Congratulations to Helen Wu! Today, Helen sets us straight on just how easy it is for an author-illustrator to get an agent. (Spoiler alert: It’s harder than you think!) She also gives one of the best pieces of advice we’ve had in this series: “The agent that fits you best will wait for you somewhere on the journey.” Helen, we’re so excited you found a way to making a living pursuing your passion and we can’t wait to see your passion project come to fruition. Way to go!

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 so passionate about writing and drawing since I was a kid; however, I never thought this was something that one could make a living from. So I kept writing and drawing as a hobby, while I studied Economics in college. I came to the United States in 2009 in pursuit of a master’s degree. In 2011, after I graduated from the University of Georgia, I got a marketing related job. In order to make attractive marketing materials, I searched online how to use Photoshop. Then I found a lot of tutorials on how to draw and paint in Photoshop. I was completely blown away by what one could do there. I followed the tutorials to get to know the application better. I did several illustrations and put up a portfolio website. To my surprise, someone asked me if I could illustrate their picture book. It was the first time ever I realized that you could really make money, and make a living, if you do well, from painting, and from doing picture books.

So, gradually, I illustrated for several picture books. They were all self-published, of course. I got involved in every step of book-making, from illustration to layout, cover design, typography, even book-printing for some projects. I started having the thought of writing my own story; however, that thought freaked me out, since English was my second language. I had never thought of being a Chinese author, even though Chinese was my native language, and now I wanted to be an English author? That looked like an arduous task to me.

However, one good thing about self-publishing is that there’s nobody out there to judge you. With all the fear and lack of confidence, I still took the leap and wrote and illustrated my first picture book and self-published it. That was in 2014. I did a bit of marketing among my friends and the good feedback encouraged me to do more.

In the beginning of 2018, with 10 picture books that I wrote and illustrated under my belt, I felt I couldn’t go any further, although my writing and illustrating skills improved a lot along the journey. I realized I didn’t just want a book out there, but a book that will be carried by Barnes and Noble and reach to a wider audience. More importantly, I had a story I had been working on for years, which was from the bottom of my heart and based on my own experience in two cultures and two homes, and I wanted it to be at its best possible shape. I knew I needed a professional team of editor, designer, art director, and some marketing resources to back it up. Traditional publishing was the route to take for this book, so I started finding agents and meanwhile submitting to some traditional publishers that took unsolicited manuscripts. Meanwhile, I started to take multiple online courses and go to SCBWI events.

What kind of research did you do before submitting?
I searched on QueryTracker, Publishers Weekly, Manuscript Wish List, and social media to get to know agents and the genres they represented. And the most helpful resource was 12 x 12; I got to know the other resources and inside information from 12 x 12.

The dreaded questions: How many queries? How many rejections?
Around 80. All the other queries were rejections, although many of them were with nice words. There was good feedback from time to time, so I knew I was on the right track, and most times, it was really just not fitting to the agent or publisher’s list.

Was it difficult to find an agent who wanted to represent an author focusing on picture books?
I thought it would easier for an author/illustrator to find an agent, compared to being an author only. However, I discovered it was not the case. The agent has to like both your art style and manuscripts, which are both based on very subjective judgments. I got quite a bit of feedback from agents that they either liked my art, but the manuscript didn’t quite fit their list, or vice versa. They liked the story, but thought my art needed a punch. Some of them welcomed revision and resubmission, so I was not too depressed when my work got rejected. I knew I just needed to keep working, keep going, and keep improving my skills. It would only take one yes and the rest would be history.

Who is your new agent? Tell us about getting the news.
Rebecca Angus at Golden Wheat Agency. She liked my Twitter pitch and that was how I got to query her and talk with her about my manuscripts and future plans. When she sent me email of representation, I was thrilled. Not only because getting an agent is a big step forward in traditional publishing, but also a big recognition of my writing and illustrating skills. She has many talented authors and illustrators, and I’m so grateful to join the team and be one of them.

How did you know your agent was “the one”?
She liked both my art style and manuscript as is. I also showed her my other manuscripts and she believed in them too. I think having the same or similar views of how the story could develop is very important for choosing the right agent.

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  )
12 x 12 was absolutely very helpful. From 12 x 12 I got to know all kinds of inside information, and many useful resources and courses, and a whole supportive writers’ community. Without 12 x 12, I couldn’t have made this step this fast. I wish I knew 12 x 12 years ago when I just started.

Has your writing process changed at all since signing with an agent?
Not much change.

What advice would you give to picture book writers looking for agents today?
Keep working, keep going, and be yourself. You are improving each and every day when you write more and/or draw more. The agent that fits you best will wait for you somewhere on the journey.

Do you think your platform (blog, social media) helped you find your agent?
Yes, that helped a lot for me. I was active on social media. I think it’s also a good way to be in the writing community, to support each other and be in the loop.

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 been an artist for years, but I still don’t have a studio yet. My work desk is in my bedroom. I want to read, write, and paint in a beautiful spacious studio with big windows with natural light, facing natural landscapes, and a wall of shelves of books, paints, brushes and plants. That’s definitely one of my lifetime dreams.

What’s up next/what are you working on now?
I have 9 manuscripts on my list. I hope I can do dummies for three or more of those and come up some new ideas this year.