Although I'm not under contract, I have a top children's editor seriously looking at my YA fantasy novel (she's been through two rounds of revisions with me, and currently has the third draft of the ms. in her possession though to my knowledge she hasn't read it yet). This seems like a great time to query agents, no?
My problem: I met Agent #1 at a conference in October and queried her immediately after, and she asked for the full ms. A couple of weeks later "my" editor referred me to Agent #2, who only takes clients on referral. She also asked for the full ms.
I mailed my book to both agents, and told Agent #2 in the cover letter that while I understand she prefers exclusives, I had already promised a full to Agent #1. However, I assured her (in my sad naivete) that Agent #1 and Editor were the only two other people who were looking at the manuscript.
Now I've found some other agents I'd like to query, just in case Agents #1 and #2 both come back with a no -- but I seem to have tacitly committed myself to an exclusive with no indication of how long the exclusive should be. Nitwit, yes.
What I want to know is, can this situation be fixed? Would it be appropriate for me to e-mail Agent #2 and say to her, "I was under the impression that you would like an exclusive look at the manuscript -- would you be so kind as to let me know how long you have in mind?" Or would I be better to keep my mouth shut and suffer for two more months, which is how long Agent #2 says it will probably take her to read my novel?
Help!
My problem: I met Agent #1 at a conference in October and queried her immediately after, and she asked for the full ms. A couple of weeks later "my" editor referred me to Agent #2, who only takes clients on referral. She also asked for the full ms.
I mailed my book to both agents, and told Agent #2 in the cover letter that while I understand she prefers exclusives, I had already promised a full to Agent #1. However, I assured her (in my sad naivete) that Agent #1 and Editor were the only two other people who were looking at the manuscript.
Now I've found some other agents I'd like to query, just in case Agents #1 and #2 both come back with a no -- but I seem to have tacitly committed myself to an exclusive with no indication of how long the exclusive should be. Nitwit, yes.
What I want to know is, can this situation be fixed? Would it be appropriate for me to e-mail Agent #2 and say to her, "I was under the impression that you would like an exclusive look at the manuscript -- would you be so kind as to let me know how long you have in mind?" Or would I be better to keep my mouth shut and suffer for two more months, which is how long Agent #2 says it will probably take her to read my novel?
Help!
