Publishing a book is a wildly vulnerable and brave act. What you want by your side through that experience is a team of people who can transparently and compassionately and enthusiastically guide you through the publication process in a way that honors your own intentions and dreams. This is to say, even if you’re in a moment where it feels you have no choice but to work with the one agent who wants to represent you, or publish with the one publisher who wants to publish you—you should never work with someone who doesn’t feel aligned with the vision and ambitions you have for your career. It could be that the one agent or one publisher raising their hand right now is indeed the perfect partner and advocate for you—all you need is one. It could also be that they’re not, and if your gut is telling you that’s so, hold true to that instinct. The right person is down the road, even if you can’t quite see them yet. Literary work is long-term work, and you want a team invested in the longevity of that trajectory, in building your career step by step while helping you to navigate the inevitable obstacles and disappointments that will come your way with grace and knowledge and a faith in what’s ahead.
—Naomi Gibbs, executive editor, Pantheon Books