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Roadmap recently sat down with Circle of Confusion literary manager Daniela Gonzalez to hear more about what fuels her love for working with writers. You can read our Q&A with her below.
What drew you to the entertainment industry? I grew up all over the world and what I loved about film and tv is that it built a bridge between different cultures. When I would move from country to country, an easy way for me to make fast friendships was by asking schoolmates what their favorite movies and TV shows were. Naturally, I wanted to find a career in an industry that helped me build these friendships and connections. I love that storytellers have such a beautiful gift of capturing universal stories, and it is with such great fortune that I am now able to work with these storytellers and help build their careers. I hope that in the future, their stories will be ones that bring new friends together.
What's your favorite part about working with writers? I really love when a writer introduces their next idea and we immediately spark to its potential. Not only does this new idea serve as the writer's opportunity to strengthen their writing and establish their voice but also we immediately are able to see how it fits into our master plan to help the writer achieve their long term goals.
What gets you most excited about a writer's pitch? When a writer successfully captures the emotional underpinnings of their pitch, I'm energized and excited to advocate for their story. I remember a writer including in their pitch a very personal connection to a book they were adapting and that vulnerability is what immediately sold me and what ended up selling that pitch in a room.
What's one bit of advice that helps you the most in this industry? It only takes one yes. Often times people forget that managers and reps hear no all the time when they are pushing their clients out into the industry. We hear things all the time like "While we love the voice, this is not a piece of material we want to develop at this time", or "we went with a writer with more experience". Sometimes those no's can be deflating; I'm passionate about the writers I represent and that it just takes one person and one yes for the writers career to change overnight and for the better.
What's your favorite non-industry-related hobby or activity? I value any opportunity to travel and discover new places around the world. It provides me an opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and meet people with world views unlike those that I encounter in my day to day life. Traveling reminds me how richly diverse the world is and how important it is to advocate for stories that reflect that diversity.