Thanks to other threads, I know *how* to do this. But my situation is a little strange, as I'm trying to figure out when to contact a couple of agents. I may be getting a publisher's offer next week. For various reasons, I'm probably going to need an agent.
After researching, I queried several top erotic romance/science fiction and fantasy agents in January about a m/m erotic romance space opera I just finished. The book is the first in a series of three, and the introduction to a larger planned story arc. I've been writing sf&f for 10 years, I have contest honors backing me, and I just sold an erotic fantasy short story to a respected anthology. So I'm not a complete newb.
The agents I contacted were all open to repping m/m stories. One hasn't answered yet, but the others sent rejection letters by mid-January.
Armed with the same query letter and short partial, I approached seven e-publishers open to un-agented writers. Two sent rejections right away. Two have fulls already. Three just asked for fulls. Given some other communication I've had over the last week, I'm probably close to an offer.
I will certainly be emailing the agent who hasn't responded yet. I have a rec to an agent I have not contacted, one of the biggest in the business. Should I contact both of them now, or wait until I have the offer? One of my other target agencies will not look at offers they didn't broker from the start, so they're out. But should I email the other rejecting agencies, either now, or with the offer? I'm afraid that 'no means no', in many cases. And if they didn't like the query and partial that the publishers liked, could these agencies possibly market my larger story arc effectively?
After researching, I queried several top erotic romance/science fiction and fantasy agents in January about a m/m erotic romance space opera I just finished. The book is the first in a series of three, and the introduction to a larger planned story arc. I've been writing sf&f for 10 years, I have contest honors backing me, and I just sold an erotic fantasy short story to a respected anthology. So I'm not a complete newb.
The agents I contacted were all open to repping m/m stories. One hasn't answered yet, but the others sent rejection letters by mid-January.
Armed with the same query letter and short partial, I approached seven e-publishers open to un-agented writers. Two sent rejections right away. Two have fulls already. Three just asked for fulls. Given some other communication I've had over the last week, I'm probably close to an offer.
I will certainly be emailing the agent who hasn't responded yet. I have a rec to an agent I have not contacted, one of the biggest in the business. Should I contact both of them now, or wait until I have the offer? One of my other target agencies will not look at offers they didn't broker from the start, so they're out. But should I email the other rejecting agencies, either now, or with the offer? I'm afraid that 'no means no', in many cases. And if they didn't like the query and partial that the publishers liked, could these agencies possibly market my larger story arc effectively?