In this fascinating conversation, Kesia Lupo shares her journey from writer to editor, discussing the intricacies of the publishing industry, the challenges of agenting, and the differences between the US and UK markets. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the submission process and offers insights into what editors look for in manuscripts. Kesia also addresses the growing number of submissions and the impact of AI on the industry, providing valuable advice for writers, agents, and editors alike.

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Kesia Lupo started her publishing career as an Editorial Services Assistant at Pan Macmillan, London in 2013. She then transitioned to children’s fiction, gaining a Junior Editor position at Chicken House (a UK imprint of Scholastic), where she acquired and edited bestselling, internationally successful and prize-winning fiction for middle-grade and YA readers, ending her 8 years there as Senior Editor. In 2023, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, working as a literary agent at The Bindery Agency and then Donald Maass Literary Agency, where she represented MG and YA fiction, adult fiction, and select adult nonfiction. Now, she’s back in London, working as Commissioning Editor at Macmillan Children’s Books UK, primarily acquiring for the YA First Ink list.

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