Querying more than one project--how to handle getting an offer on one?

lachrymal said:

I apologize if this question has already been asked and answered. I have been querying project #1 for 5 months. I've sent out 99 queries and I'm done as of 3 weeks ago. Eight agents currently have the ms for #1.

While I was querying #1, I was writing and polishing project #2. About a week ago I sent out a few queries, and I got 2 requests. One of the agents now wants to schedule a phone call for next week (but apart from saying she loved the book and wanted to talk, in her email, she did not say she was offering rep).

So: How do I manage this? Do I immediately offer this agent the opportunity to read project 1 and tell her other agents have it?
Yes - in the call, if she is offering representation, or offering a revise and resubmit opportunity, tell her about the other book out there and see if she wants to see that, too. It'll probably come up naturally, because she will likely ask what else you've written and/or sub history, and you can then tell her about this other book that is also out with a bunch of agents.

If she offers rep, do I email all the other agents who have 1 or 2 and tell them I got an offer on 2?

Yes - you tell them you have an offer on book 2, and if they have book 2 already ask give them a deadline to get back to you on whether they are interested (3-7 days). I probably wouldn't bring up book 1 with the non-offering agents with book 2 unless you get an offer on book 1.

If the agent has book 1, tell them you've had an offer on a different book, ask them to get back to you on book 1 (similar to with those agents who already had book 2). But also ask if they'd like to see book 2.


If you get an offer on book 1 and 2, even if from the same agent, then you definitely want to give all the agents a chance to respond, on books 1 and 2, because you don't know who will be the best fit. But if you only have offers on book 2, then focus on book 2.

Will the agents who have #1 be frustrated with me?

No - they shouldn't be - no problem with querying more than one project.

Have I committed a major breach of etiquette? No.

I'm interested in being open and honest with all; I'm just wondering about the timing of my communications with all of the agents involved. Thanks in advance for advice! As soon as you have an offer of representation, the clock starts running on all of them. Given there are two books in the mix, you may want to give everyone a little more time - ie, instead of 3-5 days to get back to you, maybe a week, maybe even 10 days if they decide to read another book. But the point is to let all agents you are considering a crack at both books if they are both in the mix.

One thing you will want to think about is if all the agents would be a good fit for both books. If not, will you go with an agent who loves book 1 but not book 2 over someone who loves both? And why or why not? And if one book is closer to what you usually write, maybe that's the book that you focus on in the decision making.

Click to expand...