What It’s Really Like to Be a Literary Agent | ft. Tali & Lauren of The Prose Pros Podcast
March 10, 2026
Featured Guest:
The Prose Pros
The Prose Pros is a podcast where publishing insiders get real. We confess creative missteps, celebrate our triumphs, and spill trade secrets. Whether you’re a writer, editor, or book lover, join us as we explore the art, the craft, and the chaos of storytelling.
Lauren and Tali of The Prose Pros bring a unique perspective to the publishing conversation as agents, authors, and lawyers. Their insight into both the creative and business sides of publishing makes this episode especially helpful for writers trying to better understand the industry.
What is it actually like to be a literary agent?
In this special collaboration episode, we’re joined by Tali and Lauren from The Prose Pros for an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about agenting, publishing, querying, and what authors often misunderstand about the industry. This is not an episode about how to get a literary agent. It’s a candid look at what literary agents do, what their inboxes really look like, how they evaluate queries, and why agenting is far less glamorous—and far more emotional—than it seems from the outside.
We talk about the reality of reading thousands of queries, balancing client communication, handling rejection from the agent side, burnout in publishing, and the huge highs that come with helping authors land book deals. Tali and Lauren also share what they’re looking for in submissions, why fit matters so much, and what makes a query or manuscript stand out.
Whether you’re querying, revising, or just wildly curious about the publishing world, this episode pulls back the curtain in the best way.
In This Episode
What literary agents actually do behind the scenes
The truth about querying and agent inboxes
Why agenting is really client service at its core
How agents evaluate query letters and full manuscripts
Common querying mistakes writers make
Rejection, manuscript fit, and why “no” does not always mean “bad”
Burnout in publishing and on the agent side
Why a bad agent can be worse than no agent
The kinds of books Tali and Lauren are excited to read
Connect with our guests:
Tali:
Instagram
Substack
Check out The Prose Pros for more conversations on writing, publishing, and agenting:
Youtube
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