The State of Publishing: A Conversation with DG&B Literary Agent Amy Elizabeth Bishop Part 1

Welcome to part 1 of this 2 part interview. Today, I'll be talking to Amy Elizabeth Bishop.

LINKS
Writerly Lifestyle Free Newsletter
Article and Full Transcript
Amy's Agency Page
Query Manager
Manuscript Wish List
Connect with her on Twitter

BIO
Amy joined Dystel Goderich & Borret literary agency in 2015 after interning for them in 2014. At DG&B, she's cultivating a wide-ranging list in literary and upmarket fiction, expert-driven narrative nonfiction, and select YA, with a special interest in the voices of BIPOC authors. Her list includes titles such as The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim (a Reese's Book Club selection and NYT bestseller), The Silence of Bones by June Hur (a Junior Library Guild selection and Edgar Award nominee), and Living Brave by Shannon Dingle (published Summer 2021). Before diving into the world of publishing, she graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a degree in Creative Writing. Though she grew up upstate, she currently resides in Astoria, Queens. You can find her on Twitter at @amylizbishop.

If you ever wondered what it was like to be a literary agent, Amy takes us on quite the tour through her day to day life, but also how she got to where she is. It’s important to remember that people don’t become agents 

3 Big Takeaways

1. Get book or media industry experience under your belt
2. Structure your day around your brain power
3. Reach out to professionals in the career you want.

Favorite Quote:
"[As an agent] you work in the service of your clients, and their best interests, and if people get mad at you about that, that's not your problem. Your clients come first, and always first. And so you're going to ruffle some feathers sometimes but like that's, you know, we want to be courteous and polite at all times if possible, but you can't be faulted for doing what is in the best interest of your clients."

In part two of this interview, Amy and I will be talking about what she’s looking for now, why it's helpful to go with newer agents, trends in publishing, twitter pitch parties, and Amy's tips for writers. Be sure to check that out next week!

Tweet me @DavidRGwyn