Agent Spotlight: Jennifer Jackson

This week's Agent Spotlight features Jennifer Jackson, Vice President of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.
Status: As of 5/12/20, Ms. Jackson is closed to queries except for referrals from clients and colleagues. Check the agency site for updates on her status. 
About: Jennifer Jackson is Vice President at the Donald Maass Literary Agency, which she joined in 1993. Once upon a time, she worked as a bookseller for Waldenbooks, and also did a stint at Forbidden Planet, the retail division of London’s Titan Books. She maintains a personal website at http://www.jenniferjackson.org/ and her blog is archived at http://arcaedia.wordpress.com/

Growing up reading science fiction and fantasy led naturally to a concentration in that genre, which she continues to champion. She initiated the expansion of the agency into the area of women’s fiction, and has also expanded her genre reach into the thriller and suspense categories. (Link)

About the Agency:
“The Donald Maass Literary Agency in New York City is a literary agency for professional novelists.
“Donald Maass’s pioneering work and writing about the development of fiction careers has made DMLA a leading agency for fiction writers.
“Agents Donald Maass, Jennifer Jackson, Katie Shea Boutillier, Cameron McClure, Michael Curry, Caitlin McDonald, Paul Stevens, and Jennie Goloboy together represent more than 150 novelists and sell more than 100 novels every year to leading publishers in the U.S. and 
overseas.” (Link)

Web Presence:
DMLA website.
Personal website.
Et in Arcaedia, ego (blog).
Twitter.
AgentQuery, QueryTracker.

What She's Looking For:
Genres / Specialties:

She is interested in both new and established writers and is drawn to storytelling that bends or transcends its genre and explores diverse characters, cultures, and subcultures.

She is actively seeking:

• science fiction and fantasy, all sorts — for either adult or YA readers
• upmarket women’s fiction and thrillers that mine popular and controversial issues
• novels in the tradition of regional fiction including and expanding beyond its Western roots and with a modern sensibility — either period or contemporary settings
• dark psychological fiction with gothic/neogothic elements – either adult or YA, contemporary or historical, Southern or otherwise
• character-driven contemporary YA that has something mindful at its core or that challenges traditional thinking (Link)

From Her Website:
“Jennifer is currently seeking new clients in all genres of fiction for the agency, which represents over one hundred authors of science fiction, fantasy, mystery, suspense, romance, YA, and other types of commercial novel-length fiction. She is interested in both new and established writers.” (Link)

What She Isn't Looking For:

“Jennifer does not represent non-fiction, memoirs, screenplays, poetry, children's chapter books, or children’s picture books.” (Link)

Editorial Agent?
Yes. “As an agent, she believes in a hands-on approach with a focus on career planning and editorial support.” (Link)

Clients:
There is a list of DMLA clients on the website.
Her current roster includes, among others, New York Times best-selling fantasy writer Jim Butcher, Hugo Award winning science fiction author Elizabeth Bear, USA Today best-selling author Anne Bishop, New York Times best-seller Kim Harrison, evil genius Seth Dickinson, Nebula Award winner Martha Wells, Compton Crook Award winner Nicky Drayden, Nebula finalist Saladin Ahmed, Hugo finalist and dreadpunk author Cherie Priest, New York Times best-selling author Yoon Ha Lee, Icelandic novelist Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson, and Shirley Jackson Award nominee and debut novelist Tamsyn Muir.

Query Methods: Currently closed to submissions except for referrals.

E-mail: Yes (Preferred)
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: No.

Submission Guidelines (always verify):
E-mail:  E-query at query.jjackson@maassagency.com  Include a synopsis (1-2 pages) and the first five pages pasted into the body of the e-mail.  No attachments.
See Ms. Jackson’s website and the DMLA website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.

Response Times:
Ms. Jackson has stated response times of up to 3 weeks on queries.
Only queries sent directly to Ms. Jackson’s submission address are guaranteed a reply.

The agency policy is that queries must be addressed to a specific agent. Simultaneous submissions to more than one agent at the agency is not allowed. However, a query be sent to another agent if rejected by the initial agent.

What's the Buzz?
Jennifer Jackson is a highly respected agent with the equally respected Donald Maass Literary Agency. She mainly represents adult genre fiction but has expanded into the YA market.She takes on very few new authors per year.
Follow her on Twitter at @arcaedia and subscribe to her blog, Et in arcaedia, ego. to learn more.

Worth Your Time:
Interviews:
None that I could find still available online.

Around the Web:
Manuscript Wishlist

Contact:
Please see the Donald Maass Literary Agency website or Ms. Jackson’s personal website for contact and query information.

Profile Details:
Last updated: 3/19/2024. 
Agent Contacted For Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent?  4/22/2019
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Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.