Got an Offer, How to Handle other mss

socact

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Hi guys,

I'm sure this has been answered before, but I couldn't find it in the last ten pages or so, so I'll just ask it here. I hope this is okay.

An agent made me an offer today for a YA manuscript. I have seven other agents reading it, so I'm going to email them and give them a chance to get back to me about it. But I also have two other agents reading a different manuscript, and I'm unsure how to approach them about it. Should I mention that someone made me an offer for a different manuscript? Or should I leave that part out and just tell them someone wants to represent me? I've also thought about offering to let them read this manuscript as well as the one they have, although it's a totally different genre.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 

RainbowDragon

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I think your instincts are correct -- notify everyone and their mothers. Give them all a chance to make an offer. See who wants one book, see who wants both books. If you have queries out to agents high on your list, notify them, too.

This is your time to shine! Congrats!
 

socact

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Thanks for your advice, guys. I think I'll mention the other ms to the two agents that have a different novel, and see what they say. I feel like I'm still in this position of not wanting to annoy them by suggesting they read a full (since a request is such a rare thing, I don't want to them to think I'm pushing them). I think the querying process has instilled in me this bizarre fear when it comes to talking to agents.

Orion, when you say enthusiasm, should I target this at the agents I really, really like? Or all of them? Does it help to talk about why I like them? I don't want anyone to think I'm sucking up, but I do have some top agents on my list and I'd like them to know that.
 

RainbowDragon

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I think Orion meant their enthusiasm for your book/writing counts for a lot (but do correct me if I'm wrong). You are not bothering them to alert them to your offer. It's standard protocol.

They can either: ignore, respond and accelerate their review/decision or respond and bow out.

It's common courtesy to contact every agent with a partial/full. Unanswered query recipients are optional (depending on whether they're potentially higher on your list than the bird in your hand).

Good luck deciding!
 
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Julie Worth

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An agent made me an offer today for a YA manuscript. I have seven other agents reading it, so I'm going to email them and give them a chance to get back to me about it. But I also have two other agents reading a different manuscript, and I'm unsure how to approach them about it. Should I mention that someone made me an offer for a different manuscript? Or should I leave that part out and just tell them someone wants to represent me? I've also thought about offering to let them read this manuscript as well as the one they have, although it's a totally different genre.



I'm in a similar situation. With half a dozen fulls out to agents, I received an offer from a publisher I didn't submit to. I know how they got the MS, and I know this publisher--they're too small to interest an agent, but they have a big name editor who could open doors. They also have an early slot. That's both good and bad--bad because they need a quick decision. So I sent a letter to the most likely of the agents with the full. Days have passed, and irritatingly, no response. Now I realize I was happier before I got the offer.
 
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kellion92

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I think all the advice here is good (although confusing) but I do think you want to end up with one agent. A good match will want to rep you and your career, not just your book. That doesn't necessarily mean s/he will love the other book as much, or at all... Regardless, s/he will most likely want to work on preparing one book for submission at a time.
 

ORION

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yeah ... i meant THEIR enthusiasm for your writing and book...
go on PM and see recent sales. Are you wanting to be in YA? The agent may ask you about this and yes unless you have a special/unique circumstance one agent is best.
Andrew Zack has often said tho that you don't want to leave agents hanging for any length of time...
 

socact

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Thank you all so much for your helpful replies. I think I misinterpreted Orion's first statement about enthusiasm (oops), but in the end it actually helped. It never hurts to let someone know you'd love to work with them (right? well, I think she appreciated it).

I'm glad I mentioned the other manuscript - that was very sound advice. Both agents with different mss requested it and wanted a chance to review that one, as well. So we'll see what happens.

Also, every agent seems to want something different in terms of letting you know about an offer. I tweeted Colleen Lindsay about this, and she said she only wants to know if she has your full (not a partial). But another agent said she wants to know about an offer, even if she just has your query. So I don't know. I let all the agents with partials/fulls know, and all the ones with partials requested the full. So I think it really pays to do that.

Not sure about queries...I may just choose my top five agents on that list, and let them know.

Orion, the agent who made me an offer said it was fine if I took a week to decide. I think she almost expected me to do this (it's probably just common courtesy to let other agents know you have an offer). But again, it seems like everyone is different.
 

RainbowDragon

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Great news!

Yeah, well, I'd assume they want to know, and if they don't, so be it. They won't respond or they'll send a rejection.

Today it's about YOU!

Congratulations!
 

scope

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Either I'm missing something or you haven't supplied the most necessary of information so that you can get the best possible answer to your question.

From what I gather, you completed 3 or so different manuscripts and sent each via query to a bunch of agents.

Are the genres of these manuscripts the same? If so, I would think that an agent would want the opportunity to represent all of your works within the same genre, not just one. Why would any agent knowingly want to compete with other agents soliciting the same editor, but with different books? Please correct me if I missed something.
 

socact

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The manuscripts are all different genres. So ideally, I'd like to sign with someone who represents them all.

I didn't send any duplicate queries, so each agent only received one. My plan was always to get an agent, then worry about the other manuscripts. And even if the agent I sign with doesn't represent those other genres, I'm okay with trunking those novels.

You're right, that wasn't clear. I apologize for that.

Thanks so much, RainbowDragon. I feel very fortunate!