Vanessa Grossett
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Only The Best Book Inside!!
A Literary Agent at The Authors Care Agency
“Vanessa Grossett is a Literary Author whose job is to sell their author’s works. Parker J. Cole, today’s best-selling author, is one of the authors under her care. She said that it is her duty to know if their authors ae doing fine in writing their own books.”
LONDON - 27 March 2023
Vanessa Grossett is a literary agent at The Authors Care Agency Ltd. Her wonderful talented authors include USA Today bestseller Parker J. Cole who writes historical fiction for Mills and Boon. Nicola K. Johnson, psychological domestic thriller, and renowned vocalist Lloyd Wade who has a very successful music career, he writes within the crime and thriller genre. The list is growing and I thank God for the great success achieved so far.
Tell us about your role as a literary agent?
A literary agent’s main role is to sell their authors manuscript to publishers. Agents are their author’s biggest cheerleader, and at times ‘counselor.’ Personally for me I like to make sure that my authors are doing okay, and if they have writers block, we talk through the manuscript together to come up with ideas, as it could be a matter of the author just needing to take a break. I tend to help promote my authors books when they are on the market. I check royalty payments, statements, and contracts. The role is very varied, and I do enjoy it.
Why did you decide to become a literary agent and what qualifications do you have?
I have a degree in journalism; I particularly loved English literature in school, and writing stories. Thankful you don’t need a degree per say to be a literary agent, but a good knowledge of the industry does help, networking with editors, and publishers. When I wrote my first book, I decided that though I loved writing, it wasn’t something I wanted to do full time. The agency role suits me very well, as it is a behind the scenes, type of role. I love promoting, uplifting, encouraging my authors, and reading different manuscripts.
Has the publishing industry really changed their attitude towards black authors?
On the surface with some publishers it seemed to change, and new black authors were getting a chance, especially after George Floyd. Forward a couple of years later from some the same old attitudes seem to be surfacing again.
Now I am not saying that every book by a black author must be accepted by an editor, however I have witnessed the same subconscious collective attitude with some editors; in their mindset it is difficult to sell books with primarily black characters. They may also feel like they cannot work with black authors, especially male black writers due to underlying stereotypes they may have, so they come up with reasons into why a manuscript is not accepted, could be from the writing style to not having a place in the market. Yes the author does have to make sure the manuscript is strong upon first presentation, but I know that they go through rewrites, author and editor work together on the manuscript.
Another reason is working with an agency they have not worked with before, some of them are less likely to give you a chance, and stick with who they know.
Good news is there are some editors that have moved forward and publishers like Mills and Boon have definitely become more diverse. I am not just saying that because my author writes for them, it is true, they are willing to give new black authors more of a chance, and the editors are great to work with. But make sure you follow their guidelines if you are to submit. They are some great editors, publishers out there that will believe in you and your story, it is a matter of being connected with the right one for you, building a rapport.
Other good news they’re more independent imprints growing, some celebrity owned as well, to give underrepresented unpublished groups a chance for those that don’t want to self publish.
I do want to make a point clear that not all black editors will accept manuscripts; in this industry it can be a case of who you know as well.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to get into publishing industry!
Get to know the industry, network, and most importantly believe in the ability that you can do the craft well, whether it will be writing or as an agent. Never doubt your ability to be successful.
It is good to join author groups like, black writers guild to get that support, advice and knowledge. Attend writer’s conferences, and meet the editor conferences.
Don’t judge any editor by face value. Sometimes the editor you think is the one that will accept a manuscript ends up not being the one, but someone else.
