Agent Spotlight: Rita Rosenkranz

Rita Rosenkranz Literary Agency | New York, N.Y.  

GENRES: All categories of adult nonfiction

CLIENTS INCLUDE: Julie Bogart, Barbara Oakley 

Rita Rosenkranz founded her boutique agency in 1990 after working as an editor and interacting with agents at major publishing houses including Random House; Scribner Books; and Outlet, a division of Crown. “I was attracted to their autonomy and appreciated the freedom to be productive on my terms,” she says.

Rosenkranz represents biography, business, cooking, health, history, how-to, humor, illustrated books, music, parenting, popular reference, popular science, spirituality, sports, writing, and general interest titles.

“By listening in and looking closely, I learned various skills from my publishing bosses that I use every day,” she says. “I work closely with clients whose work needs refinement. And I try to think creatively about positioning a project, and its multiple markets, even when it’s considered a niche title.”

How did you build your list?

Brick by brick, author by author. … I recruited authors I had worked with who hadn’t been represented. I went to writers’ conferences throughout the U.S., in part to connect with the “way of seeing” folks living in different places—outside of my urban hometown and region.

What do you look for in clients?

I am thrilled when an author can further the conversation on a topic we thought we knew—because of newly released research, new data, new experiences. While it’s not a requirement, if the book has a utility, as parenting books typically do, and can help people live more easily, more healthfully or productively, that’s a great added bonus.

What is your personal philosophy as an agent?

Truth telling. I refrain from hyperbole, which doesn’t mean I’m not excited about what I represent. I simply want to be able to … manage expectations.

What are you seeking?

I work with new and previously published authors and to this day have an open-door policy. But it is tremendously helpful if the author has established a platform that is commensurate with the requirements of their category, and that it is clear why this particular author is writing this particular work.

What are your querying pet peeves?

While I can see past the error, it’s sloppy when an author misspells my name, sends me projects I publicly note I am not looking for, or resends the same query when I’ve rejected the work. It costs me time, an unrenewable resource.

What are your writing tips?

Writing is a discipline … If you’re not regular about the writing habit, find topics you love to write about to ease the process.

What are your pitching tips?

Sometimes I can’t even tell if the work is fiction or nonfiction, or the pitch might have too many digressions, losing its essential point, and it appears the author doesn’t have a handle on their work. The pitch should be a clear distillation of what the project is, who the author is, and how the two relate. An effective pitch starts a productive conversation.

What approach do you take in working with authors on a manuscript, and how does it change over the course of your relationship?

I’d hope a first-time author would have a clear, solid pitch to initiate the conversation and relationship. For authors I’ve worked with, brainstorming among ideas or refining ideas happens as a matter of course. I do look to steer when needed so I can submit the best possible work. Much has to do with the author’s relationship with the editor, who might have input on early stages of material. It’s nice when based on the shared experience and established trust, a shorthand is in place. We can get straight to what matters most.

What do you want clients to know?

I appreciate professional authors, i.e., those who look to enter a respectful, mutually rewarding relationship where the results might not be immediate.

How has your approach changed over the years?

I am clearer about what I think can work, though I do still take chances on projects that need deep steerage.

What are you most proud of?

I am proud of the chances I took with authors early in their careers, who have built fantastic reputations … and great sales. Publishing, as we know, is a process requiring patience. It is meaningful when it pays off.

Appearing at:

May 12–13—Washington Writers Conference, Rockville, Md.

Sep. 1–2—WriterCon 2023, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Follow and connect: RitaRosenkranzLiteraryAgency.com