Etiquette question

currerbell said:

What is the proper thing to do when two agents are reviewing a full at the same time and one offers representation before the other responds? Is it rude to wait for feedback from the second agent? Moreover, is it rude not to? They both know that they aren't reviewing it exclusively. Thanks!

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The customary process is to tell offering agent you need some reasonable amount of time to contact other agents reading (a week or so is generally customary). Then you contact the other agents with the mansucript and tell them you have an offer and ask if they are still considering the manuscript. Give them a deadline to let you know that is before your deadline to tell offering agent.

If you notify the reading agents by email put something like OFFER OF REPRESENTATION in the subject line of the email.

~suki

Whenever I see a reply by Suki I know the question posted by the the OP has been properly and thoroughly addressed, so I have nothing to add. Take the advice. And good luck!

I'm a fool with no experiance at all, BUT, if it helps, I have read an interview with an agent who said they always liked to know if there were other offers on the table. They said it made them a little annoyed to miss out on good oppurtunities because they were not given to option to negotiate with an author.
If you have interest, don't feel shy about letting the other agents know (or about asking your interested party to wait). If they like you and they want you, they need to respect you and that means allowing you the space to make your decision, just as you do to them.

Best of luck!

Theo