Just wanted to provide a counterpoint to the criticism you received - as you already know I got two jobs from the jobs board and I've found it an incredibly valuable resource, especially as I'm in the north and am still finding my SEO feet with my own website. I wouldn't have thought that you sharing jobs would be bragging about your own work?? Feels like a strange take, especially when you've set something up that is incredibly generous of you to share with people who are pretty much your competitors! It's lovely to find an illustrator with the mindset of "there are always more seats at the table". I share that sentiment also. I appreciate you Katie!
And I send in work to Beautiful Bizarre art prize and Jackson Art Prize, both a nope.
I will be entering WIA and also in 2026 Clavis key colours, Dpictus, hopefully Silent picturebook contest,Picture this (again) as well as some other e-mails going to my 100 rejections list. Oh and there’s a bunch in jan-feb to enter, not sure if I make those yet.
Good for you - I hope that you keep going. I get ill a lot so I have phases where I can and then very much can’t send work into competitions or challenges or agents or publishers (my 100 rejection sheet is looking pathetic - and it’s my first year of trying - but it’s better than last March when I hadn’t even bothered sending anything out!). It is utterly frustrating. But reading about you ploughing through is really inspiring. Thank you for sharing all those competitions too - there are some I haven’t come across yet…. Must add to list before I get sucked into some Julie Andrews this arvo….. xx
I hope I don’t make it sound like I’m on top of things. My list is far from 100, but there’s a list! And I keep postponing cold emailing. I did get a paid job creating four illustrations. Yay. But now I’m in self doubt land and giving myself a stern talking to.
I hope you feel better Jo, at least long enough to get one or two done. It can be all you need. Don’t be too hard on yourself, you’re doing great.
Thank you, Katie! I love your posts and job sharing - and I’m not even a professional illustrator. I like to paint and send painted post cards to my friends, but reading the jobs makes me feel like *maybe someday* I will do something like that. So please keep doing what you do - for us and for you 💖🎁❄️
OMG that was my feedback! I'm so sorry that sounded way harsher than I meant it to me...I honestly just didn't understand why the same jobs were being reposted multiple times across so many emails months and months after they had gone out...You did say you get like 20 applicants on the first day so I'm just not sure they still worth applying for so long after? Anyway I'm sorry for ruining your bus ride and glad you turned it in to post about making your own luck :)
that’s ok! Going forward the plan is to get more feedback from clients / a deadline for submissions so that we know when they’ve found an illustrator for their job :)
I love it here …. But despite pitching for jobs haven’t had any replies - been here since the beginning. Despite seemingly a good fit … still… if you keep the jobs board on I’ll stick around for another year … just wish I could work out what I’m doing wrong. Cos I’ve got repeat jobs offering me more money from my own efforts … it’s very curious.
Just wanted to provide a counterpoint to the criticism you received - as you already know I got two jobs from the jobs board and I've found it an incredibly valuable resource, especially as I'm in the north and am still finding my SEO feet with my own website. I wouldn't have thought that you sharing jobs would be bragging about your own work?? Feels like a strange take, especially when you've set something up that is incredibly generous of you to share with people who are pretty much your competitors! It's lovely to find an illustrator with the mindset of "there are always more seats at the table". I share that sentiment also. I appreciate you Katie!
**crying** thank you! And also thank you for the reminder to grab you for a spotlight post - we wanna hear about how the jobs wentttt!! ❤️
If only people would realise that their trigger is just illustrating (hahah) their own desires. Not a bit about you. Keep being amazing Katie! 👏🏻
I have entered quite a few this year:
Picture This (longlisted! Got feedback)
Bologna (pending)
Naomi (nope)
Picture Hooks (nope)
And I send in work to Beautiful Bizarre art prize and Jackson Art Prize, both a nope.
I will be entering WIA and also in 2026 Clavis key colours, Dpictus, hopefully Silent picturebook contest,Picture this (again) as well as some other e-mails going to my 100 rejections list. Oh and there’s a bunch in jan-feb to enter, not sure if I make those yet.
SO MANY!!! you are a machine 😍😍😍
Oh gosh.. you think? It feel like not a lot to me.. yet so much work to get entries done..
Good for you - I hope that you keep going. I get ill a lot so I have phases where I can and then very much can’t send work into competitions or challenges or agents or publishers (my 100 rejection sheet is looking pathetic - and it’s my first year of trying - but it’s better than last March when I hadn’t even bothered sending anything out!). It is utterly frustrating. But reading about you ploughing through is really inspiring. Thank you for sharing all those competitions too - there are some I haven’t come across yet…. Must add to list before I get sucked into some Julie Andrews this arvo….. xx
I hope I don’t make it sound like I’m on top of things. My list is far from 100, but there’s a list! And I keep postponing cold emailing. I did get a paid job creating four illustrations. Yay. But now I’m in self doubt land and giving myself a stern talking to.
I hope you feel better Jo, at least long enough to get one or two done. It can be all you need. Don’t be too hard on yourself, you’re doing great.
Thank you so much for the sharing, it is really useful! And I love your writing style!
Thank you, Katie! I love your posts and job sharing - and I’m not even a professional illustrator. I like to paint and send painted post cards to my friends, but reading the jobs makes me feel like *maybe someday* I will do something like that. So please keep doing what you do - for us and for you 💖🎁❄️
💕💕 Im working on 3 picture book spreads for the CBNN prize! Due Feb x
OMG that was my feedback! I'm so sorry that sounded way harsher than I meant it to me...I honestly just didn't understand why the same jobs were being reposted multiple times across so many emails months and months after they had gone out...You did say you get like 20 applicants on the first day so I'm just not sure they still worth applying for so long after? Anyway I'm sorry for ruining your bus ride and glad you turned it in to post about making your own luck :)
that’s ok! Going forward the plan is to get more feedback from clients / a deadline for submissions so that we know when they’ve found an illustrator for their job :)
I love it here …. But despite pitching for jobs haven’t had any replies - been here since the beginning. Despite seemingly a good fit … still… if you keep the jobs board on I’ll stick around for another year … just wish I could work out what I’m doing wrong. Cos I’ve got repeat jobs offering me more money from my own efforts … it’s very curious.