Latinx in Pub (LxP): What do you do?
Monica Rodriguez (MR): I'm a Junior Agent at Context Literary Agency! I am also the Director of Brand Management where I help Context authors with their brand, offer advice, and support their books throughout their writing career.
LxP: How did you get started?
MR: My agenting journey started in the query trenches. As a querying writer, I realized how my marketing skills really helped my querying process. As I was querying, I started to get curious about what it would be like to be an agent. I also realized there weren't enough Latinx agents out there. I wanted to use my marketing skills and my writing experience to find a way to open doors for others and create more seats at the table. Following my curiosity, I applied for an internship with Context Literary where I met Tamar Rydzinski, we later discussed a marketing position. I've been at Context for over six months now and I'm so glad I followed my curiosity. Along with my brand management role, I get to work with some of the kindest agents out there. The Context team has been super supportive and provides mentorship in a collaborative environment. I had a moment where I was listening to a writer talk about a poetry collection and visualized a potential career path for them and thought, wait a minute, is this it? Am I agenting? That's when I knew I was ready to open for queries and start my journey as an agent. I recently signed my first client, Jassyel Gomez who is a former LatinxInPublishing mentee! I'm super excited to help share her stories with the world.
LxP: What do you wish you knew before getting into the industry?
MR: I think as writers we often forget how many plates agents have to spin and that most agents still need a day job to survive financially. Being on the other side of things helped me understand timing and what goes into deciding what projects to represent. While there are so many wonderful stories out there that I may fall in love with, there's also an element of how I can make this book great and if I can sell it. Oftentimes, as writers we idolize the idea of getting an agent and forget that it is a business partnership as well. The reason why it takes so long for agents to get back to writers right away is because clients come first and it takes time to read, to make sure the project will be the right partnership. That being said, I wish I knew how much went into agenting before I started querying because now a rejection isn't something I worry about and I understand if it takes long, it actually might be a good thing. It's all about patience, right timing and working on your craft in the meantime.
LxP: What book are you currently working on or reading?
MR: I'm reading a couple of full manuscripts I've requested. Leisurely, I just finished reading Parable of The Sower by Octavia E. Butler and I'm about to start reading Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li, which I'm really looking forward to.
Monica Rodriguez is the Director of Brand Management at Context Literary Agency. She helps authors connect with partnerships that enhance their writing careers, supporting their books before and after they’ve hit the shelves. Her love for books can be traced back to elementary school, where the best days were spent attending book fairs and author readings. In addition to her brand management role, Monica is also a Junior Agent with a mission to help uplift underrepresented voices in publishing, specifically within the Latinx community. In children’s literature, she is actively looking for PB, MG, YA & Graphic Novels. She is also open to adult and non-fiction submissions. Check out her MSWL page for more.
