To Agent or Not to Agent?
I've heard all about having an agent in this business from personal blogs, advice sites and SCBWI conferences. There seems to be a myriad of reasons to have one and just as many to not have one.
I personally choose not to have one. One, I couldn't afford to pay the percentage agents take from their clients. (What's 20% of Zero? haha!) Two, I think I would like to try every single method of self-promotion out there first before I resorted to asking someone else to do it. Three, I think I'd need to have done enough freelance work on my own to show that there is an interest in my work and that I can successfully complete an assignment. Considering this is a long-term plan, I don't see an agent in the immediate future.
However, I can understand why some artists have an agent. They become very successful and have enough (sometimes too much) work coming their way. They then can afford to pay someone to do all of that marketing work for them so they may focus on completing all the work coming their way.
If the day comes when I do decide to pursue having an agent, I know I'll need to do massive amounts of research. First, I would research sites related to our profession and look for artists who have a style similar to mine. I'd look to see if they have agents, and who represents them. I would probably, once I had a handful of possibilities, send a packet of work. (postcard, tearsheets, biography, etc.) Maybe I'd include a fun little something as a bonus. I think I would probably read as much as possible regarding agent fees and others' personal experience with agents and allow that to weigh in on my decision to sign with someone. Who knows...for me this all seems to be waaaaay down the road. I'd like to be able to update my website and portfolio before I even have to start thinking about an agent! haha!
I personally choose not to have one. One, I couldn't afford to pay the percentage agents take from their clients. (What's 20% of Zero? haha!) Two, I think I would like to try every single method of self-promotion out there first before I resorted to asking someone else to do it. Three, I think I'd need to have done enough freelance work on my own to show that there is an interest in my work and that I can successfully complete an assignment. Considering this is a long-term plan, I don't see an agent in the immediate future.
However, I can understand why some artists have an agent. They become very successful and have enough (sometimes too much) work coming their way. They then can afford to pay someone to do all of that marketing work for them so they may focus on completing all the work coming their way.
If the day comes when I do decide to pursue having an agent, I know I'll need to do massive amounts of research. First, I would research sites related to our profession and look for artists who have a style similar to mine. I'd look to see if they have agents, and who represents them. I would probably, once I had a handful of possibilities, send a packet of work. (postcard, tearsheets, biography, etc.) Maybe I'd include a fun little something as a bonus. I think I would probably read as much as possible regarding agent fees and others' personal experience with agents and allow that to weigh in on my decision to sign with someone. Who knows...for me this all seems to be waaaaay down the road. I'd like to be able to update my website and portfolio before I even have to start thinking about an agent! haha!
4 Comments:
I agree with everything you said Dee — makes total sense to me! I couldn't afford one either.
I like the idea of finding a rep who's other clients are of a similar style, but I wonder if that makes it more competetive also.
It seems there are BIG agencies out there who represent multiple genres of illustrators, not just for children's books — like Scot Hull and Shannon Associates, and there are much smaller agencies who represent a handful of specialty illustrators, like Christina Tugeau(www.catugeau.com)
Leeza, I see your point about competition among common styles. It's something to consider. Thanks for the names and links, I'll have to research and bookmark them. :)
Dee, great post, thanks! I have my 2 cents to add here, from another perspective. Despite just opening up in April 2006, I had interest from an agent – presumably the biggest in England (as they said) in summer 2006. I was excited and felt very honored! As you say, and as I've read myself, agents often want to take on illustrators who are experienced and have "proven successful".
They sent me their contract conditions (not to sign, just to see), and said theyd do a trial period with me if I was interested – they said they love my work. Jippie goes me, sending them portfolio images instantly. That was around July. Since I wasn't hearing from them much, I decided to visit them in London. I've heard say to have an agent is like a marriage. It has to click and connect, and be a trusting, loving (they've got to love your work, or they won't sell it) relationship. When I get there the lead guy had forgotten (or dismissed) my appointment, so I talked with his assistants. That ended up being okay, however I thought it a bit rude to me, especially considering I had come all the way from Switzerland. Right then and there they made me take part in a pitch! My suggestion wasn't chosen though, but that's okay. After returning to Switzerland, I kept sending them new portfolio samples, but never heard from them. About 3 times they made me do artwork for pitches, which always had to be returned within urgent time limits, and after that I didn't hear again. There's a case where I emailed repeatedly, called, emailed again, called again, months passed, no answer, no call back. Before submitting the artwork, I tried to get as much out of the briefing as possible (not ideal if you can't talk directly to the client), and I gave my best to design for the customer's need. The agent employees themselves liked my work. After about 9 months I decided I had enough of this – I was doing only marketing for magazines, had given them all the other markets to work on while I was allowed to market none of them (!), and nothing!
So I decided to suggest to them to make an "open" contract where I can also market, and whoever finds the client first gets the money. Sounds fair enough to me. I even know one client who actually does that (I'm under contract with them right now). In any case, after months of silence, a second (resultless) meeting from my side with the head of the company, suddenly I get an immediate answer: Your work is not suited for our market. Thanks for letting me hang in there so long without an answer guys!
I realize this is probably not the normal agent - illustrator relationship. Not in my book! Communication was totally inexistent, and trust = zero because I never heard back from them. Needless to say I never got paid for any of my jobs, while I can only hope that they didn't use my work.
Before this agent, I had another interested agent, a friendly one, with good communication, who was selling super cute illustrations as stock illustration to fashion and bedsheed producers all over the world. Super cute stuff, I'm telling you. They liked my work at first, while they said I had to develop artworks for their specific target group. I designed a couple of sets, but had other jobs and tasks running on the side, so I didn't get back to them as first priority (I admit it). After some trial time they let me go because to them, I wasn't changing my style and artworks fast enough for them to have a suitable portfolio from me within reasonable time. Ooops. That was embarrassing, and I definitely learned from it (always make clear deadlines so that there's no room for misunderstandings!). In any case, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because it was only then that I realized the deal would have been a rip-off. About 430 USD for each A3 sized illustration which had to contain many different elements to be multi functional, plus patterns to be useable in combination. All rights of usage would have been sold with the deal. It took me longer to create than the illustration was worth, and I would have been losing all the rights!
What I learned? Every market is different, and has different needs. Before I enter a new market next time, I'll research it and develop artworks for it before start putting my work out on that market. Or if I do have an agent interested, I'll work fast to show visible progress within a reasonable amount of time. Regarding agents, I'd only sign up with another agent again if the loss of marketing share was very small for me (eg: they only get 1 country), or they're so good that I have good chances for success. I'd want fee conditions reasonable (max 30%, if possible below), the relationship trusting and with good communication etc. I had another agent interested who wanted me to pay her webdesigner to upload my images to her website, she wanted an above average percentage (35%), she wanted exclusivity for her market, while she was only one person (who knows with how good of contacts)... No thank you.
I've got this one agent right now who seems super fair, very fair conditions, and experienced, as it looks, plus reliable. Friendly staff, they remembered me when I called the second time. They are keeping their promises. Only downside for me, they're specialized in movie business and animation – illustration is only a small side area for them, so I haven't gotten any jobs yet, and signed up with them early this year. However, I'm not losing anything because I can still market all the markets all I want!
I've only been in business since April 2006, and I'm making enough money to stay afloat, even without an agent! I'm not rich, I have basic living quarters right now, but it's working. I'm getting work from all over the world, people usually find me on portfolio sites such as theispot.com (small response though), and folioplanet.com (recommendable!). So far, I've been creating illustrations for magazines, books, weddings, greeting cards, and advertising, with emphasis on the magazine market. Since starting, I had about 40 personal appointments to show my work, and made several mailings, plus I issue a newsletter about every 2 - 3 months. It's a lot of work, but it can be done without an agent. Of course if you get a good one that believes in you and has hot shot contacts in top places that can help! But I got lucky with some of those by myself too.
Phew, long post!
Read the contracts and be careful when calculating the pros and cons, the chances and risk is my recommendation! And if so, only do it with an agent where you click.
similar styles:
I've had agents turn me down because I was too similar to one of their illustrators. It makes sense - they don't look for internal competition. You want to be different enough in style, yet similar enough so that you fit in the same range of customers they have, I guess.
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