Ive heard illustrators say they want an agent so they dont have to deal with marketing and contracts and the non-drawing-and-painting aspects of illustration. Kirsten is also an author. Author/illustrators: NBPlease include a link to your online portfolio and/or to your downloadable dummy. You have to be a detective. She has incredible vision and is very brave. Ron is a literary agent and co-owner of CookeMcDermid. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. It is a precise and qualified process, rather than an independent, possibly unpublished artist spread betting their work across editors and art directors who they do not know apart from an impression of them through social media. catbird seat. We usually begin by keeping the artist and author separate from one another as publishers do. Tugeau 2 An agent will intuit which clients are going to respond well to the artists work, and this becomes the first port of call for an illustration agent when initially pitching, sharing, and presenting the portfolio to commissioning clients. In this post, you and I will go through the steps of a submission, from researching agencies to signing on the dotted linewhile having a bit of a heart-to-heart along the way. She has negotiated many hundreds of childrens book deals between authors, illustrators, and all of the major American publishers. When Stephanie first contacted me, she was very excited and said, I cant get your book proposal out of my head. Get a Kids Book Agent And then there are the projects that never seem to go anywhere at all. Kirsten Hall Launches Agency - PublishersWeekly.com For more specifics on what Susan is looking for, including information about genres and categories, please see here and here. Catbird Productions, which will package books for publishers, as well as operate as a boutique literary agency for children's book author/illustrators, with an emphasis on previously unpublished authors/ illustrators. I read it and I cried. Kirsten HallLiterary Agent represents the followingbook genres: Scroll below now to view representative titlesand a complete profile for Kirsten HallFREE in ourBookAgents Directory. They're Skyping. Stagger it. Kirsten:Thats exactly right. How to Find a Book Agent As soon as you register youll get instant access to the following: * A link to the Catbird Productionswebsite, * A map to the office ofCatbird Productions, * Access to all literary agent profiles in the, * Search the directory by book genre/category (more than 100 categories), Scroll back up to the top of this webpage now to enter your name and email for FREE information and listings for all book agents at Catbird Productions, Author Success Story: Nonfiction/Self-Help, [Click here to see all Mark Malatesta reviews]. If you dont know how to write a query, please read the Writers Toolbox post How to write a query letter for a quick tutorial. When I offer representation, ideally Id like to be in it for the long haulwhich means I want to really know who Im signing up to work with: Do they have other work thats equally enticing? Remember, you are a business person seeking a business partner. If you dont get a good feeling from them in any correspondence, your gut is trying to tell you something. Agencies are still in there, but the box is getting more crowded all the time. Association of Authors Representatives, Inc. (AAR)AAR members must meet the highest standards and canon of ethics. Thank you for submitting your work! 4. Kayla's submission email is: kayla.submission@gmail.com. For nonfiction: she is looking for compelling, voice-driven projects that shed a humorous or thought-provoking light on a previously unknown topic in the areas of narrative nonfiction/memoir, lifestyle, relationships, humor, current events, food, wine, and cooking. Do I Need An Agent? (Or A Blog About the Life of a Submission, in Three The story taps into important truths about love and loss and life. (Should you want to learn more first, our Writer's Toolbox has a handful of useful links for writers wanting to improve their craft before seeking publication.). Kirsten:Not necessarily. Susan's submission email is: susanhawk.submission@gmail.com. They told me they were going to focus on getting me into the industry I love: childrens books. Find out whos working in the field. Fiction/Christian K. Sargent Literary Rambles: Spotlighting Childrens Book Authors, Agents, & Publishing Excellent source for agent interviews, kidlit information, and an agent database you can search by age category (e.g., picture books). Get the facts. Check out her Literaticastpodcast. She is the author of 100+ childrens books, has been employed since 2009 as a US-based managing agent at the Bright Agency, which is based in London and specializes in nurturing and developing debut childrens book author/illustrators. One size does not fit all. Think about it: They meet with the editors and art directors at many publishing housesalways learning what they want and dont want; always given inside looks into publishing plans, present and future; always gaining further insight into who loosens or tightens the purse strings. Do not send attachments with your query. Also send five pages from your manuscript. She is looking for visual storytellers with distinctive, unique portfolios that will stand out in a crowded market. But, as an individual player, you arent the only one they need to help. Corvisiero Literary Agency (Agents) (Submissions) Curtis Brown LTD (Agents) (Submissions) David Higham Associates (Agents) (Submissions) A UK agency. Click here to retrieve reset your password. Its the most comprehensive (and accurate) list of literary agencies in the world, with detailed profiles for more than 1,100 literary agents. There may come a time where it makes sense for the artist and author to collaborate more directly. Having Mark on your side is incredibly valuable." "Mark helped me get five different offers for representation from top literary agents. What is one misconception about agents?I can only speak for agents in the childrens book industry, but Im continually heartened and humbled by the camaraderie between kidlit agents. A good agent is one who helps move a project forward. SCBWI | Co-Agenting with Kirsten Hall and Erica Rand Silverman What I know when co-agenting with Erica is that no matter what happens well always be good. How to Submit Yourself to an Agency (According to an Agent) - Backstage OrderID Agency OrderID Date Class Rate Patient Name Area Shift Start End Meal Order Reason O 7138574 08/28/22 to 11/05/22 CNA|T . Prospect Agency (Agents)(Submissions) (Prospect Portfolio: Illustrator Submissions), Raven Quill Literary Agency (Agents & Submissions), The Rights Factory (Agents) (Submissions) A Canadian Literary Agency, Rising Bear Literary Agency (Rick Margolis) (Submissions), Rodeen Literary Management (Paul Rodeen)(Submissions), Root Literary (Agents) (Molly ONeill: open to illustrators & author-illustrators) (Submissions), Rubin Pfeffer Content, LLC(Agents)(Submissions), Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency (Agents) (Submissions), Sanford J. Greenburger Associates (Agents)(Submissions), Sean McCarthy Literary Agency (Submissions), Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary (Agents) (Submissions), Serendipidty Literary Agency (Agents)(Illustration Submissions) (Photography Submissions)(Author Submissions), The Seymour Agency (Agents) (Submissions), Sheldon Fogelman Agency (Agents) (Submissions), Stimola Literary Studio: Books for Children and Young Adults (Agents) (Submissions), Stonesong Literary Agency (Agents) (Submissions), Storm Literary Agency (Agents)(Submissions), Thompson Literary Agency (Agents) (Submissions) Only considers picture books from established illustrators, Transatlantic Agency(Agents & Submissions) Canadian and U.S.A. offices, TriadaUS Literary Agency (Agents) (Submissions), Trident Media Group (Agents)(Submissions), Upstart Crow Literary (Agents)(Submissions), Wendy Lyn & Co.(Submissions for childrens book illustrators only), Wernick & Pratt Agency (Agents) (Submissions), Westwood Creative Artists (Agents) (Submissions) A Canadian Literary Agency, The Whiteman Agency (Doug Whiteman) (Submissions). NOTE: Each year Fuse Literary, as an agency, is closed to new submissions and queries between December 1st to January 15th. Familiarize yourself with their accomplishments. Brenda Bowen The Book Group Your parents, who arent quite sure what you do, certainly know what agents doand that will make them happy. I like being asked to see or think about the world divergently. In your query letter, stick to professional accomplishments that relate to writing and publishing. Your work has been submitted! Ive been in publishing for over a decade. AAR members must meet the highest standards and canon of ethics. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. By the end of this post, you may finally have the answer to: "Do I need an agent?" To set up immediate access, click here. She is drawn toward gorgeous writing and strong, flawed characters. Need manuscripts and art to stay on schedule? Kirsten works intimately with her clients to conceive and develop original story pitches. Shes one of my favorite people in the entire industry. We promise not to share your information with third parties, and we do not spam. Hall is the author of the picture books. Insofar as the quality of your work is good, it doesnt matter if you have an agent or not. What do you look for in a submission?Illustrators contact me at all different points in their careers, and for different reasonssome are interested in getting more freelance illustration work, some have a childrens book, comic series, or graphic novel theyd like to pitch, and some are simply looking for advice or assistance with their current clients (which could be as disparate as an indie musician and a behemoth advertising agency). Send her your high-concept and hooky; your award-winners; the books that will become backlist gold. Here is the: Advice from writing professional Jane Friedman. Literary Agents for Children's Books 2023-2024 | Kids' Book Agents Her dream project for young readers is one that challenges and inspires, with a compelling voice that will make her stay up all night reading. Not everythingbut most. They help you skip that much-maligned slush pile. Scroll below to see a sample. PW site license members have access to PWs subscriber-only website content. Memoir/Mainstream E. Armstrong Hall can be contacted at Kirsten@catbirdagency.com. Erica:Were different in that Kirsten does a lot more co-agenting than I do. Experience. If you can, find a contract professional to read it. We share with one another,we lean on each other. An agent once said to me, If you think having an agent doesnt give you a distinct advantage, youre crazy. It depends on the agent and the artist, but I tend to agree with her. Sometimes those opportunities come in fast and sometimes they dont. Fuse Literary represents both fiction and nonfiction in a variety of categories and genres. He also co-owned Cooke International, an . Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency (Agents & Submissions)NOTE: This is aUKagency. I'm obsessed by the story-telling opportunities offered by this highly-visual genre! The one thing I look for across the board in a submission is a clean, professional-looking portfolio site! Simply click this linkand complete the subscription form. Humor is important, even in a narrative thats dark or sad or edgy. Catbird | bird | Britannica Publishers really enjoy being in control when it comes to matching a text to an illustrator (its an extremely fun (!) I was able to speak with literary agents from top agencies such as Janklow & Nesbit, Trident Media, Anderson Lit, and Folio. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. She wants to be surprisedtheres nothing like the feeling that youre reading something entirely new. Janklow & Nesbit Associates (Agents) (Submissions)USA & UK agency. What is one misconception about agents?An age-old misconception originates from a simple questionhow can we give equal quality, time, and support to more than one artist? How do you work with your clients individually on something like this? In order for me to co-agent with someone, I need to feel a certain level of trust because the process can be quite unpredictable. Some of her favorite non-client books in this category are: A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti, Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, Chime by Franny Billingsley, Swing by Kwame Alexander, The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly, Still Life With Tornado by A.S.King, The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Copyright 2011-23 The Bestselling Author, LLC. There are a ton of resources out there that can help you DIY here, too, but its often the omissions in a contract that people dont see. includes resources for all writing genres (not just picture books). Nonfiction/Self-Help A. Goddard Keep your correspondence professional. Kirsten Hall is President of Catbird, a boutique childrens literary and illustration agency. QueryTracker Members can view the data gathered by all other members, organized into reports showing 2007-2023 QueryTracker. Visit their websites, where they explain who they are and what they want. Kayla welcomes dark humor, suspense, magical realism, awkwardly adorable romance, and everything in-between. Follow each agents instructions, but remember that they may be different. Some of her favorite non-client books in these categories are: A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea, Dept. Some of her favorite non-client books in this category are: I Am I Am I Am by Maggie O'Farrell, Heavy by Kiese Laymon, Late Migrations by Margaret Renkl, You Just Need to Lose Weight by Aubrey Gordon, and In Shock by Rana Adwish. Hall is Catbird Productions' sole proprietor. Read their bios to determine which picture book literary agencies and agents might be the best fit. Maybe its the book that we havent placed yet, but still so strongly believe has a place in the world. We respond to most queries within twelve weeks. There is a lot of uncertainty that comes along with developing a co-agented pitch from just the seed of an idea. Theyre pitching. The overwhelming advantage in having this knowledge is proven when we come to share new work; it cuts through the noise and competition. Each agent lists what they want on their bio page. Rest assured, there are far,far fewer of these agents out there. NOTE: As an agency we are closed to new queries and submissions each December 1st to January 15th! SCBWI Statement of Intent on Equity and Inclusion, The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children, Co-Agenting with Kirsten Hall and Erica Rand Silverman. I sent them some dummies, some promotional pieces. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Once you sign with an agent, you dont just sit back and wait for the jobs to roll in. Some agents are boutiques. LiteraryAgents.com An online list of agents who represent all genres (not just picture books). Follow agents on social media. We only get paid when the author gets paid after we sell an authors work. Why do I (acting as an author or illustrator need an agent? How to Get a Nonfiction Agent There is a lot of uncertainty that comes along with developing a co-agented pitch from just the seed of an idea. Excellent source for agent interviews, kidlit information, and an agent database you can search by age category (e.g., picture books). A graduate of Simon Fraser University's Master of Publishing program and a twenty-five year veteran of Canadian publishing, Ron worked with Penguin Canada, Westwood Creative Artists, and Random House of Canada before joining CookeMcDermid in 2009. Before we see illustration samples or book pitches, we know that the agent has worked hard to make sure their clients best foot is forward. Theyre not your parents. The Chudney Agency (Submissions) Only looking for author/illustrators (one individual). Now, let me tell you why you dont need one. It sounds less hurtful. Layered, flawed, completely human characters. Keep an eye out this spring for DOLL-E 1.0 by Shanda McCloskey (Little,Brown), Time Tracers by Annabeth Bondor Stone & Connor White (HarperCollins), Finns Featherillustrated by Zoey Abbott (Enchanted Lion Books), and Rock N Roll Soul by Susan Verde and Matthew Cordell (Abrams)! BookStop Literary Agency (Agents & Submissions), Bradford Literary Agency(Agents & Submissions). How I Went From Unemployed to Building a $30K/month Online Business in 12 Months! She likens her agency, which specializes in picture books, to a creative playground. Start with illustrators you admire. Were not afraid of this. Plus, get a FREE ebook when you sign up! HOLD IT! Some favorite titles that provide a sense of her tastes: Picture book: Penguin and Pinecone by Salina Yoon; Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown; I Dont Want to be a Frog by Dev Petty; Bad Dog by Mike Boldt, Middle grade: Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina; The Year the Swallows Came Early by Katherine Fitzmaurice; Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed; The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Young adult: The Sea is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hartt; Dumplin by Julie Murphy; The Cost of All Things by Maggie Lehrman; To All the Boys Ive Loved Before by Jenny Han; The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse. Agents have their finger on the pulse and understand the rhythm of publishing. You did the homework. Theres already much greater access to the publishing house in the illustration world (versus for writers, who often are barred by company policy from submitting their work directly). You dont have their undivided attention. The main reasoning behind this stems from the fact that what an artist feels is their strongest work is not necessarily what the agent would agree is best for the market. Kayla is seeking everything from heartfelt or humorous picture books (she has a soft spot for animal protagonists) to dynamic, unpredictable YA (she loves a good murder mystery or a clever rom-com). I also ask six well-respected agents to share their thoughts by answering three questions. While were waiting on the agents response, can I ask you why you want an agent? Someone asked me once, Do you only hire artists who have agents?Not in the slightest. . These cookies do not store any personal information. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The North American catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), of the family Mimidae (order Passeriformes), is 23 cm (9 inches) long and is gray, with a black cap. For an author or illustrator, most of the benefits of having an agent are fairly obvious. DING! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Look at what theyll do for you versus what youll have to do for yourself. They operate on your behalf, ever focused on your career. Antony Harwood Ltd (Agents) (Submissions) A UK literary agency. Fuse Literary never charges reading or submission fees, nor is there a retainer fee for our services. If you need contractual help, you can find an attorney who would only charge a one-time fee. Fiction/Mainstream K. Cox And so on. Otherwise, please consider submitting to one of my wonderful colleagues at ABLA. Im the person throwing up the grappling hook, not the one pouring down hot oil. Maybe its the prospective client that we missed out on. Overall, Fuse agents may take 4-8 weeks to respond to queries and then additional time for submissions. . We only accept submissions via e-mail. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. You can unsubscribe easily at any time we dont spam. They want to represent you?! Queries about books that dont conform, but rather provoke, excite me. I dont think its extra contact our clients see as much as extra opportunity. If you can, meet them at conferences. Erica Rand Silverman is a Senior Agent at Stimola Literary Studio, a full service literary agency devoted to representing authors and author/illustrators who bring unique and substantive contributions to the childrens book industry. Search tools to help you find the right agent for your book. Alloy Entertainment: Accepting Manuscript Queries - Authors Publish It feels like youve made it. An agent delivers. Pairing up directly with clients from other agencies is a great way to be proactive in making new projects happen. If you dont hear from them after a month or so, gently check in. If youre creating work that could be described as generous, nuanced, and at ease with complexity, shed love to read it. Here are their answers: What do you look for in a submission? What I know when co-agenting with Erica is that no matter what happens well always be good. Other times, well sell texts to publishers first and then when it comes time for illustrators, if there isnt someone on our list who we think is right to recommend, our next step will be to look at each others lists, or those of other agent friends. Were both former educators, are each moms of two boys, and we identify in a lot of ways with one another, are drawn to similar stories and talents.