Okay, so I did something yesterday that I’m sort of glad I did and sort of terrified that I did. I have been working on a picture book (what seems to me a very marketable, quirky, funny idea) that I just can’t quite get to where it needs to be. It has some really funny parts. And then it has some parts that would be dependent on outlandish illustrations to support blah words.
And so, it’s been through my crit group. A much older version has been 
tamarak -ed. I’ve changed it up, tried different povs. It’s getting closer. But still, just not quite there. It hasn’t changed significantly enough since its last version to have it critted again by the wonderful ducks. SO, yesterday afternoon, after having wild back and forth –it’s great, it’s not so great –emotional swings, I decided to send it to my agent and see what she thinks. I mean, she sees tons of picture book manuscripts a year. She knows what works and what doesn’t. Maybe it will spur some idea from her that will spur some idea from me that will make it work.
But still, I can’t help but think that she’s going to read it and go, “what?” “I signed this writer?” “She thinks this idea has hope of going anywhere?” It’s a step of trust in her for me to send her something that I wouldn’t have thought was ready to send to an editor. I mean, she’s helped me revise before, but only after she helped me see what wasn’t ready in something that I thought was ready. And I don’t think this is ready.
So wouldn’t it be really funny if she came back and said, “This is perfect!”? But she won’t, because it’s not. I’m simply hoping that her expert eyes will see something of value in the idea and can help me head in the direction with it that I need to.
Kristy Dempsey 
You did good
Kristy – your agent has wonderful vision when it comes to looking at pieces and seeing the holes that need to be filled or the direction that needs to be changed. Trust her. Trust your instincts that told you to send it to her. And breathe. 🙂
Re: You did good
Thanks, Susan. I have a lot of confidence in her but your confidence in her really encourages me. I’m looking forward to seeing what she has to say.
I always worry when I send new work to my agent–and when it takes awhile to hear back I get the “she’s not calling because she hates it” thoughts going through my head.
I hope your agent loves your pb!
It’s nice to know I’m not the only one! Thanks. 🙂
Keep us posted, Kristy! I hope you hear back from her soon.
Oops, that was me :).
Thanks, you! I’m not holding my breath because it’ll take more than one read through, I think, for her to have an opinion. So I’m telling myself it’ll be a while. The last pb I sent her she subbed out that same day (and we got a nibble the next day! fingers crossed.) But this pb’s a little more problematic.
I love your agent. She’s a great match for you.
🙂
Methinks so too. 🙂
Ditto. You guys are great for each other. 🙂
Katy
I admire pb writers. I’ve tried to do it, and I can’t. I don’t have the pb writing gene. And here you are getting an agent, which everyone says is difficult for a pb writer. I’m thinking you know what you’re doing. Good luck with it — I’m sure you’ll be getting good feedback soon.
I know what I *want* to do, I just can’t always do it! 🙂
Best of luck!
Thanks!
I hope she nails it for you!
~Della