Submission by agent request/multiple submission?

Giant Baby · May 5, 2008

I was just fortunate enough to have a reading of my work go very well at a conference workshop. An agent at the top (tip top) of my list has strongly urged me to send her the ms when it's finished and reconfirmed that by email. It will be finished very soon (being polished). It's my second book.

Now that the stars in my eyes have cleared a bit, I remember that a partial of my first book has been with her associate for a few months now. I don't want to breach the general "no multiple submissions at the same time" etiquette and I certainly don't want both of them to decide it's not worth risking inhouse politics and move on.

If I haven't heard from the agent with my first book when my second book is ready (soon enough that I'm concerned on the short term), what do I do? Explain the situation to one/both of them? Withdraw the first from consideration or wait until I hear back on it before approaching my dream agent? Yikes!

Obviously this is a relationship (if I'm successful) and I don't want to start out with anything but the lovin's going on. I'm not complaining about the position I'm in but I'm very concerned about screwing it up by a bad choice about how to handle something like this.

cate townsend · May 5, 2008

Honesty should be your best policy, here. You have no idea how work is shared/discussed at the agency. First thing, just wait. Finish the second book. Before then, you might get an answer from the associate on the partial. If s/he wants to read the full MS, then explain that another agent there has expressed interest in different project of yours. Remember, they might already be aware of the situation, so be upfront.

If you finish your 2nd MS before you get an answer on the partial, tell the agent that another agent in the same agency is considering a partial on a different project. Same as above.

If the associate passes on the partial before you send the finished 2nd MS to the other agent, then there's no reason to worry about what to do. You send the full, cross your fingers, and keep querying. Lots of luck to ya!

Giant Baby · May 6, 2008

Thanks, Cate. I think you're right- not much else for me to do. It worries me, but what can I do?

Thanks for your quick response!

GB

scope · May 8, 2008

As cate already said, be up front and honest. Why flirt with disaster? Bear in mind that like publishing houses, it's far from unusual for individual agents to run their ideas by their internal editorial boards before making an offer.

Submission by agent request/multiple submission?

Giant Baby

Oh, the humanity.

cate townsend

Giant Baby

Oh, the humanity.

scope

Commonsensical Maverick