Telling other agents you've had an offer when you've only just sent them your ms?

I sent out my latest batch of agent queries just a few days ago, but today I received an offer of representation from an agency that requested a full some time ago (I'd marked them off as non-responders!). I'd like to give the other agents a chance to read my ms, but telling them I've had an offer just two days after I queried seems pushy. Should I tell them anyway? The agency that offered isn't my first choice, having made deals mainly with digital publishers. I submitted to them because this is a re-release and my chances are slim with the big guys for this book. However, they do mention editor contacts they'd pitch to at three or four Big Five publishers, so if the others don't bite I will probably sign with them (after phone convo and due diligence on their contract, of course).

Any insights? Thanks!

Thank you Angry Guy and Perks, great insights! It's Friday night so I'll get those e-mails in before I go to bed.

Aggy B. said:

Also, you don't have to say who the offer is from, but be prepared to anyway. While sometimes offers do come in right on the heels of sending out a batch of queries, on occasion unscrupulous folks try and lie about it so some agents will follow up to ask who the offer is from. It isn't skeezy, they're just making sure they're not being hustled.

(And you many know this already, but I've seen a few folks get very indignant over the idea that an agent might ask to know whom an offer is from.)

Best of luck!

Click to expand...

(ooh yay, I managed to do the quote thingy!)

Yes, I know...I thought about this very thing! Because it does seem a bis suspicious, or whatever. I am writing the letters as we speak and saying re the agents that it's 'details upon request ' so they know it's not some bogus claim, if they are interested. *shrugs* I don't have a problem telling the other agents who offered if they want to know, but I won't do it on the forums 'cause it's public and I'm at that jittery stage.

Thanks for the advice!

MaeZe said:

I have exactly zero expertise in this area but I see no reason to do anything until you've decided to accept the pending offer.

Click to expand...

Well, the reason to write to other agents is to give them the chance to counter-offer before you commit yourself to the agent who offered. Any other situation and I wouldn't feel hesitant to write to the other agents I queried, but the reason I'm asking for advice is because I only sent the new batch queries two days ago, after 'closing off' my previous attempts! So it does seem pushy and kind of awkward.

Southpaw said:

From what I have read, it's considered proper etiquette to let agents, who have been sent information, that you've received an offer and give them a chance to make an offer as well. I'm pretty sure there is a post on AW about it as well, and how to write it. I'll snoop around and see if I can find it.

I'm pretty sure agents know that queries are sent in batches, so the time frame shouldn't shock them.

ETA: Here's one: http://www.agentquery.com/writer_or.aspx
This was on that site: ...subject line: OFFER OF REPRESENTATION—Title of Project. Then draft a very brief email, letting these agents know that you have received an offer of representation. However, tell them that you have not accepted the initial offer. Instead, out of professional courtesy, you are checking in with them regarding the status of your manuscript.

Still looking for the sample message. I know I've seen it...

Click to expand...

Aw, thanks for this! The batch of five queries I sent out two days ago was it, then I have one or two 'non-responders' who I think I should probably tell as well. Then there's the agent who asked me to query her after #pitmad and never responded. So I have no idea if she got my query or simply didn't like it! But I've written most of the letters now (as it's Friday night and I absolutely must do this before I go to bed tonight!) But thanks for the help. I've pretty much done it as you have suggested.

Sage said:

Many agents have begged authors to let them know if you receive an offer, and doing it right away gives them the most time to read before you need an answer (so you can make a decision). It doesn't matter when you sent your material to them. To them, a quick offer seems to suggest that someone in the business was super-enthusiastic. You don't have to explain the circumstances at all. And it doesn't matter to them if they're pulling your ms from the top of the TBR pile, the middle, or the bottom. If they're interested in possibly fighting for it, they'll pause whatever they're currently reading to read through it. If not (and it won't take them long to figure this out), they'll reject and continue with their current plan.

Click to expand...

Thanks for chiming in! The offer I got was off a full that was requested some time ago and which I thought was dead in the water. So I closed it off and sent out five more queries. Murphy's Law and all that, but two days later I received this the Offer of Representation. But I'd already sent out the new queries because I tend to send out a few every couple of rejections or so. It's not that I had an offer only a few days after sending queries on any of those queries--that might have gone to my head! lol.

I fully expect the five new agents I queried to reject the ms. It has been a really, really hard sell with so many near 'hits', including going to acquisitions at the recent Gollancz Open Call. It's an awkward book but it has a lot going for it (I believe, anyway). Unfortunately, not a lot of people 'get' it, or seem to think it is commercial enough to take on. So I will certainly take the offer I have if nothing else happens this coming week. You are spot on about agents reading stuff if they think they might want it. I received a request for a full today from one of the agents I told about the offer--with a request as to who had offered. I sent the full and gave her the information. We'll see what happens...


ETA: Woke up Monday morning to three rejections out of the five agents I wrote and told about the offer of representation. Wicked fast, and goes to show that agents will indeed take the time to peruse a partial quickly under these circumstances. Of course, I am sad they don't want the book (they were from my second level list, having exhausted my top tier), but the disappointment is tempered by the offer sitting on my laptop.

Thanks for all the congrats guys! I am cautiously happy, but I won't be celebrating until I've signed on the dotted line.

Thanks, Waylander. I've been flogging this thang seems like forever.

ETA (23.09.16): I had an offer from one of the agents I told about the initial offer, BUT our phone conversation was a disaster. I didn't like her, I didn't like her vision for my book and I didn't like her attitude. She seemed to think she was doing me a favour by offering for my book. No. So I've now signed with the first agent, who really understands my story, is enthusiastic about it, and has a sound plan for selling it. As mentioned up-thread, it's a small publisher with a track record of selling, so far, only to e-pubs. That does not bother me for this particular book. I'm happy that doors previously barred to me (as an un-agented author) will now be approachable. Whether they open or not is up to my book.

Thanks for all the advice and help!