Today’s How I Got My Agent post puts the biggest smile on our faces! We’ve believed in Matt Tesoriero’s talent since he was a 12 x 12 Scholarship Winner in 2016. We’ve seen him post manuscripts for critique in the Full Manuscript section, we’ve watched him give critiques to help fellow members, and we’ve applauded his consistency in submitting to 12 x 12 Featured Agents each month—all with a contagious amount of postitivity. So to see Matt land his perfect agent is particularly sweet. Congratulations, Matt! We can’t wait to see  your books in the hands of kids everywhere. 

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

I started my writing journey in 2013 after being laid off from corporate America. Instead of squandering my “down time” I wanted to take advantage of my newfound freedom. So, I asked myself, “What have I always wanted to do, but was too busy at work?” The answer: write picture books! From that day forward, I focused on the enjoyment of creating imaginative worlds and relatable protagonists for kids (rather than trying to get published). I’m a firm believer in enjoying the journey more than the destination.  Within two months I joined SCBWI, joined a critique group, and attended my first SCBWI Conference in Northern California. I brought my maiden PB Manuscript “Princess Hiccups.” In retrospect, I marvel at how GREEN I was. OH! Ignorance is bliss. LOL! After joining 12 x 12 in 2015 that’s when I truly upped my writing game with the level of information, networking and professionalism 12 x 12 provided. I focused on my craft with a renewed respect for the revision process.  My critique groups helped me get to the next level. By 2017, my writing and my brand developed into something I finally felt confident enough to share with the outside world. In 2019, I was honored as a PBChat Mentee finalist and through that competition, I finally got that dream email from a very excited agent.

What kind of research did you do before submitting?

For 2-3 years, I only submitted to literary agents through 12 x 12. So before submitting, I would read their bios, educate myself on the agency and its leadership, understand what kind of artist they were looking for and what types of books they had already published.

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

Because I had been super conservative in submitting to agents while improving my craft, I only submitted 30 times over a 3-4 year period. None yielded the dream reply I had hoped. Besides hearing crickets (so lonely 🙂 ), I received champagne rejections, revision requests, and my favorite, “not for me” replies.

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

Doing the research made clear which agents were looking for picture books and which ones focused on other genres. There’s plenty of picture book agent options out there! Just keep digging for that needle in the proverbial haystack.

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

Joyce Sweeney with The Seymour Agency. In early 2020, Joyce was actively looking for new clients to build her portfolio as she was recently hired as an agent. She read two of my manuscripts through two different writing contests and liked them both. Little did she know at that time I was the same person. The submissions to the contests were blind submissions. So, for me, this was affirmation that my writing style resonated with her and that my writing stood on its own. Super gratifying. She reached out to me with an email…wanting ME!  THE email!!! So exciting to see it in my inbox.

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

I didn’t. Actually, I hesitated because I learned she was a new agent. But after talking with her over the phone, the amazing connection we had was obvious. What resonated with me most is that she didn’t over promise and didn’t try to sell me while she instilled confidence in her ability and in my writing. I told her we’re both new to this dance and we may step on each other’s toes but I’m willing to be her partner. We’ll soon cha-cha to great success!

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. YOU. HELPED! And it wasn’t any ONE thing. It was EVERYTHING! That’s the beauty of 12 x 12. It’s the total sum of “your parts” that makes 12 x 12 such a brilliant, supporting and invaluable community. In particular, it’s the breadth of webinars you provide teaching us the craft of writing AND educating us on the business side of children’s publishing including “landing the agent that suits you best.” This made the real-life scenario familiar. Eyes wide open! I feel like a 12 x 12 graduate ready to be your ambassador (or is that.. press agent?) LOL!

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

I wanted an editing agent. And that is what I got! So, my writing process has stayed the same. Write. Revise. Write some more. Submit to my critique group. Edit. Edit. Edit. Re-submit. Edit. Edit AND THEN, submit to my agent. Edit some more. And then maybe a word or two more….and viola…ready for publishing house submissions! I’m now on submission with my first manuscript with four more in the cue.

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

Know yourself first!

What do you need from an agent? I made a list of criteria and characteristics I wanted for the “perfect match”. Use that list to do your research. And shop! Shop! Shop! No reason to rush. Think of your agent as someone in which you’ll be in a long-term commitment. Much like a marriage. An ideal marriage. But the reality is, the “marriage” becomes more like one from the 1800’s when you really don’t know what you get until your hitched! So be patient. Know it’s not a perfect science. Unfortunately, you can’t really sleep around until you find the right one. 😉

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

No not at all. At least at this stage. It was more about communicating and collaborating with people in person especially at SCBWI Sponsored events and online. You can be the most popular celebrity in the digital world, but if your writing isn’t up to par, then it ultimately doesn’t matter how many followers you have.

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 🙂 )

To camp out watching the Northern Lights with the love of my life.

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

Working on developing my website. I continue to turn out PB ideas on a weekly-monthly basis. Dabbling in YA and Middle Grade.