Remembering and honoring Janet Reid

Literary agent Janet Reid died Sunday, April 14, 2024. Through her online presences as the Query Shark and on her own much-loved eponymous blog, she was a voice of support for authors navigating publishing's murky waters, a generous and thoughtful colleague within the agenting community, and an outspoken advocate for the intrinsic value of every writer and every story. She was also a passionate advocate for her beloved clients, and representing their work was her great joy and pride.

A voracious reader who loved to send a perfectly chosen book recommendation (always with a personal note, in her perfect handwriting) or an out-of-the-blue email of praise when a book moved her, Janet had an enormous impact on the publishing industry, and the lives of so many people in it. Her legacy of mentorship, education, and encouragement to writers, editors, and a whole generation of agents will live on long into the future. So many of us benefitted, in myriad ways, from her wise counsel, dry wit, and unflagging belief in the power of books to make a difference.

To honor and memorialize Janet in the city she so dearly loved, we are raising funds to dedicate a bench in her honor in Central Park. We hope that this will give all of us who loved her a place to go to enjoy the city in true Janet style: take in an art museum, walk the streets and admire the architecture, and then settle in to listen to the birds and enjoy the breeze with that perfect read.

Any funds raised beyond the cost of the bench and associated platform fees will be donated to the Wild Bird Fund, one of Janet's favorite charitable organizations, also in Janet's honor.