Michelle | 
08 31st, 2010| 
In preparation for the upcoming Fire Petal Writing Retreat, we asked a few questions of Lauren MacLeod, literary agent with the Strothman Agency and the retreat’s faculty member.
What is your role in publishing as an agent? Why is that important?
As an agent, I wear many hats but first and foremost my job is to represent the interest of my writers. Most writers know that agents have connections and relationships that help us sell our client’s work to publishers, but some of the most important things we do happen after a book is sold. We negotiate contracts for our authors and make sure they are getting a fair deal, and we also help our clients sell sub rights (like movies, audio, or translation). As agents, we serve as a go between—we understand the author’s career goals and what he/she wants, but we also understand the publishing business and can step in when there is a disagreement, problem, or misunderstanding. There are a thousand other things we do (check over and translate royalty statements, keep track of payments etc) but selling the book, negotiating the contract, and handling subsidiary rights are probably the three most important aspects.
What was your favorite book(s) as a child? How has that influenced your work as an agent?
Oh, what a tough question! I had oodles of picture books, but I really loved CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS and ELOISE and I named my very first dog MADELINE. I read all the series as well: BOXCAR CHILDREN, NANCY DREW, BABYSITTERS CLUB… . But if I had to pick a favorite I’d probably say BUNNICULA. I thought BUNNICULA was hilarious (even when it was scary) and something I’m always on the lookout for today are really well-written, funny books. When I was a teenager, there weren’t really that many cool books for young adults—once you stopped reading BABYSITTERS CLUB, you basically either stopped reading completely or switched over to adult books. So now when I go through my submissions I’m always on the lookout for books I would have loved to read when I was 16.
With all of the advances and new technologies in publishing, what do you see as the most exciting development in relation to children’s literature?
There are cooler technologies out there, but I think the accessibility of authors via Facebook, Twitter, or even their blogs is awesome—I’d have loved to be able to finish a book and then get online and interact with the author. In this vein, I think Skype visits are awesome as well. An author can be 2,000 miles away, but teachers can still have them “visit” the classroom after their students read the book.
What do you see as the most vital thing writers need to learn about writing?
I wish there were only one vital thing! I think something that kidlit writers need to be especially aware of is pacing and plot. You are writing for readers who have a thousand other ways to distract themselves, so you have to make sure you keep them hooked!
What is the deadliest mistake you see in materials writers submit to you?
I see a lot of crazy word counts (YA novels that are 1,500 words or 300,000 words), which unfortunatly means a form rejection and could be so easily fixed with a little research. Make sure you read widely in your genre—know how long most books are, what age the protagonists tend to be (college age, for example, tends to be a really hard sell for YA), and generally how much sex/violence/swearing is acceptable. If you are going to “break the rules,” make sure you are doing so consciously and for a very good reason because it means you have an even harder uphill battle.
If you could share one lesson with every writer in the world, what would it be?
Keep writing! The first thing you should do after you finish reading and revising your first manuscript is to start on a completely new (read that as: not the second book in the series) writing project. Each book you write will teach you something new, and if you stick with it long enough you might just write “the one” that will lead to publication. Don’t get fooled by all those debut novelists out there—though it might be their first published book, I’d bet most of them have at least an earlier novel or two in a drawer somewhere at home.
If you could be any character (male or female) from children’s literature, who would you be? Why?
Hands down: Hermione Granger. Who wouldn’t want to be best friends with Harry and Ron and be able to do magic (and exceedingly well at that)? Plus she is smart, brave, and she likes to read—the ultimate nerdy girl hero.
Take advantage of Lauren’s expertise by spending 2 evenings with her and a dozen other writers at a cabin near Bear Lake, Utah. To learn more or ask questions, email info @firepetalbooks .com or call 801.992.3776
Lauren E. MacLeod joined the Strothman Agency after graduating cum laude from Emerson College with a BFA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. Lauren’s primary interests are middle grade novels, young adult fiction and nonfiction, as well as highly polished literary fiction and narrative nonfiction. Lauren also works closely with the agency and its clients to create effective digital platforms and capitalize on the many opportunities presented by social networking. Recent sales include: Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings by Hélène Boudreau (Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky), and The Newsoul Trilogy by Jodi Meadows (HarperCollins/ Katherine Tegen Books).
