If you’re an illustrator looking to collaborate with authors and publishers on future projects, you might be wondering: what is the difference between a literary agent and an illustration agent? Usually, there are two types of agencies that illustrators can seek to get work through – literary and illustration. Both types of agencies have different ways of operating, and deciding between them depends on the area of work you want to focus on.

A literary agent deals with publishing opportunities only. In the past literary agencies have mainly worked with writers but many are starting to now work with illustrators as well. And since the graphic novel industry is growing, a lot of illustrators/ cartoonists are signing with them too. Projects such as picture books, novels, graphic novels, and covers are typically what a literary agent would focus on. However, they won’t do any other projects, such as editorial, general illustration, or animation, and only a small set of literary agents will represent animators.

On the other hand, Illustration agents deal with all aspects of illustration. As well as publishing, this also includes other types of commercial illustration like advertising, packaging, editorial, greeting cards, stationary, pattern design, logos, etc. Some illustration agencies also house photographers and animators as well.

If an illustrator is thinking of becoming an author in the future and would like to write a picture book or graphic novel as well as illustrate, then a literary agent is best as they are in the business of publishing books. That is not to say that there aren’t any illustration agencies who wouldn’t help out their client if they have a great story. However, If you want to work in all areas of illustration and aren’t tied down to publishing, this might be better for you.

Both literary and illustration agencies should be transparent with their talent. This means that if you have any questions about negotiation or prices, you should be able to discuss these things openly. This brings us to our next point…

Commission

Another thing that can vary between agencies is the commission that they take, as while literary agents often take around 15%, some Illustration Agencies can take a higher rate of commission, between 15-35%. However, this can be because illustration agents are doing a lot of heavy lifting to market an artist’s work within their network. This takes time and the agency’s resources to help secure the artist’s work. If an artist has already built up a clientele, then they can expect to see the agent’s commissioning fees decrease.

Ultimately there are pros and cons to both paths, but what matters is choosing the agent that will help you to achieve your overall career ambitions. There isn’t a one size fits all solution, as every artist has different ambitions and goals. Learning more about the range of representation out there should put you in the best position to decide where you’ll find the most value.

To learn more about finding an illustration agent, check out our blog here.