I love seeing what editors and agents are looking for. Just the ideas can be inspiring, or at least funny. Here are a few agent and editor wish lists I’ve found recently (in reverse chronological order):

UPDATES: Agent Sara Megibow shares more of her requests from editors at Romance Writers of America 2012 on 1 August 2012, including:

• Novella-length eBook originals
• Contemporary YA with strong romance
• Regency and non-Regency historical romance
• And more!

Check out her article in the Nelson Literary Agency August newsletter.

AND Entangled Publishing actually has a more recent wishlist than the one listed below, this one from 2 July 2012.

AND literary agent Laura Bradford tweeted some of her wishlist:

I want some US-set historicals. Historicals from unusual time periods/settings RT @dalesrogers: What’s your agent wish list? #askagent

— Laura Bradford (@bradfordlit) August 6, 2012

A really intense YA thriller. A really intense adult thriller ala Chelsea Cain RT @dalesrogers: What’s your agent wish list? #askagent

— Laura Bradford (@bradfordlit) August 6, 2012

AND Sara Megibow continues to be helpful:

HERO AND THE CROWN by Robin McKinley was a formative book for me. Lifetime favorite! I always love a good book with a dragon. #wishlist

— Sara Megibow (@SaraMegibow) August 14, 2012

And all the previously mentioned lists:

“OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon…but for YA” <– requested by an editor today at #RWA12. @romancewriters

— Sara Megibow (@SaraMegibow) July 28, 2012

Romance Writers: @romancewriters – I’ve had a request for sweet, contemporary, small-town romance (single title, 100K words). #pubtip #RWA12

— Sara Megibow (@SaraMegibow) July 26, 2012

#RWA12 I had chance to chat w/editor Chris Kesslar at RWA Anaheim conference & ask him what he’s looking for:VIDEO twitpic.com/abv9vf

— Jina Bacarr (@JinaBacarr) July 26, 2012

Literaticat Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency posted her young adult and middle grade wish list on 25 July 2012, but be sure to read the caveat. (I can’t open the site in Chrome because of a wonky script; Firefox works.)

Entangled Publishing periodically features wish lists from several of their editors. The most recent editor wish list is from 1 June 2012. Entangled specializes in romance, and publishes in a variety of subgenres and lengths.

As of 23 May 2012, agent Carly Watters of the PS Literary Agency is looking for several genres of fiction, nonfiction, YA and picture books.

Agent Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary blogged about Why asking about the next trend is wrong, listing a few things she’d really like to see, but more importantly stating that she’s constantly surprised by what she falls in love with, on 13 April 2012.

February 2012, the new Bright Literary Agency posted what they’re looking for in children’s (picture book to YA) fiction.

Mary Kole of Movable Type Management, and author of the KidLit blog, keeps a children’s fiction wish list in her sidebar.

Hungry for more wishes? Gabrielle Prendergrast collected a similar wish list list in March 2012.

You know what I don’t see? My book in any of these lists. But that’s okay. As other agents remind us:

To paraphrase @literaticat : If your book isn’t on my wish list, but you still think I might like it … then for goodness sakes query me!

— Victoria Marini (@LitAgentMarini) July 25, 2012

I’ve seen so many tweets from writers fearing their book isn’t *exactly* what an agent wants. It doesn’t have to be, guys. It’s OK.

— Sarah LaPolla (@sarahlapolla) July 26, 2012

So don’t be discouraged—just get out there and submit!

What do you think? Do you like agent wish lists? Come join the conversation!

Photo credits: kitty wish list—Shawn Rossi; Dear Father Christmas—Rob Enslin