Back in the dark ages of 2021, I was doing my best to get my own agent and eventually publish my own author/illustrator book. I’m still on my way to publishing my first author/illustrator project but I was able to get an agent. It’s a silly little story of how I got my agent.
But let’s go back a little further. Back to 2018.
Shawn Pryor, the one and only, approached me to work on a graphic novel pitch with him. We were able to get an agent in the summer of 2020 using the twitter tag #DVPit. That’s when we met Kelly Sonnack. She’s amazing and was able to get us a deal with FSG/Macmillan within the year.
Kelly and I had an agreement that we’d work together for this one book then reevaluate at a later date if we wanted to continue to work together. As time went on, I decided that I wanted to pursue a different agent. Kelly is still amazing and one of the best in the business. I just felt like we might not be a great fit. We’re still working together and friendly so it’s all good.
Now I’m on my own, when it comes to my own stories. I have some that I’ve been exploring since like, 2014 even to now. University left me feeling like I’m not a good writer, even when I try. So writing wasn’t something I worked on and I considered myself very weak at it, especially when compared to how I well I can draw.
So as hard as I tried, I couldn’t get my act together when it came to communicating the stories that I wanted to tell. I still hardly can.
I set out to learn how to write more gooder.
But before all of that was happening, I did a silly little thing where I changed my Twitter name to “Del Needs an Agent”.
And let me tell you: It worked like a charm.
Faster than I can say “I need representation”, I get an email from an agent. The Incredible Ammi-Joan Paquette. Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t ready at the time to be an Author/Illustrator. My stories just weren’t where they needed to be yet and I was too eager. So we left it at that.
A few months later, I get another email, from the same incredible Ammi-Joan Paquette. She gives me an offer I can’t refuse: Take a look at this graphic novel script from an existing client of mine, if you like it and want to do the book, I’ll put you on my client list.
This. Is. It. I’m in.
I read the script, cried a time or two, agreed to draw the book and spent a couple weeks doing rough pages for the pitch.
And I guess the rest is history? We spent about a year pitching that book and finally got our deal at Top Shelf Comics!
Night Fox is expected to be on shelves in 2026.
And that’s the silly little story of how I got my agent. The moral of the story: Ask for what you want, someone might be willing to take you up the offer.
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I hope you enjoyed this little story. It felt like an unconventional way to sign on with an agent but I know now that it just proves that there’s no one way to get where you want to go.
Get out there!