The One Where I Talk To Literary Agent, Rachel Mills

In this week’s episode, I’m talking to the wonderful Rachel Mills.

Rachel is the founder of Rachel Mills Literary, a modern London-based literary agency representing a community of prize-winning and internationally bestselling authors. Rachel previously worked as Literary Agent at Furniss Lawton agency, within the James Grant Talent Group, and before that as Agent and International Business Director for Peters Fraser and Dunlop agency, where she was a member of the Executive Board. Prior to that she worked in publishing at Penguin and Random House. In the 20 years she has worked in the industry, Rachel has secured major publishing and screen deals for a diverse range of authors. Her clients include bestselling authors like Sam Baker, Nuno Mendes and Catherine Gray. In 2015 she was awarded The Bookseller Rights Professional of the Year Award and in 2011 was nominated a ‘Rising Star’ by The Bookseller magazine.

Rachel lives in London and is happily childfree.

Topics that Rachel & I cover are:

• Rachel’s experience of setting up her own literary agency;
• the trials and tribulations of running a small business, but how it’s worth the hard work;
• how the publishing industry has changed dramatically over the last century, and the role of an agent involves;
• how, when it comes to not having kids, it’s so strange that people feel compelled to ask women about something they haven’t done;
• how Rachel never entertained the thought of having kids;
• how most of her friends are childfree, and how that can make a big difference in terms of how you feel about it;
• the many, many different paths in life that make the ‘regret question’ pointless;
• the hedonic treadmill, and how happiness has to be found in the present moment;
• the myth that childfree women are heartless career women, without a maternal bone in their bodies;
• how there are many other ways to care for and nurture other people, than having your own children; 
• how the misconception that childless women cannot be fulfilled is actually offensive to women with kids;
• the importance of slowing down and being present when it comes to creativity;
• the drudgery of being a parent;
• how infuriating it can be when people imply you’ve never known real love of you haven’t had kids;
• how important it is to find your tribe;
• some of the books that Rachel is currently loving.

Follow Rachel on Instagram:
@rachelmillsliterary

Check out Rachel’s website:
https://www.rachelmillsliterary.co.uk/