Continuing to Query While an Agent Has Your Full?

Yes, it is usual and entirely expected that you will be sending your manuscript out to other agents. Unless this agent actually asked for an Exclusive reading period then you are absolutely fine to continue sending it out elsewhere. Just let them know if you do sign with this agent so you don't waste their time.

I agree with Cameron but with one caveat. The agent may think he has an exclusive based on how you worded the submission. It could be interpreted that way. Something like this happened to me, and an agent got a bit miffed when she found out I had another offer after she'd had the full for like 2 months, thinking she had time. It was an awkward situation, a misunderstanding. If you intend to submit to others, maybe drop the agent a note first clarifying when you'd like to move forward. That would give the agent the opportunity to formally request an Exclusive within a set amount of time. Anyway, openness and honesty is always best.

I don't have as much experience as many other posters/authors here, but my impression is that there's never any reason to offer/tell an agent you're giving them an exclusive opportunity unless they ask for it first. In fact, some agencies explicitly say on their sites NOT to send them an exclusive submission because it'd be a waste of your time and they wouldn't treat it any differently than a normal submission.

Normally I would say yes, it is absolutely expected to continue to query while an agent has your full. However, based on the wording you've provided, I agree with Atlantic that it could be interpreted as offering him an exclusive. I would just make sure you clarify the situation before moving ahead--if you're really excited about this agent, maybe give it a couple weeks to see if he jumps on it and if not let him know you're continuing to submit?

I don't really agree.

You didn't offer him an exclusive. Nothing of the such was said, or signed. The agent didn't even reply to what you said. They just asked for a full.

Keep in mind, agents have flaws and come from varying degrees of experience. If one gets angry because you have another offer, then it not only shows the agent's maturity, but it also shows how they're going to pursue editors on your behalf. If they're only going to send one manuscript at a time, waiting for a form rejection before sending out another, then they aren't working well for you.

It's absolutely assumed that you're querying to other agents as they read your fulls. There's no need to tell them you are doing so, or dropping by with a second email about it.

You're not holding a bidding war between two agents, anyway. You send your full, they say they want to represent you, and what they can do for you. You get another offer from another agent. If you aren't sure if one is a good match for you, then you ask them questions. You email their clients. Then you make your choice. There isn't even a need to tell one that another has given you an offer.

^
Sounds about right. It's like having two job offers, you don't have to tell everyone you interview with "oh hey, I'm interviewing elsewhere as well." They should expect you are. And if you take what you deem to be a better offer (even if it's only better because it was more timely), that's entirely your prerogative. It's business, after all.

A Guy said:

^
Sounds about right. It's like having two job offers, you don't have to tell everyone you interview with "oh hey, I'm interviewing elsewhere as well." They should expect you are. And if you take what you deem to be a better offer (even if it's only better because it was more timely), that's entirely your prerogative. It's business, after all.

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Sure, but in this case it would be like you've already told one of them that they're the only one you're interviewing with. If you've told them that, you should probably give them a heads up when the situation changes.

Antipode91 said:

There isn't even a need to tell one that another has given you an offer.

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No. No. No.

Sorry. But, no. It *is* expected that when you receive an offer that you notify other agents who are considering the MS. Not doing so *is* bad form and will not make you look good. (The only exception would be if someone offers and you realize immediately that they are not the right agent for you and refuse the offer. Otherwise, an offer means you notify everyone who is looking at the MS that you have received an offer and they have X amount of time - usually 14 days - in which to finish reading and make their own offer if they wish or to withdraw from consideration.)

noranne said:

Sure, but in this case it would be like you've already told one of them that they're the only one you're interviewing with. If you've told them that, you should probably give them a heads up when the situation changes.

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Eh, maybe. But maybe you could fudge things and say "hey, this other guy I queried before you got back to me and also requested the full, so hurry up!"

Aggy B. said:

No. No. No.

Sorry. But, no. It *is* expected that when you receive an offer that you notify other agents who are considering the MS. Not doing so *is* bad form and will not make you look good. (The only exception would be if someone offers and you realize immediately that they are not the right agent for you and refuse the offer. Otherwise, an offer means you notify everyone who is looking at the MS that you have received an offer and they have X amount of time - usually 14 days - in which to finish reading and make their own offer if they wish or to withdraw from consideration.)

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Yes to this ^^^!!

I have five fulls out to agents right now and the majority who requested the fulls had a variation of the following in their email: "Please let me know as soon as possible if the status of your manuscript changes." Meaning, if I get an offer, I let everyone who has my full know immediately. As far as I'm aware, that's standard industry practice. And, frankly, simple good manners.

A Guy said:

Eh, maybe. But maybe you could fudge things and say "hey, this other guy I queried before you got back to me and also requested the full, so hurry up!"

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Oh, you mean lie about requests or offers? That's been discussed before. It doesn't end well for the author. (Because agents do talk to each other and you do that enough times and they realize you're stringing them along trying to get a faster response.)

Some agents will ask to be notified if someone else has/does make a full request, but they typically ask for names. This is to keep you honest and lying about it will make you look bad.

Also, agents are potential business partners. Starting off the relationship with manipulation is probably not wise, even if you could get away with "fudging" interest from other parties.

Aggy B. said:

Some agents will ask to be notified if someone else has/does make a full request, but they typically ask for names. This is to keep you honest and lying about it will make you look bad.

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That's true, some of them will. It's not the *exact* same scenario, but when I was in the query trenches and finally got an offer on my novel, I sent out my notifications to the other agents that had the full and one of them actually did ask who was making the offer. I'm sure part of it was curiosity, but another part was also that it is a small world, and it doesn't hurt to send out feelers and make sure that a potential client who just announced an offer is "legit," and really is just trying to narrow down choices, rather than try and force a situation into rushing everyone else into an offer.

Unfortunately, "fake offers" have happened. I believe there was as scam just earlier in the year with multiple agents all receiving the same "threat" of offer, like clockwork, two weeks after a query was submitted.

Wait, I misread the first post. If the word "exclusive" was never used, why wouldn't you query other agents?

Shoeless said:

That's true, some of them will. It's not the *exact* same scenario, but when I was in the query trenches and finally got an offer on my novel, I sent out my notifications to the other agents that had the full and one of them actually did ask who was making the offer. I'm sure part of it was curiosity, but another part was also that it is a small world, and it doesn't hurt to send out feelers and make sure that a potential client who just announced an offer is "legit," and really is just trying to narrow down choices, rather than try and force a situation into rushing everyone else into an offer.

Unfortunately, "fake offers" have happened. I believe there was as scam just earlier in the year with multiple agents all receiving the same "threat" of offer, like clockwork, two weeks after a query was submitted.

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I ask for the names of offering agents for a number of reason. 1) If it's a friend or someone I think is better for the project, I'll step aside. 2) Fake offers abound, as do fake referrals. I've received enough to now question everything. 3) I'm a curious bee.

LaneHeymont said:

I ask for the names of offering agents for a number of reason. 1) If it's a friend or someone I think is better for the project, I'll step aside. 2) Fake offers abound, as do fake referrals. I've received enough to now question everything. 3) I'm a curious bee.

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It's helpful to hear an agent's reasons. Thanks.

As to the OP, I see no reason to wait to continue querying. The agent didn't ask for an exclusive.