There are a few novel comps floating around this year and i'm considering entering them - more for motivation rather than thinking i'll win or come close - and i've always wondered:

is it accpetable to submit to agents whilst your novel has been submitted to a comp?

I've had a look at the small print of comps before, and haven't seen anything which says 'we expect your entry to be an exclusive look at your novel'

and how would an agent feel if eg they requested the full MS and your full MS was also entered into a comp.?

does anyone know? Had anyone experience of this?

answers appreciated.

Casey

I'd happily enter comps while submitting - it's only like submitting to another agent, after all.

If the agent shows interest - asks for full MS or whatever - I would say 'it's in the Rice Krispies competition', just as I would say if it's with other agents at that point, because it's only fair to let them know the whole situation before they embark on series reading and thinking about your book. But until then it's all speculative.

You can always withdraw the novel from the competition, after all, if you love the agent and s/he takes you on and she's not happy that it's in the comp.

Emma

<Added>

embark on serious reading and thinking about your book

Hmm, thanks, Emma. You can easily withdraw from a comp then,once you've entered? I suppose there's no reason why not.

Honestly, I wish i didn't speculate so much...

Casey

I've just looked at the terms of the Cosmo Miss Write comp and they do state that your entry must not be submitted elsewhere. What a pain - they don't say when winners will be announced and i'm not prepared to hold off submitting to agents for a couple of months...

Casey

I must admit, I'd break that rule. If you keep careful track of what's entered where,and a very sharp eye on the dates involved, if you hear it's won in one place, you can withdraw it elsewhere.

There was a to-do a few years back, at Bridport, I think, because one of the winners turned out not to be eligible. But that would only happen if the writer wasn't concentrating, after all.

Emma