Want to get your illustrations published? Here are Good Ship’s top tips

Summary

Episode Summary: "Want to Get Your Illustrations Published? Here Are Good Ship’s Top Tips"

In this insightful episode of The Good Ship Illustration podcast, hosts Helen Stephens, Katie Chappell, and Tania Willis delve into the pivotal topic of getting illustrations published. Released on April 23, 2024, the episode addresses whether aspiring illustrators should invest in paid critiques of their work to evaluate its publishing potential. Through candid conversations and shared experiences, the hosts offer invaluable advice for illustrators navigating the complexities of the publishing industry.

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1. Introduction to the Topic

The episode kicks off with a listener question that sets the stage for the discussion:

[00:00] Katy Chappell: "We've got another juicy question. This one says, do you think it's worth paying for a critique of a story or dummy book to gauge whether it has publishing potential?"

This question revolves around the effectiveness and value of paid critiques versus other methods of receiving feedback.

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2. The Value and Pitfalls of Critiques

A. Quality of Critique Matters

Helen Stephens emphasizes that not all critiques are created equal and urges illustrators to seek feedback from the right sources:

[00:45] Helen Stephens: "Not all critique is equal, is it? It depends who you get that advice from."

She advises illustrators to aim for direct interactions with publishers, suggesting that sending samples and requesting meetings with editors can yield more constructive and actionable feedback.

B. Risks of Negative Critiques

The hosts acknowledge the potential emotional impact of receiving harsh feedback. Katie Chappell shares their concern:

[00:44] Katy Chappell: "We've had horror stories of people having a portfolio review and just being devastated by it."

Helen concurs, sharing a personal anecdote:

[01:45] Helen Stephens: "There are times when critiques can be overly harsh, focusing on personal struggles rather than the work's potential. It's crucial to find someone who understands your capabilities and can provide balanced feedback."

This highlights the importance of selecting critique partners who are not only knowledgeable but also supportive.

C. Advantages of Publisher Feedback

Anne and Helen discuss the benefits of receiving feedback directly from publishers:

[03:31] Anne: "But I love Helen's ballsy approach. Just send them another postcard three months later."

Helen shares her persistent approach:

[03:43] Helen Stephens: "Keep sending out the work. The feedback from publisher is really the holy grail, isn't it?"

The consensus is that direct feedback from publishers is more aligned with an illustrator’s career goals since publishers have a vested interest in the success of the work they might publish.

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3. Strategic Approach to Submissions

A. Persistence is Key

Helen recounts her method of mass-sending samples to multiple publishers:

[03:43] Helen Stephens: "I used to send out big batches of samples... stick them in the post box and I would do it again and again."

This strategy increases the chances of getting noticed and receiving constructive feedback, even if initial responses are non-committal.

B. Managing Rejections

The hosts discuss handling rejection and the importance of perseverance:

[04:32] Katy Chappell: "Maybe it's a different. Like you've got to choose that for the Paid review person really carefully."

They emphasize that rejection is a natural part of the process and shouldn’t discourage illustrators from continuing their efforts.

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4. Alternatives to Paid Critiques

A. Leveraging Industry Resources

Anne suggests utilizing industry resources such as editors' websites and call-out listings:

[05:59] Anne: "Get the writer an artist's yearbook for this year and get on editor's website pages places where people share new call outs."

This approach not only provides feedback opportunities but also immerses illustrators in the current trends and expectations of the publishing industry.

B. Peer Reviews and Community Support

Helen recommends seeking critiques from fellow illustrators who have relevant experience:

[06:32] Helen Stephens: "Do good critique sessions as well. If you ask around other illustrators, you'll be able to judge who is actually giving really useful advice."

This fosters a supportive network where illustrators can learn from each other’s experiences and insights.

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5. Building Confidence and Self-Critique

Katie Chappell underscores the importance of self-confidence in the creative process:

[06:52] Katy Chappell: "You might not be in a position where you're ready for a portfolio critique because you may be going through something... you can like, suck it all back in and be like, this is what I want to do."

The hosts advocate for self-assessment as a powerful tool for illustrators to identify their strengths and areas for improvement without relying solely on external validation.

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6. Practical Tips for Submitting to Publishers

Helen shares her practical approach to submissions, emphasizing the importance of tailored samples:

[07:57] Helen Stephens: "You can send a dummy or you could send thumbnail sketches of the ideas and some samples of the illustration."

She highlights that illustrators should showcase their best work aligned with the publishers' interests to increase the likelihood of a positive response.

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7. Navigating Family Feedback

The hosts humorously touch upon the challenges of seeking feedback from non-professionals:

[08:14] Katy Chappell: "Your mum is always going to think whatever you've done is the best thing ever in the entire world."

They acknowledge that while family support is important, professional feedback holds more weight in the illustration publishing journey.

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8. Testimonials and Course Promotion

Towards the end of the episode, the hosts share testimonials to promote their flagship course, "Find Your Creative Voice Fly Your Freak Flag," which is currently open for enrollment:

[10:06] Helen Stephens: "If you are hesitating about signing up for this course, just dive in. You won't regret it."

Another testimonial highlights the course’s impact on creative development:

[10:16] "I'm so happy I found the good ship. As it's been a breath of fresh air, it's exactly what I've needed to mix up my creativity and relearn my illustration. The kind, uplifting yet challenging words shared each week have helped me to keep going and sailing on towards discovering my own voice. Thank you, Good Ship crew."

The hosts encourage listeners to join their online community and take advantage of the course offerings to further their illustration careers.

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9. Conclusion and Upcoming Events

The episode wraps up with the hosts reminding listeners about their upcoming Art Club event:

[10:33] Anne: "So the doors to the course are open now and we have Art Club on Friday."

They express excitement and anticipation for those attending, fostering a sense of community and ongoing support for illustrators.

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Key Takeaways

• Quality of Feedback: Not all critiques are beneficial. Seek feedback from experienced publishers or trusted peers who can provide constructive and actionable insights.

• Persistence Pays Off: Regular submissions to publishers increase the likelihood of receiving feedback and eventual publication.

• Leverage Industry Resources: Utilize editors' websites, industry magazines, and call-out listings to stay informed and find feedback opportunities.

• Build Self-Confidence: Develop the ability to self-critique and recognize your own strengths to maintain creative autonomy.

• Community Support: Engage with fellow illustrators and join supportive communities to share experiences and advice.

• Valuable Resources Available: Consider enrolling in courses like "Find Your Creative Voice Fly Your Freak Flag" to gain structured guidance and support in your illustration career.

This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for illustrators aiming to break into the publishing industry, offering practical strategies and encouragement to navigate the often daunting process of getting their work published.

Transcript

[Anne]

Hello.

[Katy Chappell]

Welcome to the Good Ship Illustration Podcast. We're here to offer no nonsense advice to illustrators and image makers navigating a creative career in the Good Ship. There are three of us. Anne, Katy Chappell, and there's Helen Stevens and Tanya Willis, too. We are celebrating our flagship course, Find you'd Creative Voice Fly youy Freak Flag, being open this week. So we've got lots of episodes all about Finding youg Creative Voice. We've got another juicy question. This one says, do you think it's worth paying for a critique of a story or dummy book to gauge whether it has publishing potential? I've written and illustrated two picture books, but they need a lot of work. I love your message about learning on the job, and it would be so encouraging to have these as projects to work on with potential.

[Anne]

Thank you.

[Helen Stevens]

This is interesting, isn't it? Because not all critique is equal, is it? It depends who you get that advice from. And my advice really would be just really try and get a foot in the door with publishers. Really try and get in there and get a meeting with the people who commission you. So are you sending out enough samples? Are you writing notes with those samples saying, any chance I could come and see you and show you my folio? Because it's so inspiring to get a meeting with an editor. They will look at those dummies and they'll know exactly how to knock those into shape. There are other places to get crates, but you need to really do your research, don't you, to find out who will give the right kind of advice? It's very hard.

[Katy Chappell]

We've had horror stories of people having a portfolio review and just being devastated by it.

[Helen Stevens]

It's so awful, isn't it?

[Katy Chappell]

Because you're really putting your trust in somebody to look at your work and give you constructive criticism. So you want to make sure somebody has a track record of giving useful feedback.

[Helen Stevens]

You want them to be realistic, but not just kind of stamp on your dreams. Because from years of teaching, I know that sometimes, in fact, I'm thinking of somebody that I was at art school with. I won't say who, Tanya. But you'll probably remember this person when we first started on the course. This person. I don't even want to say him or her. Their work was really bad, like a really bad mess. And it turned out this person was going through a huge amount of trouble at home, like really bad personal stuff. And once that stuff was over, his work just, like, blossomed into this incredible work and he stood out. I'm Saying he now I've given away that his work really stood out in the course. And you think I was so wrong to think there was no potential there. Yeah, because just around the corner, just a life change, a big life change at home, just around the corner was this incredible work. So it's really bad to end up in a crate with somebody, create. That's the wrong word, portfolio review with somebody. And they stamp on your dreams like that because they have no idea what you're capable of.

[Anne]

And equally, because it's quite an unregulated business, you could have people who are just too kind, too generous, say what, what you think, what you want to hear. And what you said about publishers, I think is better because you're actually talking to the people who will give you very clear feedback. And again, you'd have to match your work to publishers you think have the sensitivity to handle it. Because equally, knockbacks from publishers can be a little bit demoralizing. But if you spread your cast your net widely enough, including the KT100 no thank yous competition, which these would definitely count towards that, wouldn't they?

[Katy Chappell]

Oh, absolutely, yeah.

[Anne]

You could get a good 30 publishers in there. You're a third of the way through the project and you'd get something for sure from 30 sendouts. That sounds a bit overwhelming, but it's doable.

[Helen Stevens]

I used to send out big batches of samples. I would get home from work at my job at the science museum, sit at the. I had to have my dinner, clear the table and sit there with loads of postcards and write 30 of them in one go. And on my way to work the next day, I'd stick them in the post box and I would do it again and again. And I would approach the same people again and again, but with new samples. Because if you don't hear back, you have no idea why. It might be that they love it and they stuck your sample on the wall, but the right project hasn't come along. Next time you send a sample, they might ring you and say, yeah, bring your folio in. So just keep send, sending out the work. Because the feedback from publisher is really the holy grail, isn't it?

[Katy Chappell]

I suppose a publisher's feedback, they're invested in you doing the best possible work so that they can sell more books. Like it totally makes sense. Whereas if you're paying somebody for a portfolio review, I don't know, they're getting paid regardless.

[Anne]

Yeah.

[Katy Chappell]

So maybe it's a different. Like you've got to choose that for the Paid review person really carefully.

[Anne]

Yeah, exactly. It could be great and it could be worth it if you can find someone who you think is totally aligned with your values in your project. Yeah, maybe. But I love Helen's ballsy approach. Just send them another postcard three months later.

[Katy Chappell]

But it's all right. People are busy.

[Helen Stevens]

If they don't want it, they chuck it in the bin. I don't know. I haven't lost anything.

[Anne]

Exactly. What's the worst that could happen? But I used to even find that, that follow up thing. And you've said it too. Follow up is key. But when I was younger I was way too nervous to follow up on things and I look back and I think it's by post, it's virtual, it's light touch.

[Katy Chappell]

Yeah.

[Anne]

No one's going to call you up and say could you please stop annoying me with these postcards?

[Katy Chappell]

And that's a very worst case scenario. And that nobody can be bu to do that, so you're fine.

[Helen Stevens]

I once had a really horrible critique session once. She didn't slate my work or anything like that, but she spent and it was with quite a famous person. And she had tried to get into children's book publishing and not being successful and ended up doing this instead. And she just ranted about all of the bad people in publishing and what they'd done wrong to her. And I was there for about an hour and paid for it and left.

[Katy Chappell]

No way.

[Helen Stevens]

Yeah, yeah, that is.

[Anne]

Yeah, that's right.

[Helen Stevens]

Yeah.

[Anne]

What a career track. It's like. It's like life's revenge. Children's book publishing won't accept me, so I'm just going to devote myself to.

[Helen Stevens]

I'm going to make you hate the world of children's book publishing. So you don't want to do it.

[Anne]

But would you say that a good way to go about it would be to get the writer an artist's yearbook for this year and get on editor's website pages places where people share new call outs. Aren't there editors looking for specifically young children's stories with this particular content that if you could spend the energy that you would convert into cash to pay for a review but just use it to trawl through and actually you'd learn so much at the same time, wouldn't you? Reading about what editors are looking for, send it to them.

[Helen Stevens]

Do good critique sessions as well. If you ask around other illustrators, you'll be able to judge who is actually giving really useful advice. Not necessarily publishers, but other people. There are lots of Illustrators who will see your folio and charge you a fee. But it's best to ask around and see other people's experience of that.

[Katy Chappell]

Definitely. And it might be, like we mentioned before, you might not be in a position where you're ready for a portfolio critique because you may be going through something or you've just come back to illustration after a long break or something, or you know, you know you've got some potential in your work and you kind of know what you could be doing anyway. Because in the find your creative voice course, we spend so much energy on encouraging you to boost your own confidence, your self confidence and belief in your own work that you can kind of give your own portfolio critique because you know what work you like the best and what work feels best for you to do. So rather than kind of putting your energy out there and giving the power to somebody else, you can like, suck it all back in and be like, this is what I want to do and this is how it's going. I'm gonna do this now. That can feel really powerful. And it's, it's. You don't have to pay.

[Anne]

And this person said that they've been published twice. So they.

[Helen Stevens]

No, I think she, she says, I've written and illustrated two picture books, but they need a lot of work. So I think she's. She has two sort of dummy books ready to show around. I don't think she's published yet.

[Anne]

And you, would you send those as dummy books to publishers?

[Helen Stevens]

Yeah, you can send a dummy or you could send thumbnail sketches of the ideas and some samples of the illustration. Because this person is a writer, illustrator, so samples of your illustrations definitely sounds like the publisher. What do you think about getting feedback from your family?

[Katy Chappell]

Oh, God, your mum is always going to think whatever you've done is the best thing ever in the entire world. And everybody else, they'll just be like, oh, yeah, that looks like a horse. And you were drawing a horse. Amazing. Like, they're so not in the right part of the world.

[Anne]

No, they're just. And they're not professional. I mean, even that thing of going to, like you said when we go to Bologna, when Katie and I went the first time and you were a veteran, you knew that you would see work from all over the world that was completely different and that there were so many themes and subject matters and depictions that even in British illustration, you'd think, oh, no, they don't like that. You can't do that in kids book. But there they were, all versions of everything in this place. But certain countries were a bit more progressive, other places were a bit more traditional and limited. But you do. That's a good way to see the industry and the tolerances of the industry for what you're writing. And even if the manuscript or the story needs help, like you said, Walker, other places like that really help.

[Helen Stevens]

Every publisher I've ever worked with really helped me knock the story into shape. So I go along with a kind of a wobbly jelly of an idea and they get their butter patters out and they pat me into shape until I'm a nice. Until the story kind of takes shape. Yeah. Really, a publisher is the best person to get advice from. And they will, you know, they do commission stories that are not quite ready yet and they help you knock them into shape so they can see if.

[Anne]

You'Ve got the kernel of a perfect idea. Then if the writing's a bit baggy or something, they can work on that.

[Katy Chappell]

They'd almost rather that, wouldn't they? If they can see the balloons, I think they like.

[Helen Stevens]

They really like to be involved. Yeah.

[Katy Chappell]

Okay, let's sprinkle some nice words about the course in while the doors are open.

[Helen Stevens]

Shall I read out this testimonial here? I really like this one. If you are hesitating about signing up for this course, just dive in. You won't regret it.

[Anne]

It's so determined, isn't it?

[Katy Chappell]

And then the slightly longer one is, I'm so happy I found the good ship. As it's been a breath of fresh air, it's exactly what I've needed to mix up my creativity and relearn my illustration. The kind, uplifting yet challenging words shared each week have helped me to keep going and sailing on towards discovering my own voice. Thank you, Good ship crew.

[Anne]

Oh, that's nice. Yeah, lovely.

[Helen Stevens]

So the doors to the course are open now and we have Art Club on Friday. In fact, the doors close at Art Club on Friday.

[Katy Chappell]

Yes.

[Anne]

Can't wait.

[Helen Stevens]

Can't wait. See you there.