Diverse stories by authors/illustrators of color, focusing on queer representation, religious diversity, and disability representation. The agent is looking for commercial fiction across various genres including picture books, graphic novels, middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction, as well as non-fiction works in pop culture criticism and accessible science.
Aashna Avachat is a literary agent at Neighborhood Literary Agency dedicated to championing diversity in publishing and uplifting creators of color and marginalized communities. She is actively building her list across a variety of categories and genres, with particular focus on authors and illustrators of color featuring queer representation, religious diversity, and disability representation.
Please submit your query via Query Tracker. Picture Books: Please submit the entire PB text in the writing sample section & (if applicable) include your dummy/art samples in the "upload sample artwork" section. Graphic Novels: Please submit the first 10 pages of your script in the writing sample & include 10 sample pages in the "upload sample artwork" section. Illustrators: Please submit a query with information about the kinds of projects you're interested in illustrating along with any experience. Please link your website and submit a sample portfolio in the "upload sample artwork" section. Novelists: Please submit the first 10 pages of your MS and include a synopsis. Non-Fiction: Please paste your entire proposal in writing sample section. A proposal should include a pitch, your author platform/bio, comparative titles, a manuscript overview/outline, and sample pages.
Last verified: March 18, 2026
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