We are so excited to feature Lisa Riddiough in today’s How I Got My Agent post! There’s nothing we love to see more than hard work paying off and Lisa put in the hard work—10 years of it. And, she has some fantastic advice for all of you still looking for an agent. 

Congratulations, Lisa! We know this only the beginning!

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

I wrote my first PB manuscript in 2010. Back then, I didn’t know anything and thought I could get an agent right away. I learned the hard way, like so many others, that I was not at all ready for prime time.

What kind of research did you do before submitting?

I believe in the very beginning, I just Googled “picture book agents.” When I joined SCBWI, I became aware of the process and discovered the world of kid lit agencies and agents. 12 x 12 helped with this tremendously. I learned so much via the monthly featured agents and was thrilled to join the GOLD level. Via these associations and my eventual immersion in the kid lit world, blog posts, social media, etc., I became familiar with more and more agents and agencies.

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

After my initial querying disaster, I began taking general writing classes and eventually completed a post-bac program in writing. I then went on to get my MFA in writing for children and young adults. Over the course of all this time (2010 – 2018), and with a long break in between my initial start and then my “re-start,” I sent out 89 queries on 12 different manuscripts. It is painful for me to look back at some of the manuscripts and query letters I sent out in the beginning.

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

Yes – it obviously took me a long time. But also, no. There are so many agents out there who love picture books, even rhyming ones (like the one that got me my agent). It was just a matter of not giving up.

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

My agent is Jennifer Mattson of Andrea Brown Literary Agency. I feel so lucky to have met her at the ABLA Big Sur Conference in 2018. She happened to be one of my workshop leaders, and she loved the PB manuscript I brought. When she asked to see more of my work, I was thrilled. I sent three more PBs and the first two chapters of my MG WIP. A few weeks later, she emailed to set up a call. We discussed all my work, and she offered representation. I had a permanent smile for . . . I still have a permanent smile. It’s amazing!

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

I already knew that I liked the Andrea Brown Agency before I went to the conference, as many of my friends are represented by ABLA agents. When I met Jennifer, I liked her workshop leadership and critique style immediately. When she requested more work from me, I sent her the most varied PBs in my arsenal. I wanted to show her the breadth of my work. When we had our phone call, she discussed my work in such detail.  I felt that she really understood my point of view, and she loved my work. I knew right away that we would be a good fit. The silver lining to spending almost a decade studying, writing, and querying agents and editors, is that by the time you find your just right agent, you have a computer full of manuscripts, and you get to mine for the gold together.

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 has helped me immensely. Reading the featured author posts, watching the webinars, and following the FB posts all helped me expand my knowledge of craft, the publishing business, and the players therein. As a member of the GOLD level, I became accustomed to really considering whether I had a manuscript that fit with one of the monthly featured agents. I am so grateful for all the opportunities to query. Even though I did not ultimately get my agent via 12 x 12, I gained confidence and learned how to put my best foot (and my best work) forward with agents and editors. Most importantly, 12 x 12 has given me an amazing community of support!!

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

I feel that I am constantly learning and improving. My process has changed only that I am working to focus more on one manuscript at a time. I have an ADD brain and tend to flit from one MS to another. My goal is to complete projects before beginning new ones. This is hard for me. In working with Jennifer, I endeavor to turn in completed (and polished) work on a consistent basis.

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

Write from the heart. Write the stories that are only yours. Find a critique group that works for you. Listen to the feedback and make your own decision about what to keep and what to change. Understand that you can’t speed up the process. Take the long view. You could get lucky and sign with an agent on your first manuscript. But if you don’t, it’s okay. You can come back to that manuscript later when enough time has gone by for you to understand how to improve it. Keep querying. You don’t want an agent that sort of likes your work. You want an agent who loves your work. Wait for that agent. Ok, maybe that was more advice than you were looking for.

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

No. But I do think social media has helped me become more social. Ha-ha.

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 crazy fantasy about being a stand-up comedian. My family thinks this is very funny. I was scheduled to take an improv comedy class when the Covid Quarantine happened. I hope to be able to try again when the time is right.

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

Right now, I am revising my middle-grade novel and writing more PB’s. I’m dipping my toes into the world of poetry, too. And, I’m delighted to say that I have a couple of official announcements coming soon.