Featured Publishing Professional: Polo Orozco
As sent to Gianna Lakenauth
What made you decide to pursue publishing, specifically children’s editorial?
I’ve always loved storytelling, and I knew that I wanted to tell, or help tell, stories for a living. When I moved to New York for college, I knew that I wanted to major in English, but I still wasn’t sure of what career path I wanted to follow. I remember a friend of mine was working at Scholastic at the time, and she loved it. This piqued my interest, so I decided I’d try to get an internship in publishing. Eventually, I started interning at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. I loved it (I was reading all day!), and I never left publishing.
I specifically decided to go into children’s books because reading was an escape for me as a kid. The idea that I could bring new, exciting stories into the hands of young readers appealed to me. Reading’s been shown to develop empathy, and I’ve always been motivated by the idea that our work as publishing people cultivates this ability in children. I also used to paint and still do block printing, so I find that illustrated formats (graphic novels, highly-illustrated novels, etc.) combine my love of language and the visual arts.
What kind of stories and voices do you hope to acquire?
I’m acquiring MG, YA, and graphic novels. I’m looking for high concepts and “voicy,” beautiful writing across genres—whether it’s realistic fiction or high fantasy. I love subversive stories that are plot-driven without neglecting character. In middle grade, I have a sweet spot for humor and for school- and community-based stories. Across the board, I love multigenerational stories, folklore, unconventional family dynamics, social justice, and unique settings. I’m building an inclusive list and looking for work by marginalized voices, so please send me stories by BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled authors, and others who’ve been traditionally underrepresented in the kids’ books space.
I’m looking for the next When You Trap a Tiger, The First Rule of Punk, Ghost, Guts, the Dog Man and Investigators series, Spin the Dawn, The Taking of Jake Livingston, We Were Liars, and I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.
How do you think managers can be better advocates for retaining and advocating for BIPOC employees?
I’ve been very fortunate because my managers have always shown interest in my development. While I think it’s important that you advocate for yourself, I think a good manager is proactive in making sure you’re growing in your role—by having new experiences, being exposed to different styles of working, gaining new responsibilities (while maintaining a manageable workload), etc. If companies are interested in seeing more BIPOC employees in leadership roles, mentorship needs to be prioritized in assistant and other junior-level positions. Also, now that companies are creating spaces for employees to talk about race, I think a good manager doesn’t expect BIPOC employees to educate teams or individuals. A good manager seeks opportunities and resources to learn about issues facing BIPOC in and outside the workplace.
What is one book you have read in the past year that you cannot stop thinking about?
I just finished Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim, and I’ve already told several friends about it. It’s a gorgeously written, atmospheric read that is pitched as “Project Runway meets Mulan”—and it so delivers. I also need a print of the cover because it’s stunning.
Where do you find moments of calm from everything that is happening?
I enjoy going for walks before and after work—it helps me create a division of sorts between work and personal time—and I usually listen to audiobooks when I do. I especially enjoy listening to memoirs narrated by their authors. Crying in H Mart is a recent favorite.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
To create timelines for your goals. But I assume a lot of people have heard this one, so here’s a tip related to productivity that I learned from a YouTuber whose name I forgot.
I keep a “master to-do list” in Word. From this document, I pull items into a daily to-do list, and I always make sure my first two tasks are quick and easy. After crossing off these tasks, I feel motivated and ready to tackle bigger ones later in the day. It’s worked for me!
Polo Orozco is an editor at G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. He’s also a translator and an audiobook enthusiast. He often rides his bike around NYC. He seldom tweets at @Polo_Orozco_.