Bio

Madelyn Knecht is a RevPit board member, previous RevPit winner, EFA member, and Associate Literary Agent at Storm Literary agency whose hair changes color on a weekly basis. After falling in love with reading books that made her laugh and cry in equal measure, she started writing her first book at nine and never looked back. When not reading or writing, you can find her playing cozy games like Rune Factory and Stardew Valley, crocheting, picking up a new hobby, or spending time with her two criminal Australian Shepherds and her lovable cat, Lucas.

Pronouns: She/Her

MSWL

• Age Groups: Adult, Young Adult, select Middle Grade
• Genres: Fantasy (all subgenres), scifi, speculative, horror, mystery, historical

I'm looking for one main component in all my submissions: fun.

I want fun books full of magic and whimsy and a bit of comedy. I love when books make me laugh out loud. But I also want to be hiding behind my hands reading something spooky. I'm looking for a strong voice, and commercial stories with a lyrical edge. Give me a fast-paced plot with solid, beautiful writing I can sink my teeth into. The quickest way to my heart is character. Characters with in-depth, emotional character arcs will take me through almost any book. I want books with layers that keep me guessing until the last page, and masterfully-handled social or political commentary (in all genres, but especially horror and fantasy) that make me sit back and think about it for days.

Queer books are at the top of my wish list, as are stories by BIPOC authors. I would LOVE to see some non-Western settings, history, and magic systems.

Adult

• BIPOC romantasy / queer romantasy
• Queer dark academia (a la A Dark and Drowning Tide)
• Horror of all kinds, especially with social commentary
• Female rage
• Women supporting women
• Unreliable narrators
• Humor (dry humor/deadpan humor and banter moreso than absurdist humor. Think Shaun of the Dead, not Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)
• Lush worlds I want to revisit again and again - or never step foot into because they're so terrifying

Young Adult

• BIPOC romantasy / queer romantasy
• Anxiety representation
• Combining the digital age with magic (KPop Demon Hunters)
• Twisty psychological horror / thriller
• Murder mystery with a speculative twist
• Dark academia that feels fresh

Middle Grade

• Fast-paced, heart-pounding fantasy
• Paranormal with thrilling character dynamics (Lockwood & Co. by Jonathan Stroud)
• Anxiety representation/neurodivergent representation
• Utilizing the digital age/phones/social media to help solve problems or make them worse

Some things I love:

• A series of games/trials/exams (think the Hunter Exams in HunterxHunter)
• Contemporary fantasy with heart
• Seaside settings
• Atmospheric fantasy and horror
• Alternate realities
• Necromancy
• Unreliable narrators
• Body horror

I am not the best for: religious or faith-based stories, stories featuring suicide, talking animals (unless it’s Rocket the Raccoon), sexual humor, fae/fairies, westerns

Immediate No's: sexual assault, rape, cheating as a plot device, abuser redemption arcs

Q&A

How can a manuscript’s first five pages make you sit up and take notice?

Voice and activity. A strong voice will captivate me immediately, and I want to follow the characters as they're doing something. I tend to avoid stories if they start out with a lot of info-dumping or inner monologue.

What can writers expect from working with you during #RevPit, including communication?

I'm always here to answer questions. I primarily communicate through email, but I'm happy to hop on Zoom to discuss edits and changes, as well.

What do you expect from writers during the #RevPit revision process, including communication?

I expect an open mind to changes and a collaborative approach. I know we all have lives, so communication should just be timely and polite in regard to the time restraints within the annual contest.

What hobbies do you have outside of writing and editing?

I love cozy video games, crocheting, drawing, playing with my dogs, and drawing.