Alexandra Penfold - Real Talk About Maximizing Your Agent Relationship

 Alexandra Penfold is an agent at Upstart Crow Literary AND author of NYT best-selling picture books. She was ALSO an editor with a marketing/publicity background at Simon & Schuster, AND she STILL always knows where to go for the best baked goods in literally any city she is in.

Alex wants us to know that getting an agent is not the end of your professional journey, it is only the beginning. Alex thinks that once you have an agent, you should be prepared to work even harder.

She shares a great slide showing how most of us envision what our publishing life will look like after we garner representation on the left, but what the reality really looks and feels like on the right:

Alex is full of great quotes:

“Publishing time is an alternate reality of time and we can let that break us or MAKE US STRONGER.”

“Always have an in-progress project to turn to when you are on submission, don’t wait to hear back on that first project, publishing takes a long time.”

“Even with an agent, you still need to balance your non-writing work (email/social media promo/social media socialness) with your writing work.”

My favorite is probably:

“To be READY for publishing, you need to understand and recognize the limitations of external validation.” “You will always want more stickers. Instead think about the reader, write the next book.”

Workshop: Picture Book Revision: Tapping in to Your Inner Editor: Alexandra Penfold

Alexandra Penfold began her career in publishing as a children’s book publicist at Simon & Schuster. For eight years she served as an editor at Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster working on award-winning books for young readers of all ages. She is currently a literary agent with Upstart Crow Literary representing children’s book authors and illustrators as well as select adult projects. She’s especially drawn to projects that make her laugh, think, and feel. Alexandra is the author of several books for children: Eat, Sleep, Poop illustrated by Jane Massey; We Are Brothers, We Are Friends, illustrated by Eda Kaban; Food Truck Fest, illustrated by Mike Dutton; The Littlest Viking, illustrated by Isabel Roxas; and All Are Welcome, illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman. Visit her at alexpenfoldbooks.com and follow her on Twitter @AgentPenfold.

Penfold advised beginning by begin separating writing and editing, your inner author and your inner editor. Don't listen to the editor while you draft; get it on the page so that then the editor can make it better.

Questions the editor asks about picture books

•  Does this story lend itself well to an illustrated 32-page format?
•  Does this story sustain repeat readings?
•  Will people pay for it?
• Is there enough story?
• Does your book do more than one thing?
• How does it compare to other books that you enjoy?
• Are there multiple layers?
• A picture book should do more than one thing. For example:
• Funny 
• Moving 
• For an underserved community.
• Is it ready?
• Your book needs to be awesome. Is it, or just OK?

Editing protips

• Read your work aloud.
• Give your work to a disinterested reader. 
• Someone who hates children's books is a good choice.