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    What could I reasonably expect from an agent?

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    • xin li
      xin li @Mia Clarke last edited by

      @Mia-Clarke It is normal to take some time for an agent to market your work and get clients. But taking years to get your first client seem to be much. I think of an agent as a business partner. If you business plan to make art as a full-time job long term, and the agent does not think it is possible, then maybe she is not a good match for you?

      I am a lot happier to work with someone who actually believe in my plan.

      Web: www.lixin.no
      IG: www.instagram.com/lixin.illustration/

      Mia Clarke MirkaH 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 3
      • Mia Clarke
        Mia Clarke @xin li last edited by

        @xin-li Yes, I think you’re right about this. Thanks for your reply. I’m meeting agent #2 today, and it’ll be interesting to see if she has a different view on things.

        My feelings have shifted during the day, last night I was feeling very discouraged about the whole venture, but today I’m thinking that maybe all it is is that the agent I met yesterday is just not right for me.

        www.miaclarkeart.com
        https://www.instagram.com/miaclarkeart/

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • kirsten-mcg
          kirsten-mcg @Mia Clarke last edited by

          @Mia-Clarke I don't have a lot of experience with this, but I'll share what little I do have and hope it helps. I do have an agent, who I've been with for about 8 months. She has yet to bring me work, but that said she is a new agent who is just getting started, and I am as yet unpublished. She has a fairly small group of illustrators that she represents, and I know that most of them have had work come in from her. I think sometimes it can take a while to get the ball rolling. I agree with everyone else though that years sounds ridiculous. I think I would be looking for a new agent long before that!

          That said, this is the value I do find in my current agent. She comes from the editing world, and so is a wonderful editor. She's willing to look at anything I write and help me polish it up, so I'm working on a couple children's book manuscripts with her. I know some agents don't like you to look for work on your own, but she told me up front that she doesn't mind that, and that when clients approach me because I've contacted them, I can either handle it on my own, or involve her to help with negotiations and contract. For me personally, I appreciate this flexibility.

          That's wonderful that you got 4 offers at once! I feel like as you interview the other agents it will probably become clear who is the best fit for you. And it wouldn't hurt to ask the others about how much and how soon you can expect work! Their responses should help answer your question too. Good luck and congratulations on having so much interest in your work! Thats a great sign. 🙂

          Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirsten.mcgonigal.art/
          Portfolio Site: www.kirstenmcgonigalart.com

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
          • Melissa_Bailey
            Melissa_Bailey @Mia Clarke last edited by

            @Mia-Clarke congratulations!!!

            Another perspective to consider: maybe the agent wasn't trying to be discouraging, but realistic. She might not have wanted to promise big things and then disappoint.

            All that being said, you do want to make sure that any agent you sign with is a good fit. They're going to be your business partner and hopefully help grow your career.

            As I'm in the querying trenches with you, I've been watching the Bookends Literary YouTube channel. It's been super helpful. You might want to check out their videos about agents offering representation and questions to ask during the initial call. Here's the link.

            Hoping for all good things for you! Please let us know how it goes.

            illustrator - author - smiley person
            mbaileyart.com
            instagram.com/mbaileyart/

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • NessIllustration
              NessIllustration Pro @Mia Clarke last edited by NessIllustration

              @Mia-Clarke That's... not right. The fact that an agent is telling you that only famous artists can make a living in picture books is bonkers. I got 7 picture book deals in the first 2 years of my career - I was never famous and I'm still not, I just did it by having an excellent portfolio and pitching it relentlessly. I was able to make a full-time living from the first year.

              I was speaking yesterday with a friend, she signed with a literary agent about 4 months ago and right now she's working on 3 books at once. Her agent found her a gig within the first month, and it was with a top publisher (Penguin UK). Now, that's an extraordinary experience with a very good agent so I'm not saying that's the norm. But it is possible, and this agent is telling you that it's not.

              Something is wrong with this agent. It seems like her methods are not working at all, but she's blaming it on the market instead of improving her marketing. I would advise not to sign with her, especially if you have other offers on the table.

              vanessastoilova.com
              instagram.com/vanessa.stoilova/

              Check out my Youtube channel for tips on how to start your career in illustration! www.youtube.com/c/ArtBusinesswithNess

              Griffin McPherson 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
              • Mia Clarke
                Mia Clarke last edited by

                I had the meeting with the second agent, and it felt so much better. She was honest and upfront about not being able to make any promises, but spoke very strategically about what her plan would be, and how she would work to execute on it.

                Thank you everyone for your great answers and insights! I was feeling so meh yesterday, and was just about ready to throw in the towel.

                www.miaclarkeart.com
                https://www.instagram.com/miaclarkeart/

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 5
                • Griffin McPherson
                  Griffin McPherson @NessIllustration last edited by

                  @NessIllustration I don’t have experience with agents but even so this one sounds a bit off, it just alls sounds very strange for an agent to say these things

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                  • Mia Clarke
                    Mia Clarke last edited by

                    Update! So yesterday I accepted the offer of an agent, and I couldn’t be happier. She’s entrepreneurial, funny, warm and smart, and I think she’ll make an excellent business partner.

                    The first agent I met was the subjectively worst of the lot, and in hindsight I’m not really sure why she even wanted to represent me (seeing that she didn’t think she could actually sell my work). One of them spent a full hour talking without letting me get a word in edgewise. The second best was very sweet and professional, and would have been a great agent I think, except her network was more skewed towards adult publishing (and thus less effective for my purposes).

                    The next step now is to review the contract with my lawyer friend, and Imm hoping to officially sign next week!!!

                    Thanks again for your comments of support. I think I just needed my feelings of “this can’t be right” to be validated, and your support meant a lot. You rock!

                    www.miaclarkeart.com
                    https://www.instagram.com/miaclarkeart/

                    ArtMelC Chantal Goetheer NessIllustration Julia Hegetusch ajillustrates 6 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 8
                    • ArtMelC
                      ArtMelC @Mia Clarke last edited by

                      @Mia-Clarke Great news, Mia! Here's to exciting developments ahead 😀

                      www.instagram.com/art.melc.illo/
                      www.artmelc.com
                      I write weekly on mondayblues.substack.com

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • Chantal Goetheer
                        Chantal Goetheer @Mia Clarke last edited by

                        @Mia-Clarke congratulations!!!! That's great news. Hope you get work soon. I sure love your work, it really has your own signature and I love the atmosphere.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                        • NessIllustration
                          NessIllustration Pro @Mia Clarke last edited by

                          @Mia-Clarke Congratulations!! It sounds like you found the right fit and I'm so happy for you. Well deserved!

                          vanessastoilova.com
                          instagram.com/vanessa.stoilova/

                          Check out my Youtube channel for tips on how to start your career in illustration! www.youtube.com/c/ArtBusinesswithNess

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • Julia Hegetusch
                            Julia Hegetusch @Mia Clarke last edited by

                            @Mia-Clarke you deserve it. Your portfolio is very unique

                            https://moanamaureen.com

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • ajillustrates
                              ajillustrates @Mia Clarke last edited by

                              @Mia-Clarke Congrats!

                              https://ajillustrates.com
                              https://www.instagram.com/aj.illustrates/

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • MirkaH
                                MirkaH @xin li last edited by

                                @xin-li congrats! Im assuming were talking about literary agents? I have had two so far. The forst one would send my illustration portfolio out once a week to a few contacts, but over the course of a few years, I never got a single job. We always heard back that my work looked great, but apparently never a fit w a project. I started to write too, and eventually signed w another agent, and through writing and illustrating my own books, I now have 6 book deals. So I agree that it can be hard to get work if you are only illustrating. But it can be done, Ive seen friends be found by nice publishers on social media w no agent. So part of it is just luck being at the right place at the right time. If one of the offers is a larger illustration agency like Bright or Cat who only rep illustrators specifically for books, they are more efficient getting clients work. But Ive heard from friends that at Bright if youre not one of the big name illustrators you end up getting more of the cheap grunt work and you have a hard time reaching your agent etc. So while youre getting work its not the best experience.

                                http://www.mirkah.com
                                http://instagram.com/mirkadraws
                                http://www.twitter.com/mirkahokkanen
                                http://Shoppicadoodlepress.etsy.com
                                http://facebook.com/mirkahokkanen

                                xin li 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                • xin li
                                  xin li @MirkaH last edited by

                                  @MirkaH Congratulations on 6 book deals. Your work is beautiful.

                                  I agree that Luck plays a significant role in getting work as an artist. I also agree with you that getting an agent, or getting work is not always the right goal. During the first year I was illustrating full-time, I had a situation of having too many project offers, working long hours, and still not being able to pay the bill. I had a money talk with my first agent, and she told me politely "most of the artists have a side job". I left the agent not long after that because I realized that maybe we did not share the same goal for my career. I am grateful for my first agent and she did get me lots of work. She might be a perfect agent for someone with a less time-consuming style, or/and a different career goal, but she is not the right agent for me.

                                  I think what I learned from my limited experience is that finding the right agent is hard, and you never know how the collaboration would be until you start working with them. So it is ok to change if things do not work out. Luckily, I work very well with my current agent so far. I am also more interested in writing my own book. I recently handed in the final art for my first author/illustrator book :-).

                                  Web: www.lixin.no
                                  IG: www.instagram.com/lixin.illustration/

                                  NessIllustration 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 6
                                  • AngelinaKizz
                                    AngelinaKizz last edited by

                                    Congrats Mia!

                                    www.evarartistry.com
                                    www.Instagram.com/evarartistry/

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • kirsten-mcg
                                      kirsten-mcg @Mia Clarke last edited by

                                      @Mia-Clarke Contrats Mia! And best of luck on the next part of your illustration journey.

                                      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirsten.mcgonigal.art/
                                      Portfolio Site: www.kirstenmcgonigalart.com

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • NessIllustration
                                        NessIllustration Pro @xin li last edited by

                                        @xin-li Ohh Xin, that's wonderful!! I can't wait to see your writing debut!

                                        vanessastoilova.com
                                        instagram.com/vanessa.stoilova/

                                        Check out my Youtube channel for tips on how to start your career in illustration! www.youtube.com/c/ArtBusinesswithNess

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • Mia Clarke
                                          Mia Clarke last edited by

                                          Thank you everyone for the congratulations! 🎈 And @xin-li, big congrats to you too!!!

                                          www.miaclarkeart.com
                                          https://www.instagram.com/miaclarkeart/

                                          xin li 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                          • xin li
                                            xin li @Mia Clarke last edited by

                                            @Mia-Clarke thanks Mia. Keep us posted about your agent-seeking journey.

                                            Web: www.lixin.no
                                            IG: www.instagram.com/lixin.illustration/

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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