Agent Offer! And a Question.

Horseflye

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I just received an offer from a new agent at an established agency for my contemporary YA, and I couldn't be happier!

My question: she seems like a great fit--both with me, personally, and with the theme of my book. Does anyone have experience working with new/junior agents?

She is also interested in representing my future work. I plan on doing both Middle Grade and Adult fiction. Is that something I sign into now?

Thanks! Super excited!
 

Marissa D

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Congratulations! As for your other work, that's certainly a discussion you should be having sooner rather than later, so that she's on board with your branching out from what she signed you for, and so that you know she can competently represent it.
 

NealM

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Congrats! I don't have any real advice for you because I'm the same boat. I just signed on with a junior agent as well. Before I signed with her we definitely had a conversation about my future and what kind of projects I hoped to crank out down the road. I'm not exactly sure what you mean when you say "is that something I sign into now." I would just take it on a project by project basis. If you like the results that come from this agent repping your contemporary YA then when you finish the next one there's no reason not to have her rep that one as well. But if you're not pleased with the results you can always part ways and seek representation elsewhere. They agent works for you. But again, I'm new at this as well so if I'm mistaken about any of this those who are more experienced please feel free to correct me.
 

Fruitbat

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Congrats, Horseflye, and best of luck with it. :)
 
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Horseflye

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Thank you everyone! Marissa--yes, that makes sense. Likewise to you, Neal--and congrats :)
 

LaneHeymont

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I'll chime in here as former junior agent. All agents start off somewhere. Junior agents tend to be hungry and determined to grow both their list and their clients' careers. You should definitely ask this agent if they have the backing/ability to seek counsel with senior agents, etc. — and I strongly assume they do.
 

Horseflye

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@ LaneHeymont, yes, she mentioned that she would be working with the agency principal. Thank you!
 

LuckyStar

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Congratulations!

If she's expressed interest in your future work, good for you. But, I don't really know what you mean by "sign into it now", so all I'll say is, why don't you concentrate on the ms you are working on with her for now, see how it goes, before worrying about "signing" on any other of your work.

I wish and hope the best for you. However, if, and there's a small possibility, if, it doesn't go as you've planned, it doesn't work out for you, you'll be happy that you haven't signed away your future. ;)
 

WeaselFire

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In almost everything, I prefer to work with the newer, younger people, They're hungrier and more willing to push to get what you need. This goes for everyone from literary agents to real estate agents. And all agents have the backing of the agency if they have trouble.

Jeff
 

CameronJohnston

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Huge congrats! :D That's superb news!

As far as I know (unless you also plan to write in genres this agent does not actually work with) an agent will represent you as a writer, including any future works you might create. Of course, should it not work out you can always drop the agent (or they can drop you) before they actually see or do any work on your next manuscript.
 

Horseflye

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Thanks, yes, she is open to representing my other work. Right now, deep into editing MS 1 :)
 

WeaselFire

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Thanks, yes, she is open to representing my other work. Right now, deep into editing MS 1 :)

Ahhh... The crap part of writing. :)

I love writing the first draft. I hate editing the fourth draft. I love getting accepted. I hate rewriting the whole thing again to meet an agent/publisher/editor's idea of what it should be. I love the final acceptance. I hate waiting for the first royalty statement. I love getting the first royalty check. I hate figuring out it will take 27 years to pay off the advance... Writing has a lot of ups and downs. Good thing God (or somebody just as smart) invented deep fried Twinkies.

Jeff
 

Horseflye

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Haha, thanks Jeff--though I don't know about the Twinkies...