Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Andie Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Andie, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
Oh wow, this is a very emotional question for me. Most people never know what goes beyond a person’s smile, what they’ve been through, what they’ve overcome to get to the point they are now. I think my resiliency has been one of those things, something I hide from others when I first meet them – unintentionally. It’s almost like we keep these parts of ourselves secret, to avoid judgment or in my case, pity. But recently I’ve learned that our past experiences play into our future and who we become – and that can be a very beautiful thing.
My resilience comes from the experiences I’ve been through that have torn me down and the people around me who have helped build me back up.
When I was ten years old, my dad passed away. It was sudden and unexplainable, and I was not prepared. At ten years old, I didn’t understand what losing someone – what losing a parent – meant. If I’m being honest, I still don’t. Grief is a fickle thing at any age. It’s only recently, as I was writing LUCKY ENOUGH, that I realized how much grief I have for my father that I’d never dealt with. There are a lot of things that are taken from you when you lose someone. You have to reshape your future and certain events because of it, and it’s hard. But if you’re lucky, you’ll have people around you that can help make it easier – that can help you understand your future can be just as full and vibrant, even if it’s a bit different than you imagined.
In everything I have been through, and everything I’m yet to go through, I’ve learned it’s important to lean on your community. Even when I felt like I was, I’ve never truly been alone. My resilience comes from my experience, my past, my trauma, but it is shaped and built by those around me – the people who stand by my side and love me unconditionally. The people who make life matter.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Thankfully, I’ve really thrown myself into the publishing industry over the last three years. I am grateful to have discovered my calling and the place where I feel like I belong.
First, I’m a young adult author. My first book, LUCKY ENOUGH, came out in October 2023 with Evernight Teen. It is a work of fiction, but it is inspired by my own personal story of losing my father at a young age. This was a passion project of mine and something I wanted to put out in the world for readers who could identify and relate to something I went through.
My next book, COVALENCE, came out on October 15th of this year with Orange Blossom Publishing. This is the first book in my dystopian trilogy, The Bonded Series. This story is fun and immersive and action-packed and I can’t wait for everyone to read it. It’s near future, found family, forbidden romance, and a play on the scientific workings of covalent bonds.
Second, I’m a junior agent at Booker Albert Literary, where I represent a variety of authors and help them sell their books to editors at publishing houses. I have been an agent for a year now, and it’s been a wonderful whirlwind of all sorts of exciting things. I’m looking to represent authors in middle grade, young adult, and adult genres.
Finally, because of my love for working with authors as an agent, I am a freelance editor and started my own editorial business, Sun & Spines Editorial, last year. I help unagented authors with their manuscripts and query packages to help them sign with an agent or secure a publishing deal. I also edit for Wild Ink Publishing, working with published authors in a different capacity.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three skills that have helped in my journey are being a self-starter, seeking growth, and being confident in my capabilities.
To do anything in publishing, you have to be ready to go after what you want and take initiative. Whether that’s securing an internship, finding ways to hone your writing craft, or starting your own business. It’s great to have the drive and desire, but without the willpower and action behind it, it’ll be more difficult to see the outcome you want.
In the same way, always be looking for ways to grow and improve your knowledge and skills. There is always something to learn and once you do learn it, be confident in your ability to do that task or perform that action. Trust your instincts and know that you got this, it will help encourage you to keep going and show others how serious you are about what you do.
How would you describe your ideal client?
This can either reference a future client for agent representation or for my editing business. Overall, I really look for an author who is passionate about what they are writing. There have been many times I’ve read a manuscript that I didn’t initially think would be a fit for me, but because the story pulled me in and the passion from the author was so clear, I became invested. This is especially helpful during the editing process, I want an author to be excited about their work and also enthusiastic and ready to dive into revisions with the understanding they can only make the book even better than it already is.
I’m really looking for a partnership with my authors. This relationship is very collaborative to me and I want the author to be involved every step of the way. I don’t want them to be afraid to bring up certain points or ask questions. I want them to feel comfortable and optimistic about what the future holds. So the ideal client to me is someone who is genuinely excited about what they are writing, is open to feedback and the process of making changes, and is committed to what comes next.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.andiesmithbooks.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andiesmithbooks
- Twitter: https://x.com/andiesmithbooks
Image Credits
Dave & Kenz Photography
Evernight Teen
Orange Blossom Publishing
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