TODAY: St. Martin's editor Sarah Cantin
Today I’m talking to Sarah Cantin, VP, Editorial Director, Fiction at St. Martin’s Press.
Sarah joined St. Martin’s Publishing Group in 2018, after a decade at Atria, where she edited Taylor Jenkins Reid, Lisa Jewell, Jennifer Weiner, Lucinda Riley, Carola Lovering, Karin Tanabe, and Sarah Pekkanen. Her list at St. Martin’s includes New York Times bestselling authors Rachel Hawkins, Jessica George, and Emilia Hart, as well as critically acclaimed debut novelists Laurie Albanese, Mikki Brammer, and Katie Bishop.
Sarah is looking for big upmarket commercial fiction: book club fiction, domestic drama, historical fiction, psychological suspense, literary thrillers, and romantic comedy with a smart, high-concept hook. She also acquires nonfiction (including memoir) and poetry collections “that readers can turn to as a form of self-care.”
Join me today at 1pm EST, when I’ll be asking Sarah:
What do we know about escapist fiction readers are looking for right now?
How does she evaluate an author’s platform when she’s looking at a submission, and how does it vary by category (fiction, nonfiction, poetry)?
Why is poetry having a moment? And what's on her poetry wishlist?
What is she looking for in memoir, and does she typically acquire them based on full manuscripts, or on proposal from authors who have built platforms? Does she have any insights into what can help a memoir over the many hurdles standing in the way of publication?
What does her editorial process with authors look like?
What does she wish writers understood about the state of publishing right now?
I will interview Sarah for about 30 minutes and then open it up to your questions! This is a rare opportunity to speak to a top editor who acquires fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
If you can’t attend live, there will be a recording available to watch for 7 days.
As a reminder, this is a private, off-the-record conversation, exclusively available to my diamond medallion members. You may not post quotes from the conversation anywhere on the internet, or create content out of my events. Keeping the Chat Room series private allows both me and my guests to speak candidly.