B.J. Hollars
Last June, while strolling the streets of Homer, Alaska during a break from The Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference, I had the great pleasure of befriending editor and former agent Elizabeth Evans. As we watched the fisherman haul in their halibut, we discussed writing, publishing and beloved books. Immediately, I knew we needed to bring Elizabeth—and her expertise!—to the Chippewa Valley. On November 12 at 6PM, Elizabeth and I will be in conversation on a talk we’re calling “From Acorn to Oak: On Editing, Agenting, and Nurturing Your Literary Work from Idea to Published Work” at 6PM at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. We’re grateful to the library for co-sponsoring this event.
During this event, Elizabeth will provide insight on the vital role of editors and agents, as well as “live critique” previously submitted query letters written by local writers. This is not to be missed!
Elizabeth and I recently had the chance to catch up. Read the complete interview below!
BJ Hollars: Tell us about how you found your way into the world of agenting and editing?
Elizabeth Evans: In my early 20s, I was living in San Francisco, and poking around the writing world in various ways. SF is a wonderfully literary city. I went to the Litquake festival, and to author readings all the time. I interned for the literary magazine Zyzzyva, which gave me a first taste of the submissions process and how editors select works for publication. And then I joined the MFA program at the University of San Francisco. It was there I met a wonderful writer and instructor, Judy Greber, who helped me find an internship with a local literary agency. The internship was a dream. I couldn't believe my job was to read all day. Before I graduated from my MFA program, I was agenting my first projects.
BH: Tell us about some of the books you were most excited to work with. What made those projects exciting?
EE: It sounds corny, but every book I repped was exciting, because as an agent you have to truly believe in the potential of every book you represent. My first sale was Glenda Burgess's The Geography of Love, a devastatingly beautiful memoir, and each moment of progress, from the cover reveal to the first glowing reviews, was special. Another one that stands out is Ella Frances Sanders's Lost in Translation, which was one of my first books to hit the bestseller list. It was such fun to call Ella to share the good news. My role as an independent editor is exciting in a different way. Often what's most rewarding is seeing the ways in which a manuscript improves between drafts, and feeling you've played a small part in the evolution of an exciting work.
BH: What's the most challenging part of being an editor?
EE: Managing a writer's expectations can be tricky. There are certain realities of the world of traditional publishing that most writers aren't aware of. The need for a platform in nonfiction, for example. I approach every project with enthusiasm, and never want to deter a writer from pursuing their dream, but it's important to me that my clients go into the process with eyes wide open and a clear understanding of the challenges they might encounter in a notoriously difficult industry.
BH: What don't most writers understand about the publication world?
EE: So much is expected of writers beyond the writing. Authors must be proactive partners to their publishers. There's a lot of hustle that's required, even once the manuscript is final and off to the printer. It's a full time job. There's never really any down time.
BH: If you could recommend one book that we should all read this minute, what would it be and why?
EE: Oof! Hard question. Like so many, Toni Morrison has been on my mind lately, and I don't think I've ever had a more powerful reading experience than I did with Beloved. That book is a force. It changed my ideas of what was possible in writing. It absolutely blew me away.
See you at 6PM at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library on Tuesday, November 12!