Comments on: ASK THE AGENT: Exclusivity

By: Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

Andrew Budek-Schmeisser — Mon, 21 May 2018 20:25:25 +0000

If an agent (with whom I have not signed) is going to invest in me by asking for revisions which she implicitly commits to read, it’s my honour to belay any further search until that path leads to its closure.

You can’t buy back lost honour.

By: Linda Harris

Linda Harris — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 23:01:00 +0000

>Thanks for this advice. My question is, at what point do you tell the other agent or editor (who has not been working with you) that you are withdrawing your materials from their consideration? Is it when you’ve signed with the one you have been working with?

By: Pam Halter

Pam Halter — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:25:00 +0000

>Thank you, Rachelle. I agree with you, but I have writing friends who are urging me to forge ahead.

Thanks for reassuring me I'm doing the right thing.

By: Melissa Marsh

Melissa Marsh — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:10:00 +0000

>I once emailed an agent who looked at my full manuscript a few years ago and offered me some pointers, and thanked her for taking the time to give me comments. She sent me an email back and said, “You’re welcome!” It was a small gesture, but I really appreciated it.

By: Rachelle

Rachelle — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:35:00 +0000

>Pam, everybody chooses how they want to do business. In most cases, I recommend asking yourself how you would handle it if it were any other situation besides an agent. My vote is always for common courtesy -- EVEN THOUGH you may not be receiving that same courtesy from others.

Sure you could start querying other agents. But etiquette requires an extra step. To me, common courtesy means you write an email to the agent who has your materials, thanking them for looking at it, telling them that you've been holding back from submitting to others because you were letting them see it exclusively, but since you haven't heard back, you are planning on querying other agents. And ask them to contact you if they still have interest. When you always do the most courteous thing, regardless of how you are being treated by others, you never have to ask yourself whether you handled it properly, because you know you did you best.

By: Pam Halter

Pam Halter — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:29:00 +0000

>My question is: if you query an agent and they request three chapters and a synopsis and it’s been three months since you heard anything even though you followed up, would it be a breach of etiquette to begin to send queries out to other agents?

By: Richard Mabry

Richard Mabry — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:59:00 +0000

>Rachelle,
Thanks for addressing this. To paraphrase Mark Twain, "If I tell you the truth, I don't have to remember what I said." Good advice in any endeavor.
Have a great week.