If You Get a Contract, Should you Seek an Agent?

There are other factors than an advance. Time length of contract, which rights you want to sell, how to handle foreign and/or film rights, which series/spin-offs you think this publisher can handle - or not.

You might need an advance to tempt an agent (they like to get paid), but it doesn't have to be huge.

If you've got an advance-paying publisher who's offered a contract, it certainly can't hurt to try for an agent. If anything, having an agent on your side will help you.

When the offer comes in, treat it like you would an offer of representation from an agent (sort of). Tell the offering publisher that you're reading over the contract, but you'd like to consult a professional. A legit publisher shouldn't balk at that.

When you approach an agent (or agents) about possible representation, don't just put "query" in the subject line. You want to make sure your letter doesn't get stuck in the regular queue where it could take months to be read. Tell the agent you have an offer, and make sure you mention which publisher it is. Also, tell them how much time you gave the publisher, so they know how long they have to read the novel.

Good luck!

Undercover said:

Thanks Filigree and Cyia. I don't want to let the cat out of the bag, but I have something in the works.

Here's a question for you guys. What if you have an offer with one book and have another in question, but there's a good chance the publisher will want to see that one too, could you seek out the agents that declined it? Not the book that's got an offer, but the other one.

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No. If they've declined it once, they aren't likely to take it on now, even with a contract offer. And even if they did, you want an agent who is wildly enthusiastic about your work, not one who is only agreeing to represent it because it's money in the hand.

Mine went sort of like this. I had my novel going to acquisitions after a rewrite with Strange Chemistry. I queried a bunch of agents and a lot agreed to take a look. Juliet offered two days before the offer of publication, and I accepted a few days later.

I saw the initial offer that AR offered and saw what the agent did for me. And thought I didn't get a wildly bigger advance, I got a lot of subsidiary rights and little phrases changed that work out better for me that I wouldn't even have picked up on. Plus now with my new manuscripts I get two rounds of edits from her before it goes to my editor.

So I say it doesn't hurt to try for an agent because I feel mine is worth her 15% many times over.

Edit: I'd try the agent with the revision request for sure!

I had something like 'OFFER OF PUBLICATION FROM AMULET BOOKS' in my subject line. It got very quick responses.

Can't help you with the rest, though. Good luck!

Undercover said:

Okay, there's an agent that was really interested and wanted to see a second round of revisions on one (hasn't even seen the one with the offer yet) but I never got back to her on the next round of revisions yet, so she would be the one to contact, yes?

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I would contact her, yes.

Even if there isn't an advance involved, if you would prefer to go into the contract with agent representation, it's worth contacting them...with a subject like that says "Offer in hand from ____.".

I actually had such a situation. In the midst of querying agents, I got a two-book offer from Kensington for their digital-first line, which doesn't offer an advance (although, if they decide to put the books in print eventually, the print edition will include an advance). So I updated agents who had partials or fulls...and I contacted two agents who'd rejected partials/fulls but whom I still really wanted to work with. One of those agents did reconsider. And I ended up with three offers of rep. It was quite a whirlwind week.

So I'd say it's worth seeking an agent when you have a pub offer on the table. And i'd even say it's okay to contact agents who've rejected your partials/fulls. The worst that can happen is they'll say no, which would be understandable. Ultimately, I really wanted an agent because I'm looking ahead, not just at this book deal but at a writing career and felt an agent would be an important guide. (And already i think she's worth every penny!)

But there are lots of authors who've taken contracts without an agent--if you do, I recommend you have an attorney with literary contract experience review the contract before you sign.

In terms of timing, I had a limited window specified by the pub. I explained that I was in the middle of querying and needed to update agents about the offer. The editor wanted an answer within a specific timeframe...so I made the timing clear to the agents when I updated them.

Good luck to you! Keeping my fingers crossed for you!!