Stephanie Winter, Agent at KO Media Management

Stephanie Winter is a multi-passionate booklover, specializing in visual works across genres and age categories, including graphic novels and nonfiction. From horror and thrillers to queer romance, her tastes in prose and illustration are varied and expansive. Stephanie holds a BA in English from the University of Toronto, a MA in English: Issues in Modern Culture from University College London, UK, and is a member of the Toronto Comic Arts Festival Board of Directors. Stephanie joined the KOMM team in early 2024 and brings with her 10+ years of combined academic, publishing, and bookselling experience.

Stephanie is primarily acquiring across three pillars: adult fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels. She’s actively seeking titles with diverse and inclusive representation that offer smart, culturally aware, and enriching narratives. In fiction, she particularly enjoys Commercial and Upmarket projects (Rom-Coms, Thriller/Suspense, etc.) that offer millennial and/or queer-affirming perspectives. In nonfiction, she’s on the hunt for Pop Culture, Cultural Criticism, millennial Business and Finance, Narrative Nonfiction, How-To, and Lifestyle projects. Overall, she’s looking for stories that will engage with and change the way we view the world around us.

Work with Stephanie

LIVE Meetings: Meet face-to-face, from home. Choose Zoom, Google Meet, or phone, and speak for the appointed time about your query, first page, and/or first ten pages (for longer meetings). Does not include written notes, but is a chance to have an honest discussion about your work, and to ask follow-up questions. International meetings welcomed.

WRITTEN Critiques: Get detailed, thoughtful notes on your work. Comes with large-scale edits (character, world, plot, tension, concept, conflict, and similar as needed) in an editorial letter and small-scale, line-by-line notes as needed (for longer critiques, an average of three per page). Work arrives in your inbox by the date on the calendar.

HYBRID is a live meeting at the appointment time, with written notes.

Members: Login for Early Booking & Meeting Codes

Member Reviews of Stephanie

Extremely helpful

In July when I spoke with Stephanie, she suggested a change to my MS that worked out perfectly so this time, I sent her my query. She was extremely helpful, again! She said I had a wonderful query and gave me two suggestions.

Mona Mehas

Constructive, actionable feedback

Stephanie provided constructive, actionable feedback on my query letter and pages. Very helpful and I am working on incorporating the changes that she suggested.

Brandon Keller

I highly recommend her to other writers!

Stephanie was wonderful. Her comments were encouraging and constructive. I was nervous at the start, but within a few minutes I felt like I was talking to a good friend- and a supportive one. I highly recommend her to other writers!

Nancy Pellowski

Really helped strengthen my query!

I had a super session with Stephanie Winter. My novel is dual perspective, and I've struggled trying to get both protagonists stories in the query. But Stephanie provided some great ideas and really helped strengthen my query!

Linda Simoni-Wastila

A dream to work with!

Stephanie was lovely! Her feedback was efficient, constructive, and professional. I really appreciated how she addressed larger themes (voice) while also digging in at the line-level to really improve my first 250 words. I absolutely recommend her consultations. She was a dream to work with!

Emily Holewczynski

Always constructive suggestions

Stephanie is great! I originally had her look at my first query attempt in late August. After a lot of changes and iterations, I wanted her to take a look again. She ALWAYS has constructive suggestions, delivered in a kind and encouraging manner. I highly recommend Stephanie for anybody else seeking feedback.

Nancy Pellowski

I'm excited to proceed forward with confidence with the querying process.

I really enjoyed my 1-on-1 critique session with Stephanie Winter. I feel my manuscript 1st page has been "turbo-charged." In a mere ten minutes, Stephanie combined her erudite literary insight, knowledge of the publishing industry, and experience as avid reader and writer's advocate, while always displaying a diplomatic balance of both praise and criticism, for her succinct and powerful recommendations to improve the first page of my manuscript. Now that I see the result, I'm excited to proceed forward with confidence with the querying process.

Dave Elliott

10/10 would recommend to EVERYONE!

Stephanie Winter is an amazing and VERY talented agent. She offered such detailed and refined advice that truly strengthened my writing. She is sweet, welcoming, and enthusiastic. 10/10 would recommend to EVERYONE!

Arien Skiba