
49. Sunya Mara (Accepts NA)
50. Karen Bao (Accepts NA)

Click here to view all Pitch Wars 2021 Mentors’ Wish Lists. To view the wish lists by genre, visit this link.