Interview With Agent Amber Caraveo

As part of my volunteering work with SCBWI BI I get to do all kinds of interesting things. With my friend and co-volunteer, Mandy Rabin I run the Industry Insiders part of SCBWI BI. The idea behind Industry Insiders is that we give SCBWI BI members (children's writers and illustrators at all stages of their journey) a behind the scenes peek at the children's publishing industry. 

By far the most popular Industry Insider (and TBH the only) event we hold at the moment is the 1-1 Festival where members are given the chance to showcase their work and have a 15 minute online consultation with an agent or editor. This is a BIG DEAL especially if you are not yet signed with an agent. 

Agents are a very important key ingredient to reaching a target of securing a traditional publishing deal. Most writers need an agent to help them make their work ready to submit to a publisher and guide them through the experience of bringing their book(s) into the world. 

It is competitive, but agents are looking for writers producing work they are able to sell, so when Mandy and I organise this kind of opportunity it isn't surprising that tickets sell out faster than Glastonbury. 

As Amber is very experienced, knowledgable yet warm and generous person I very much enjoyed interviewing her for the Live Panel part of the 1-1 festival. We had all kinds of engaging and challenging questions from festival goers whom I hope found it useful, encouraging and inspiring.

We're all on a journey but it doesn't mean we can't help one another out along the way.

​Keep writing everyone!