La Sheera Lee Interview | #AmplifyBlackRomance

In the ever-evolving world of publishing, few voices ring as clear and purposeful as La Sheera Lee's. As a literary agent devoted to amplifying marginalized voices, she's helping build a more inclusive future for romance publishing. In this candid conversation, she shares her insights on advocacy, representation, and the power of Black voices in literature.

What inspired you to become an advocate and agent, and how has your journey shaped your perspective on publishing?

My journey into advocacy and agenting is fueled by my passion for empowering voices and ensuring marginalized voices reach broader audiences.

I learn something new from each experience. I use each opportunity as a learning instrument to assist all of my authors. Each day I utilize workshops, meetings, conferences, data, etc. to enhance the authors on my roster, comprehension of the publishing industry.

This allows me the opportunity to emphasize the significance of representation and the impactful role of storytelling in various communities.

What are some of the biggest challenges your authors face in today’s publishing landscape, and how do you work to help them overcome these obstacles

At times, my authors might encounter considerable obstacles around the areas of visibility, market saturation, and the ever evolving preferences of readers. In addition, to the aforementioned issues, marginalized authors might also encounter difficulties preconceived notions around their body of work.

To combat these issues, we actively look for avenues and strategies to gain visibility or traction. I am also a nerd. Therefore, I actively watch various trends and ask a lot of questions. It takes a team or collaborative effort to gain insight on what is appropriate for that particular author at this particular moment in time.

How have you seen the representation of Black voices evolve over the years? What progress have you observed, and what areas still need improvement

The portrayal of Black voices has undergone substantial transformation over the years. Progress is observable across multiple fields, including literature, film, politics, and social activism, where Black individuals are taking on more visible and respected positions while sharing their stories.

In addition, I observed the boom of audiobooks for black voices. This allows for authors to gain visibility via another platform. I also think that authors of color are also galvanizing their audience to create events and conferences to highlight and promote their body of work. In short, black voices are creating safe spaces for their voices to be heard and connect to readers.

Nonetheless, important challenges persist, particularly in tackling systemic disparities in media representation, providing fair opportunities for Black creators, and highlighting a variety of narratives that capture the depth of their voices. As creatives, there is not one voice for the Black experience. We are not monolithic in our art or thoughts. Therefore, our content and art will reflect the diversity amongst our many voices.

As an agent, what advice would you give to emerging underrepresented authors trying to navigate the publishing industry?

Believe in yourself. Trust your voice. Attend professional workshops, where you can network as well as gain knowledge about the publishing industry. Never stop being a student of your craft.