Finding Your Perfect Agent Fit with Agent Ismita Hussain and Author Jessica Guerrieri

Please note: This episode contains mentions of alcoholism, recovery, and sobriety. We are so happy to welcome author Jessica Guerrieri and agent Ismita Hussain (Great Dog Literary) to the podcast. They're a great example of what to look for in an author-agent relationship--they're creative, collaborative, supportive, and successful (Jessica's debut book club fiction, Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea, comes out 2025 with HarperCollins). We also discuss re-querying, facing rejection, and the healing power of storytelling and personal narrative.Meet with Ismita here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/ismita-hussainFind the transcript and show notes here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-ismita-hussain-jessica-guerrieri00:44 Introducing Jessica Guerrieri00:54 Ismita Hussain's Journey from Healthcare to Literary Agent01:55 Jessica Guerrieri's Writing Journey and Sobriety03:04 The Power of Perseverance: Jessica Guerrieri's Path to Publication04:18 The Editorial Process: From Query to Preempt06:58 Understanding the Preempt and the Publishing Process10:50 Revising with Resilience: Jessica Guerrieri's Approach to Feedback17:13 Building Trust and Thickening Skin in the Publishing World21:31 Looking Ahead: Plans After the Book Deal22:02 Embarking on a Unique Memoir Journey22:13 Exploring Motherhood and Recovery22:48 The Power of Sharing Personal Stories27:02 The Role of Fiction and Nonfiction in Recovery29:42 The Importance of Representation in Literature39:57 The Value of Specificity in Storytelling43:15 The Memoir Market and Connecting with Agents