Revise & Resubmit with Exclusive. When to notify other pubs?

If you think you'll go with one of the others who has your full right now, that might be a sticky situation if the R&R publisher is expecting you to re-sub to them. This seems like you may need to clarify with the publisher. Do they know that other pubs have the full right now? If not, you could say "I'm interested in doing an R&R for you, however there are other publishers who currently have my manuscript. Would you like an exclusive with the R&R after they've finished reading? Or would you like to see the new version whenever it's complete?"

None of their business. If someone else wants to make you an offer, or request changes, they can say so.

viridian6 said:

They are in the process of drafting up a revision letter.

Click to expand...

Follow the instructions in this letter. Unlike other posters here, I'm always up front and courteous with all agents, editors and publishers. You'll find that memories in this business are long and they move around.

As an example, I recently got a rejection from a publisher (non-fiction, rejected because they are no longer publishing that type of work) and the editor happened to say "Hey, didn't I work with you on such-and-such?" I had to think back, it was about two decades ago at a long-defunct publisher. As it stands, he's open to any proposals I may have that better fit what they are currently looking for and he sent me an updated list. He also has my current contact info for any projects he has that need writers or tech editors. Apparently, I didn't make as bad an impression as I did with the girls in high school...

Jeff

I'm curious about the wording of them wanting an exclusive. All publishers want exclusive rights. Now, a short story will simply be first publication rights, but longer works, they won't let anyone else print it. This means all versions of the manuscript.

Now, obviously you can accept or deny any offers in the meantime, and if you receive multiple authors, you're always free to get them to bid against each other, but that starts getting very tricky, very quickly (and why agents exist!), but in the end, you can only go with one. Earlier versions do not count as different.

An exclusive in this context means that the OP wouldn't submit the book anywhere else. It's not going to be published, it's a submission looking for publication and the publisher in question isn't offering a contract to publish, they're just considering whether or not they might want to do so, and they don't want any other publishers looking at it while they make up their minds.

You're right that a publisher would of course want an exclusive right to publish a book in its territory, and that would mean all versions of the works.

Would there realistically be a time frame for that exclusive consideration? I've heard bad stories about R&R mms sent in, and either not addressed for a year or two, or lost/no-response rejected altogether. This seems like a good point to make sure the publisher and author both have a schedule.

I'm with Punkin on this. Be polite and courteous, but don't give exclusives unless there's money on the table. What you do with work they don't own is none of their concern. Don't say that, of course, but I wouldn't do it.
Cyn