On episode 57 we’re going Behind the Book with legendary literary agent, Regina Brooks.

Regina is the founder and CEO of Serendipity Literary Agency in New York, the largest African American–owned agency in the US. She has represented and established a diverse base of award-winning clients in adult and young adult fiction, nonfiction, and children’s literature.

Currently the president of the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA), Brooks is also a founding member of Literary Agents of Change (LAOC) and the Black Book Accelerator.

Grab your notebooks because this episode is full of truth bombs and actionable advice for writers who want to find an agent, and stand out in a crowded field.

She breaks down the difference between being a good writer and a good author.

Regina also gives us a true behind-the-scenes look at how agents really run their business, and she answers the question whether BIPOC writers should only use BIPOC agents.

This is an episode you can’t afford to miss, so press play.

LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Serendipity Literary Agency

Literary Agents of Change

About the Black Book Accelerator

The African American Literature Book Club (AALBC)

Books Regina Recommends

The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze by Derrick Barnes (Middle Grade Fiction)

Who Better Than You by Will Packer (Adult Non Fiction)

MORE FROM REED, WRITE & CREATE

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On episode 56 of the podcast, we’re going Behind the Book with Stephanie Lim. Stephanie is the co-founder of Third State Books, a new publishing house that amplifies the voices, stories, and issues of Asian America and the Pacific Islands. They publish fiction and nonfiction for both adults and children.

Stephanie Lim is a publisher and marketing executive who brings an abiding love of literary classics, guilty-pleasure genre fiction, fanfic, and children’s books to her work at Third State Books. She spent over 15 years in digital marketing and operations, first as a strategist for advertising clients at Google, then leading e-commerce teams and managing multi-million-dollar advertising budgets for retail brands such as ModCloth, Bebe, and Serena Williams’s eponymous fashion label. She co-founded Third State Books in 2023.

During this enlightening conversation with Stephanie we discuss:

• Why she left a career in e-commerce and fashion to run a publishing company.
• What are the unique challenges Asian-American authors face in the mainstream publishing industry.
• What new titles Third State Books is putting out next and why.
• Why she wants to see more Asian Americans getting to play the main character in books and in life.
• Why she wants to dispel the myth that Asian Americans only read and write literary fiction.

To Find out more about Third State Books, visit ThirdStateBooks.com

Follow Third State Books on Instagram.

Check out these recent and upcoming titles from Third State Books

Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com.

Follow Reed, Write, & Create on Instagram at ReedWriteandCre8

Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter.

Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori

We’re going Behind the Book with someone who plays a critical role in the literary ecosystem, you!

On episode 55 we’re replaying my short but important pep talk about why writers need a reading habit and not just a reading hobby.

Even if you heard this episode last year when it first aired, I encourage you to listen again to remind yourself why it’s so important for you as a writer, to develop a consistent reading habit in order to up-level your writing skills. And, of course, to contribute to the literary ecosystem. I mean if we writers aren’t consuming good books on a regular basis, then we can hardly expect the industry to survive, much less thrive.

You’ll learn:

• The difference between a reading habit and a reading hobby.
• How to cultivate a reading habit to up-level your writing skills.
• How to read like a writer.
• Why writers should avoid the basic book club.

Let’s get a good reading habit going for the summer!

Please feel free to show your love and support for this podcast by making a small donation via Buy Me A Coffee.

If you're looking for more creative writing inspiration, and useful resources for your literary life, check out the Reed, Write, & Create website at ReedWriteandCreate.com.

Follow Reed, Write, & Create on Instagram at ReedWriteandCre8

Sign up for the Reed, Write, & Create monthly newsletter.

Follow Lori on YouTube at LiteraryLori