blackbird
11-12-2006, 10:34 PM
If this thread is more appropriate for another forum, feel free to move it. But here goes...
Suppose your agent has shopped your manuscript for nearly a year, has had some enthusiastic nibbles (but no takers) several no responses, and a few form rejections. She advises you, based on general consensus, to do an alternate edit. You don't have a problem with this and, in fact, are even in agreement that an alternate edit will strengthen the novel. But suppose that, due to other issues (that have not been satisfactorily resolved for you) you decide to leave said agent and shop for another? What would be the best strategy for explaining/dealing with this situation to the new agent? I'm aware that a new agent can't shop a manuscript to houses that have already rejected it; however, in this case, it's going to be a manuscript that's had extensive revision (hopefully, for the better). In other words, I don't plan to look for another agent until the rewrite is done. And I do know for a fact that there were at least a couple of editors who had said they would be willing to reconsider if certain suggested changes were made. So, should a new agent be made aware that these houses have already expressed an interest, or should I just let the new agent start from scratch and trust his or her judgment (without putting my own two cents' worth into the mix)? I know they will have to be made aware of my current situation and all of the places the manuscript has already been submitted to, anyway, so I'm just wondering if they would be more inclined to take on a manuscript that they know has already garnered some interest (as opposed to having been flat out rejected), or would that make any difference?
Also, the manuscript has already garnered some Hollywood interest. This came about due to a bit of fortune in having some very good connections, but the truth is that even though we don't have a deal for the book, I already have some people who have expressed interest in optioning the project and getting a screenplay done. I'm aware this is against the normal protocol (where usually a book deal is in place first) but as my agent said, is not entirely unheard of. However, the deal is still simply in the talking stage at this point and as we all know, talk in Hollywood is cheap. It may or may not pan out to mean anything. In light of this, would it be worth mentioning to a new agent? I would imagine that being made aware that a major Hollywood producer (I won't name his name, but he's one of the major players) is interested in the project could only sweeten the pot, but then again, if it's only talk at this point, would such information carry any weight, or would I be better off just to keep mum until I see what's going to happen?
Suppose your agent has shopped your manuscript for nearly a year, has had some enthusiastic nibbles (but no takers) several no responses, and a few form rejections. She advises you, based on general consensus, to do an alternate edit. You don't have a problem with this and, in fact, are even in agreement that an alternate edit will strengthen the novel. But suppose that, due to other issues (that have not been satisfactorily resolved for you) you decide to leave said agent and shop for another? What would be the best strategy for explaining/dealing with this situation to the new agent? I'm aware that a new agent can't shop a manuscript to houses that have already rejected it; however, in this case, it's going to be a manuscript that's had extensive revision (hopefully, for the better). In other words, I don't plan to look for another agent until the rewrite is done. And I do know for a fact that there were at least a couple of editors who had said they would be willing to reconsider if certain suggested changes were made. So, should a new agent be made aware that these houses have already expressed an interest, or should I just let the new agent start from scratch and trust his or her judgment (without putting my own two cents' worth into the mix)? I know they will have to be made aware of my current situation and all of the places the manuscript has already been submitted to, anyway, so I'm just wondering if they would be more inclined to take on a manuscript that they know has already garnered some interest (as opposed to having been flat out rejected), or would that make any difference?
Also, the manuscript has already garnered some Hollywood interest. This came about due to a bit of fortune in having some very good connections, but the truth is that even though we don't have a deal for the book, I already have some people who have expressed interest in optioning the project and getting a screenplay done. I'm aware this is against the normal protocol (where usually a book deal is in place first) but as my agent said, is not entirely unheard of. However, the deal is still simply in the talking stage at this point and as we all know, talk in Hollywood is cheap. It may or may not pan out to mean anything. In light of this, would it be worth mentioning to a new agent? I would imagine that being made aware that a major Hollywood producer (I won't name his name, but he's one of the major players) is interested in the project could only sweeten the pot, but then again, if it's only talk at this point, would such information carry any weight, or would I be better off just to keep mum until I see what's going to happen?