If you have a publisher, can you still get an agent?

Look through Jennifer Laughran's thread. She actually addressed this there. She said something about putting "Have offer from______" in the subject line and getting an agent's attention that way.

(Who's the house? You got me curious. )



ETA: here's what she said:

The best way to get an agent in a hurry is to have an offer in hand - do NOT accept the offer, just say "thank you, I am looking for an agent, I will be back to you in a week" or something -- then query a couple agents saying *HAVE OFFER FROM RANDOM HOUSE* or similar in the subject line -- and I assure you, you will get read quickly.

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If I get a contract from them, can I still get an agent?

By this statement, I'm assuming you haven't yet received a contract from this small pub? Just a handshake deal?

Either way, yes, you can still get an agent. Having a contract in hand is both a plus and a minus, though.

It's a plus, because it tells agents that someone else likes your writing enough to publish it. They see the potential in it. Although how much it helps also depends on the house itself. A small house no one has heard of won't do much for you, but one of the small, well-respected pubs will.

It can be a minus, though, because most small houses only pay a small amount up front. Which means the agent will be doing a lot of work for not a lot of money. If the agent truly loves your book, it may not matter as much.

If so, how do I broach the query process?

No differently than without a deal in hand, in terms of format and who you target. You just get to add a few lines such as "I've been offered X from Y for publication Z." Give them the details, but don't forget to sell your book, too.

And furthermore, do I still need an agent?

Depends on your career goals. Were you searching for an agent before you got this deal? Are you seeking an agent specifically to negotiate this deal for you, or do you want someone to help guide your career and be your advocate?

My guess is that if the advance is small (and for many agents, $1,000 is small), you will have a tough time finding a successful agent who's interested. If the agent really loves your book, she likely will feel she could have gotten you a better deal elsewhere.

The down side of looking for an agent with an offer in hand (assuming the offer is lucrative enough to interest a successful agent) is that the agent may be more tempted by the prospect of a quick commission than by your writing. That could be a problem down the road, if you want the agent to rep your next book.

Since the publisher placed one of its books with a larger house, I'm guessing it has an active subrights department, or that its subrights are repped by an effective agency. Even if you can't get agent interest now, if your book does well with this small press--and especially if it moves up to a larger house--you'll have a solid credential to attract an agent for your next book.

- Victoria