“Your story never exists in a vacuum, and while you don’t need to write for the market, it’s good to be aware of it.” –Tamara Kawar, DeFiore & Company
The 2025 Agents Symposium is a year-long program of monthly events with literary agents – taking writers step by step along the journey to publication. We’re happy to share Q&As with some of our featured agents here. To register for Tamara Kawar’s presentation on October 25 on “Publication Day and Beyond,” click here.
An Interview with Tamara Kawar
Tamara Kawar joined DeFiore and Company in 2022. She started her career with internships at Macmillan and Writers House, then worked at ICM for five years. Tamara represents writer and illustrator clients in both the children’s and adult markets, with a particular focus on talented LGBTQ+ and BIPOC storytellers. She holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University and an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University. She also serves on the AALA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, where she co-directs a mentorship program for early career agents from underrepresented backgrounds.
Scribe: How would you describe your personal approach to working with an author?
Tamara Kawar: I’d describe my approach as collaborative, supportive, and informative. Starting editorially from their manuscripts or proposals, I’m working to help build the careers my clients want, advocate for them with publishers, and navigate the often-opaque publishing industry.
Scribe: What do you look for in a debut author?
TK: Someone who is excited about their own stories and their ideas and is also engaging with what is current in their genre or category. A willingness to collaborate editorially, and a receptiveness to advice and information related to the industry.
Scribe: What’s one piece of advice you find yourself giving to others time and time again?
TK: Read in your genre and category, and beyond. Make sure you know what is currently on bookshelves, what is doing well, and what your work will be in conversation with. Even if you feel you’re doing something completely different within the same genre, it’s important to know how and why it’s different. Your story never exists in a vacuum, and while you don’t need to write for the market, it’s good to be aware of it.
Scribe: What excites you the most about the publishing industry today?
TK: What has always excited me: the next great stories just waiting to be discovered, read, and told.
Scribe: Tell us about a recent book/project that you worked on that excited you and you want everyone to know about?
TK: Adeline Kon’s forthcoming Just Between Us, a YA graphic novel about two rival figure skaters competing for a spot at the Olympics and unexpectedly falling for each other. It’s a gorgeously drawn queer coming-of-age tale about talent, burnout, and chasing your dreams. Out February 24, 2026 (Dial Books) – you can pre-order your copy now!
—
Thanks, Tamara!
Click here for more information on the 2025 Agents Symposium, an event that focuses on the craft of writing, the business of publishing, and building a literary community.
