Today we are so pleased to bring you the agent story of Nadia Ali. As Nadia tells us, writing can be a lonely business. We love that Nadia’s writing blossomed when she found our 12 x 12 community! Congratulations, Nadia! We can’t wait to read your books!

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

I have been writing for an awfully longtime and yes, it’s been awful with a lot more rejections than acceptances. Initially, I did not submit to agents, but instead opted for publishers. I got my first picture book acceptance in 2016 with a publisher; it spurred me to look for an agent for subsequent contract negotiations.

What kind of research did you do before submitting?

I searched high and low from one end of the internet to the other, getting lost and feeling like I was going around in circles. Fortunately, I stumbled across a goldmine of a website called Manuscript Wish List or MSWL for short which did the research for me by providing current wish-lists from editors, agents and publishers.

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

There have been many, many queries and almost an equal amount of rejections. I would estimate in the region of one hundred or so.

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

Not really, there are numerous agents who represent picture books and other genres too. And then there are some agents who only represent picture books, but they are few.

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

My new agent is the delightful Kathleen Ortiz from New Leaf Literary and Media Inc. Strangely enough, I didn’t submit my picture book manuscript to Kathleen, I sent it to Joanna Volpe at the same agency who passed on my manuscript to Kathleen.  She contacted me via email saying, “I’m in love with this story! I’d love to chat more about it with you.” I read the words in disbelief…did she just say she’s in love with my story? Tears, overwhelming happiness and the need to dance happened all at once!

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

Once ‘the phone call’ began, we quickly learned that we both had Caribbean roots which sparked overlapping conversations about island life, culture, and picture book representation.

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 . )

Firstly, my signing with an agent was solely due to 12 x 12. I won the first prize in the monthly Rafflecopter which was a critique by the featured author of the month – Andrea J. Loney, author of Bunnybear and Take a Picture of Me James Van Der Zee! I took her advice, rewrote my picture book story and sent it out and within two months I got a favorable response.

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

I would say yes it has changed. Kathleen has given me advice on what to focus on, how to develop my writing skills, and how to tell a story in terms of page views.

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

That’s easy – JOIN 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge. Prior to joining, I wrote for years by myself. Talking to myself, writing by myself, reading my own work, critiquing my own work, and, quite honestly, I ended up crying by myself too!

12 x 12 gave me a community to talk to, write with, read with, share work, and dance with every Friday! Quite honestly, I am no longer by myself in my search for an agent, or honing my craft because I belong to a community of picture book writers and I have become a better writer for it.

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

I am not sure if having a platform has directly helped me find an agent, but what it has done is to remove the four walls of my writing room and put me on the world stage where I am gaining momentum. I have been interviewed by a writing magazine, a publisher approached me to give my written opinion on a topic and overall my platform has enabled me to interact with editors, publishers and fellow writers.

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 would like to rekindle my love for drawing and art. I was quite the artist growing up and wanted to work for Disney on cartoons, but it got lost on the way. I do draw from time to time—well doodle and would like to someday not only write, but also illustrate my own picture book and be an author/illustrator.

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

I always have something on the go, whether it be an inspiring title on a stark white piece of paper waiting for a story to be written or a story that is almost at the end, but not quite there. Admittedly, I have a main character who has been standing there waiting for his next move for about a two months already!