Good Day,
(Caveats: I am new to writing... this post has an element of presumptuousness as I wish to prepare if something happens... the news here only indicates I can write fairly good query letters but it does not mean I can write a novel.)
About four months ago a highly reputable agent read my work and volunteered a lot of great advice. I responded by asking him for even more guidance on the promise I did not query him again. He gave me more advice.
I have spent three months fixing my story. And I will keep my promise to him and not re-query.
Yesterday, I queried about 20 agents (all highly recommended - again, this does not mean the story is good; just the idea and/or the query). And late last night I received a request for the full manuscript providing I gave them an exclusive. I agreed if he promised a quick reading. He agreed to two weeks. I accepted.
Now I wonder what happens if my spin on the story does not grab him (and now I am assuming I write well, for the rest of this post). It may grab another agent. What happens if, in the next few days, I get another request (this is where I am getting presumptuous, but I would like to prepare).
Well, I know that I will not break my promise. But I would like to know how far I can bend it.
Is the following ethical?
Suppose I get request from another and tell them: "I need about four or five more days... I am off on site (my other job -- please assume my work is such that I can justify this) and can send it when I return. I will send it in four days. But it cannot be an exclusive reading."
Now, that means I can still give the first agent time, assuming the second agent, if there even is one, does not read it immediately. If the first agent accepts, I can just go with him. If he declines, then at least I have not lost the second agent.
Is this ethical?
(And, of course, this could all be a fart in a hurricane - I might have just gotten lucky and there may be no more requests.)
(Caveats: I am new to writing... this post has an element of presumptuousness as I wish to prepare if something happens... the news here only indicates I can write fairly good query letters but it does not mean I can write a novel.)
About four months ago a highly reputable agent read my work and volunteered a lot of great advice. I responded by asking him for even more guidance on the promise I did not query him again. He gave me more advice.
I have spent three months fixing my story. And I will keep my promise to him and not re-query.
Yesterday, I queried about 20 agents (all highly recommended - again, this does not mean the story is good; just the idea and/or the query). And late last night I received a request for the full manuscript providing I gave them an exclusive. I agreed if he promised a quick reading. He agreed to two weeks. I accepted.
Now I wonder what happens if my spin on the story does not grab him (and now I am assuming I write well, for the rest of this post). It may grab another agent. What happens if, in the next few days, I get another request (this is where I am getting presumptuous, but I would like to prepare).
Well, I know that I will not break my promise. But I would like to know how far I can bend it.
Is the following ethical?
Suppose I get request from another and tell them: "I need about four or five more days... I am off on site (my other job -- please assume my work is such that I can justify this) and can send it when I return. I will send it in four days. But it cannot be an exclusive reading."
Now, that means I can still give the first agent time, assuming the second agent, if there even is one, does not read it immediately. If the first agent accepts, I can just go with him. If he declines, then at least I have not lost the second agent.
Is this ethical?
(And, of course, this could all be a fart in a hurricane - I might have just gotten lucky and there may be no more requests.)
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