Some writer street cred?

Hmmm, it always pays to be honest with an agent, but if you are in the process of just querying, and the romance book has not been sold yet, then why mention it at this time?

In your place, I'd mention having an agent for romance work. Some agents prefer to represent all your books. They can't if your romance is handled by someone else.

Did you sign a contract with your agent? Does it say it's okay for you to seek another agent for a different genre? What does your agent say--if s/he doesn't have a problem with it, perhaps s/he would like to hook you up with someone, another agent at the agency or a friend or something?

In my experience when you hear of people having different agents for different works, it's like one for fiction one for NF, or one for screenwriting one for novels, or graphic novels, or whatever. I've never heard of a writer having different agents for different fiction genres and am not aware of any agent contracts that would permit such a thing (I guess they could exist, but I've never heard of them); usually you make sure the agent you sign with will handle all of the work your produce, you know? Did you discuss your desire to write more than one genre with your agent before you signed with him/her?

Stacia Kane said:

Did you sign a contract with your agent? Does it say it's okay for you to seek another agent for a different genre? What does your agent say--if s/he doesn't have a problem with it, perhaps s/he would like to hook you up with someone, another agent at the agency or a friend or something?

In my experience when you hear of people having different agents for different works, it's like one for fiction one for NF, or one for screenwriting one for novels, or graphic novels, or whatever. I've never heard of a writer having different agents for different fiction genres and am not aware of any agent contracts that would permit such a thing (I guess they could exist, but I've never heard of them); usually you make sure the agent you sign with will handle all of the work your produce, you know? Did you discuss your desire to write more than one genre with your agent before you signed with him/her?

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I've heard of it - more often in the context of one agent for adult fiction, one for middle grade or young adult fiction - but it's fairly rare.

I'll second, though, discussing it with your agent to make sure your agent is aware and to see if she will refer you to one or more agents she respects and knows in the area she doesn't represent.

~suki

Usually you'd consult with your agent. They have connections and would likely recommend you to somebody who can handle that project (usually someone in house).

What they said
Talk to your agent about this

Don't forget branding. If your current agent wants to brand you as a romance author to develop a following, he or she may want to offer suggestions--such as using a pen name for the SF book.

Stacia Kane said:

Did you sign a contract with your agent? Does it say it's okay for you to seek another agent for a different genre? What does your agent say--if s/he doesn't have a problem with it, perhaps s/he would like to hook you up with someone, another agent at the agency or a friend or something?

In my experience when you hear of people having different agents for different works, it's like one for fiction one for NF, or one for screenwriting one for novels, or graphic novels, or whatever. I've never heard of a writer having different agents for different fiction genres and am not aware of any agent contracts that would permit such a thing (I guess they could exist, but I've never heard of them); usually you make sure the agent you sign with will handle all of the work your produce, you know? Did you discuss your desire to write more than one genre with your agent before you signed with him/her?

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Every legitimate agent contract allows you to have a separate agent for a different genre, if the agent does not handle that genre. Not allowing it would be saying that you could never write in a genre the agent doesn't handle. Agents must allow this.

Though I'd never sign a contract with an agent. The ones I've had do not use contracts, and we're both better off for it.

AlterEgox5 said:

Thanks for the input, but things seem to be a bit off track.

The original question wasn't about the first agent, but what to mention in the query letter to other potential agents. Assuming the first agent is cool with everything, does stating that you've got an agent for This Novel already help your querying cause for the different novel? (Hence the whole writer street cred thing )

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Not really. It could get a faster read, but that's about it. If Agent #1 were to recommend you to somebody, that could be more helpful.

Jamesaritchie said:

Every legitimate agent contract allows you to have a separate agent for a different genre, if the agent does not handle that genre. Not allowing it would be saying that you could never write in a genre the agent doesn't handle. Agents must allow this.

Though I'd never sign a contract with an agent. The ones I've had do not use contracts, and we're both better off for it.

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I'm pretty sure my agent is legitimate, and my contract with the agency does not specify genre nor does it specifically give me permission to look for another agent for other genres. My agent doesn't handle romance, for example; the contract doesn't either. What it does do is make my agent and the agency my sole representatives for rights in all of my literary works.

If I decided I wanted to write a romance, my agent would handle it--he does know several romance editors, he just doesn't work with them in general--or he would talk to another agent he knows & trusts and ask them to do so or to work with him on it. I certainly wouldn't be in a position where I had to cold-query other agents.

I was perfectly happy to sign with him knowing he didn't rep romance, because I no longer write romance and don't see myself going back to it. But I don't think I would have signed with an agent who only represented one of the genres I wanted to write. Of course that's just me, and you obviously feel differently. I wonder, though, if you're querying exclusively agents who only handle SFF and not romance? Or are you thinking of querying agents who handle both, but specifically only for SFF?

As for "street cred," I wouldn't think so. It's going to come down to the work itself. What would probably give you a bit more "cred" would be if your romance novel has sold, and you could mention that. But I'd think more agents would be wary of the situation than would be impressed with it, because most agents want to handle a writer's entire career. That's just my feeling, though.

Stacia Kane said:

I'm pretty sure my agent is legitimate, and my contract with the agency does not specify genre nor does it specifically give me permission to look for another agent for other genres. ... What it does do is make my agent and the agency my sole representatives for rights in all of my literary works.

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^^ ditto. The agency I'm with has a standard contract which includes the clause that the agent will represent me for all my works for the duration of the contract. Of course, I can end the contract, and go find another agent for new works, but while I'm with this agent, all my works are represented by her. And I have no issue with this whatsoever.

Jamesaritchie said:

Though I'd never sign a contract with an agent. The ones I've had do not use contracts, and we're both better off for it.

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I wouldn't feel comfortable with this^ (I guess I've been corrupted by all those years of law school!), but I have also heard that it's not unusual for some agencies to have only oral contracts.