We recently connected with Amy Tipton and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amy, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

I have always wanted to help shape the literary landscape—I was an agent for 13 (almost 14) years—and I believe in truthful stories, even if/when hard to tell. I know women/WOC/LGBTQIA and disabled folx have a harder time breaking out—this industry is slow to change and there are “rules” to follow/accept and I just don’t want anyone to feel excluded–which is really why Feral Girl Books exists. It was born out of this necessity. It’s for all women (including women-identifying) and NB/GNC writers. I want the publishing industry to rep us, ALL OF US. I don’t want these stories erased. (I am a NYT Best Selling former agent, I’ve won multiple awards—even the 2019 Edgar in the YA category—I am pretty sure I can help others! Just recently, an indie/self pubbed book of mine, the YA, SKI WEEKEND by Rektok Ross, got a film deal!)

Idris Elba offers his take on diversity in the modern world, saying it “is more than just skin color–it’s gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, social background, and–most important of it–diversity of thought.” He is so right (in my opinion) because if you have diversity of thought, no one is left out. I firmly believe representation does matter.

I thought about opening up my own agency but talking to a friend (who runs her own) says you can’t be creative or as creative as you want since it’s more paperwork/business stuff—being a boss is hard!—so I just decided to go the freelance editor route. (Yes, I’m a boss but it’s creative so it feeds my punk rock/anarchist/progressive soul. Ha!)

It wasn’t an easy decision—the feeling of guilt was heavy (the guilt of failing authors—not getting their books pubbed or not getting a higher advance for their book—which you know they deserved!)—it was all too much. I am only one person and tracking down editors (who just ignore follow ups) or arguing about higher advances with editors or scrambling to find an audio publisher or a film/TV agent (garnering their interest is almost another full time job!) and keeping track of foreign rights—who has what, where (another full time position) was an insane workload. Most of the stuff I repped was not easy—the subjects were not big, splashy, blockbuster/fun reads—so it’s very easy to be frustrated. With every pass I, honestly, felt like a failure.

(But at the same time, admittedly, I was at the top of my game when I stopped agenting—Courtney Summers was a NYT Best Seller, Amy Reed did a NYT interview on her book, “The Nowhere Girls” and the Me Too movement. [Both ladies have exciting things coming their way.] But this success was a looooong time coming… As they say, too little, too late, right?)

I had been reading a lot of Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s website/blog and while I sometimes disagreed/(sometimes) it induced eye rolling, there were things I agreed with–like maybe—not saying definitely—maybe, you should compartmentalize your career—have a lawyer look at contracts, have an accountant do your royalties, get a foreign rights agent, film agent, have an editor (or someone like me)—maybe your agent shouldn’t solely be relied upon … Your agent maybe just subs/sells your book…. But in this fast-food/1 stop-shop culture, the writer-agent job grows … And so stress is greater … I had a stroke at 30—I’m not about to have a heart attack at 40!

Hence, FGB was born! (I also had a dream about the title but that’s another story…)

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Well, my bio straight up says:

Amy Tipton graduated from Naropa University with a B.A. in Writing and Literature and received her MFA from New College of California in Writing. She has been working in the publishing industry for 13 years and started freelance editing in 2018. Prior to that, she was a literary agent at Signature Literary Agency since 2009. (She first stepped into the role of literary agent at Peter Rubie Literary Agency, now FinePrint Literary Management, in 2007.) She started out as an assistant and office manager at several agencies including JCA Literary Agency, Diana Finch Literary Agency, Gina Maccoby Literary Agency, and Liza Dawson Associates, as a book scout for Aram Fox, Inc., and as a freelance editor for Lauren Weisberger (author of The Devil Wears Prada).

But also? As an editor…

I feel like my whole life has been leading up to this moment, actually.

I have alway been drawn to females/female voices; feminine energy is something I’ve always been around. My mom and my BFF are very strong females in my life (my BFF has been my partner-in-crime since 5!—we went from elementary school to junior high to HS together and we are close to this day—she was in my hospital room as I recovered from this stroke…she might as well be my sister). I was lucky growing up, having strong female role models in the form of family friends and a great lady lived across the street and kinda became my substitute grandma. But I also came of age in the ‘90s on the West Coast and I’d be remiss to not credit the riot grrrl movement—Bikini Kill in particular—as a driving force.

I credit that movement for keeping my confidence/self-esteem afloat through HS and bad boyfriends etc.

Briefly, I played with the thought of working for a rape/sexual assault hotline (like for RAINN) or a domestic-violence shelter but I also loved writing, discovered zines and through zines discovered Emma Goldman, Simone de Beauvoir, Claude Cahun, and Diamanda Galás…

A lot of the riot grrrl movement was overwhelmingly white so it wasn’t until college I got thinking about intersectionality and race, class, and gender—which is the title of the first Angela Davis book I read.

Knowledge is so powerful.

I know I’m lucky to have studied women’s studies/read feminist texts and now think it’s important to big up these voices. Kathleen Hanna believes archiving is a vital feminist act. Me too. We [women] don’t want to be erased.

I want to help be part of that change. I want to get writers before the agent stage and I want to whip them into shape so an agent won’t overlook them/won’t say no (this certainly happens—which is why so many straight/white/even rich dudes get pubbed before anyone else) same when writers work with a less hands-on agents and get RRs from an editor but end up rejected—I want to help! (Yes, some agents are more than capable at revising but are busy and their clients feel ignored—I also want to help them to be/feel heard!) I don’t want us to be erased, not now (not ever, but if I can, today, I’m here to help stop it).

They say the future is female so welcome to my fempire, ladies.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

I am myself at all times–for better or worse…haha!

I am honest and that’s hard to take (I’ve been called tough/blunt) but…

I believe communication is key so I also make myself as accessible as possible. I am on Facebook and Instagram, on Twitter and LinkedIn. If you DM me, I respond. And if you become a client, you better watch out–I check up on you FOREVER! (Meaning, I’ll shoot you a quick email or just a gif or meme or funny video–always appropriate to our work together, of course!–I like our time to be fun as well, you know.) It’s like the scene is the movie, Step Brothers, when Will Ferrell asks John C. Reilly, “Did we just become best friends?”

When I agented, I was called the Mister Rogers of agents and I’ll take it! Mister Rogers devoted his life to caring for and developing strengths in many of us. I know he gave me a solid foundation and helped build my self confidence so I had a chance in, what could be, a tough world. I am proud to be compared to him. I do like to nurture writers…and I think I’m pretty good at it.

I know this industry is rough and the journey can be frustrating and lonely, which is where I come in! You have a friend in me (and, yes, I am that friend who will sympathize/commiserate but also tell you when enough is enough).

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

I think because I do keep in touch with my clients, word of mouth has been a great source for me. I think any type of business is a word-of-mouth business, but it’s especially true in freelance.

I guess it helps clients like me and therefore pass on my info. I wouldn’t be where I am without them.

Contact Info:

• Website: amy-tipton.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feralgirlbooks/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FeralGirlBooks/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-tipton-09414223b/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/feralgirlbooks