We're joined by literary agent extraordinaire, Courtney Miller-Callihan! She answers all of our burning questions about what it means to be a literary agent, how she became one, and why she loves it!
Ways to listen:
You can find out more about Courtney (or query her!) on her website or follow her on Instagram or Twitter!
Highlights from our conversation include:
- How she got her start in the publishing industry
- How and why she founded Handspun Literary
- Why agenting is the most telecommutable job in the world
- What an agent actually does!
- What made her want to be an agent of all the jobs in publishing she could have chosen
- How the books she represents are hugely representative of her personality
- Why she hates the term "gatekeeper" for agents--she prefers curator, which makes total sense!
- How a new agent builds relationships and why those relationships matter
- How she can get a read on editors based on what TV shows they watch
- Some of the issues that the publishing industry is grappling with and what could help with them
- Why she's hybrid publishing friendly and how she handles clients who want to self publish
- How she decides which clients to sign
- A few agent horror stories
- Job hazards of being an agent
Books mentioned:One and Only by Jenny Holiday
