Dealing direct with publishers

nobody (I believe) thinks you are being obnoxious, we only fear you are being very, very naive. Your prior posts strongly suggest you have a pretty superficial idea of what a publisher or agent does......there's a reason to have a professional advocate.

In the end it is your choice, but that is where we are coming from.

That's pretty much what I was going to say too, quick. I was anxious that our little prince was going to make mistakes, and hoped to help him avoid them.

Okay, so veering off of this topic slightly...

I've subbed around to some publishers and began getting requests for partials and fulls. I don't have an agent, mainly because I shopped my ms around to a ton of them last year and they all turned me down. Now my ms is as short and tight as it's going to get, and it seems publishers are at least taking notice. Four publishers have the full ms right now.

If I am lucky enough to get an offer, is is tacky to query an agent and ask for representation at that point?
Will I tick off the publisher if I ask them to give me a week or two to think about their offer, and them come back at them with an agent?

CrystalKay said:

....
If I am lucky enough to get an offer, is is tacky to query an agent and ask for representation at that point?
Will I tick off the publisher if I ask them to give me a week or two to think about their offer, and them come back at them with an agent?

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why would it be? Ever hear of the phrase "low-hanging fruit?" It is HARDER to get in without an agent, all things being equal, but if you come up to them with "Hey, I have an offer all ready for you to just negotiate and collect your percentage, instead of you doing all the other legwork" there isn't much not to like for them....

Thanks quicklime. I'm trying not to break the publishing rules of etiquette, but as for annoying a publisher by coming back with an agent..? Good idea? Bad idea?

good idea for you, and if they made an offer, no publisher (at least none you'd want) is going to balk because you have informed representation.

CrystalKay said:

Will I tick off the publisher if I ask them to give me a week or two to think about their offer, and them come back at them with an agent?

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CrystalKay said:

Thanks quicklime. I'm trying not to break the publishing rules of etiquette, but as for annoying a publisher by coming back with an agent..? Good idea? Bad idea?

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If a publisher is "ticked off" or "annoyed" by this, they might not be a publisher you want to sign with.

Old Hack said:

Failing that, the UK's Society of Authors provides a free contract-review service for its members, and an annual membership is only about £100. The review is very detailed and thoughtful, and worth far more than that membership fee.

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The Writer's Guild in the US and various organizations for niche markets either offer free consults on manuscripts or have lists of lawyers with good reputations.