Agent Interviews

Independence

I enjoy the challenge of matchmaking for books that stretch genre boundaries. I also have an editorial eye and won't hesitate to suggest changes.

I am passionate about debut authors and finding homes for stories that might not quite fit the mold.

My weird sense of humor?

I'm not a standoffish and aloof agent. I am transparent, hyper communicative, joyful, silly and funny(ish). I sincerely like all of the brilliant writers that I work with, and I love reading their work. I'm a natural cheerleader and am an advocate for my clients, always. I'm passionate about getting their books published and helping them with promotion and social media development. I'm in this for the long game, and I'm looking for writers that are too.

I have a background working in-house at 'Big Five' publishers, so I understand how the industry works and especially what publishers are looking for and how they go about publishing books. I also have experience as a bookseller, as an editorial consultant working with authors at a really early stage and as a writer myself - I undertook an MA in creative writing before I realised I'd much prefer helping other writers than writing myself! So I've seen lots of different sides to the writing process and I draw on that when working with authors.

We are prompt and we are candid.

I'm really looking to establish a long-term partnership with my authors that extends past one book and through our careers. I'm hands-on and editorial, because I want your books to stand out when they reach editors. And this is the career of my dreams, so you can bet that I'm determined to see your work succeed!

A long time ago, when I first became involved in the book world professionally but before I was an agent, I assumed that people who worked as editors or agents would -- for the most part -- be able to spot and respond positively to quality work of whatever kind. That just isn't the case. Someone may think "wow! this is so great, so beautifully done," etc. while someone else will go "meh." There are lots of subjective and objective factors at work.
I do take more risks than many other agents. While I represent a variety of career writers, I particularly enjoy working with new writers, and sharing in their joy as they get their first (or second) book published.

I formulate a plan with each client, and review it regularly. You can't leave this business to luck; it takes a proactive and informed strategy. I keep on top of industry developments, whether it's changes in personnel or where contractual terms can be improved. I work in both books and scripts, so can handle a wide variety of material across most media.

I'm an editorial agent (to a point!) and communication is hugely important to me.

We are small and devoted to the writers we represent, we are always available, and we never give up.

I think every agent brings their own personal aesthetic and experience. I bring CoCo.

I'm also an author, so I feel the pain. LOL And I love teaching any topic to do with writing. Love seeing that lightbulb go off

There are so many incredible agents in this industry so I'm certainly not going to make an argument for me being better or wildly different from other agents. So instead, I'll just say one thing that people often point out to me: I very much welcome queries! On my manuscript wishlist I have a note that says: "A note to writers considering querying me: I hope you do! I love, love, love receiving submissions. Truly. It’s an ongoing honor and delight to me that everyday, people scattered all over the world, send me their stories to read. What a privilege! If you’re on the fence about whether you think your project is the right fit for me, but you think we’d make a good team—my vote is you just go for it. (So long as I am open to queries.) I opt to refer to my slush pile as a “treasure trove” because it doesn’t feel like wading through slush to me. It feels more like sifting through gems. I can’t wait to see what you’ve created!" And this isn't just me being warm and fuzzy or pandering to querying writers—I have this note there because I know how often writers self-reject and talk themselves out of sending a query. I don't want that to happen. I want people to go for it, and give me the chance to review their work. I want to have lots of options to choose from!

I would say that the literary agent Mark Gottlieb brand of representation is connected to the fact that Trident Media Group's business goes to the bottom line of most every book publisher, enabling submissions from TMG to be read much quicker by publishers. We are also able to get preferable terms in our book deals and in our contracts with publishers that some other literary agencies, with a smaller volume of business with book publishers, might not be able to get for their clients. TMG's stature in the book publishing world helps in all other aspects of the book publishing process with book publishers.

I've been there and done that. With over two decades as an editor at four of the big New York publishing houses, I've seen it all. And with another 16 years as an agent, I've seen it all from the other side of the desk. I know what makes deals work, relationships click, and books succeed. Yes, so do other agents, but I'm way more fun to work with! If you can't have fun in this business, then what's the point?

We like to say that our agency’s mission is to help writers achieve their publishing dreams. We view our authors as long-term partners and we work with them from the idea stage, through a collaborative editorial process, through finding the right publishing partner and beyond to find long-term success on the market. We are proud to represent a diverse client list and to champion a wide range of genres and perspectives.

I was an editor for seven years at Simon & Schuster so I gained an invaluable perspective about the craft of editing, book-making and marketing, and yet I like challenging the rote. I’m also very visionary in nature and have been known to give my clients little idea nuggets that I think would make very good book ideas, and many of them have become successful books!

I can’t speak to how other agents work, nor feel comfortable doing so. There are many wonderful agents out there, all trying to do their part to bring great authors out to the wider world. What I can say is that I care deeply and passionately about the work that I do and I am committed to being the best advocate and business partner for my authors and their books that I can be. My years as an editor inform how I approach the work, certainly, but that passion and commitment leads all.

I enjoy the editorial process and often work closely with authors to edit and tighten their manuscripts before going out to publishers. I'm also very communicative, honest, and I strive to be thoughtful and kind.

I was an editor before an agent so I am able to offer editorial and developmental guidance

Working for Books & Such is a huge blessing and is a wonderful community for authors and agents. I also have a great relationship with editors at Christian publishing houses especially. I am excited to work for my clients and believe in them and their projects!

Having experienced conflict in South Asia and Southeast Asia, and having lived in Panama, Germany, Korea; the US's Northeast, Midwest, West, and Southeast, I have a well-grounded sense of empathy for divergent peoples and societies that help me ensure authentic representation of the uniqueness of the world's cultures and ethnic diversity in the projects I agent.

I am a very editorial agent. If I see issues with a manuscript I'm reading for representation, I have to have a clear vision of how we can address the issues. And I very much want that to be a conversation with the author. I want them to realize I am not the author, it isn't my story. But my goal is to help get it polished to the point that we will hook an editor. And if my ideas for changes don't align with the the author's, that's fine! Hopefully it starts a conversation OR it becomes clear that I'm not a good fit for the author in question.

I have a unique background for an agent. For over 20 years I was a bookseller, worked in marketing and facilitating events for bookstores, marketed books to bookstores, acted as a publisher liaison to authors all while being a voracious reader and developing a deep knowledge of what people actually want to buy to read.
I apply this knowledge when I look at a manuscript; I know what I could hand-sell in a bookstore. I know when I'm reading a fresh voice and new perspective. I don't think it's something that can be taught. It's part instinct and part experience, and I have both.

I'm a published author in addition to being an agent, so understand intimately what its like on that side of the desk, from query hell to weathering rejections to the endless waiting. All of that informs how I work with my clients. I'm also very editorial and work with my clients for as long as it takes to get their manuscripts ready to go out on submission. To me, this is a critical part of the process. An author works so long and hard on their manuscript, I want to be sure that in the final stretch, as we're putting it in front of editors, it absolutely shines. You only get one shot with each publishing imprint that handles your type of book - a fairly narrow field - so you want to be sure the shot you take is your very best.

I'm an attorney and a writing instructor. My clients benefit from my strong negotiating skills, as well as my ability to read and offer constructive criticism, when necessary, on every element of their writing. I work collaboratively with my authors and invest time and effort into their future writing careers. As a published author, I'm also sensitive to the emotional aspects of the creative life and the highs and lows of both publication and rejection.

I don't know that I see enough of other agents' processes to answer that, but I do know I can bring useful inspiration, exacting encouragement, helpful edits,
creative thinking, efficiency, tact, diligence, patience, powerful advocacy and tenacity.
Don Lamm praised my delightful force. VS Naipaul said I had light, and quickness. I'm proud to have had the support of legends in this business, from Gillon Aitken, to Mort Janklow, and Lynn Nesbit.
I like the editorial side of this work, as much as the deal making and legal and financial detail. I love helping authors thrive. Being an agent really does feel
vocational, and I'm grateful.

I am fiercely editorially involved with my client's work, though respectful of what it is they want to write, and I hope a pretty fierce advocate for them when it comes to being treated fairly by their publisher. That would include trying to get the best deal I can for them at the outset.

As an author and agent, I see everything about this industry from at least two perspectives. I understand what an author is looking for in an agent, and am passionate about author care, and about careful matchmaking between an author and his/her project and the perfect publishing house for that project. With friend connections within the industry, I also work hard to make sure both the publishing house and my authors are served well in negotiations and all aspects of the process. An author's overarching career goals are always on my mind.

It's really hard to compare myself to other agents, because we work in silos and each have our own best practices that work best for us. There's no one right way to agent, there are lots of wrong ones, and I don't do those things. I have a great rapport with the authors I represent and that relationship building aspect is the cornerstone of our work together, it's how we pull together projects, submit them to editors, and get them published.

One of the things that sets me apart is the speed and precision with which I I zero in on manuscripts that are not only well written but would do well in the existing market. Another is the fact that I am willing to take on those authors whose works are "rough dimands", meaning they're in need of work but clearly have the potential to brilliantly shine.

- We have incredibly deep roots in the translation space, and regularly work with 35-40 co-agencies and publishers in foreign countries.
- Global Lion has been producing books for five decades; we are long-lasting and will continue to remain so.

I have met a lot of agents during my time in the industry as an editor and now that I am an agent through the Association of Author's Agents and I think we all do the best job we can for our clients - what makes a difference in the author/agent relationship is the very specific combination of author and agent - like any relationship, it's about the chemistry and how you interact with each other.
I will always treat my client's work with care, be honest with them about their careers and do my best to champion them.

I love to take on passion projects and have to love the book. I don't just want to represent the book, though, I want to represent the author so there can be a longstanding career path and partnership. The author will receive my full dedication to them and their career goals.

There are a lot of great agents out there. But one of the things that I pride myself on is being highly responsive and accessible to my clients, as well as being a tireless advocate. There have been many times when I have continued to market a book years after the initial submission in order to find it the perfect home. I also represent a broad range of books, which a lot of my clients find helpful as they don't necessarily want to be confined to writing in one genre or for one age group. I have the contacts and the experience to help them strategically plan their career and, ideally, write for many years to come.

I get compliments for being a good communicator. I am very editorial. I really take into account the market but also my clients' unique visions and try to find the intersection of those two things.

I am always reluctant to say that there are things that other agents DON'T do, because I have a lot of respect for my colleagues and also don't sit over their shoulders all day. But I would say that for nonfiction projects I love developing book proposals from the ground up with clients -- particularly for a first book, getting the idea right and then building a compelling package to sell that idea is such a fun part of my job. For fiction, I like to do a lot of editing, with an eye to understanding the book's intentions and making it into the best version of itself.

Every agent brings a unique perspective and sales strategy to the projects they work on. My approach is very international both because of my background in literary scouting for translation and because I'm a New York-based agent working with a London-based agency.

Experience and a dedication to a holistic approach to an author's career.