Unfinished Novels and Agents

I could be wrong, but I can't think of reputable agent who will take on an unfinished manuscript from a first-time author. Any examples?

There's no guarantee that the writer is even capable of finishing.

Are you sure it's not 'finish revising'?

'Cause I could see that. Re-writing something that was good enough to snag the agent, but the agent wants some things changed so she can sell it.

I think when an agent takes on an unfinished work, it's for non-fiction.
A non-fiction author can submit a query for their work, summarizing the topic they will be writing about, and an agent will say yes or not based on the query and the author's qualifications and expertise in the subject.

I've not heard of an agent representing a first-time fiction author who hasn't finished their WIP.

I met with two agents at two separate writer's conferences (one in Feb. and one this month) and both requested my full ms, after they'd read the first few chapters. BUT, they just want to see it to decide whether they are interested or not...they're not saying they are going to represent it.

Both of the agents told me they're not interested unless the ms was completed (which it's not)...but to send the ms to them once I'm done with it.

Debbie

Has this author actually signed with the agent? Is it a reputable agent? It's certainly not common.

Jeff Kleinman took on Finn with only the first draft of 3 chapters completed. He also sold it that way to Will Murphy (Random House).

It’s rare but it does happen.

Well, it could be that she sent the agent some sample chapters of her WIP and the agent requested a full ms for review.

It doesn't necessarily mean that the agent will represent the novel when it is finished.

It might be semantics. The agent could have said, "I'd be interested in seeing it when it's finished." Which doesn't mean it won't eventually be rejected, if she even remembers it by that time.

As a general rule (with exceptions, of course) agents only want new writers with finished work. It's rude and unprofessional to query before you have at least a full first draft in hand if you are a new writer.

Now for the exception to the rule: I personally know of a woman who had 3 chapters, started talking to an agent at a conference, and the agent, on the basis of the three chapters, agreed to represent the woman when the novel was finished and waited 6 months for the writer to send her a full MS. She was a very legit agent and all that.

So yes, it happens, but don't expect it to happen to you. Just have the full MS ready and don't expect special treatment. Everyone will be happier.

Jo, if you could find out the name of the agent the board will be better able to vet whether or not he/she is legit.

My agency has expressed interest in a few of their future authors who had yet to complete their MS. I don't know the details, but I believe they weren't officially signed until they finished the MS. Still they were virtually accepted.
So yes, it can happen.

aadams73 said:

I could be wrong, but I can't think of reputable agent who will take on an unfinished manuscript from a first-time author. Any examples?

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aadams73 said:

There's no guarantee that the writer is even capable of finishing.

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Uh, well, I'm a new author who hasn't finished her book yet. I sent a whole batch of queries off stating that the book wasn't done but would be finished soon and I got a nibble from Andrea Somberg from Harvey Klinger Agency in New York City. I got rejected, but it was still a nibble. She told me she was disappointed the first few pages hadn't drawn her in as much as she hoped. So it doesn't matter if the book is finished or not. If its interesting and you can tell them how it ends and produce a finished product quickly, the interest is still there.

It happens to famous people with a "platform" all the time. Do you think Pam Anderson needed to finish her novel before signing a deal?

Atlantis said:

If its interesting and you can tell them how it ends and produce a finished product quickly, the interest is still there.

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If you're still writing a first draft, the term "finished" gets to be relative pretty fast. And if you can produce a finished product quickly, finish the product. Then start querying agents.

caw

Atlantis said:

Uh, well, I'm a new author who hasn't finished her book yet. I sent a whole batch of queries off stating that the book wasn't done but would be finished soon and I got a nibble from Andrea Somberg from Harvey Klinger Agency in New York City. I got rejected, but it was still a nibble. She told me she was disappointed the first few pages hadn't drawn her in as much as she hoped.

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This sounds like a perfect example of why it's best to finish writing the novel, give it to some betas, do all of your necessary revising, and then query the agent with a freshly polished manuscript.

Atlantis said:

Uh, well, I'm a new author who hasn't finished her book yet. I sent a whole batch of queries off stating that the book wasn't done but would be finished soon and I got a nibble from Andrea Somberg from Harvey Klinger Agency in New York City. I got rejected, but it was still a nibble.

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Sounds like Jo's friend has an agent agreeing to represent her unfinished novel...that's different than an agent asking to see a ms for consideration.

An agent who agrees to represent an unfinished novel from a first-time author seems pretty unusual. But looks like it can happen! I'd be interested to know the circumstances (and then copy them ).

I guess I don't understand why a first-timer would just query an agent with an unfinished manuscript. I don't see any advantage to that.

My agent has visited MFA programs and picked up writers there who were not finished with their manuscripts. It does not happen often. I had four manuscripts finished by the time I found representation.
There are other threads on this topic.
Exceptions happen but don't count on it.
JMHO

When my agent took me on, the manuscript was finished but I still had edits to do and ended up doing a lot of substantial revision. I don't think that's the same thing, however, as having an agent simply take you on without a finished product. I suppose it could happen, but it's rare.

My agent picked me up when my book wasn't just unfinished, it was unstarted. She really liked my art, and the weird little desciptions that went with it, she'd read part of my webcomic, and she came to a particular painting where I'd mentioned a children's story idea and said "Did you ever write this?"

"No..." I said, and then in a fit of mad bravado, "but I could!"

"Do it!" she said.

About two months later I gave her a manuscript, and about three months after that, she sold it. This could have failed at any stage--I could have flaked, she could have gotten something that she wasn't equipped to or interested in selling, no one could have wanted it, I could have turned out to be a psycho who called her non-stop--but arguably, that's pretty much the gamble agents take with practically anything, so it was really only one more layer of risk than the usual.

My experience is madly atypical, obviously, and I don't suggest reading too much into it, but from a sample size of one, my guess is that sometimes agents will play a hunch. I suspect some of those unfinished manuscripts fall in that category--the agent reads it, goes "Hot damn! Yes!" and snags it, because they're either excited enough or have seen enough evidence to gamble that the author can pull it off in the end.

It's like horse racing. Most of the time you bet based on the horse's past record or the track condition or the bloodlines or hot tips or whatever, but every now and again you drop some cash on the one with the same name as your first-grade teacher, just in case it's a sign.

Agents, like editors, like professional poker players, don't expect every hand to be a winner. Their job isn't to win hands; it's to make the right bets.

There are a few stories circulating about novelists who sold their books on the basis of a few chapters, then had to scramble to get an agent. One of these is Monika Ali, whose first chapters of Brick Lane got passed to an editor before she had finished the book or started querying agents. The rest is history.
ANother unfinished-book legend is Nicholas Evans, who sold the first 100 pages of The Horse WHisperer to the Frankfurt Book Fair and ended up with a million dollar movie deal.