Approaching an agent with offer in hand if you get a publishing offer before you get an agent?

Thank the publisher very much, explain that you're in the middle of choosing an agent and will get back to them as soon as humanly possible...then start contacting agents you've researched and would be happy to work with, and email them with PUBLISHER OFFER IN HAND as part of the subject line, just so that if they're skimming their inboxes, your email will be more likely to catch their eyes. And don't be surprised (or offended) if you get some non-responses.

If you intend to go with the publisher but can't attract an agent, look at getting a literary consultant to assist with the deal.

A friend went with Alex Adsett (http://alexadsett.com.au/authors/) when she had to negotiate with Random Penguin for foreign rights (and got a better deal than I did with my agent WTH!!)

You could let all the ones that are still considering your query, partial, or full know,

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Why 'all'? Unless you like them all equally, why not start with the ones you want most, as you have an offer, and thus something to offer, then go down the list?

A startling number of agents have no interest in working on an offer they didn't initiate.

It might not be good to approach agents who rejected, anyway...because they weren't enthusiastic enough to offer rep in the first place, so how enthusiastic would they be with the publisher offer?

I'd be tempted to let all know, even if only out of anxiety.

I've had one friend and one acquaintance in this situation and neither of them got an agent even with offer in hand. One of them was twice-published by Angry Robot and still couldn't get an agent to sign *shrug* It does happen.

writera said:

What happens if you get an offer from a publisher but you don't have an agent?

I know you could choose to work directly with a publisher, but what if they ask you to get an agent? And what if they don't ask you to get an agent, but you decide you want one, how would you explain that? And what wording would you use when approaching an agent with an offer? I suppose if you're already querying agents, you could let all the ones that are still considering your query, partial, or full know, but I'm just wondering how you'd deal with the publisher, and then approach an agent (whether you're actively querying or not). Has anyone been in this situation and what did you do? (And I know you shouldn't actively be looking for agents and publishers at the same time, but sometimes you might meet a publisher at a conference, or you might not have been looking for an agent at all, etc.)

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It happens sometimes that writers get an offer directly from a publisher. Assuming it's a trade publisher who pays advances on royalties, you can use that offer as leverage to get an agent---which often turns out to be the more lasting and impactful relationship a writer can have. Email any agent who has your book with an eye-catching header, something like "Have offer from S&S, need agent".

If it's a respectable publisher, you will get the agent's attention quickly. It might not be the publisher the agent would have chosen for you, but it's an offer, a guaranteed sale, and of course a sign that you're a good enough writer to merit representation. If the book isn't on submission with any agents, make a short list of your dream agents and contact them immediately, with the same eye-catching heading. Ask if they'd be willing to take a quick look, since you have Doubleday or whoever on the line.

Meanwhile, you tell the publisher that you're thrilled to death to receive their offer, and you will get back to them shortly, as you are in the process of securing representation. No legitimate publisher will object to your being agented, although they may bring some pressure to respond quickly to their offer, lest the new agent try shopping the book around. Publishers value the role agents play in educating and guiding writers and acting as a go-between with the publisher---or if they don't like it. at least they are resigned to it.

All that said, you're right that it's a bad idea to submit to publishers directly if you want a career in commercial publishing. For one thing, if you don't get offers, you're tying a potential agent's hands. Once Random House, say, has turned down your book because you gave it to the wrong editor, your agent can't go back and try another editor. If you've knocked out several of the publishers the agent would have tried, she's likely to turn down the book as having already been shopped around. For another, having an agent opens all kinds of doors for writers, since the top publishers won't even look at unagented work. Going it alone is not a great career choice if your goal is to get into bookstores, libraries, and review columns.

Anyway, your question falls under the heading of "Good problems to have." Good luck getting there!

writera said:

One of the agents - or assistants to an agent - who sent me an R & R said they wouldn't be interested if I got an offer from a publisher on the manuscript UNLESS it was a revised version of the manuscript they had suggested. I mean, I sort of understand that they see their suggestions as important, but at the same time, I think it's a another example of how difficult this business is to break into. Just when you think there's one set of rules and challenges, there's a whole host of other difficulties. I mean, an offer is an offer. Why as humans do we over complicate things?

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TBF, you don't want an agent who doesn't love your work. (You really, really don't.) If this agent didn't love what you're getting published, they're not the right agent for you.

writera said:

They said they did love it - or the potential in it. But I see your point. And I sort of see theirs too. I still think it's a little strange, though. And this wasn't revisions I had refused. I was beginning to make them when the offer came in. If an offer comes in and its a good offer from a great publisher, everyone wins. Why get into semantics over revisions at that stage? I mean, even if you made the agent's revisions, the editor would likely have a whole host of new revisions again.

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I suspect some agents reject with "sooooo close but not quite." Some reject with "might love it with revisions." Some reject with "love it; can't sell it."

Once they rep you, they're going to be doing a lot of work for you. They're going to be putting in long hours and huge effort. Different agents are going to have different thresholds on how much they like a work before they commit to that kind of time.

This one didn't love your work enough for it to fit into their particular schedule and client list. Why? You can't know. (Neither can I.) But whatever the reason, this agent wasn't the right one for you. I know it's frustrating, but truly, you're better off unrepped than with a bad fit.

And revisions are never-ending. Once an agent signs you, and shops you around you will still have to make revisions over and over until you get sold. For example, if they send it out on the first round of subs, if you get rejected by all of them, most likely the agent will want you to do more revisions or a thorough rewrite. Then they will send it out again and if you get rejected again you will probably do more revisions and rewrites. The reason revisions might continue is because agents will take in consideration what pubs say they didn't like about the book and in order to hopefully get others interested, they will have you implement changes so don't think that even if you get an agent that revision time is over. Oh no. You will do way more revisions with an agent than you will when signed with the publisher.

On another note, you can drive yourself crazy focusing on one book or one agent/publisher. It's best to start working on other things in the meantime so if this book doesn't sell, you can always have something to offer. Plus it keeps you sane not to worry about this stuff constantly. All it does is hinder progress. Things are slow in this industry so just gotta take let them go as they do and not be impatient.

A friend of mine got an offer from a major publisher for a book. He replied "I'll have my agent contact you." The offer was immediately withdrawn. So there all sorts of possible responses to a similar response, from Bye to Fine.

Laer Carroll said:

A friend of mine got an offer from a major publisher for a book. He replied "I'll have my agent contact you." The offer was immediately withdrawn.

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I would take this as the Red Flag To End All Red Flags.

I'm sure it was awful for your friend, but it sure looks like he dodged a serious bullet.

lizmonster said:

I would take this as the Red Flag To End All Red Flags.

I'm sure it was awful for your friend, but it sure looks like he dodged a serious bullet.

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Agreed. An editor who won't work with an agent is almost certainly not an editor you'd want, big pub or not.