Is having an agent the answer?

[Shorinji_Knight]

I've thought about trying to get an agent since I'm not good about self-promotion... I feel very uncomfortable with it. Does anyone here have any experience with getting one, working with one, and was it worth it in your estimation? Or are you just better off going it alone?

So far I haven't had a whole lot of success on my own, because I always feel my work isn't good enough. I keep telling myself that after I get the next batch of paintings done I'll start contacting people, but I never really end up doing it. I've made some half-hearted attempts before and got some decent feedback, yet nothing much has really come of it. Does anyone else have this problem? Do you still struggle with it and if not how did you beat it?

[Elwell]

You'd be better off getting over your self-doubt and getting out there yourself. The hard truth is that most agents only want to take on people who have already shown that they're capable of getting work. Most get literally hundreds of submission a week, if you don't think you're good enough, why would they? It's not their job to nanny you, it's their job to take care of the non-art stuff (promotions, contracts, billing, etc) so you can devote more of your time to making pictures. And even if you do have an agent, you can't just sit back and expect them to do everything, you've still got to hustle.

[Shorinji_Knight]

Thanks Elwell. That wasn't really what I wanted to hear, but I suspected that might be the case. Thanks for confirming it. I guess I just need to put myself out there more.

[vineris]

I've thought about trying to get an agent since I'm not good about self-promotion... I feel very uncomfortable with it. Does anyone here have any experience with getting one, working with one, and was it worth it in your estimation? Or are you just better off going it alone?

So far I haven't had a whole lot of success on my own, because I always feel my work isn't good enough. I keep telling myself that after I get the next batch of paintings done I'll start contacting people, but I never really end up doing it. I've made some half-hearted attempts before and got some decent feedback, yet nothing much has really come of it. Does anyone else have this problem? Do you still struggle with it and if not how did you beat it?

I still struggle with it, but like with everything else, the thing is to move forward even if the steps are small. At first sending out an application for any job was scary. A year later it's routine. I've done a few jobs now and I have failed to die from them so that's encouraging. Last year at this time I was still putting together a portfolio. This year I've sent out one-sixth of last year's applications in the first two weeks of the year. As you get comfortable with a new level of normal, you don't back off, you ramp things up a bit.

I don't really see much of a difference between querying agents and querying publishers. If you can write a letter to one you can write a letter to the other just as easily.

[ConnyNordlund]

If you're not getting work it just means you're not good enough yet, most likely. Sometimes it's because the person isn't networking and putting themselves out there enough. That's rarely the case, though.

[Shorinji_Knight]

If you're not getting work it just means you're not good enough yet, most likely. Sometimes it's because the person isn't networking and putting themselves out there enough. That's rarely the case, though.

Yeah, it is entirely possible that I'm not good enough... I hope that's not the case. I have done a few paid jobs.

Back when I was in college I use to get job offers all the time without looking for them. I regret not taking some of them, but I felt it would distract me from my studies. I've only recently started working on getting a portfolio together to try to get jobs. So far I've only approached a handful of companies, and I've been told by one top company that they didn't have anything at the moment for me, but to send them my portfolio updates.

I just hate promoting myself and negotiating contracts. I know the problem is me, and that I'm just gonna have to do it anyway, but I was hoping that getting an agent would spare me of that.

[Arshes Nei]

I'd like to make a suggestion.

Put 5-6 of your best pictures on the very front of the site.

Right now you got one image, and I don't know if I'd call that your best.

Less clicks a person has to go through, the better.

[Pigeonkill]

I regret not taking some of them, but I felt it would distract me from my studies.

Ouch, you could have taken on the jobs so when you are done with school you can hit the ground running. Just keep working on your portfolio.

I just hate promoting myself and negotiating contracts. I know the problem is me, and that I'm just gonna have to do it anyway, but I was hoping that getting an agent would spare me of that.

I think a lot of people share the same feeling. The thing is if you don't build up negotiation skills on your own. An agent could easily take advantage of your inexperience and trust. No two agents are like and it is very hard to find an Agent who is just as eager to pick their commission fee as they are to help represent you during down time.

By the time an agent finds you ideal to represent, irony is you are most likely already established and have list of active clients. Just one of the benefits an agent can offer is giving you access to clients outside your network, but with internet and some homework you might have just as much luck.