Agent or no agent for picture/children's books?

[simplycottage]

Hi,
I read somewhere (I think) that it's easier to just submit directly to publishers for children's picture books, as agents often don't represent. Just wondering where I'd be better off sending my work first, agent or publisher? (Iknow major pubs. don't accept unagented, so I know that's obviously the best reason, but darnit- agents just don't seem to thrilled with picture books.)
Insights? Thanks

[giftedrhonda]

There are agents who rep children's books--I write YA and have an agent for it, but I know she also reps children's...have you looked on agentquery.com?

[Harper K]

A lot more agents are representing PBs than before. When I go looking for YA agents on Agent Query and Publishers Marketplace, I run into a lot of PB agents. They're out there.

I'd recommend querying agents before going to publishers. If you send your stuff to publishers first, any rejections would mean that you wouldn't be able to go back to that imprint / house with that manuscript -- not even with an agent. After that, getting an agent for that manuscript would be much tougher, as you would have already made the agent's potential submissions list shorter.

If you haven't already, you might check to see if there are any upcoming children's lit conferences in your area (like a regional SCBWI conference). That's a great way to connect with agents who are interested specifically in representing picture books.

[moondance]

I would submit directly to publishers but I'm in the UK and there aren't many agents who'll take on an author on the strength of a picture book. My first picture book was accepted direct, before I had an agent.

Just my personal take, though. Agents tend not to be that interested in pbs because they don't make much money. My agent will now rep any pbs I write but she took me on because of my YA novel.

[myscribe]

What is your preference for it? Would you rather have an agent submit the stuff or yourself? It is still a difficult game with or without the agent, and there are positives and negative for both.

I know a lot of people who get contracts without agents in children's books. A lot of them get the first contract and then sign with the agent, but many continue to do it on their own. While there are agents who take PBs, it is definitely harder to get representation with them than novels.

[Hillary]

Agent, agent, and more agent. I cannot stress this enough. They can move mountains.

WITHOUT AN AGENT:
My mother toiled and out of talent, sheer luck, and determination she got her first children's book published - unrepresented. It was a good. It didn't do very well.

WITH AN AGENT:
In what can only be described as a stroke of brilliance, my mother wrangled one of the best children's book agents out there, and she gave him an 8 page character study on a little girl she dreamed up. He told her to alter the format, and coaxed her from 8 pages to about 80. She told him she was interested in selling it. She wanted a contract for two books with a $15,000 advance for each. She crossed her fingers.

Well, her agent didn't get either of the things she wanted. Instead he got a three book contract with a $20,000 advance each.

Oh, not to mention since then he's gotten her meetings with the people from Universal who want to talk film or TV series rights, two picture book deals, a DreamWorks movie novelization, a seven book contract continuing an empire (I'm not sure if I'm even allowed to talk about what series she will be continuing, but the previous author died, and the heirs to his foundation have allowed her to continue his work, and I'm probably going to get sued over this... bah...), AND he talked to a different agent to help shop around her first novel, which was then purchased by Harcourt and will be out in January 2008.

My personal negotiating skills might be a bit rusty, but I'd say that's quite a feat.

I know writing and publishing from an observer's standpoint. And I like to think I've learned a lot standing on the edge and watching. Simply put, getting published is hard. If you don't have talent, the best agent in the world won't be able to save you, but unless you have connections (read: a killer agent) you aren't going to get where you deserve to be. They have their feet in doors you'll never crack open.

[JuneM]

Don't know about any of you but I am unpublished meaning that funds are limited. Did you check out cost of SCBWI Conference in August? It's not even a maybe.