Although of course it would be totally fine for them to communicate if it would benefit the development of the proposal! 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. If they do get back to you, expect a rejection . Fuse Literary represents both fiction and nonfiction in a variety of categories and genres. Can you do it without an agent? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. It frequents gardens and thickets. Kayla welcomes dark humor, suspense, magical realism, awkwardly adorable romance, and everything in-between. Even if you get the book deal on your own, a complicated contract is sure to follow, and hopefully an ongoing business relationship has only just begun. But agents help your creative growth in more ways than the obvious. Kirsten:Its so truein the past month alone weve had some particularly exciting pairings between Stimola and Catbird! If your submission is received by our system, an automated response will be emailed to you. Please send work that shows character development, style, color and narrative story-telling. Why do I (acting as an author or illustrator need an agent? 7, Manuscript Wish ListANDManuscript Wish List specifically for literary agents of picture booksAND#MSWL (the Twitter version of Manuscript Wish List) Agents and editors of all writing genres post what they want. * A map to the office ofCatbird Productions Childrens/Chapter Book J. Agee Agents Seeking ClientsAuthor Erica Verillo has links for agents seeking clients and other excellent resources for writers, including kidlit writers on her blog Publishing and Other Forms of Insanity. Sometimes those opportunities come in fast and sometimes they dont. NOTE: Each year Fuse Literary, as an agency, is closed to new submissions and queries between December 1st to January 15th. Making sure Im advocating well and clearly for my client from the get-go is even more critical than usual when there are two times the number of voices in the mix. Children's Book Writers Most things are negotiable. Fiction/Christian K. Sargent What do you look for in a submission?What I look for in a submission is first a professional introductory letter. Need manuscripts and art to stay on schedule? Were different in that Kirsten does a lot more co-agenting than I do. 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. WAIT! This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. But were also different from one another; we shine in different ways. With the amount of information available to us through articles, workshops, podcasts, and the like, it takes just a bit of elbow grease to figure things out. Hall is Catbird Productions' sole proprietor. No, its not. Alloy Entertainment: Accepting Manuscript Queries - Authors Publish Author/illustrators: NBPlease include a link to your online portfolio and/or to your downloadable dummy. She currently has around 45 clients with little room for more, as she thinks 50 clients is the ideal number. 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. We usually begin by keeping the artist and author separate from one another as publishers do. Not really. But they are out there. Send her your high-concept and hooky; your award-winners; the books that will become backlist gold. (Though slush piles get an undeservedly bad reputation. Narrative Nonfiction D. Cohen 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. Do I Need An Agent? (Or A Blog About the Life of a Submission, in Three 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]. She is just as happy working with debut talents as she is best-sellers. We have to make sure that the risk and expectations are clear for all involved. To me it is the gold standard for a picture book that makes the reader feel. Most literary agency directories (print and online) are outdated, incomplete, and riddled with mistakes. 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. I can tell you why I need an agent. 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. Christy Ewers: is mostly closed to submissions for the time being. Thats exactly right. It all depends on who you are, and what you want. Author/Illustrators: email a brief synopsis of your manuscript, along with several accompanying illustrations or samples of your artwork. 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. If you have questions, you can build your own network of colleagues who may have the answers. Kirsten Hallis a former preschool and elementary school teacher who has authored more than a hundred learn-to-read stories for emergent readers. . NOTE: If you had a previous PW subscription, click here to reactivate your immediate access. A coin is flipped on its head. Childrens/YA L. Moe, What Is a Literary Agent? Plus, get a FREE ebook when you sign up! . They told me they were going to focus on getting me into the industry I love: childrens books. Catbird Creative Agency Advertising Services Cleveland, Ohio 57 followers catbird seat (noun) an enviable position; having the upper hand or greater advantage However, if you would like to get your work in front of her for now or the future, please submit - she reviews ALL submissions! Kirsten HallLiterary Agent represents the followingbook genres: Scroll below now to view representative titlesand a complete profile for Kirsten HallFREE in ourBookAgents Directory. If you dont hear from them after a month or so, gently check in. * A link to the Catbird Productionswebsite A good contract should cover not only the essential points of the job/deal but also the worst-case scenarios: What if your client doesnt pay? I mean, maybe some of us are glamorous, but that aside, of the agents I know (myself included) this couldnt be further from the truth. Fiction/Christian K. Sargent Why do I (acting as an author or illustrator) need an agent?Agents wear many important hats. Congratulations x 2 to Isabelle Arsenault! Odds of Getting a Book Agent Hall previously worked as an editorial assistant at Random House (1996-1997). Ive been in publishing for over a decade. Most of the time, Im working with my clients to develop their own dummies or texts to sell directly to a publisher or Ro and I are looking within the studio for an illustrator match to a pre-existing text. Halls client list at Bright includes Benji Davis, Elly Mackay, Clive McFarland, and Connah Brecon. Any agent worth their weight is in a position of privilege given that we see a birds-eye view of the industry, have a fantastic understanding of the publishing houses (in particular what the editors and art directors are looking for), and a deep understanding of imprint listswhich may not be obvious from looking online or at backlist titles. 1. Erica:Were different in that Kirsten does a lot more co-agenting than I do. But, when it feels right and exciting on our end, we hope that it will be received that way by the publishers. Join QueryTracker to access more query and agent information, including To read more comments about this agent, or to leave comments of your own, become a QueryTracker member. I was able to speak with literary agents from top agencies such as Janklow & Nesbit, Trident Media, Anderson Lit, and Folio. [Click here to see all Mark Malatesta reviews], Fiction/General J. Jago She is drawn toward gorgeous writing and strong, flawed characters. Kirsten:Not necessarily. She will leave Bright this Friday. 3. All I can say is find the right agent for you, and you wont regret it. Only considers picture books from established illustrators. Kayla is also open to representing illustrators. Read industry magazines and blogs. Lets stop using that word rejection. Try for a moment to think of it as objective criticism. Azantian Literary Agency (Agents)(Submissions), Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises (Submissions), Bookends Jr.: A Literary Agency (Agents & Submissions), The Book Group (Agents click Our Staff tab for a drop-down list) (Submissions). Any agents not listed above are CLOSED to submissions. Thank you. . Your parents, who arent quite sure what you do, certainly know what agents doand that will make them happy. All that being said, my bottom-line, if-youre-on-the-fence answer is much more straightforward: CONTRACTS. Copyright 2023 D. B. Righi. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Editors should be salivating by the time they get to the chapter outline. Working with Mark was completely worth it." Thank you for submitting your work! Honest and open communication is key. How Long to Get An Agent? Shes one of my favorite people in the entire industry. Erica:Its all about matchmaking matching up talent to work together, matching up talent to editors and publishers. Follow agents on social media. Hear what they have to say. QueryTracker will not function correctly without javascript. Our goal is always to sell their work and properly manage their rights, establishing long-term writing careers for our clients. I still remember the first time I read Jessixa Bagleys dummy submission. Shes one of my favorite people in the entire industry. If you rely on those directories to find literary agents at Catbird Productions, youre going to hurt your chances of getting an agent to represent you. You did the homework. It feels like youve made it. It may not. Click here to retrieve reset your password. Good agents know which parts of the contract are flexible (and which shouldnt be). May 2010 - Feb 20143 years 10 months. Kirsten opened Catbirds wings in March 2014. "Berkley Books recently published my book in hardcover after Mark helped me get multiple agents interested in my work. Managing Agent, USA for a London-based children's illustration agency representing 150+ incredibly talented artists. BookStop Literary Agency (Agents & Submissions), Bradford Literary Agency(Agents & Submissions). I work alone and basically love knocking on other agents doors and asking them to come out and play! The cycle of creating successful titles is like putting on a playeveryone must work to the best of their abilities. It was a natural progression for those conversations to lead to ways our clients could work together. I thought if I signed with an agent, I could just focus on making art., Me: How many jobs did they get for you over the past year?. Catbird Productions - USA Literary Agencies and Literary Agents Hall is the author of the picture books. Corvisiero Literary Agency (Agents) (Submissions) Curtis Brown LTD (Agents) (Submissions) David Higham Associates (Agents) (Submissions) A UK agency. Its not 100 percent, I can tell you that. Overall, Fuse agents may take 4-8 weeks to respond to queries and then additional time for submissions. Its important to identify who you think are good matches. Call:1-800 -278-2991 (outside US/Canada, call +1-847-513-6135) 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday (Central). And so on. These cookies do not store any personal information. When an agent is pitching or submitting the work, it is my belief that the success rate is so much higher. Catbird Creative Agency | LinkedIn Listen to podcasts. Search tools to help you find the right agent for your book. 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. Kirsten works intimately with her clients to conceive and develop original story pitches. Only looking for author/illustrators (one individual). How to Get a Fiction Agent Youll get free access tothe Directory of BookAgents with detailed profiles for allbookagents,including Kirsten HallLiterary Agent. But its good to be pushed outside our comfort zones once in a while. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Maybe its the book that we havent placed yet, but still so strongly believe has a place in the world. 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. We are Catbird Lit, an American journal of humorous writings and visual arts based in Austin, Texas. Kirsten:Lets be real, Im always looking for an excuse to hop on the phone or grab lunch with Ericaso working together gives me the perfect excuse! Kirsten Hall has struck out on her own after years of freelancing and started her own literary companyCatbird Productionssearching for debut talent. Authors pen manuscripts, artists are creators, agents have insight and continued relationships, editors and art directors have the vision. For an author or illustrator, most of the benefits of having an agent are fairly obvious. The subject heading in your email should be simple but enticing. You heard it here first! Kirsten: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. The Bright Agency. The coach-player analogy is much more accurate. Maybe its the prospective client that we missed out on. Chad W. Beckerman: is always looking at submissions! Stagger it. When looking for an agent, its important to do your homework. Memoir/Women L. Lehr Warning: This site requires javascript, but it appears that your browser Childrens/Pic Book M. Leshem-Pelly Its not easy to do it yourself, but it is possible. David Higham Associates (Agents)(Submissions)A UK agency. I think of co-agenting as an opportunity to have double the client list with only half of the responsibility. Also send five pages from your manuscript. I signed with Don Fehr at Trident Media and a short time later I had a publishing contract! SCBWI Statement of Intent on Equity and Inclusion, The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children, Co-Agenting with Kirsten Hall and Erica Rand Silverman. Its all about matchmaking matching up talent to work together, matching up talent to editors and publishers. Kirsten opened Catbird's wings in March 2014. You have to be a detective. Many of us are friends. They will try to respond within a month. But, when it feels right and exciting on our end, we hope that it will be received that way by the publishers. I dont think its extra contact our clients see as much as extra opportunity. But I dont generally find myself doing much differently with regards to my clients when co-agenting other than have hard conversations on their behalf with my my co-agent up front. SCBWI | Co-Agenting with Kirsten Hall and Erica Rand Silverman Familiarize yourself with their accomplishments. She doesnt represent adult projects. Its true, I love to co-agent, and I do it regularly with agents at several different agencies. Memoir/Women L. Lehr Some of her favorite illustrators include Mike Boldt, Amber Ren, Vashti Harrison, and Eliza Wheeler. Kirsten HallLiterary Agent is on our list of Publishing Agents USA (book agents in the United States), Fiction Publishing Agents (book agents who represent fiction authors), Childrens Publishing Agents (book agents who represent books for younger readers), Young Adult Publishing Agents (book agents who represent YA books for teens),Middle Grade Publishing Agents (book agents who represent books for middle grade tween readers), and Picture Book Publishing Agents (book agents who represent picture books for kids). She is . Subscribe to The Illustration Department Newsletter, Do I Need An Agent? When Should You Get An Agent? Its so truein the past month alone weve had some particularly exciting pairings between Stimola and Catbird! Ask the Agent Informative site ofJennifer Laughran, senior agent at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, who represents authors and illustrators of childrens and YA books. Ive learned how important it is to review our individual clients wants and needs. Manuscript Guidelines - Catbird Press 5. . Illustrators: send 4-6 jpegs of samples, a live link to your website and a short letter of introduction. News and updates to get a top literary agent, publisher, and book deal. Erica:Publishers really enjoy being in control when it comes to matching a text to an illustrator (its an extremely fun (!) In some cases the text and art may be developing simultaneously off of one another. While we have different client lists, Ericas and my intentions for the books we represent are largely the same, as is our aesthetic. According to Publishers Marketplace, for the past several years Kirsten has been an industryleader in picture booksales. If you can, find a contract professional to read it. It is my belief that it comes from the onboarding process. Childrens/YA L. Moe. 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. It may not. "Just got great reviews!" is better. We will email you our periodic newsletter, never more than once a month. Notes/Tips: Our agency does not represent poetry or screenplays. Here is the: Advice from writing professional Jane Friedman. But Im really thrilled to be co-agenting with Erica. Agents are people, too. Sign up for our Children's Bookshelf newsletter! As an art director, it made no difference whatsoever. Ive worked as a publicist, as an editor, and now as an agent and author. Agents have their finger on the pulse and understand the rhythm of publishing. AAR members must meet the highest standards and canon of ethics. When our illustrators arent working up a project of their own, were pitching them to get matched up by publishers. 4. Its important to get a sense that a potential client will take that approach. Visit your local The Catbird Seat Inc at 271 Rt 46 W in Fairfield, NJ and contact us today for your home, auto business, and renters insurance today or call (973) 808-0110 Agents arent just sitting by the phone, hoping to get your submission. Join thousands of other subscribers today by enteringyour first name and email address. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Im the person throwing up the grappling hook, not the one pouring down hot oil. 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. And the value of that growth far exceeds the fees. About Lara Perkins I like to feel as if someone is sharing with me, not just shopping to me. Authors and illustrators need an agent because the publishers interests/needs and their interests/needs arent always the same, and you need an advocate to represent you. [Click here to see all Mark Malatesta reviews], Fiction/General J. Jago She likens her agency, which specializes in picture books, to a creative playground. In childrens fiction, they primarily accept early readers and chapter books, and perhaps the very rare, exceptional picture book. Experience. We were thinking of matching up Susan Verde and Jay Fleck for our own pitch and then Susans editor, on her own accord, ended up approaching Jay to illustrate Susans new series. I think authors and illustrators sometimes forget that agents, too, face disappointment. Okay! An agent delivers. Feeling hurt inflates our ego, which clouds self-awareness, which stunts creative improvement. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Literary Agents for Children's Books 2023-2024 - Use our free List of Literary Agents to find children's literary agents accepting submissions for fiction and nonfiction: young adult book agents (YA), middle grade book agents (MG), picture book agents, and chapter book agents. My approach with each client is different based on what they particularly need. 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. Scroll below now to learn more about Literary Agent Kirsten Hall andget free instant access to our BookAgents Directory. get work . Who reps them? It may not even be 50 percent. But its good to be pushed outside our comfort zones once in a while. Erica:Work is more fun when youre doing it with people you like and respect. About | Catbird Productions the Twitter version of Manuscript Wish List) Agents and editors of all writing genres post what they want. 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. But, as an individual player, you arent the only one they need to help. Danielle is actively seeking projects in a variety of categories. Like coaches,good agents get the best out of you. Ive learned how important it is to review our individual clients wants and needs before offers start to come in. Catbird Productions Lets be real, Im always looking for an excuse to hop on the phone or grab lunch with Ericaso working together gives me the perfect excuse!