We love how Emily Galle-From chose to be selective in her agent queries. Researching agents and submitting to those who are a good fit for you and your work is the best advice we can give to writers who have 3-4 polished manuscripts and are ready to start to submitting. The work of researching paid for Emily and today we are celebrating her success in signing with an agent! Congrats, Emily!

How long had you been writing before seeking an agent, and what made you decide it was time to look for one?
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember! My father is also a writer so it seemed natural and normal to start writing at a young age. After graduating college, I began writing more seriously and worked to honed my craft. I joined SCBWI in 2015 and quickly learned the importance of finding an agent.

What kind of research did you do before submitting?
I read blogs, created a Twitter account, talked with other writers, joined organizations (such as SCBWI and 12 x 12), and read as many picture books as I possibly could.

The dreaded questions: How many queries? How many rejections?
Honestly, I started querying before I was ready. The first story I queried is now buried in my files — it is nowhere near anything I would submit today! But I guess that shows growth, right? Not counting that disaster, I queried 36 agents over the course of two years before landing with Adria.

Was it difficult to find an agent who wanted to represent an author focusing on picture books?
No, I didn’t have difficulty finding agents who repped picture book authors.

Who is your new agent? Tell us about getting the news.
I am represented by Adria Goetz at Martin Literary Management! I first queried her in October of 2017. Just days after emailing her my manuscript she replied that it was “charming” and wanted to see more work. You can imagine how my stomach somersaulted upon reading that! I sent three more manuscripts her way but she ultimately said they weren’t quite what she was looking for. Luckily for me, she kept the door open by offering to look at more of my work in the future. I continued to query other agents, write, and meet with my critique group. Fast forward a few months: by the end of December I had revised one of the manuscripts she had already seen and written a completely new one. I sent it to her and received a reply to set up THE CALL. I still get butterflies just thinking about it! Of course, the call went well and we signed together soon after that—on my birthday! It was the best birthday present I could have imagined!

How did you know your agent was “the one”?
I was very selective in who I queried, so knew—even before I heard back from her—that she was someone I’d like to work with. I knew she was “the one,” though, while talking with her on the phone. The call was structured and organized (which I like!) and Adria was kind, knowledgeable, and driven. She read a mission statement about her vision as an agent and I had to fight back tears while listening to her share her passion with me. I felt so lucky that she even took the time to talk with me!

I had another call set up with a different agent (one who expressed interest after I alerted her of Adria’s offer) but the call didn’t leave me with the same uplifting feeling that Adria’s did. I hung up with Adria believing full-heartedly that she would champion my work. It was a no-brainer to sign with her.

If 12 x 12 helped you in any way during your agent search/development of craft, can you tell us how? (P.S. It is TOTALLY okay if the answer is no. I am not trying to “lead” you  )
Yes! 12 x 12 was a huge help! As a 12 x 12 member, I was better able to focus my attention on writing (so being published wasn’t just a lofty goal that I’d try to accomplish “someday”), gave insights into craft and querying, and provided a community to lean on for support and encouragement.

Has your writing process changed at all since signing with an agent?
My process remains the same—brainstorm, draft, revise, submit to critique group, revise some more, submit to Adria, repeat—but my focus has shifted slightly. Before signing with Adria, I always questioned if I was formatting things the “right” way (illustration notes, following an agency’s query rules, etc.) and stressed about messing up. Now, I focus more on producing great writing since I know exactly what Adria expects in terms of formatting. It’s freeing!

What advice would you give to picture book writers looking for agents today?
Don’t give up! I know that when you’re in the throes of querying it can be disheartening to hear all those “it’s great but. . .” rejections. Find something to help keep your spirits up through the process. I have a “nevertheless she persisted” t-shirt that I chose to wear the day after every rejection. It was a small thing that helped remind me to keep going!

Do you think your platform (blog, social media) helped you find your agent?
Yes, I do! I followed as many writers and agents on Twitter as I could find. It helped me gauge which agents to query by getting a sense of their personalities. Adria stood out as someone I’d likely get along well with. (Also: find me on Twitter! I love love love interacting with the writing community! My handle is @EmilySkeie.)

Tell us something that is on your “bucket list.” Something you’ve dreamed of doing all your life but have yet to accomplish (besides publishing a book, which is inevitable at this point  )
I have a bit of an itch to run a marathon (crazy, I know)! I’ve run several half marathons and keep telling myself that I just don’t have the time or energy to devote to marathon training. BUT the idea keeps creeping back in my head so I suppose, someday, I’ll have to give it a try! (If I’ve learned anything as a writer, it’s to not ignore the idea that keeps resurfacing! Ha!)

What’s up next/what are you working on now?
My husband and I just spent half the year living in Sweden so we’re readjusting to life in the US! I got in the habit of writing every single day—different from my busy life as an elementary teacher!—so am working to maintain that lifestyle now that I’m home. Adria is subbing my work out and I have several drafts I’m really excited about. Big things ahead!