Join Editors Toronto on Tuesday, March 29, at 7:00 pm EDT via Zoom for “Preparing Your Clients for Traditional Publishing: Agenting & Acquisitions Process.”

When working with clients on the road to traditional publishing, editors are often asked to consult on areas beyond the words in a manuscript. It is important that we stay on top of industry trends and expectations and are able to answer questions about the querying process. Join this month’s program to get advice from literary agents Olga Filina and Ali McDonald on how to better prepare your clients for traditional publishing, to learn about the benefits of hiring a literary agent, and to discover why traditional publishing is still the right choice for many authors.

About the speakers:

Olga Filina, a literary agent and partner at 5 Otter Literary, brings over 20 years of industry experience to her work as an agent, from bookseller and buyer at national and independent bookstore chains, to director of literary festivals, library board member, publishing consultant, independent editor, book reviewer, and founding (and current executive) member of the Professional Association of Canadian Literary Agents (PACLA). Olga represents authors of fiction and non-fiction for both children’s and adult audiences, with particular interests in literary and book club fiction, historical, health, mystery, and memoir, especially from underrepresented voices.

Ali McDonald has worked in publishing for 13 years, leading the children’s division at The Rights Factory before launching 5 Otter Literary with her partners in January 2021. She represents bestselling, award-winning, emerging, and debut children’s authors and illustrators in a range of formats and genres from board books to young adult fiction and everything in between. She specializes in genre fiction—speculative, thriller, horror, science fiction, and fantasy—particularly from underrepresented and marginalized creators.

Schedule:

7:00 pm — Zoom meeting opens

7:05 pm — Land acknowledgement

7:10 pm — Olga Filina & Ali McDonald

8:05 pm — Q&A

9:20 pm — Closing remarks 

Editors Canada members are entitled to free admission through a discount code. If you are a member and need this code, please email us at toronto_br_program_chair@editors.ca.

Thank you for your interest! We look forward to seeing you there.