Conversations with Taylor Woolley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Woolley.

Hi Taylor, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I began illustrating in 2017 while working as a graphic designer at a digital marketing agency. My day job was mostly programming web banner ads, so drawing on lunch breaks and after work became my way to stretch a different creative muscle, usually by sketching dachshunds inspired by my own dogs.

Looking for ways to improve my skills, I took an online class in narrative illustration and fell in love with telling stories through art. I spent the next couple of years building a children’s book portfolio, and eventually a mentor encouraged me to try writing my own stories, too. I had never really thought of myself as a writer, but I figured, “Why not?” and started developing a story around some of the characters I’d been drawing.

When my portfolio felt ready, I began ‘querying’ children’s book agents. Querying means sending a lot of cold emails out to agents and receiving a lot of rejections in return. Eventually, I entered PB Party, a competitive online showcase for children’s authors and illustrators. My writing didn’t make it in, but my illustration did, and that led to interest from agents and, ultimately, signing with one.

Of course, the rejection didn’t magically stop there, it just upgraded from agents to picture book editors. But in spring 2023, I signed my first picture book illustration deal, followed shortly after by my first book deal as an author-illustrator. Both books, Birthday Bash, written by Blair Northen Williamson and illustrated by me, and Earth Rover, written and illustrated by me, came out in September 2025.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’ve definitely had my fair share of challenges. Querying agents and submitting work to editors means opening yourself up to a lot of feedback, and a lot of rejection. Some responses are kind and encouraging, and some are… less so. I don’t think I’ll ever forget one email from an editor who responded to my submission with, “I don’t like the story and I don’t care for the art.” That one took a minute to brush off.

Another challenge has been finding time to write and illustrate while balancing the rest of my life. I still work full-time as a graphic designer, and I’m mom to a toddler, so juggling family, my day job, and my creative career can be tricky. I had my daughter shortly after completing the artwork for my first book. I finished the art for my second book with a newborn in my arms. It’s been a lot to balance but it has made me more focused, efficient, and grateful for the time I do get to spend creating.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m an author and illustrator specializing in children’s picture books. My art style is warm, commercial, and playful, with influences from the cartoons I grew up watching in the ’90s and early 2000s. I’m especially drawn to humorous stories and animal characters.

I also have a soft spot for nonfiction. My book Earth Rover isn’t traditional nonfiction, but it has facts about space exploration and robotics woven into the story, with even more information included in the back matter. I’d love to publish more humorous nonfiction in the future.

I’m especially proud to be published not only as an illustrator, but also as a writer. As a kid, I struggled with spelling, and long-form writing wasn’t something I particularly enjoyed. It took time and practice to get to a place where I could have fun with writing and not worry quite so much about getting every word perfect on the first try.

What are your plans for the future?
I currently have a couple of stories out on submission and I’m always working on more. While I hope to have another book deal soon, for now I’m enjoying my first year as a published author and illustrator. I’ve had the opportunity to share my books with groups of kids at a few different events and it’s so special to be able to connect directly with my readers. I just finished building out all the information teachers and media specialists need to book me for school visits so I’m hoping to to be able to share Earth Rover and Birthday Bash with even more kids this upcoming school year.

Pricing:

• Information on how to hire me as an illustrator can be found on my website (woolleystories.com).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.woolleystories.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woolleystories/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teackerman/
• Twitter: https://x.com/woolleystories
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@woolleystories
• Other: https://bsky.app/profile/woolleystories.bsky.social