Last year I started sending querries for my true crime manuscript.
In the very first batch I got a nibble from an agent at a very good agency. After looking at the proposal, he responded "This looks good to me" and asked for some time to think about it. Later he called me to clarify a few points, did not offer representation, but did send me the agency contract to look over. Then things went downhill. After a long wait, I pinged him and he responded that he was "on the fence". I revised my proposal based on his suggestions, but he didn't like the new version, so I revised it again and waited for a response. I never got heard anything else from him and ultimately discovered he had left to form a new agency.
At this point, I do not think I want to contact him again, as my experience with him wasn't paticularily good, but I would like to query another agent at his former agency. So the question is - at what point should I mention my original contact with him. I got the impression from our phone conversation that they discussed potential projects at agency meetings, so I feel it should be mentioned at some point, but I'm not sure it belongs in the initial query. (and if it does, I'm not sure how to phrase it so as not to scare off the new agent)
Any suggestions or (preferably) experiences?
In the very first batch I got a nibble from an agent at a very good agency. After looking at the proposal, he responded "This looks good to me" and asked for some time to think about it. Later he called me to clarify a few points, did not offer representation, but did send me the agency contract to look over. Then things went downhill. After a long wait, I pinged him and he responded that he was "on the fence". I revised my proposal based on his suggestions, but he didn't like the new version, so I revised it again and waited for a response. I never got heard anything else from him and ultimately discovered he had left to form a new agency.
At this point, I do not think I want to contact him again, as my experience with him wasn't paticularily good, but I would like to query another agent at his former agency. So the question is - at what point should I mention my original contact with him. I got the impression from our phone conversation that they discussed potential projects at agency meetings, so I feel it should be mentioned at some point, but I'm not sure it belongs in the initial query. (and if it does, I'm not sure how to phrase it so as not to scare off the new agent)
Any suggestions or (preferably) experiences?