Big problem with Dream Agent

brianp · Jan 30, 2007

I just started querying out my novel with five queries, and I decided to start at the top. So I sent out to the top few agents in my genre, including my "dream" agent who represents all my literary heroes.

In less than a week I heard from one of these agents who wanted to see the whole shebang, so I sent it to her that night.

Then the VERY NEXT DAY, I heard from my dream agent! And he wanted to see it exclusively! He didn't want the whole thing but just "a proposal and sample chapters."

Since I had already discovered the Absolute Write Water Cooler, I searched for what to do and I knew that I should tell my dream agent (gulp) that someone else was looking at it, but that I'd love to send it to him on a non-exclusive basis.

O.k., fast forward two days later, when dream agent must have gotten my letter because he sent me an e-mail telling me that it's okay, that I should send him the manuscript and he'll review it non-exclusively. The problem is, he said "your manuscript" this time and not "a proposal and sample chapters"- am I to assume that we're still talking about sample chapters and a proposal here, or does this mean he wants the full manuscript?

Here's exactly what he said:

"Brian,

Send me your manuscript and I'll look at it on a non-exclusive basis.

Thanks,

[Brian's Dream Agent]"

Gulp!

I don't want to do the wrong thing and get him mad or ruin my chances! What do I do, send the whole thing or just "a proposal and sample chapters" like he asked for in the original letter? Argh! Please help!

giftedrhonda · Jan 30, 2007

Send the full--he wants to see it all!

Maprilynne · Jan 30, 2007

Send the whole thing . . . the absolute very worst thing that can happen is he says no. Really, that's it. (However, a little trick, you may want to send a copy of your correspondences--for his convienience, of course--so that if he opens it up and goes, WTF? he can see that a full really is what he asked for. Either way, I think you will be just fine.

Maprilynne

victoriastrauss · Jan 30, 2007

You must have a dynamite query, Brian. I agree--he's asking for the full (which makes sense, since now he knows that someone else is reading). Send it on, and good luck!

For anyone who is wondering why we at AW are always chanting "Start at the top! Start at the top!"...this is the reason.

- Victoria

Kasey Mackenzie · Jan 30, 2007

Yay! Good for you, Brian! I definitely agree--send the full manuscript, and I would include a copy of his request as well. It sounds like he wants the full manuscript since he knows the other agent is interested. Good luck!

aruna · Jan 30, 2007

Full. Absolutely.
And then stop thinking about it.

Aruna's Law: the Call always comes when you least expect it.

Maprilynne · Jan 31, 2007

aruna said:
Aruna's Law: the Call always comes when you least expect it.

Yeah, yanno, like 10.5 months later.

Maprilynne

HorrorWriter · Jan 31, 2007

Maprilynne said:
Yeah, yanno, like 10.5 months later.

Maprilynne

Oh, don't remind me! Yikes!

stormie · Jan 31, 2007

Maprilynne said:
Yeah, yanno, like 10.5 months later.

LOL! Yeah, mine was a little over seven l-o-n-g months.

Way to go, Brian! As others have said, send the full. Also send the correspondence.

Good luck and fingers crossed for you!

blackpen · Feb 1, 2007

congrats

congratulations and good luck! i'm so excited for you! care to post your query online?

triceretops · Feb 2, 2007

The EXACT same thing happened to me with my current agent. I said, "forgive me, but you indicated sending the full only after the query. You want the full manuscript and not three?"

"I want the full."

Send the shebang.

Tri

aruna · Feb 2, 2007

Note to submitters: if they don't say partial they mean full.

kwwriter · Feb 3, 2007

WOW, what great news for you! Keep us posted.

brianp · Feb 7, 2007

Thanks, everyone, for the clarification. I got that out pronto!

Haven't heard anything from Dream Agent yet or the others who are reading but I did hear from one of the agents in my initial submission batch. This particular agent is known for great deals, which was why I submitted there. Agent said that my submission wasn't the right fit for anyone in the agency (it's fairly small, only a few agents there), but would deliver it to another agent at another agency who might be a fit for it.

Meanwhile I'm going to take Aruna's advice and just not think about any of this. . . .

Enzo · Feb 8, 2007

Keep going! You sound like you're really on the right way.
Good luck and continue to keep us informed.

Julie Worth · Feb 11, 2007

aruna said:
Note to submitters: if they don't say partial they mean full.

Even if it doesn't, assume that it does and don't ask as I once did. An agent said only, "sounds great, send it to [my assistant]," and, being a perfect idiot, I emailed the agent's assistant for clarification, who said to send her three chapters and the synopsis. Crap. I could have stolen second, but I hesitated.

johnrobison · Feb 11, 2007

That sounds like great news for you!

Now, the hardest part is waiting. I just went through the same thing.

I wrote my first book last year, and it was accepted by an agent I knew personally, so I did not really go through the normal rounds of writing people I don't know. I was lucky to be able to give it to him and know that even if he did not want to take it on, he would give me some useful advice.

But he did want to take it on. He sent it to a publisher, and I heard nothing for five long weeks . . . .

Then, they said they wanted to publish it, but he felt their enthusiasm was less that it might be. . . we sent it to 10 other publishers.

Of those, the first editor stayed up all night, read it, and wanted it the next morning. And it took off from there.

So you just never know how long you'll wait. And even though it's hard, be encouraged, because I wrote a first book and had it accepted and I know that happens to others. If it didn't, there would be no published writers left.

Good luck.

aruna · Feb 11, 2007

johnrobison said:
Of those, the first editor stayed up all night, read it, and wanted it the next morning. And it took off from there.

Good luck.

Fantastic! Congratulations! And also encouraging for me, right now in the "waiting" phase. Two weeks down....

Hillgate · Feb 11, 2007

Yup, the call can come at the weirdest time and in the weirdest way. Be prepared for anything! And make sure you give them your cell-phone number or you'll be tied to the house, waiting, and waiting, and waiting...

Kristen King · Feb 13, 2007

Brian, that's fantastic! Keep us posted!

kk

Big problem with Dream Agent

brianp

giftedrhonda

Gifted Goofball

Maprilynne

Author Waiting in the Wings

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

Kasey Mackenzie

One Hit Wonder?

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

Maprilynne

Author Waiting in the Wings

HorrorWriter

It's a new dawn. It's a new day.

stormie

storm central

blackpen

Bizzare in Berkeley

triceretops

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

kwwriter

let's not be cute about it

brianp

Enzo

Julie Worth

What? I have a title?

johnrobison

A Free Range Aspergian

aruna

On a wing and a prayer

Hillgate

On location

Kristen King