Would it be bad form if one enters the same work that is being submitted to agents/agencies in a competition that could result in winning representation by an agency??

From my point of view - I don't see where there can be any harm in this. I can see where there may be conflict/embarrassment if winning said competition and being accepted by one of the agents you had sent submissions happened at the same time, but what are the odds of that happening??

And if one is accepted by an agent before the outcome of the competition is realised, then surely one would go with the agent that accepted you first and you withdraw your entry from the competition???

Am I being one-sided on this? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this - particularly Katie's (Elspeth).

Personally, I think this Lit Idol competition (only just read about it yesterday )is a wonderful and fun opportunity for unpublished writers to get up and go and am seriously considering entering - but I don't want to do anything that would ruffle any feathers.

Hmmm...have I asked a really dumb question with an obvious answer? Or is it because tis Sunday and all is quiet?

It’s certainly not a dumb question, Nahed. I’ve hit on this umpteen times this morning but haven’t responded because I don’t know the answer. It’s a tough one that possibly only Katie can answer.

And it is abnormally quiet, isn’t it…

Dee.

Certainly is quiet Dee. Even last night - but then I shouldn't consider everyone to be a boring fart like me on a Saturday night. They're probably still recovering from their wild nights out on the town...

Alright for some...

Just read this and have gone onto the WW site for a bit of light relief. I'm re-typing a book that a friend has been commissioned to write about silver. I thought I could do it really quickly but it is taking so long......

Going back to the competition vs agents submissions, I would think that you have to abide by the competition rules. If they ask for an exclusive piece then you cannot send it anywhere. If they have just asked for an unpublished piece then I don't suppose it matters what else you do with it. As you say, if you are taken on by an agent before the competition winner is announced then you may have to withdraw your entry but presumably your new agent would be able to advise on that. Good luck with it!

Now it's back to the silver...

Sue

Thanks for replying Sue, much appreciated. The competition rules don't state that it has to be entered on an exclusive basis - just unpublished or to be more precise the author must be unpublished - they did say that self-published/other competition entries etc don't count as being published. I know I won't be breaking any rules of the competition by entering this work, but I'm concerned more about what agents would think or feel about this work being entered when it has also been sent to them for consideration at the same time.

Perhaps someone has experienced something like this or heard of it happening to someone else and so can give some advice on do's and don'ts (don't's ?).

Good luck with your re-typing...Hi-Ho Silver!

Just enter it WW then worry about what people think when you have to. If it wins a comp you'll have agents besieging you and if you've already sent it out and it does well, you can use that as bargaining power. I'm an unpublished fiction writer though I have published articles and contributed to coffee table books, and I'm still entering it. At least your work gets out there and read.

Julie

Hi Julie,

It looks like I will have to just enter it and worry later with the deadline being on 23rd. Good luck with your entry and the same goes to anyone else who's entered and reading this. All good fun!

Nahed