Dan Lazar

Welcome, Dan. Thanks for joining us in an interview today. First off can you tell us a little about yourself?

DL - Sure. I'm originally from Israel, grew up in Baltimore, and came to New York for school and an
internship at Writers House which turned into a full time job. I started out reading slush on Al
Zuckerman's couch and taking his dictation… Five years later, I'm still here. I think my parents probably
wanted me to be a rabbi, but my mom also took my sisters and I every week to the library - Baltimore has
one of the best library systems in this country! - so reading became an integral part of my life. I was
reading Dean Koontz when I was 10, but still reading Junie B. Jones at 16, so my tastes were always
pretty broad. (Being the oldest of six kids helped too! I was 14 when my youngest sister was born.)

AF - What are your feelings about the children's book market right now?

DL -From what I can tell, it's become more and more of a "business" and less and less of a quaint "club."
Which is not necessarily a bad or good thing, but it's a dynamic that affects how we all work.

AF - Do you feel a children's lit writer absolutely needs an agent (this is kind of a loaded questions isn't
it)? If so, why?

DL - I think a writer needs an agent when s/he feels like the business side of things is interfering with the
creative side of things. That means something different for every writer, especially in the children's book
world, where editors still seem willing to work with unagented authors. The most important thing is for a
writer to find an agent that's the right agent for them. Not just an agent. I saw my colleague Steven Malk
explain this in more detail in his interview.

AF - Some agents have a full written contract, some a verbal one. What kind of contract do you have with
your writers?

DL - A written contract.

AF - Do you ask for edits from a prospective client before you sign them on?

DL - Almost always, yes. Usually after they're signed too, on subsequent books.

AF - Do you accept unsolicited submissions?

DL - Yes. By email is fine, with the first 5 pages of your manuscript included after your pitch. (NOT
attached, just pasted into the email.) You can also check out my PM page:
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/DanielLazar/

AF - Do you have any advice for writers?

DL - The same advice my bosses gave me when I was starting out. Patience, patience, patience.