Hooray for Lindsey Aduskevich! After 440 queries and one false start, she has landed her dream agent. Lindsey credits 12 x 12 with helping her hone her craft and her queries, but we credit Lindsey for proving that persistence pays off.

Congrats, Lindsey! We are so proud of you!

How long had you been writing before seeking an agent, and what made you decide it was time to look for one?

I must admit that I’m one of those who queried way too soon. I started writing in the fall of 2018, and I believe a query went out shortly after that. But I knew I was committed to writing and that I wanted an agent when I attended my first SCBWI conference in the spring of 2019.

What kind of research did you do before submitting?

I teamed up with Valerie Bolling, who I met at that conference, and together we created a document of all the literary agents who represented picture books. After dividing the list in half, we read interviews, manuscript wish lists, previous sales, and then plugged all our notes in the document. This made the querying process infinitely easier!

The dreaded questions: How many queries?  How many rejections?

Okay, are you ready for this? It’s horrifically embarrassing, but if I can help even one person continue to query after facing rejection on top of rejection, then it’s worth it. I queried 440 times. Eighty-five of those were to publishing houses. I had four requests for more work, and one yes from an agent who represents project by project. Ultimately, I realized she wasn’t a fit for me, so we parted ways. And then Joyce was the yes that was “THE ONE!”

Was it difficult to find an agent who wanted to represent an author focusing on picture books?

Overall, no. But there were a few times over the four years that I queried when I felt as if many of the open agents were only looking for author-illustrators. I tried not to let that discourage me, but sometimes it did.

Who is your new agent? Tell us about getting the news.

My new agent is Joyce Sweeney with The Seymour Agency. Getting the news was like a dream come true! I sent my query to Joyce on a Monday at 2:28 pm. I got a response back 13 minutes later that started with: “Lindsey, let me tell you a little bit about my day today.” Given this was my 13^th query to Joyce (over three years), I immediately felt my stomach sink. I thought this was going to be a “stop querying me, I’m busy” response, even though Joyce has been nothing but kind to me. Luckily, it was the total opposite! Joyce said my submission stopped them cold. Stopped them in their tracks. Grabbed their heart and wouldn’t let it go. I think I jumped five feet in the air when I finished reading the email. I just had to print it out and put it in a gold frame.

However, it wasn’t an invitation to send more work yet. Joyce was incredibly busy at the moment and said they would get back to me very soon. A week later, Joyce asked for three more stories. A week and a half after that, they asked for one to two more stories with human characters (two out of the three I sent had inanimate objects as main characters).

Six days later, Joyce asked to Zoom! As soon as we got on the call, they immediately said they were offering representation and my heart soared! Then, I got to ask all the questions I wanted. Joyce was so lovely to talk to and the way they worked seemed like the perfect fit for me.  

How did you know your agent was “the one”?

From day one of querying, Joyce was quick to respond, encouraging, and thoughtful. Their feedback was always complimentary and gave me the validation I needed to keep going. I also love their knowledge of and passion for picture books! When I received an offer of representation from Joyce, I already knew they were “the one.” I even told them I didn’t want to talk to other agents. So, after the Zoom, I withdrew all my other queries, talked to a few of Joyce’s clients, and accepted the offer the next day.  

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 🙂 )

I have to say 12 x 12 was instrumental to me getting this yes! And for so many reasons. First and foremost, my submission to Joyce was a GOLD submission. Joyce was closed at the time, and I am so grateful that this opportunity came when it did. In addition, 12 x 12 helped me hone my craft with so many incredible webinars and the most helpful forum I’ve ever seen. It even connected me to one of my amazing critique groups. I really don’t know where I would be without 12 x 12.

Has your writing process changed at all since signing with an agent?

It hasn’t, and I don’t believe it will. Joyce said I’m welcome to submit pitches, polished stories, or run ideas by them. Having the option to pick how I submit work to Joyce made me very happy.  

What advice would you give to picture book writers looking for agents today?

Don’t give up! Seriously, don’t. The only way you will never get your “yes” is if you give up. But also make sure you are reading books in your genre (recently published), having your stories AND your queries critiqued, and continuing to hone your craft.

Do you think your platform (blog, social media) helped you find your agent?

In my case, I think being active on social media did contribute to me finding an agent. Joyce said to me many times throughout my query journey that they knew me from social media and that I was on their radar. However, I do not think you need to a platform, blog, or social media to get an agent. The story you are telling is what really counts. But if it is something you are interested in, go for it! The more presence you have out there, the more chances to wow an agent!

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 was born with a rare genetic disorder called Dentinogensis Imperfecta (DI). People with DI have no tooth enamel, and their teeth are translucent/gray instead of white. Beyond their physical appearance, DI teeth wear down more easily and can chip or break in the middle. Growing up with this challenge made me want to hide from people and, even worse, my parents’ insurance refused to cover the corrective costs. Therefore, I want to raise funds and awareness for other children and adults who suffer from DI. Both my experience with this disorder (which I paid to have corrected as an adult), and having a daughter with DI, inspired one of my stories that I hope will one day find the right publishing home.  

What’s up next/what are you working on now?

Aside from continuing to write picture books, I hope to branch out into other genres. I have a middle grade I started this past summer that is calling my name, and I would love to try my hand at board books and chapter books as well. The more projects, the better! Right now, I’m both thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to go out on submission in the new year!