Children's Book Literary Agents 101
An agent-client relationship can be crucial in developing and launching your career in children’s books. It’s a business relationship at its foundation, but there can be some “marriage-vibes” in there, too. I always say I've had more babies (book babies) with my literary agent than babies with my husband. It’s the truth! But, do you really need a literary agent? Depending on your goals and area of expertise, you might not. (Pro tip: there’s also some secret ways in, which I’ll share below). Let’s get to it:
What does a literary agent do?
Agents pitch and sell your work
The main job of a literary agent, who typically works with traditional publishers, is to pitch and sell your manuscript as author-only, or illustrated book dummy (manuscript and sketches) as an author-illustrator. Agents are the first point of contact with a publisher, and are experts in how to position your work in a crowded marketplace and present it in such a way to give you the best chance at catching an editor’s attention. They pay attention to comparable titles, what kinds of books seem to be selling or getting attention from editors (positive or negative), and where trends are leaning. This should not be the only thing guiding your agent’s reaction to your work, but, at the end of the day, it’s all still a business and any good agent is knowledgeable and aware of what’s happening in the market.
Agents deal with contracts and get you paid
Agents also deal with things like contracts, so you don’t have to read them (even though you should anyway!) Legalese is not fun, amirite? Agents will scour those long and awful PDF documents with a fine tooth comb to make sure everything is written in your best interest. Your agent will also do all the negotiation of contracts and payment, giving you a protective buffer against what tend to be really uncomfortable conversations for creatives.
Agents make sure you get paid! Chasing down ACH payments or checks that are still meandering through the long hallways of the finance department can be really daunting. Your agent will make sure the payments are processed and arrive to you as promised and on time, as much as possible. Publishers can get delayed, and usually do. You can continue to spend your time doing what you do best, creating, knowing that your agent is taking care of the $$$ for you. Your agent is paid by a percentage of your earnings. A good rule of thumb to remember is that when you get paid, your agent gets paid. That means it’s in their best interest (and yours) to sell your work!
Agents give you creative feedback
If you’re lucky, your agent will have a great eye for creative feedback. Writing is not my strong suit—I am much more comfortable as an artist—so I very much welcome all of the constructive feedback my agent gives me on my stories. Not all agents will do this, however, and that’s perfectly fine. Some of them prefer to focus on selling work only, and if that works for you, that’s cool!
Agents help guide your career
As a creative, especially if you are self-employed, you probably know that familiar “feast or famine” feeling. You might take on projects just because you need the cash flow, and that might result in you getting distracted from the long-game, career-building work. An agent can help walk you through the critical thinking of your children’s book career, and decide what projects to take and what to decline. It’s not always easy to see the big picture, especially when practicalities like paying your bills are at play, but your agent should be able to provide some wisdom as you consider new projects. A great agent will also give you permission to pivot, try new things, and expand what you’ve been doing in order to create new opportunities.
Princeton Children’s Book Fair, L to R: author-illustrators Vesper Stamper and Lauren Castillo, my literary agent Lori Kilkelly, and me
Do I need an agent for a children’s book?
Yes, if you want to work with a major publisher
If you’re looking to get published by one of the big houses (Simon & Schuster, Harper Collins, etc..) you will most likely need an agent. Publishing houses have their submission guidelines posted on their websites, and most major houses clearly state that they will not accept unagented work. The reason for this is that the sheer volume of manuscripts and projects they would receive would just be too insane otherwise! Gone are the days of the casual drop-off of your manuscript, or the romantic idea of being discovered in the slush pile (it still can happen that way, but it’s rare). Accepting agented projects makes it a bit easier on major publishers because they know the work coming in is already vetted, that the creator has reached a certain level of quality in their work that they have an agent at all, and relationships between agents and editors mean that agents get to know which editor likes what kind of book, and can pitch accordingly.
Maybe not, for a small to mid-size publisher
Small to mid-size publishers do sometimes accept unagented work, so it’s worth looking at their websites for submission guidelines. Always make sure to follow the directions exactly! If you’re lucky enough to make it all the way to a contract offer, I’d still recommend getting a literary attorney to review your contract and make sure the terms are favorable to you. You can do this as a one-off, and don’t need to engage an attorney long term. Remember, without an agent you’ll also be chasing payments on your own. This is a not-fun, but necessary, part of representing yourself.
Maybe not, if you know about this secret back door!
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is a fantastic resource for those creators just starting out. Every year, they hold an east coast and west coast conference. There are tons of speakers and panels at this event, many of whom are editors. Very often, those editors will offer limited open submission window to conference attendees, agented or not. This a HUGE opportunity! Take advantage of it. Other conferences and workshops are held around the country (one of my favorite is Highlights Foundation in PA) and it’s not uncommon to have similar access to submitting unagented projects. A small investment of a conference fee can open up some doors for you.
A special note for illustrators
Illustrators have a special superpower in all this. If you’re looking to break into picture books with traditional publishers, a great way to do it is as illustrator-only. The selection process for art directors hiring illustrators differs from the process of editors selecting manuscripts to acquire, so you don’t need a literary agent. Art directors usually have a go-to roster of artists who they want to work with, or have loved working with in the past. This well-rounded ‘bullpen’ of artists often represents a variety of styles and mediums because the AD doesn’t know what the next manuscript to come along their desk might be. Illustrators can self-promote to art directors throughout the year with things like postcards, social media sharing, and newsletters. By promoting yourself regularly–a targeted, specific promotion once a quarter works well–you can stay top of mind for art directors looking to pair an artist with a story. Illustrating someone else’s story gives you a foot in the door and great experience in making a picture book! Note: Some artists might be represented already by an artist rep, which is fine, but that is different than a literary agent.
How do I get an agent for my children’s book?
Become a detective
Getting an agent can be as tough as getting a book deal, and it involves a lot of legwork. Who are the children’s book agents? Where can I find their names? This is where your best sleuthing techniques come into play. Spend some time at the library looking at your favorite (current) picture books, and/or ones that are in the same essence or feel as your work. Google the book creators’ names, find their websites, and see who reps them. This info is often found on the “contact” or “about” page.
Another great resource is the Publishers Marketplace deal listings that are published online. Here you can read deal announcements that will include the names of who represented artists and authors. Back to Google you shall go to research!
Many people are finding out about agents on social media during Twitter pitches. There are all kinds of #kidlit hashtags you can follow, and certain days throughout the year where agents will comb special hashtags for pitches and give “likes” as an invitation to contact them. Even if you have nothing to pitch yourself, you can follow the hashtags to see who is “liking” the posts and gather some names to research!
Do the work
An agent will want to represent you as a whole creator, not just for one project. When pitching yourself to an agent, make sure you’ve put in the time to create a full body of work that they can peruse, if interested. For authors, this means several manuscripts. For author-illustrators, this means book dummies (words and sketches) and an art portfolio. An agent will want to see what potential is there, both for them to sell and for you as a long-term creator. Your body of work should be the result of much iteration, practice, and learning. This is the stuff you’re proud to present and is ready for showtime, not your work in its messy phase.
Also make sure you’ve read any agent submission guidelines and followed them exactly before submitting anything. Not kind of, not sort of. Follow them EXACTLY. Don’t do anything “extra” - it won’t help! Agents have a process for a reason, and following it is more likely to get your work seen because it doesn’t create more work for the agent to pick through your extra PDF (that they didn’t ask for).
A special note about literary agent scams*
The vast majority of literary agents, especially in children’s books, are awesome people. But we live in the real world, and, unfortunately there are some opportunists out there looking to take advantage of someone else’s creative dream. An agent should never, ever ask you for any money up front. They get paid when you get paid, and their percentage will be outlined in your agent-client agreement. If any potential agent asks you to pay a signing fee or a monthly fee or any fee for that matter, it is a HUGE red flag and you should run the other way.