Regardless,I like to seek out three main strengths any time I review a portfolio: storytelling ability, consistency, and confidence. Hall previously worked as an editorial assistant at Random House (1996-1997). Illustrators: send 4-6 jpegs of samples, a live link to your website and a short letter of introduction. Why do I (acting as an author or illustrator) need an agent? If you still dont hear from them, move on. That one was just meant to be it seems! She currently has around 45 clients with little room for more, as she thinks 50 clients is the ideal number. Hall, who is the author of 100+ children's books, has been employed since 2009 as a US-based managing agent at the Bright Agency, which is headquartered in London and specializes in nurturing and developing debut childrens book author/illustrators. This is probably less often the case once a project reaches the publisher. 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. Im reminded of my father-in-law, who spends three hours fixing a leak instead of calling a plumber who could do it in one. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. get work . Because co-agenting can be even more unpredictable than regular agenting, and because two agents naturally need to look at whats best for two clients with different histories and hopes, the co-agenting process requires double the consideration and diplomacy. Kayla welcomes dark humor, suspense, magical realism, awkwardly adorable romance, and everything in-between. Before working in publishing, Erica was a teacher and dean. And then there are the projects that never seem to go anywhere at all. They are the busiest bees in the hive. Want more information about Kirsten Hall? Look at what theyll do for you versus what youll have to do for yourself. If you have questions, you can build your own network of colleagues who may have the answers. Kirsten:Thats exactly right. Memoir/Christian S. LeRette Well navigate the waters together. But the absolute wrong thing to do is blindly sign an agreement. Sense of place mattersprecise, expressive settings delight her. She likens her agency, which specializes in picture books, to a creative playground. Books that tell the stories of people, places, and cultures that have been overlooked and ignored for too long are at the top of her list. How Much Does An Agent Cost? I look for author-illustrators. you guessed it: agents. Manuscripts sent to them will be discarded unread. The black catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris) is found in coastal Yucatn. You still need to work hard, improve your craft, increase your self-awareness. If we are interested in reviewing your dummy, we will request that you send it. Were allies, strategists, friends, supervisors, listeners, managers, organizers, brainstorming partners. AAR members must meet the highest standards and canon of ethics. Thank you for submitting your work! Do you need an agent? Keep walking. It can make me uneasy because it takes time and sometimes doesnt work. When Should You Get An Agent? By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Agents have a broader knowledge due to their experience, and it allows the creative lines between authors and illustrators and their editors/houses to be cleaner. To find out more about PWs site license subscription options, please email Mike Popalardo at: mike@nextstepsmarketing.com. Childrens/Pic Book M. Leshem-Pelly Your parents, who arent quite sure what you do, certainly know what agents doand that will make them happy. SUBMISSIONS. He also co-owned Cooke International, an . Theres that one who doesnt communicate. Agents have their finger on the pulse and understand the rhythm of publishing. On the reverse, sometimes our authors are looking for new inspiration and an illustration can be a great way to get those wheels turning. 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]. Erica:In some cases yes and in some cases no. Erica Rand Silverman, Literary Agent,Stimola Literary Studio, Inc. Im the person throwing up the grappling hook, not the one pouring down hot oil. Prentis Literary (Childrens Fiction) (Agents) (Submissions) In childrens fiction, they primarily accept early readers and chapter books, and perhaps the very rare, exceptional picture book. Ive asked agents James Burns, Kirsten Hall, Jennifer Linnan, Alexandra Penfold, Linda Pratt,and Erica Rand Silverman three simple questions. Today, she is the founder and owner of a boutique children's book illustration and literary agency, Catbird Productions. If an agent is interested in representing you, under no circumstances should you simply say, Great! And the value of that growth far exceeds the fees. However, if you would like to get your work in front of her for now or the future, please submit - she reviews ALL submissions! You have to register (its FREE unless you upgrade to premium) to use this, but once you register and sign in, you can track your query and find which authors are represented by which agents, a publisher list, an agent list, author success stories, and more. Copyright 2023 D. B. Righi. Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming number of submissions received, personal responses are only very rarely possible. 38.4k Followers, 0 Following, 1,895 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Catbird Agency (@catbirdagencypix) Memoir/Multicultural N. Aronheim All I can say is find the right agent for you, and you wont regret it. And sometime between crying, I offered Jessixa representation. In each case, they pointed out issues in my work that I knew were there but refused to recognize. I always advise illustrators who are just starting out to identify what they can and/or want to do, and outsource the rest. Playing with each others client lists is a way to stay true to that, to not overcommit in order to see more potentially exciting matching possibilities. Check out her Literaticastpodcast. Writing thats confident, vivid, addictive; work thats both ambitious and wise. Literary Agent Kirsten Hall Catbird Productions, Author Success Story: Nonfiction/Narrative Nonfiction, [Click here to see all Mark Malatesta reviews]. Well navigate the waters together. Im reading from an unconventional point of view. LK Literary Agency is a boutique children's literature agency, so while we are open to general submissions, we kindly ask that you review our guidelines carefully ahead of sending in your submission to be sure we're a good fit for the wonderful work you do.. We are only open to electronic submissions, which means that unless someone from LKLA has specifically requested you send . The greatest advantage (good) agents provide is knowledge. It may not. Getfree access to the Directory of Literary Agents with detailed agent profiles. They step out when not needed. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Overall, Fuse agents may take 4-8 weeks to respond to queries and then additional time for submissions. Here is the: Advice from writing professional Jane Friedman. They help you skip that much-maligned slush pile. That one was just meant to be it seems! ), etc. For an author or illustrator, most of the benefits of having an agent are fairly obvious. She is drawn toward gorgeous writing and strong, flawed characters. Susan believes that books can change lives inspire a passion for reading and story; unlock imagination and empathy; move readers to feel, think, wonder, examine, explore, to laugh really hard. . Kirsten:Not necessarily. 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. It might seem strange in another industry to see such interagency fellowship,but it feels right for those whove made a career in making books for kids. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. NOTE: If you had a previous PW subscription, click here to reactivate your immediate access. You submit all this via email. Childrens/YA D. Bester The Chudney Agency (Submissions) Only looking for author/illustrators (one individual). To bridge these twoindustries, she co-founded Room 228, a consulting company that creates educational marketing materials and literacy programming for children. (Though slush piles get an undeservedly bad reputation. A good agent is one who helps move a project forward. Submit to five. She doesnt represent adult projects. It feels good to say, I have an agent. Its legitimizing. They're publicizing. I signed with Stephanie Tade who got me a 6-figure book deal with Penguin Books, which published my book in hardcover! I want an agent to help me . No agency can guarantee that a particular project will sell, but we sign clients because we love their writing and want them to succeed. I can tell you why I need an agent. Open to illustrator & author-illustrator submissions. QueryTracker You have to register (its FREE unless you upgrade to premium) to use this, but once you register and sign in, you can track your query and find which authors are represented by which agents, a publisher list, an agent list, author success stories, and more. Even a Twitter or Instagram account can satisfy these questions, but if I look someone up and find nothing, it leaves me looking for more, and often, looking elsewhere. Memoir/Inspirational L. Subramani Get a Kids Book Agent I choose to work with an agent because I value that relationship and I know its helped me to create my best work. Queries about books that dont conform, but rather provoke, excite me. Theyre not your parents. While were waiting on the agents response, can I ask you why you want an agent? catbird, any of five bird species named for their mewing calls, which are used in addition to song. 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. To me it is the gold standard for a picture book that makes the reader feel. I like to feel as if someone is sharing with me, not just shopping to me. It was a natural progression for those conversations to lead to ways our clients could work together. Here are their answers: What do you look for in a submission? We usually begin by keeping the artist and author separate from one another as publishers do. Today, the tools that art directors use to find illustrators are too numerous to list. I think of co-agenting as an opportunity to have double the client list with only half of the responsibility. There may come a time where it makes sense for the artist and author to collaborate more directly. Memoir/Family/Identity S. Foti While we have different client lists, Ericas and my intentions for the books we represent are largely the same, as is our aesthetic. Do not query multiple agents at Fuse simultaneously. Insofar as the quality of your work is good, it doesnt matter if you have an agent or not. Your submission to agents isnt an Instagram post thats totes gonna get likes. A word of warning: There is such a thing as a bad agent. Erica is mostly interested in adding author-illustrators to her list andis looking for a diverse array of voices and styles. Not everyone excels at all of these, or enjoys it! How Long to Get An Agent? Fiction/Mystery B. Harper She has incredible vision and is very brave. I think of co-agenting as an opportunity to have double the client list with only half of the responsibility. Visit our Team Fuse page and click an agent to read their profile. Follow agents on social media. Thank you. Its an honor to see a piece of a creators heart inside a proposals DNA. LiteraryAgents.com An online list of agents who represent all genres (not just picture books). New to PW? 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. Let me give you examples from two of your colleagues: I signed with an agent thinking that they would get me work right away. Its so truein the past month alone weve had some particularly exciting pairings between Stimola and Catbird! Thank you for signing up, fellow book lover! Each provides exact submission information (an email address or an online submission portal). Literary agent Kirsten Hall is launching a new company, Catbird Productions, which will package books for publishers, as well as operate as a boutique literary agency for childrens book author/illustrators, with an emphasis on previously unpublished authors/ illustrators. Its also really fun when it happens on the end of the publishers too. 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. Search tools to help you find the right agent for your book. They step in when needed. But Im really thrilled to be co-agenting with Erica. Ask around. Find out whos working in the field. Yes, you pay agents a fee, and that fee could be fairly substantial, depending on the agent. 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. Maybe. In some cases yes and in some cases no. Sometimes those opportunities come in fast and sometimes they dont. Editors should be salivating by the time they get to the chapter outline. Working with Mark was completely worth it."