 We asked Sherri Johnson some questions and she answered! Keep reading to see if she's your dream agent. Sherri Wilson Johnson is a literary agent with Gardner Literary, where she draws on more than a decade of experience as a virtual assistant supporting authors, publishers, and industry professionals. An author of fourteen novels, Sherri understands the publishing journey from both sides of the desk and brings that experience to her work as an agent. She lives in Georgia with her husband and enjoys puzzles, the beach, and time with friends and family.  What’s your favorite moment so far of being an agent? The first yes I received for a client’s book! It was the best confirmation that I knew how to spot a good book and an author with a promising career ahead of her. What do you love most about agenting? Supporting my authors through the good times and the tough times. When we keep getting pass letters, it’s a joy to bring as much comfort and encouragement as I can to them. I guess it’s almost a ministry for me, and maybe it goes back to having a preacher for a father. Or maybe it’s because I’ve been a writer myself for a long time and have had more rejections than acceptances. Not sure which it is, but I do love to offer support when I can. What do you wish querying writers knew? I wish querying writers knew how much agents love discovering new writers and helping them along their journey to publication. We really do care about their books, and we really do want to see them become published authors. At least I do! What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever heard? “Don’t treat your book as if it’s the only book you’ll ever write.” If you want to be a career author, you’ve got to hold your book and your dreams loosely and be ready to pivot at any point in the process. You also need to be ready to write the next book while you wait…because you will wait. Sometimes, you’ll wait a long time. And sometimes, sadly, you’ll get a no. The writing/publishing world is filled with rejections, and you’ve got to be ready for them. Continuing to write your next book and your next while you wait will only make you a stronger writer. More often than not, a writer’s first book doesn’t get accepted. So keep on writing and growing in your craft. It will benefit you more than you know. Describe your dream client. My dream client is someone who comes to me with more than a book. This writer comes to me with a basic understanding of the industry, having gone to conferences or having at least connected with other writers. I love when writers have an established website and branding and when they enjoy looking for and connecting with their target readers. Writers who know that this is a business and isn’t just about the love of being creative will set themselves up for a much better journey. I love when writers come to me ready to jump in and be a partner with me and with their publisher in the marketing of their book. What project would you love to see come across your desk? I love books on parenting, relationships (not dating), boundaries, financial strategies from a Christian perspective, and anything that’s written for the neurodivergent. You can find out more about Sherri here: https://rachellegardner.com/about https://sherriwilsonjohnson.com/services  This post was complied by Brandy Vallance, a literary agent with Barbara Bova Literary Agency, an award-winning author, and a Story Consultant for Writing Day Workshops. Brandy is the winner of two national writing awards, one of which included a $20,000 prize. Her novel, THE COVERED DEEP, has been featured in USA Today & Writer’s Digest. WITHIN THE VEIL has been called “passionate and riveting” and Publisher’s Weekly encourages those who like sweeping Scottish sagas to dive in because “the journey is wonderful.” Brandy loves helping writers break the chains of fear and self-doubt. You can find out more at brandyvallance.com.  Attend a Writers Conference in 2026:
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