Hello,

I've recently been asked to submit my full manuscript to two agents, which I'm really pleased with obviously. Anyhow, today I received an email from a third agent requesting the full manuscript but stipulating that she wants to know if I'm in communication with any other agents as she doesn't want to waste her time reading something for nothing (her words). Should I tell her that I've submitted manuscripts to two other agents? I've had no feedback from them and it could well be that they when they do get back to me it will be to reject it.

What would you do?

Any input gratefully received,

Sara

Well firstly congratulations on having two agents asking for fulls.
Secondly, tricky question.
Percieved wisdom is you are not obliged to be exclusive until you sign on the dotted line, which means you can continue sending out fulls.
However, agent no.3 has specifically asked you if you are in communication with other agents, which is a 'yes' or 'no' answer - although, to split hairs, it depends on what she would class as 'communication'.
You may have jumped the latest hurdle but it's still a long way to the finish line.
My first thought was to be honest and say 'yes, two have requested fulls', but, on second thoughts, if you do that you are pretty much burning your bridges as far as agent 3 is concerned. The MS will smack of failure if Agents 1 & 2 decline it and you then pass it on to Agent 3 with a note saying you are no longer in communication with other Agents - she's going to want to know what's wrong with it.

Your other option is to lie and say 'no', but if either agent 1 or 2 want to sign you then you will be pissing off agent 3 if she's read it and also wants to sign you. But then if agent 1 or 2 wants to sign you, then stuff agent 3 .
If, on the other hand, Agents 1 or 2 don't want to sign you, then at least you would still have Agent 3 in the ball game.

On balance, I would probably say 'no'. Unless agent 3 knows agents 1 & 2 personally and your MS comes up in conversation...but what are the chances of that?



- NaomiM

she doesn't want to waste her time reading something for nothing (her words).

Actually, on second thoughts, personally I wouldn't want to sign with an agent with an attitude like that.

I like your thinking! :D

Think I'll refrain from mentioning the other two agents and just submit the manuscript to her. I'll assuage my guilt with the technicality that I'm not actually in communication with other agents as neither of them has come back with any feedback etc.

Thanks for the input,

Sara

Just to confuse you, I'd go the other way and tell her. Partly because then it's all above board and partly because it might actually encourage her to read the full. If she knows that two other agents have requested the full, then it might well make her interested enough to request it herself. You can make it clear that they are just reading the full and you are not in any other form of communication with them - ie have had no discussions yet about being taken on. And as Naomi says, if she doesn't want to bother because other agents are reading it, do you want her as your agent? Asking to read the full, as you say, doesn't guarantee an offer (though hopefully that will happen) but it does show this agent that others are interested.
Anyway, that's what I think.
Susiex

<Added>

PS - it's absolutely fabulous that you have three agents wanting to see your full! Well done!

Susie has a point. knowing there are other agents keen enough to ask for fulls should make her more interested in it, not less, which is why one has to ask one's self what she means by 'communication'. Simply asking for fulls is still several hurdles away from having a contract waved in front of you. It's a stange attitude to have.


- NaomiM

Yes, I think being honest sounds like the best policy here, and saying that two other agents have it, but neither have got back to you yet.

It'll do your MS no harm for Three to know that others endorse her judgement. What agents hate is feeling that there's a fait accompli they don't know about, and you're just stringing them along, perhaps to push someone else into a decision. But if you're honest about it, my guess is that she'll read it anyway - agents don't like feeling they're being strung along, but they really, really hate feeling they're missing out on a winner.

Of course, it depends how long the other two have had it, but you could also think about getting in touch with them, not pushily, but just to say that you are getting other interest, and could they give you an idea of when they'd might be able to give you any news. You may find that concentrates their minds, too - so it might be worth seeing if you can't clarify things with them a bit before you get back to Three.

Very best of luck with it, and congrats on getting so many positive responses.

Emma

Thank you everyone for your responses and thank you for all your positive comments. I've just been doing a blanket approach with my submissions recently, everyone is getting one regardless of what they say in the Writer's Handbook!

I've drafted a quick email and would be grateful if you could offer any feedback on it. I'm worried it might be a bit 'dry'.

Here's the email:

Thank you for the invitation to submit the full manuscript.

I have had two other requests for the full manuscript in the last two weeks, but have had no feedback from or dialogue with the agents concerned, so hope this will not deter you from reading it.

I will endeavour to send the manuscript later today. I hope you enjoy it.

Kind regards,

Me.


Do you think this sounds ok?

Thanks again everyone,

Sara

I like the para about showing other agents, dialogue etc. - spot on.
Maybe mention which manuscript you're submitting, just in case they lose track.
And I'd maybe change 'I'll endeavour' to 'I will'.
All the very best with it,
Susiex

I have nothing to add to what Susie has said, other than to reiterate how important it is to mention the Title in all your correspondance with the agents.



- NaomiM

Thank you all, the email has been sent. I'll let you know what she responds with.

Thank you for your input.

Sara

Agent 3 sounds like a right old grumpy moo! But if you've got THREE interested in the full, I shouldn't worry, girl. You obviously have a great hook to your story.

I think you did the right thing. I was in a similar situation earlier in the year - I had a few requests for fulls, and one agent in particular was very definite about not wanting to read work that was on multiple submission (wonder if it's the same one?!).

As it happened, she was the first to ask for the full, so I wasn't lying at the time, but I didn't inform her when the other requests came through. In the end I signed with another agency and had to email her and let her know. The manuscript arrived back a couple of days later with no note, so she was obviously annoyed, but at the end of the day, this is a business for us as well as for agents.

Hi, just been reading your post. I had that same question asked by my (now) Agent when she first rang me, and was told that word gets round and that if it was with others I would soon be found out.

I think Agents should consider how overwhelming and scary all this is for new, inexperienced writers. There should be some kind of guideline, as what should be such a thrill for Sara is now countered by worries, and - like everyone's saying - someone reading it is not the same thing as getting an offer of representation.

It's like when people say 'If you're not happy with your Agent then get another'. If you were to approach another Agent then surely your own Agent would get to know within 5 seconds flat wouldn't they?

I decided to be honest and just tell the agent that the full manuscript is currently with two other agents. She emailed back to say that she was still interested in reading it (and would try to read it sooner than she had originally stated in the first email) and that could I please let her know if I had any offers etc. from the other agents in the meantime.

I'm glad I told her now as should she like it enough to make an offer of representation, I would hate to think that I had started the relationship on a dishonest note.

Thanks for all the responses,

Sara