“Publishing is waiting. Always be writing!”
-Sara Crowe
Every year, the Writers’ League of Texas brings a faculty of close to thirty agents, editors, and other industry professionals to Austin for its Agents & Editors Conference. As we look ahead to the 24th Annual A&E Conference, taking place June 30–July 2, 2017, we’re happy to share Q&As with some of our faculty here.
An Interview with Sara Crowe
Sara Crowe is a senior agent at Pippin Properties. She began her career at The Wylie Agency and worked in foreign rights for 8 years. For the last decade she has been at Harvey Kilinger, Inc. building a list of children’s and adult fiction including many New York Times-bestselling and award-winning authors and titles. She loves finding new talent to champion, and nurturing and developing careers.
Scribe: How would you describe your personal approach to working with an author?
Sara Crowe: I have a different relationship with each of my clients, but I strive for open communication with all and for mutual trust and respect.
Scribe: What do you look for in a debut author?
SC: When I take on a new client, it is always because I fell in love with the writing and the story. I am looking for stories that feel new to me and different than what I already have on my list—writing that I cannot put down and that stays with me.
Scribe: Do you think social media presence is critical for a successful writing career?
SC: I do not. I think some participation is good, more so for YA than MG, but I also think that if it is not a strength, then less is more–promote others, and be a part of the community.
Scribe: If you could give writers one piece of advice, what would it be?
SC: Publishing is waiting. Always be writing! And that goes for when you are sold and waiting on edits or publication.
Scribe: Tell us about a project you took on because there was something special or unique about it, even though it wasn’t like projects you usually take on; or tell us about an exciting or proud moment in your career as an agent.
SC: Every sale is exciting, and I love being able to give an author good news. It’s especially exciting to deliver that news to a debut author. All authors like good news; agents, too. But, most authors do not have an easy road to success–there are many bumps! I am most proud of the times that my clients were able to overcome an obstacle–a book that did not work, an editor leaving, etc., and kept writing so that we could restart their career.
Scribe: Are there any recent or upcoming releases that you’d like to highlight, to give readers a better sense of what you’re currently looking for?
SC: I will focus on a few titles out now and coming very soon:
Nina LaCour’s latest, We are Okay, which has received five starred reviews, is her strongest book to date and unforgettable – it is her favorite that she has written. It is about heartbreak and love and is devastating and beautiful.
Kim Savage’s second YA thriller Beautiful Broken Girls is a gorgeous story about two sisters and the secrets they kept for each other, told from the point of view of a boy who loved one of them.
The second book in Dan Wells’ Mirador series, Ones and Zeroes, is described by Dan as “a cyberpunk sports movie heist novel about awesome ladybros playing video games.” I totally agree.
And, Erin Entrada Kelly’s Hello Universe, her third middle grade and which has four starred reviews so far, is about friendship, bravery, being an outsider, and inner strength.
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Thanks, Sara!
Click here and here to read our 2017 A&E Conference agent & editor bios.
Click here for more information on the 2017 Agents & Editors Conference, a weekend long event in Austin, TX (June 30-July 2) that focuses on the craft of writing, the business of publishing, and building a literary community.
