Agents Panel: Barry Goldblatt and Brenda Bowen

Barry Goldblatt is an agent with Barry Goldblatt Literary.

He's been an agent for 15 years, representing everything but nonfiction (although he's sold it). His client list includes Holly Black, Libba Bray, Lauren Myracle, Jo Knowles. He also represents writers of adult work (mostly science fiction), and this is evolving.

He recently signed a historical fiction graphic novel hybrid. "It was really cool and really exciting."

Brenda Bowen is an agent with Greenburger Associates, one of the oldest agencies in America. Her list has everything from PBs to YA, poetry, and some adult books (largely illustrated ones). Her clients included Rosemary Wells, Chris Raschka, Mike Curato, Hilary Knight, Samantha Berger, Jo Napoli, Julianne Moore and Nathan Lane (when they write for kids).

She used to be a children's book editor for more than 25 years, and writes books of her own as well—she's written 40 books for kids, and her first adult novel, Enchanted August, came out in June.

What kind of agent are you? 

Barry Goldblatt: Becoming an editorial agent has become part of the territory. Shining something up for editors is part of the job, but he doesn't try to get things perfect because it wants editors to be able to "get their hands dirty." He considers his clients friends, he offers counseling, and he wants to be able to celebrate with his clients.

Brenda Bowen: She's also an editorial agent and does like to do therapy and handholding for clients. The Greenburger agency has lots of support for writers from rights specialists too.

What kind of editorial work do you do? 

Barry Goldblatt: He isn't doing line edits and grammar. He knows every editor he works with is getting 30 more manuscripts that day. The competition is immense. He wants to make sure what he's sending is the best-looking thing it can be—and then they'll want to work on it and make it even better.

Brenda Bowen: An artist often comes to an agent and says, "I'm thinking of doing this style for the book." She talks to the artist about those choices. She also helps, when there are 20 manuscripts to consider, which one to pursue first.

What's a realistic expectation for a client, in terms of time and energy from an agent? 

Brenda Bowen: She'll take a 10 PM call at home from a client. "Not that you should call them from home, but if it truly is a crisis ... I want to talk to them." The expectation is that your agent is really there for you.

Barry Goldblatt: Agenting isn't a 9 to 5 job. He works all the time on behalf of his clients.

What do you look for in a client?

Barry Goldblatt: New writers often misunderstand the power balance in the equation. "When you sign with an agent, they work for you." They give advice and you're free not to take it (but if you don't often, maybe it's not a good match). He gives his clients advice about their career—they get to choose.

Barry's clients once had a mini revolt. By offering them representation, in his head, he was telling them they were the best people. But when he gave feedback early on, he had to learn to reassure his clients. "They need to hear that!" He assumed his clients knew he loved them, but they didn't.

Brenda Bowen: It's a matter of taste. When she opens a query letter, she asks herself if she wants to have lunch with that person. She's a good agent for people she clicks with.

What's the climate in the industry at the moment? What is changing? 

Brenda Bowen: There are a lot of consolidations, but there are still publishers, and publishers have adjusted to the ebook crisis. "We know that an adult ebook is taking over the space that the mass market paperback took." Since 2009-2010, a new normal has been established, so publishing has loosened the reins. They're still selective and want big books, but everyone wants to find that wonderful new thing and take risks. There is also more space for YA crossover. Things are unpredictable, but everyone still wants to capitalize on new opportunities.

Barry Goldblatt: The one negative he's seen that isn't quite receding is the focus in-house on deciding books they can get for $25,000 aren't worth publishing. He wishes editors had the space to buy special books that aren't as obvious of money-makers. "A lot of books are not six figure deals. It doesn't mean they're not fantastic books."

What's your dream manuscript? 

Barry Goldblatt: Once he participated in #MSWL (manuscript wish list chat on Twitter). He regretted it. His most recent sale wasn't something he was looking for, but it was so fantastic. "I couldn't have described this book before I got it if I tried."

The hardest thing is that you can get jaded and think nothing will knock you off your seat. But that's what he hopes for every day.

Brenda Bowen: She fell in love with Laurent Linn's illustrated novel, and even though she was too busy to take anything new on, she couldn't not take it on. She wants a book that "slaps you in the face."

The Agents' Panel Gets Underway!

Lin Oliver moderates the agents' panel, with (from left), Jodi Reamer of Writers House, Alexandra Penfold of Upstart Crow Literary, Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency, Barry Goldblatt of Barry Goldblatt Literary, Brenda Bowen of Greenburger Associates and Jenny Bent of The Bent Agency.

Brenda Bowen - Agents' Panel - Charting Your Career Path

To use Lin Oliver's words, Brenda Bowen is a "guiding light" in our industry.

She has headed up the children's book division of several publishing companies, including Simon & Schuster. A few years back, Brenda became an agent with Greenburger Associates. Today, her clients include Samantha Berger, Tim Federle, Hilary Knight, Mike Curato, and many, many more.

But that's not all! Brenda has written picture books and novels under the name Margaret McNamara, and she's also the author of a novel for adults coming out in June called ENCHANTED AUGUST. So, yes. She's pretty much a luminary in every way.

She moderated the agents' panel, asking questions such as these:

• Do agents actually help authors and artists with their career paths? Or do you just make deals? 
• How do you get an illustrator's work in front of people? 
• How do agents feel about writers who write across multiple genres? 

To find out the answers, check out recaps of Barry Goldblatt's comments, Jennifer Laughran's comments, and Tina Wexler's comments.

The Agents' Panel begins!

Agent Brenda Bowen (at podium, right) moderates the panel - right to left, Barry Goldblatt, Jennifer Laughran and Tina Wexler.

Brenda Bowen: Agents--Who Needs 'Em

Brenda Bowen, an agent with Sanford J. Greenburger, is using Entourage-related images to enhance her talk (subtitled, Somebody Has to Channel Ari Gold.)

There was a time when an writer didn't need an agent, she says. You sent your manuscript, an editor bought it, and they became your editor for life. Richard Jackson was Judy Blume's editor for 30 years.

The agent's job now is to get a book in good enough shape to go to an publisher. These days a manuscript must be more polished before it's presented to a publisher than it needed to be 10 years ago.

Agents create strong relationships with certain editors because they reflect their tastes. They schmooze with editors. They know which ones are cat people and which ones are dog people. It's important for agents to know everybody--assistants, editors, marketing folks, etc. An agent's job is not done once the book deal is signed. The agent's job is to help their authors work with their editors. (Brenda said she even will look over drafts of emails her authors are writing to editors before they send them.)

An agent, she says, takes the heat so you can be a star. 

(Brenda gave an email address for submissions and a secret word for the subject line for all the attendees in her session. But I'm not telling.)

A couple of Brenda's pet peeves:

• Seeing "Fwd" in the subject line 
• Queries that start with a rhetorical question

She recommends writers subscribe to pubishersmarketplace.com (go in on it with your writers group) and read about the deals. It's a great resource, she says, when you are at a point where you've finished your book and love your book and are ready to submit.

Brenda Bowen: "Agents Panel: The State of the Business" Part 2

More highlights from Brenda Bowen @ Agents Panel:

• On revising a client's work: "I was working with an aurhor on a picture book, and he revised it couple times. I said it was good and he said, 'Let's see what an editor says.' (Much laughter from the audience. Brenda shrugs.) Well, I have a different hat on now."
• As a former editor, Brenda says certain agents who have excellent reputations or cache can influence editors' expectations. When she was an editor, Brenda says, "I was aware that some agents' names in the inbox meant that what was attached, although maybe not perfect for me, was going to be really good for someone in the house, and that it was ready to go. I'd like to be one of those agents, like you folks (she nods to the panel)."
• Brenda believes in a long-term relationship with her clients. "I spent my time nurturing creative careers. It's not good for us to make one sale and never sell your work again. You have to imagine a partnership, to trust that we're going to give our best to each other and that we'll be there for the long haul."
  

Posted by Paula Yoo

BRENDA BOWEN: "Agents Panel: The State of the Business" Part 1

BRENDA BOWEN: "Agents Panel: The State of the Business" Part 1

Highlights from the Agents Panel: The State of the Business featuring Brenda Bowen, Sarah Davies, Stephen Frasier, Dan Lazar, Kelly Sonnack, and Marietta Zacker.

Each SCBWI Team Blogger focusing on one agent. 

Stay tuned for live blogs from Lee Wind's blog on Dan Lazar, Alice's blog on Sarah Davies, Jolie's blog on Stephen Fraser, Suzanne's blog on Kelly Sonnack, and Jaime's blog on Marietta Zacker.

I'm focusing on BRENDA BOWEN: She is a literary agent with Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, a full-service agency founded in 1932, and the home of Dan Brown, Fancy Nancy, and Kafka. A former publisher, Brenda specializes in children's books at SJGA, and is always on the lookout for funny books for middle graders.

Highlights from Brenda Bowen's quotes @ the panel:

-- Her imprint, The Bowen Press at HarperCollins, became "a statistic" because it launched in January 2009 and was "axed" in February 2009. "But when a door closes, another one opens," she said to great applause, referring to her new job as a literary agent with Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.

-- What Brenda is looking for: "A strong voice, assured confident writing, and creative use of language."

-- She does like "literary books" but she also has a fondness for funny books and asks that if you plan to submit a funny book, please indicate so! 

-- Find out how to submit via their website: http://www.greenburger.com/

-- For Brenda Bowen, please put "SCBWI-LA" in the subject line of your email query

-- Although Brenda has only been an agent since July, she's already signed some great clients. She says one person had written such a compelling sample via email that she downloaded the entire 15 pages attached and read it immediately and signed the writer right away. "So it does happen," Brenda says, adding that again, the voice was extremely "compelling" which is what sold her on the writer.

Stay tuned for more highlights!

Posted by Paula Yoo