Interview with literary agent Natalie Lakosil

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“Natalie is an amazing agent.” I heard that from a picture book author I interviewed recently and decided to find out what makes that statement so true. I did my research. I found Natalie’s blog, Adventures in Agentland, and I admit, I’m quite impressed. You will be too.

It was great to have Natalie take time out of her very busy schedule to answer some questions. When you’re done reading, don’t forget to visit her blog.
 
 
 
Natalie, can you describe a typical week in your life at the Bradford Literary Agency?

I wouldn’t say any week is typical! I represent a very broad range of subjects, and so the things that pop up and conversations I have vary week to week. I may be pitching and talking to children’s editors one week and pitching and talking to romance editors the next. A good chunk of time is spent emailing back and forth, checking in on payments or pitching or following up on submissions or verifying delivery dates or putting out fires, or on phone calls with clients, potential clients, editors, sub rights (audio, film) agents, potential rights partners, etc. I may have contracts or royalty statements to review, maybe an ebook to format. I do all my reading and edits on nights and weekends.

What part of being an agent do you find most rewarding and the most difficult?

The most rewarding part is making dreams come true; the hardest part is navigating what happens when they don’t.

I’ve heard strange tales of would be authors pitching book ideas to agents or editors in the oddest of places. Do you have any strange story pitch experiences you could share?

I had a woman pitch to me while breast feeding her five year old child. I could not for the life of me tell you what that book was about.

I’m seeing more agents these days who now only accept picture book submissions from author/illustrators. Do you feel this is a growing trend and is it a policy you may take up in the future?

I would say it’s a growing trend, but not a policy I would ever anticipate taking up. I certainly am pickier about text only, though picky in general about picture books.

When reading picture book submissions, what are some of the biggest mistakes you see authors make?

I think the biggest issue I see with picture book submissions is familiarity. True, most picture books boil down to basic themes, but it’s the fresh and surprising twist on that theme that makes them stand out. Something that’s sweet but not fresh, something that’s cute but not I LOVE THIS SO MUCH I WANT TO READ IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN just isn’t going to cut it.

If someone would like to become a literary agent, what are the first steps they should take and are there special skills or personality traits that would help them succeed in the field?

Agenting is still very much an apprenticeship business. You learn by interning. So the first step would be to get an internship, and keep interning. Eventually, maybe an office job at an agency will open up, and you can work up to agent from there. I think any agent needs to be proactive, have thick skin, be pragmatic, and also business-minded. Understanding market trends and recognizing what will sell, not necessarily what’s well written, is key (though ideally, it’s both!).

I love your Adventures in Agentland blog, especially the Wednesday Love/Hate posts. I saw on one such post that you absolutely hate excuses. In fact your exact words were:

Natalie, how did this tough thinking on excuses become so much a part of you?

I deal with rejection on a daily basis; I juggle twelve different hats at any different time. When I was writing and submitting, I must have gotten hundreds of rejections; but did that mean I would just give up? No. My path ended up taking a different turn, but I wouldn’t have gotten there if I’d just sat down and cried and given up. The publishing landscape went into a crisis and complete overhaul with ebooks just as I started – but that’s a challenge to tackle, not an excuse to use for calling it quits. This is not a business you can sit back and whine in if things aren’t going your way; you have to take steps to GET there. And as an agent, it inspires me to have a client who won’t give up – it makes me work so much harder to make things HAPPEN for that client when I know they’re working hard, and believing in themselves.

You’ve worked at two San Diego area agencies. Have you ever thought about living and working in that other place way out east?

Yes, but not very seriously. So much is done via phone and email that it’s not necessary to live in New York anymore to be an agent; I still go to New York and take appointments and get actual face time, but I love San Diego so much!

In addition to writing picture books and interviewing outstanding agents and authors, I also run a pizza related website so I must ask you about pizza. Where in San Diego can I find the absolute best tasting pizza and what makes that pizza so delicious?

Hmm. I think Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria. They have deep dish and it’s really, really good!

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