Agent Search Advice

Pop, I don't think you'd being selling out in that context. Just make sure that the prospective agents rep both catagories, and I wouldn't wait until anything comes back. In fact, your name might still be lingering on their mind as they review one, and then the other comes in.

Totally correct about non-fic. It is now out-selling fiction nearly 4-1. That's how I cut my teeth. Way back when, I couldn't sell four fiction novels in two years. Sold my first non-fiction book in two weeks and held my own tiny little auction.

Tri

The answer would be easy if the second book was also fiction--don't approach the same agent with it. But you say you've had more luck with non-fiction. Does that mean you've had one published, or had an agent?

Well, if you had a novel finished and making the rounds to several agents, it shouldn't deter you from making a non-fiction proposal/outline/chapters submissions to the same ones and the same time. I think that's what I'm saying. Only I wouldn't mention anything in the cover letter of the fiction project that states that you "have an idea" or are "ABOUT to send them a non-fiction IDEA." Do you follow me on that?

Anyway, having a solid non-fiction project, as well as a novel to submit is a nice package to have. But pay close attention to your agent choice. Some represent only one category, but fortunately most of them take both.

Tri

I've sent my novels to the agents/pubs who rejected my non-fiction books, and also the other way around. Did no harm or raise any questions after doing this.

Tri

I'd start from scratch, and market the nonfiction as a completely separate entity. The best agent for fiction may not be the best agent for nonfiction, and vice-versa; and just because an agent likes your novels doesn't mean s/he will like your nonfiction (and vice-versa). It's not uncommon for writers who write both fiction and nonfiction (or in different genres) to have more than one agent.

If an agent who previously rejected you expressed interest in seeing more of your work, I should think it would be fine to send them the nonfiction idea--as long as they have a strong record of selling nonfiction similar to your project. If they haven't much of a nonfiction track record, or their nonfiction interests lie in other areas, save them for your next novel; they're probably not appropriate for the nonfiction project.

I wouldn't approach an agent who was currently reading my novel, even assuming that the agent was appropriate for the nonfiction project, until I got a final word on offer or rejection--I wouldn't want the agent to feel I was bombarding him/her with projects. Just for the sake of logistics, I'm sure most agents would prefer to consider one project at a time.

You would need to let the agents know about each other, assuming you found two of them. Also, if you could get an agent for either your novel or your nonfiction project, it might be helpful for other submissions to be able to say "I'm agented by so-and-so for nonfiction/fiction."

- Victoria