New agent for each project?

SecretScribe said:

Hi there
I was under the impression that the relationship with an agent is a long term thing and that it would encompass your whole career

Click to expand...

that's what I thought. Has anyone answered you by PM? Please share their answer with us!

Depends on the work and the agent. Some people here had agents that weren't as helpful as they should have been, so they're looking for new ones. Or if you switch from nonfiction to fiction, you need a new agent. Or children's to adult. Sometimes even across genres, if they're really different.

Otherwise, an agent should be your agent for all your works. If they decline to rep something, or to shop it with editors, you can do it yourself. If you find another agent in that situation, to me it's like you're firing the old one, which (in some situations) might be a good idea.

SecretScribe said:

I have noted in a number of threads that people say they are querying new agents for their current project, but already have an agent for a previous project. I was under the impression that the relationship with an agent is a long term thing and that it would encompass your whole career, even if you write in different genres.

Click to expand...

This is just my take on it, so take it with a grain of salt.

My guess is - it depends on what your agent is comfortable with. Let's say your agent is good with just about anything fantasy, and that's what you've written to get her interested. But then let's say you have a hankering to do an historical romance.

Would your current agent be the right one? Maybe she would. But it could be completely outside of her expertise, and she might decline shopping your historical around. In which case, you might try to either find another agent who handles historical romances, or you might try to shop it directly to publishers. With the second, you'd want to make sure your agent gets to look at the contract before you sign anything.

As I said, it's not that I have direct experience with this sort of thing. I could be completely off base.

I hope someone with more knowledge pops in soon to answer your question.

~Nancy

I've been wondering about this too--more from the agent's perspective. How do they feel about a client shifting to a second genre.

I just posted a question in "Ask the Agent" to get Nathan B's perspective.

Susan

First hand experience - my agent only represents children's material. Thus it is impossible for me to expect her to represent any novel or adult genre books. My contract binds me to all children's works with her. So I just emailed her and asked her if she would have a problem with me working with another agent on adult genre books of course with the promise no one else would see my children's works. Both your current agent and prospect agents need to be aware of the limitations. My agent is wonderful with children's material . . . it's her specialty . . . but she doesn't have the connections to adult genre houses like another agent might. Just like an agent who specializes in novels wouldn't have as much luck trying to sell a children's book.

What is in your contract? Most importantly why are you wanting to get another agent? Is this your situation? If you are just anxious to get to another project of the same genre it's a no-no.

I actually thought this question was originally a general 'curious' question.

Ok guys - now I see how that was just a general question - this is usually why you will see people querying other agents.

Hope this helps!