When an agent asks who else is considering...

Do they want specific names, or do they want an answer like "Two agents and one publisher are looking at this?"

Because I'd be comfortable giving the latter, but not the former.

Good question. My former agent asked me, "Who else is reading?" when we were discussing revisions (before she offered representation). I was thrown off-guard and just blurted out the name of the other agent who had the full. I suppose I could have been more coy about it . . .

Several agents who requested fulls asked if other agents were reading, but didn't ask for specifics.

I hope other writers chime in with their experiences and advice.

I had that just the other week. An agent asked if other agents were looking at it, and if it had been rejected by my publisher. I answered truthfully; two of other agents had been queried, but without material, and my publisher had not rejected it.

You don't have to give names. Just say "(Insert number) have fulls, (insert number) have partials," or "No others at this time."

I agree with others that you don't need to give an agent the names of other agents who are reading (or who've considered and rejected in the past).

Publishers are a different matter. The agent does need to know if the ms. has been rejected by any publishers (and which ones), because this potentially closes off submission avenues, and is something that needs to be evaluated if the agent is considering taking you on.

- Victoria

just curious...but let's say you respond as Victoria suggests. "Two agents currently have the full mss." Then the agent says what two agents?

Twizzle said:

just curious...but let's say you respond as Victoria suggests. "Two agents currently have the full mss." Then the agent says what two agents?

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I would say, "I don't feel comfortable sharing that information; I'm sure you wouldn't want me to share information about your interest in the MS with other agents, either."

And, yes, what Victoria said about giving the names of publishers who are looking at it. That's obviously very important information for an agent to know.

I totally agree with Cate...

Dorian asked me who in conversation while she was reading but before she offered and I really had no problem telling her.
I also said I had other queries out to other agencies that hadn't responded yet. I kept querying even as my full was being read...

These relationships need to start out honestly...

"It's really not your business" is an honest answer. More diplomatically worded, it's a professional answer as well.

I'm not sure why it would be important for an agent to know, either.

I asked my agent this and she says it gives her an idea of her competition for the project.
It's actually a good thing. So she can give good reasons for choosing her. i.e. "I've made more sales" or "I give more attention."
In actuality it really IS their business. My husband is an architect and he knows who he is competing with for jobs.


Where the problem comes in? When you say that more than one agent is looking at your work and there is not.

I can't think why an author would be uncomfortable sharing this.
If you are, then I might practice saying, "I'm uncomfortable sharing that at this point but I will let you know right away when I get an offer."

The other thing writers do (to get an agent to read faster or make an offer) is to say they have an offer when in fact they do not.
Be prepared to say "I have an offer from X" and not just I have an offer.

thanks.

cate townsend said:

I would have named names.

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You would've been a hit with the Committee on Un-American Activities.

I had the same thing happen -- a few agents asked who else was looking at the material (I can't remember at what stage) and I gave them names. I've asked other agents about this and a few said that sometimes authors try to game the system by either not having other agents actually interested or by trying to leverage a scam agent offer into a legit agent offer. I also think that Pat/Orion is right that agents like to guage the level of interest.

As for this "competition" idea, do publishers get to know who else is bidding on a manuscript in an auction? Why should an agent be given the names of other agents with whom he/she is competing?

Isn't it a matter of "put your best foot forward" so that the author knows the best qualities of the agent in question, just like the publishers put their best foot forward in bidding on a certain book?

The author can certainly do his/her own comparing when it comes to agents. I don't like the idea of four or five agents putting each other down so that they can each play themselves up.

Can't one just honestly say how many agents are looking at the manuscript without naming the agents?

I'm about to send out several proposals. If I get to the point of sending out the manuscript, I would hesitate to tell the agents precisely who else is considering my manuscript.

The way I see it, the author is the employer with a product and the agent is applying for a job as a salesperson. Since when does a job applicant get to ask: "Who else is applying for this job?"