YPG’s Editor/Agent Mixer Kicks Off the Fall Season
Come September, publishing finally awoke from its summertime hibernation—and what better way to kick off the fall season than a happy hour? Hosted at Professor Thom’s in the East Village, YPG’s Editor/Agent Mixer on September 6 from 6-9pm was chock-full of editors and agents keen to make connections and find the next “Big Book.” As more than a hundred junior publishing professionals mingled inside and spilled out into the bar’s outdoor space, one thing was clear: wheeling and dealing is alive and well this autumn.
A collaboration between YPG and the Association of Authors’ Representatives (AAR), the mixer drew a variety of Adult editors and agents, Children’s folk, and even literary scouts. In an ingenious display of planning and organization, attendees were asked to choose between two different name tags (one to designate agents, another to designate editors), and those on the Children’s side were asked to affix orange stickers to their tags–an efficient mode of networking if there ever was one.
To wit: “It was the perfect opportunity to meet fellow young people in the industry—I had a fabulous time!” said Viana Siniscalchi, an editorial assistant at Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins Children’s Books. People milled about, group hopping and meeting new friends while greeting the old. This was an evening not unlike a reunion or homecoming, minus the awkwardness.
Now, as publishing settles in for one of its busiest seasons, the warm winds and gauzy dresses of summer are but a faint memory. Yet we heard nary a complaint at Professor Thom’s, where everyone seemed fully ready to hunker down for the next nine months of awesome submissions, major book deals, and the never-ending discussion of the digital marketplace. With business cards exchanged and lunch dates penciled in, now we can all get down to business—it’s going to be a very good fall, everyone, so get ready.
