#185 The Rise of Authorpreneurship with Literary Agent Regina Brooks

What does the rise of authorpreneurship mean for writers today?

In this episode of Freelance Writing Direct, Estelle Erasmus sits down with Regina Brooks, founder and CEO of Serendipity Literary Agency and president of the Association of American Literary Agents, to explore how publishing is shifting and what writers need to understand now.

From what agents look for in submissions to how platform, AI, and direct-to-consumer models are reshaping the industry, this conversation offers a clear-eyed look at how writers can move beyond simply writing a book to building a sustainable writing career.

Watch on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_luHYAPHp4&t=131s

About Regina

Regina Brooks is the founder and CEO of Serendipity Literary Agency, where she represents award-winning and bestselling authors and illustrators whose work has earned honors such as the National Book Award, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals, and the NAACP Image Awards. She also serves as President of the Association of American Literary Agents and is co-founder of the People of Publishing Conference in New York, helping lead industry conversations about rights, technology, and professional development across the publishing ecosystem. Regina brings a deep respect for the creative process and a sharp instinct for helping writers bring powerful ideas into the world.

Connect with Regina

Serendipity Literary Agency: https://www.serendipitylit.com/our_team/regina-brooks/

Regina Brooks' book: You Should Really Write a Book: How to Write, Sell, and Market Your Memoir https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780312609344/youshouldreallywriteabook/

Don't miss episode #184 From Silence to Story: Writing a Hostage Memoir 50 Years Later https://estelleserasmus.com/184-from-silence-to-story-writing-a-hostage-memoir-50-years-later/

And find the free resource guide from the panel I moderated at AWP: https://estelleserasmus.com/teaching-speaking/awp-2026-writing-and-publishing-resources/

Get More From Estelle Erasmus

• Free NYU "Editor on Call" Event Join Estelle Erasmus and the editor-in-chief of PROVOKED on April 22 from 12:30–1:30 PM EDT to learn how to pitch and publish your work. Register here: https://events.nyu.edu/event/384509-editor-on-call-ready-to-pitch-publish-and-g

• Private Small-Group Memoir Class Next 6-week session begins September 2026. (May session is sold out). Email freelancewritingdirect@gmail.com for details. Recent Student Piece in The Cut: https://www.thecut.com/article/search-rescue-volunteer-missing-person-motherhood.html

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About Estelle

Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist,TEDx Speaker, author of Writing That Gets Noticed, and host of Freelance Writing Direct. An adjunct professor at NYU, her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, PBS/Next Avenue, The Independent, and AARP The Magazine. She has served as editor-in-chief of five national magazines.

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