Kesia Lupo

Kesia Lupo is commissioning editor at Pushkin Press, where she heads up the children’s list. Kesia has previously worked as a commissioning editor at Macmillan Children’s Books, a senior editor at Chicken House, and as a literary agent (notably with the Donald Maass Literary Agency). Her 360-degree perspective - spanning writing, agenting, bookselling, and editorial - has helped her develop a deep understanding of both the creative and commercial sides of the publishing industry. An Oxford history graduate, she is also an acclaimed author of young adult fiction with Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

What background do you have in writing and editing?

As a child and especially as a teenager I wrote some half-finished novels, a few short stories and a LOT of excruciating poems. The first time I started to take writing seriously was when I was finishing my (History) BA and decided to apply for an MA in Creative Writing. For a year I worked on my writing alongside workshopping, spending time critiquing other writers’ work and learning about the industry - I realised I enjoyed critiquing a lot, feeling like I could help bring out the best in others’ stories was very rewarding. After the MA, I tried to get myself an agent but I also pursued work experience opportunities in publishing, which I loved. My publishing career and writing ended up developing alongside each other.

What type of editing do you do, and what genres do you work on?

I currently head up the Pushkin Children’s list where I acquire everything from picture books to YA/crossover. However, my speciality and focus is on middle-grade and YA/crossover fiction. I work on everything from structural/developmental edits to line edits, preparing manuscripts for the final editorial stages of copy-editing and proofreading, which are handled by freelancers.

What led you to become a commissioning editor?

After starting out as an assistant at Pan Macmillan, I transitioned from adult to children’s fiction when I took a job at Chicken House in 2015. A smaller publisher of only 10 people, Chicken House was the perfect training ground for me - not least because I got to learn from some real industry heavy hitters, including then MD Barry Cunningham - and I quickly worked my way up from Junior Editor through Editor to Senior Editor, which is one step below Commissioning Editor. I took a hiatus from in-house editorial when I moved to the US in 2023 and agented for 2 years, but returned at Commissioning Editor level in 2025 at Macmillan Children’s Books. I switched to Pushkin because it’s an amazing role at another smaller house which in many ways pushes the boundaries of what a Commissioning Editor can do - I’m having a ball so far.

Are there any other social media links, websites, or other places to learn about you that we should add?

You can find me on Instagram @kesialupo and Threads @kesialupo and I have a Substack too: https://substack.com/@kesialupo

What’s the hardest part of being a commissioning editor?

Losing out on books you love! It’s part of the job but it never gets any easier. Successfully shepherding something through acquisition requires a lot of time and energy, so losing out to another publisher feels hard and often quite personal.

Have there been any moments where you doubted continuing, and what kept you going?

Honestly, I’ve never truly doubted continuing, although I sometimes wish I worked in an industry with better pay! Ultimately I’ve always kept going because I love it.

What software would you recommend an editor use to plan out their day, keep up with tasks and clients, and arrange meetings?

I use very basic software - Outlook’s in-built calendar and to-do lists. I also have a good old fashioned paper notepad which I use for daily lists. I’ve tried more elaborate software like Asana before but honestly I didn’t get on with it.

If you could give any advice to someone who is thinking of becoming a commissioning editor, what would it be?

Read widely in the areas of the market you’re most interested in. Keep an eye on what’s doing well and think analytically about why. Market knowledge goes a long way - as does knowing what you like and having opinions on what might be the next big thing!1.