Navigating the Publishing World with Literary Agent Lauren Gardner

In this episode of The Write and Wrong Podcast, Jamie is joined by Lauren Gardner, a literary agent at Bell Lomax Morton and a 2020 Bookseller Rising Star. Lauren shares her unique journey from the world of luxury PR into publishing, breaking down exactly how she transitioned from an assistant to a full-time agent. She also offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how she actively headhunts non-fiction authors, balances her growing client list of around 60 authors, and maintains the perfect blend of fiction and non-fiction projects.

Key Takeaways:

• The path to agenting is rarely linear: Lauren spent four years in luxury and entertainment PR before a friend pointed out that her voracious reading habits made her a perfect fit for publishing.   

• Transitioning from assistant to agent is a delicate financial balance: Agencies slowly shift assistants into full-time agent roles once the assistant's own list of authors begins generating enough commission to cover their salary.   

• Agents often headhunt non-fiction: Instead of waiting for queries, Lauren actively generates about 90% of her non-fiction list by seeking out experts (like doctors or extraordinary individuals) to solve specific problems.   

• A diverse list allows for genre-hopping: Lauren represents around 60 authors and encourages them to explore different genres, such as client Sophie McCartney who successfully transitioned from a parenting memoir to writing a dark comedy thriller.   

• Established authors require less hand-holding: As authors gain experience and build solid relationships with their editors, it frees up an agent's time to take on new debuts who need more intensive, day-to-day support.

  
  

From PR Professional to Publishing Pro

Lauren’s path into the publishing industry was far from traditional. After graduating during a recession, she took a job in luxury and entertainment PR, working in the industry for about four years. While she was a competent publicist, she ultimately realized it wasn't her true calling. During a conversation with a friend who worked as an agent for comedy talent, Lauren's lifelong love of reading was brought to the forefront.   

Her friend pointed out that Lauren frequently took the bus instead of the train just so she could read for an extra hour during her commute, and suggested she look into becoming a literary agent. Unaware that such a career even existed, Lauren began researching agencies. She found an opening for an assistant at Bell Lomax Morton, sent in a cover letter explaining how her PR skills would transfer to publishing, and the agency took a chance on her. Twelve years later, she is still with the agency, having built a thriving career.

The Tricky Transition from Assistant to Agent

Becoming a literary agent often involves a well-trodden path: starting as an assistant and slowly building a client list. Lauren explained that the transition is essentially a strategic financial gamble for the agency. An assistant must balance their day-to-day administrative duties with the slow process of acquiring authors and negotiating deals.   

For Lauren, she signed her first author from the slush pile just six months into her role, thanks to the support of her managing director. However, it took another two years before she could fully relinquish her assistant duties. The tipping point occurs when an assistant is bringing in enough business to pay for themselves, making it more profitable for the agency to hire a new assistant and allow the budding agent to focus entirely on their clients.

Curating a List: From Rom-Coms to Headhunting Non-Fiction

Lauren's list is wonderfully diverse. She represents children's fiction (from young fiction up to YA), New Adult crossovers, and commercial women's fiction with a heavy emphasis on romance and romantic comedies. She purposely avoids genres like crime and science fiction, preferring to stick to her specific tastes.   

When it comes to non-fiction, Lauren takes an incredibly proactive approach. While the rare, extraordinary memoir might occasionally come through the submission inbox, she generates about 90% of her non-fiction projects herself. Often, her acquisitions are problem-based. If she has an issue in her own life—such as her children constantly catching illnesses at nursery—she will actively seek out a brilliant pediatrician and pitch them the idea of writing a book. She also finds inspiration from podcasts like Desert Island Discs, frequently sliding into the DMs of fascinating experts to ask if they have ever considered publishing their stories.

Managing 60 Authors and Fostering Growth

With approximately 60 authors on her list, managing her time requires strategy. Lauren balances her workload by relying on the independence of her more established authors. Writers who have been in the industry for years often have strong, direct relationships with their editors and do not require daily hand-holding. This allows Lauren to reserve her intensive support for debut authors who need guidance through the complex publication process.   

She also actively encourages her authors to stretch their creative muscles across different genres. Just because she signs an author for a middle-grade book does not preclude them from writing YA or adult fiction down the line. For example, after publishing a funny parenting memoir, her author Sophie McCartney successfully pivoted to writing a comedic dark thriller.

Author-Agents and the Ultimate Comfort Read

When asked if she would ever want to write her own book, Lauren's answer was a resounding no. She thrives on the collaborative partnership of helping authors bring their visions to life and admits she would find the solitary pressure of writing too isolating.   

However, she frequently works with authors who are also agents, such as her long-time client (and friend) Chloe Seager. Lauren noted that when they collaborate, Chloe strictly wears her "author hat," allowing Lauren to handle the agenting duties without any professional crossover.   

As for her ultimate comfort read if she were snowed in at a woodland cabin, Lauren quickly named Louise Rennison's modern YA classic, Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging. She praised the book for its unparalleled ability to make teenage girls feel seen during a time in their lives when they often feel invisible, cementing it as her favorite book of all time.