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AuthorMBA Q&A with agent
Jennifer Schober
© 2007 AuthorMBA -
All rights reserved.
originally posted
10/12/07
Today, the AuthorMBA blog is delighted to welcome agent Jennifer
Schober from Spencerhill Associates, Ltd. Jennifer will answer a few
questions regarding her work as an agent, and then will open up the
floor to you. Please feel free to ask Jennifer any questions about PR
for authors, author branding, pitching to agents and current market
trends!
Welcome, Jennifer!
AuthorMBA Q&A
1. How long have you been a part of
Spencerhill Associates, Ltd., and what did you do prior to becoming an
agent?
I joined Spencerhill in July of 2006. Prior to that, I received my BA in
Religious Studies at Ithaca College and an MA in Counseling Psychology
from Lesley University. I also have prior experience in client
management, PR and public speaking. I’ve been actively acquiring as an
agent since October of ’06, and since then have sold 15 books.
2. What are you looking for currently
from authors?
I’m looking for books that reach out and hook my emotions – work with
fantastic storytelling and dynamic characters that leap off the page. I
am accepting submissions from both published and unpublished authors in
women’s fiction, including literary, contemporary, historical, erotic
and paranormal romance, mystery/suspense, as well as fantasy/urban
fantasy/sci fi.
3. What is your process in working
with clients?
I would say that I am very hands on at the moment. I am developing my
client list so I am not working with an overwhelming number of authors.
This gives me the time to work closely with the clients and their unique
needs. I do a fair amount of editing at the moment, but I look at larger
issues in the work—development of the story, characterization etc. I
also look at the marketability of the work.
Because of my background as a therapist, I find it natural to use my
coaching skills with clients—helping clients focus on accentuating their
creativity while managing the professional issues related to writing as
a career can facilitate positive career growth for the clients and it’s
rewarding for me too! And of course, every client has different needs so
how hands on I am definitely depends on where they are in their career
and how they like to operate within the writer/agent relationship. Karen
Solem, President and agency founder (and all around agent guru in my
book!) works in tandem with me to provide the best possible service to
my clients.
4. What types of authors do you work
with, and what inspires your work as an agent?
I have unpublished authors working on their first novels, and I have
published authors. I have authors who write category length and single
title. It’s a dynamic group and I am so lucky to have these
fantastically talented writers in my life. Oh oh. Sentimental moment! I
was walking to the office today from the post office and it is just a
beautiful fall day in upstate NY…strolling along smelling the air and
whamo! I had the most exquisite sense of gratitude fill me—here it is: I
LOVE MY JOB!
5. What would you like to share with
the AuthorMBA community to get the questions started?
First off, it’s a pleasure to be here with everyone today. Thank you
Jennifer Stark for inviting me!
I think the best use of this forum is to let you, the blogging
community, ask me the questions. I will try my hardest to get to as many
questions as possible through the day, but be forewarned…I am also
extremely busy as I just returned from the New Jersey Romance Writers'
Put Your Heart in a Book Conference and will have my head buried in
submissions all day… or at least I should!
 On that note, I am going to open up this space for questions from you:
the aspiring authors, the published, the seekers of information and the
just plain curious. Some topics I am asked to speak on range from
branding and PR to how do you create a perfect pitch to what is selling
these days…ask away and don’t be shy. I won’t bite!
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