Featured Publishing Professional: Quressa Robinson
As sent to Elizabeth Agyemang and Jasmine Miranda
Why book publishing?
It seems inevitable. I've always loved reading. It was something that was encouraged by my mom and my teachers. I've also always loved writing, which led me to getting my MFA in creative writing. Being in the literary world, interacting with the publishing industry, and learning more about the various roles that it takes to make a book just made me even more curious. And here I am.
Can you tell us a little bit about what you do as an agent?
There is so much involved with being an agent that I didn't know until I became one. It's not just reading books, signing clients, and selling books. So much of my job is email. And as my client list increases my inbox the more chaotic my inbox becomes. There is also a lot of networking in agenting. Especially if you do multiple genres are categories. Pre-pandemic I was doing two to three editor meetings a week. I do read a lot, but obviously client work takes priority over my query inbox. I negotiate deals. Nudge editors about submissions they have from clients under consideration. Lot's of editing of client MS. Review contracts. Push for other subrights like film and translation. Brainstorm ideas with clients. Overall, career planning. Putting out fires. And I'm sure things I have forgotten.
What challenges have you faced in your career and how have you overcome them?
As a Black woman the biggest challenge is having my taste and instincts questioned. Especially when it comes to acquiring or selling books by and about BIPOC. Despite all my successes as an editor, and now as an agent, it feels like unless you get a certain "mainstream" stamp of approval it's all an uphill battle. The lack of diversity is also a factor. Sometimes the right editor for your client's book has either been pushed out of publishing, can't acquire yet, or hasn't found a foot in the door. This can lead to uncomfortable compromises, like making sure a BIPOC book can appeal strongly to a white audience to get a foot in the door. Certain nuances are often lost because of how hegemonic most ed boards/acquisition teams are. I also like to strategize with clients to mitigate a lot of this. I'm always ready to try something new, or shift gears if needed.
What have been your favorite books of year/month so far?
Wow! I think I've only read a few non-client books this year thanks to pandemic fatigue. I really enjoyed THE INTIMACY EXPERIMENT and am looking forward to diving back into SONG OF ACHILLES, and finally having time during the holidays to read ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES.
From your perspective as an agent, what would you love to see more of in the publishing?
I certainly would love to see the needle actually move in those CBC and Lee and Low surveys. Staying the same is not really cutting it any more. I would love to see publishers throw big advances and marketing dollars toward BIPOC books, especially debuts. And I'd love to see more diversity in the adult space, particularly SFF and beach reads.
Quressa Robinson joined the Nelson Literary Agency in 2017 after working at a previous agency and as an editor for five years. She is originally from San Francisco but has been living in New York City for over a decade. As a New York based agent, she is eager to build her MG, YA, and Adult lists. Quressa is also a member of the 2017-2020 WNDB Walter Grant Committee and holds an MFA in Creative Writing: Fiction from Columbia University. In 2020, she was named a Publisher's Weekly Star Watch finalist. In 2021 she was named an influential gatekeeper in Book and Film Globe’s inaugural Publishing Power 30 list alongside phenoms like Reece Witherspoon, Celeste Ng, and Lisa Lucas.
https://nelsonagency.com/quressa-robinson/