Don’t try to be a square peg in a round hole. Great advice. You can’t be everything to everyone it never works out. A lesson not just for illustrators! My big mantra these days is YOU BE YOU.
I was commissioned by a big publisher yrs ago. I didn't connect to the text ..didn't know why I was being paired with the author. My then agent pushed me into it. I should have listened to my gut feeling, NOT to accept it. I mentally blocked the project and it died a slow death somewhere in that publishers vaults of forgotten 'things'. After that experience and yrs later I ditched that agent and got a new wonderful agent who was in line with my work. And will never accept a book I don't connect with. But more to the point a good agent wouldn't expect me too!
What an awful experience!! But I'll bet that editor has died a thousand deaths from embarrassment, having accused now-acclaimed author-illustrator Helen Stephens of stealing, and missing out on the chance to work with her on scores of successful projects!
Oooh, that is a grim tale. I’m sorry to hear that! Even though it’s a good lesson, it’s a painful way to learn 🥺 I took a business illustration job recently and tried to match to a style that isn’t me. The job is through a creative agency rather than directly with the client (which I’ve leaned that I don’t much like) too many words and not enough actual illustration, they keep coming back and back and back for amends (because the client keeps changing what they want included rather than the work not being right) the client and agency have only said good things, but I have not enjoyed it and have learned a lesson myself.
Don’t try to be a square peg in a round hole. Great advice. You can’t be everything to everyone it never works out. A lesson not just for illustrators! My big mantra these days is YOU BE YOU.
Good post!
Lol, sorry! Posted the same comment twice so deleted one…
Oh my god. That is terrifying.
I was commissioned by a big publisher yrs ago. I didn't connect to the text ..didn't know why I was being paired with the author. My then agent pushed me into it. I should have listened to my gut feeling, NOT to accept it. I mentally blocked the project and it died a slow death somewhere in that publishers vaults of forgotten 'things'. After that experience and yrs later I ditched that agent and got a new wonderful agent who was in line with my work. And will never accept a book I don't connect with. But more to the point a good agent wouldn't expect me too!
Yes, having the right agent is really important isn’t it? It’s awful to be talked into something.
What an awful experience!! But I'll bet that editor has died a thousand deaths from embarrassment, having accused now-acclaimed author-illustrator Helen Stephens of stealing, and missing out on the chance to work with her on scores of successful projects!
I do hope so! 😝
So true!
Goodness yes! I wonder if they remember?
Oooh, that is a grim tale. I’m sorry to hear that! Even though it’s a good lesson, it’s a painful way to learn 🥺 I took a business illustration job recently and tried to match to a style that isn’t me. The job is through a creative agency rather than directly with the client (which I’ve leaned that I don’t much like) too many words and not enough actual illustration, they keep coming back and back and back for amends (because the client keeps changing what they want included rather than the work not being right) the client and agency have only said good things, but I have not enjoyed it and have learned a lesson myself.
That sounds like a real drag. I hope it’s finished soon so you can move on to something more fun.