Finding an agent who’s right for you is tough work. None of us want to do that search twice, but sometimes things don’t work out as planned, and you just have to start over again. That’s how it was for Megan Woodward, and she’s thrilled with the results.

Way to get it done, Megan! Congrats!

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 screenplays since 2005, and kidlit since 2015. I got my first kidlit agent in 2021 and was with her for 3 years. We parted ways at the beginning of 2024, and I got my second agent in November 2024. Since this was my second agent, I had about 20-25 polished manuscripts, and I already had a picture book published. I don’t think there was any question about being ready this time. But when I first started querying back in 2016, I was definitely not ready then.

What kind of research did you do before submitting?

I researched every agent on Publisher’s Marketplace, read their MSWL pages, and googled them to find interviews, etc. I also signed up for Query Tracker, so I received emails with lists of new agents or agents who were opening to submissions after being closed.

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

After leaving my first agent, I thought it would be easier to get another one the second time around. Boy, was I wrong. I queried for about 10 months, with 84 queries! About 8 of those 84 asked for more work, and 3 out of those 8 made an offer for rep. About 15 out of 84 offered positive words or constructive feedback with their rejections. The rest were all form rejections or no responses!! So way over half. It sucks, but this is normal.

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

No. There are plenty of agents out there focusing on picture books, but most of their lists are pretty full, and they have to be super picky about new clients. Also, a lot of agents only accept queries from author/ illustrators. This is mostly just to keep their query inboxes from overflowing— because it greatly narrows down the number of people who can query them. Otherwise, they end up receiving thousands of PB queries, most of which, like the ones I sent out in 2016, are not even CLOSE to being submission ready.

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

So funnily enough, I didn’t actually query my new agent, Allison Hellegers. In fact, she’s one of the agents mentioned above who does not accept queries for author-only picture books. But I happened to query Erica Rand Silverman at Stimola Literary Studio. Apparently, Erica’s list was too full, but she liked my manuscript and thought it would be a good fit for Allison, so she passed it on— unbeknownst to me. In the meantime, I’d received an offer from another agent, so I wrote Erica to notify her of the offer, and to my surprise, Allison was the one who responded saying she’d loved my manuscript and wanted to see more.

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

So I actually had three offers. One was from an agent who wanted to represent only ONE of my manuscripts, so for me, that was an automatic no as I have a large body of work. Another was from an agent who was enthusiastic about all my work but is very, very new to the industry. Since my previous agent was also new, I really wanted to go with someone who had more experience. Thus, when I met with Allison, who was both enthusiastic about my work and had a decent amount of experience at a very reputable and well-established agency, she seemed like the smartest choice. She seemed driven, organized, and knowledgeable. We also just “vibed” well and had a great chat.

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 received feedback in the 12 x 12 forum for my manuscript, THE BORED BOOK, which ultimately got Allison’s attention. So thank you, 12 x 12 members!

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

Nothing has really changed except receiving feedback from my agent to incorporate into my drafts. Also, now I can focus all my efforts on writing, since I’m not querying anymore.

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

Don’t query with your first PB manuscript, or even your 2nd or 3rd. It’s competitive out there. You have a much better chance of grabbing an agent’s attention if you’ve really honed your craft by writing 10+ manuscripts. The quality of your work will show if you’ve practiced more. And have at LEAST 3 of those polished and ready to share, in case they ask for more. Workshop your manuscripts in 12 x 12 and in critique groups to get them absolutely polished. Also, once you start querying, don’t give up in the face of rejection. Keep going. Query different things. Query different agents, not just your favorites. Just keep at it.

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

Nope. I am awful with social media.

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 want to make a living solely on my writing! (I know— I know, that’s really tough to do, but a girl can dream.) I also have a list of like 20 countries I want to visit. (Maybe once I make all the big bucks from my writing. LOL)

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

I have a PB out on sub with my new agent, so keep your fingers crossed for BRAGAMUFFIN! I’m also almost finished writing an early middle grade novel called TOMBMATES.