In this exclusive Bookum Founders Talk Podcast episode, we sit down with Rachelle Gardner, president of Gardner Literary Agency, to reveal the insider secrets that can transform your publishing journey.
About Rachelle Gardner:
Rachelle Gardner is the president of Gardner Literary Agency and has been a literary agent since 2007. She's negotiated over 300 contracts with more than 20 publishers and worked with over 200 authors to bring their books to publication. With nearly 30 years in publishing (since 1995), Rachelle brings unparalleled insider knowledge to help authors navigate the complex world of traditional publishing.
What You Will Learn:
- The exact elements of a successful query letter that agents actually want to see
- How to process rejection like a pro and when to pivot strategies
- Whether your book needs to be finished before querying literary agents
- What questions to ask potential literary agents during consultations
- How agents are detecting AI-written query letters in 2025
- The truth about building an audience before traditional publishing
- Real author success stories and what made them different from rejected manuscripts
Timestamps:
1:00 - The books that have shaped her life
3:03 - Books that got her into being a literary agent
4:22 - What is a Literary Agent?
5:30 - How to become a literary agent
6:20 - How many active clients at any time?
7:32 - How long do literary agents work with their author clients?
9:54 - The job of the literary agent
12:00 - Negotiation Film/TV and other rights
13:43 - Should an author also have a lawyer before traditional publishing?
15:20 - What does a successful query letter look like?
19:10 - How should an author process a rejection of their query letter?
22:01 - When should an author shift to another book or self-publish?
26:03 - Does your book need to be finished to submit a query letter?
27:14 - Detecting AI query letters and AI in Publishing
29:00 - Should successful self-published authors try traditional publishing?
31:48 - Should authors build an audience before seeking traditional publishing?
32:24 - What questions should an author ask a literary agent?
35:45 - Author success stories
39:13 - What happens after the literary agent gets a deal for the author?
43:12 - Rachelle's coaching program
44:48 - Last, Now, Next Books
46:01 - Rachelle's Reading Taste
46:54 - What Would You Like to See More of in the Book World?
47:34 - What Would You Like to See Less of in the Book World?
48:23 - Where to find more from Rachelle
Places to Connect With Rachelle Gardner:
Website: https://rachellegardner.com/
Facebok: https://www.facebook.com/gardner.literary
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@rachelle_literary_agent
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gardner_literary
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelle_literary_agent/
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