Art by Analise Black

How can I succeed without illustrating children’s books? Any tips for entering the gaming industry? Why can’t I land a second book deal? Jake Parker, Lee White, and Will Terry share their perspectives on these questions and more in this episode.

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SHOW LINKS
Chantal Horeis
Danica Sills
Heikala
Loish
Rifle Paper Co.
Bizzy Bear books by Benji Davies
Beta Ray Bill

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Learn the difference between art you like and art you want to make.

• A career in illustration requires a long-term commitment. Be a first-class business owner: budget for your startup costs, be patient with your growth, and don’t bail out of your job before it’s wise to do so!

• If your art skills are good, but your work isn’t selling, perhaps you’re talking to the wrong market. If, for example, your work is too commercial for children’s books, it might fare better in licensing or decor!

QUESTIONS

Lina asks, “I don't have a huge desire to become a children's book illustrator. There is a lot of information out there for illustrators who want to go the children's book route, but not much for someone who wants to do their own thing. Do you have any advice for those of us in this bracket of the field? Is there a different way for us to market our work?”

You don’t have to create children’s books to be a successful illustrator, but be strategic about your chosen path. You’ll need to have consistent, distinct branding across all of your work. You’ll also need to figure out what you’re going to sell, how you’ll sell it, and what kind of person will buy it.

Selling prints, stickers, and the like is slow in the beginning and requires some significant startup costs, so plan ahead for the extra expenses. Create a five-year plan to get your art career off the ground before leaving your job, and don’t expect to turn a substantial profit early on. It’s all about playing the long game.

To succeed selling individual images, you’ll have to find out what your customers are looking for. Creating a series of related images (e.g. famous destinations in your style) is a great way to connect with a wide range of people while staying on-brand.

Other options include doing gallery work or licensing. Do your research and find the fit that’s right for you!

Lina also asks, “I'd love some tips on how to get into the gaming industry. Can I apply to game design jobs without a degree or experience in the field?”

First of all, the gaming industry is vastly different from the print-and-sticker selling route you previously asked about. If you’re not careful, your split focus can make it hard for you to succeed in any of your pursuits. Make sure you know the difference between art you like and art you’d like to make; just because you admire a certain industry or style doesn’t necessarily mean you should make a career shift to pursue it.

In the game design world, you fake it until you make it. As long as you can do something, your credentials aren’t important. If you’re serious about entering this field, take the time to learn and practice on your own. When you start applying for jobs, you’ll have a portfolio of personal projects to prove you know what you’re doing- or that you’re at least off to a good start.

Corlette asks, “I'm an agented illustrator and so far I've only gotten one book through my agency. I often wonder if I'm good enough to be a PB illustrator with such a different style. I'd like to know what I can improve on if my artwork is good in the first place. I'd love to improve, get more work, and get over being so anxious about my artwork in general.”

The performance of your first book can significantly affect your chances of getting a second one, so that might be why you haven’t received more work. Your artistic skills are on point, but your messaging may be too edgy, commercial, or mature for kidlit. You could either lean into this and create decorative work, perhaps pursuing licensing; or you could add sequential work to your portfolio in the hopes of attracting more children’s book work.

Try walking through a bookstore and observing the kinds of art published today. What patterns do you see? Publishers are very much influenced by trends, and this exercise will give you a better sense of what they’re looking for.

It’s also possible that your agent isn’t very good at their job. If all else fails, consider finding a new one.

Michael asks, “How much should I charge for a second edition of my book? Is that a separate contract? Is there ever any renegotiation at this point?”

Typically, a book deal covers the indefinite printing of your book, no matter how many or how few editions your publisher chooses to print. You won’t renegotiate your price with each edition; you’ll simply continue receiving royalties based on what you agreed to in the original contract. The only exception is when your publisher prints your book in another country, at which point they will pay you a flat fee with no negotiations. 

LINKS

Svslearn.com

Jake Parker: mrjakeparker.com. Instagram: @jakeparker, Youtube: JakeParker44

Will Terry: willterry.com. Instagram: @willterryart, Youtube: WillTerryArt

Lee White: leewhiteillustration.com. Instagram: @leewhiteillo 

Daniel Tu: danieltu.co.

Lily Camille Howell: lilycamille.com

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