Luce and I met at the SCBWI In-Person Winter Conference in February 2023. (That’s also where I met Alma!) We ran into each other at lectures and mixers throughout the weekend, eventually exchanging information to keep in touch. (As a quick aside, this is the lesson of networking! 1) It’s exciting to meet peers because they’re the ones who’ll rise with you! 2) Sometimes, the connections you make don’t come to fruition until years later.) I cheered her on from afar, especially after she was selected as a PBParty Finalist in 2024. When I started thinking about writers I’d like to interview for this series, I reached out to Luce. She shared that she’d briefly been represented by an agent. Would this disqualify her from an interview? I decided it wouldn’t, and she kindly agreed to share her experiences with the business side of writing.
Let’s meet Luce!
LUCE WILLIAMS (she/her) grew up with mountains on one side and seashore on the other, and her writing often reflects her love of creation. An outdoor enthusiast, she enjoys running, camping, and hiking — especially with her husband and kids. In addition to a diverse professional background that includes the intelligence community and emergency management, Luce is also multilingual and has her master’s degree in deaf education. She has taught in elementary schools on both US coasts and now loves the adventure of homeschooling her own children.
Q: WHEN DID YOU START WRITING PICTURE BOOKS?
I’ve been writing them in my head for years but to actually put them down on paper with the ultimate goal of querying . . . 2021.
Q: WHY DID YOU START WRITING PICTURE BOOKS?
I couldn’t not! They were already rattling around in my head. Then, during a science lesson, my students and I discovered a fascinating, unknown fact about a particular creature. I just had to write a story about it!
Q: WHAT DO YOU WRITE?
I write a bit of everything, but my sweet spot is humorous, creative non-fiction.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT FAVORITE PICTURE BOOK? WHY?
PLUTO GETS THE CALL by Adam Rex, illustrated by Laurie Keller. I absolutely love how Rex blends science, humor, and SEL in a loveable, laughable story.
Q: WHAT’S BEEN THE BEST PART OF THE JOURNEY TOWARD PUBLICATION SO FAR?
The community! When I began writing picture books in earnest, it was something I did quietly on my own, for my own pleasure and enjoyment. When I signed with my erstwhile agent, I had no idea about critique groups, hadn’t taken any classes or workshops, and didn’t know anyone else in the kidlit community. The people I have met since that time have been amazing. My main critique group is my ride or die and we are in communication almost every day. I can’t imagine life without them!
Q: WHAT’S BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF THE JOURNEY SO FAR?
Being let go by my agent! I received an offer of representation on my 7th query. This agent only represented author/illustrators (though that info wasn’t in her MSWL), but during our interview she said she loved my story and would make an exception. She also didn’t care that I didn’t have any other manuscripts ready. Both of those should have been immediate red flags that this relationship was going to be short-lived, but I was an ignorant newbie and overcome with excitement that someone loved my story and thought it was marketable.
Communication was minimal from the get-go – there wasn’t confirmation when edits were complete or when the manuscript was finally sent out or even who it was sent to. As someone new to the submission process, I found this lack of communication difficult. Ultimately, my manuscript was sent out to 12 publishers, two of whom gave highly positive feedback and wanted to see more of my work. Despite this, my agent decided to part ways – and did so in violation of the timing requirements given in the contract.
As difficult as this process was, I am grateful for it and have learned so much. That agent was not the right fit for me and I wouldn’t have had the courage to break things off at renewal time so even though she was in contract violation, she actually did me a huge favor.
Plus, I now know what agent characteristics are important to me, and can ask better questions in future agent interviews.
WILL YOU SHARE WHAT QUESTIONS YOU’D ASK?
- How many rounds will you try before giving up on a manuscript? (Seasoned writers in my SCBWI group were appalled that my agent only tried one round before giving up.)
- What do you think of my other manuscripts?
- Have you parted ways with a client before and under what circumstances?
- What is your communication style?
- Do you have a spreadsheet showing submissions and publisher comments? (I had to specifically request this from my agent when she broke up with me, and was so surprised by the number of positive comments I had received that she hadn’t told me about. My critique group partners with agents all have access to a shared spreadsheet with all the submission and publisher info in real time.)
Having an agent gave me the courage to call myself a writer, and I really dove into the community, and that community was there to catch me post agent break up. I took a huge step back for a couple years and focused on developing a portfolio of polished manuscripts, educating myself about the publishing process, and developing relationships within the community. I’ve finally reentered the query trenches, a stronger writer and much wiser this time!
Q: WHAT’S BEEN YOUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE?
My critique partners, hands down. We laugh, cry, write, and celebrate together. Each member has different strengths and perspectives and they challenge me to be a better writer with every interaction! Next to them, I’ve loved being a part of The Writing Barn. The monthly interviews and submission opportunities have stretched and grown me as a writer, and I’ve received helpful feedback and encouragement through the community there.
Q: CELEBRATE YOURSELF! WHICH WRITING ACCOMPLISHMENT MAKES YOU FEEL THE PROUDEST?
I entered a manuscript into the competitive Rutgers Children’s Literature One-on-One Plus Conference and was chosen! The in-person event last fall was amazing, and I got to hang out with my favorite childhood authors like Gale Carson Levine and Trinka Hakes Noble. My mentor was a gifted writer and so talented and encouraging. We still keep in touch!
Q: HOW DO YOU HANDLE REJECTION?
As my Rutgers mentor regularly tells me, “Chin up, Luce!” I say this to myself every time I send out a query, and every time I read a rejection. This industry is so subjective. All it takes is one yes, and I just have to find that agent or editor who resonates with my manuscripts. Plus, I can look back and see how much I’ve grown as a writer since I started. The rejections motivate me to keep learning and improving.
Q: WHAT KEEPS YOU WRITING?
I couldn’t not write! The world is such an amazing place. Every time I learn something interesting I have to write about it. I love the challenge of trying to distill something fascinating into words that could capture someone else’s heart and mind and make them fall in love with their world or see something in a new way.
Q: WHAT HAS WAITING FOR YOUR “YES” TAUGHT YOU?
First and foremost, I need to write for my own pleasure and joy. If I don’t love what I’m writing and am not excited about it, that will show and drag my manuscript down. That being said, it is helpful to keep abreast of what is currently being published and if my enjoyment can be schooled along those lines, all the better. Keep learning, keep growing, keep looking for even small successes to celebrate. Chin up!
That was so educational, Luce! Thank you! Though it helps to focus on happy moments, it also helps to commiserate about hard experiences. In fact, it’s often through hard experiences that we discover opportunities to grow. If you’re going through a rough time, I want to encourage you to push forward. So much of being a writer is about persistence. Filling a blank page requires persistence. Revision requires persistence. Querying requires persistence. Luce has had ups and downs, and she could’ve let a difficult relationship with an agent deter her — if not from writing, from traditional publication altogether. But she didn’t. She learned from it. She persisted — regrouping, recommitting to writing, and reemerging, seeking community. And she’s paying that knowledge forward, sharing with fellow writers in order to help. That’s an achievement. That’s a positive outcome.
That’s success!
What about you? Have you transformed a setback into a win? Please tell us about it in the comments below. If you’d like to keep in touch with Luce, you can follow her on Twitter/X and Instagram at @WordsOnTheLuce. This week, Luce is generously giving away a NON-RHYMING PICTURE BOOK CRITIQUE. In order to enter, subscribe to the newsletter! Everyone who’s subscribed by 11:59PM PT on October 20th, 2025 is eligible to win. (No purchase necessary. You must be 18+ to enter.)
GIVEAWAY WINNER: SUE S.!
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