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This is really weird. I feel like the last two posts were written just for me and considering the date...jeez life is off the wall.

Would this also work for pieces you sent to an epublisher? Would they need to be the same novel you've submitted to both agent and epub?

May I ask what the best thing is to put into the subject line of an email which is to notify an agent of an offer elsewhere? What would get your immediate attention? Just "offer of representation"?

Thank you. That was very helpful.

I recently went through this, and because of an earlier post of yours I read on this subject, I did contact all the other agents I was interested in working with. I ended up with four offers, the last coming from someone on my "dream agent" list.

That being said, I want to add one thing I learned. When you contact the other agents you haven't heard from yet, contact them at their direct email, not their query email. The agent I ended up choosing almost didn't get to my proposal in time, because I sent the "I have an offer" email to her query email address. She was behind by a couple of weeks, so she didn't see my "I have an offer" email until the day before I had set as my deadline to make a decision. Luckily, she was able to take a look at my proposal and offer.

Both she and another agent I sent the "I have an offer" email to said it would have been appropriate to send to their direct email address, and the other agent said it would have even been acceptable to call the agency.

Also, to answer Steena's question, I read somewhere to put the mention of the offer in the subject line. Mine looked like this: "Update: Query: Book Title (offers of representation received)".

My apologies, the last part of my answer was for Jessica, not Steena.

Thank you, Kristi! :o)

I've read this advice on other agents' blogs. And I have to say I can see the advantage to the agent, but not to the writer, of taking the time to contact all the agents who haven't troubled themselves to read the manuscript yet.

Here's the thing. You don't know whether an agent is the right one for you till you work with her. Interviewing her isn't really going to tell you much.

Excellent post Jessica! I just received a 2-book contract from a publisher and will be contacting those who have passed on other queries.

Steena, great question. I would also like to know agent's thoughts on what holds more weight.

Thank you for this post.

"May I ask what the best thing is to put into the subject line of an email which is to notify an agent of an offer elsewhere? What would get your immediate attention? Just "offer of representation"?"

I think these are two excellent questions. As an author, I'd probably put "offer of representation" in the subject line and I'd wait a day or two. But I'd be aggressive about it, and wouldn't wait too long.

Excellent information.

Jessica, with regard to contacting agents who you're interested in possibly working with if you receive an offer, but you haven't contacted them already, what about if the reason you haven't contacted them yet is because they're on a query hiatus? Would the hiatus be "in effect" still if this scenario were to happen?

I read your previous post and the clarifications you made here were very helpful. Thankyou

Let me answer some of your questions.

Yes, if you would like an agent for an epublisher I think the same applies and yes, you need to show all competing agents the same work.

I would put "offer of representation" in the subject line. In the case of BookEnds, "query" or "submission" sends you straight to my query folder so simply, "offer of representation" should guarantee it gets read.

Anon 11:10 makes a good point. Most agents will want a deadline of sorts. Will you give them a week? Through the weekend?

Katie: I recently received almost this exact email from someone who hadn't queried me because I am closed to queries. I read it, fell in love with it and in fact we just closed a deal with a publisher.

--jhf

Hi Jessica,

I'm in this exact situation now. When contacting other agents, do I just say I've been offered a contract or name the agency and show the contract?

This is awesomely useful information and thank you for sharing it.

I've never had to contact an agent before, so I found this post greatly informative and helpful if I ever do get the chance to search for an agent to work with. I only hope I meet someone as awesome as you.

Stuart:

There's no need to name the agency or show the contract. Letting others know you have an offer is enough.

-jhf

Thank you so much for such a helpful post.

I'm not in this situation yet, but here is another possible wrinkle:

What if you have 2 mss out, and they are in different subgenres (say, one is a historical mystery, the other an urban fantasy mystery). If you get an offer for the urban fantasy, should you contact the agents who have the historical mystery, too?

Thanks so much!

Thanks, Jessica, and congratulations!

"Anon 11:10 makes a good point. Most agents will want a deadline of sorts. Will you give them a week? Through the weekend?"

I would. My concern would be getting the agent's attention. You guys at Book Ends seem on top of things. But I've been through experiences where not all agencies are.

Been There Done That: I can see the advantage to the writer if he/she hasn't made a firm decision yet (ex: #2 most desired agent makes an offer of representation, but writer is still waiting to hear from #1). It could make a desired agent bump the writer's query up to the top of their priority list and make a decision faster. And this is definitely an advantage if you already have an offer from a publisher.

Here's the thing. You don't know whether an agent is the right one for you till you work with her. Interviewing her isn't really going to tell you much.
You could make that argument for any job, though. My boss couldn't have known for sure I was going to work out until I began my job, but made a best guess based on my interview. It's worked out fine for me so far, but I could have just had good interview skills and not been quite as adept at what I do once I began working. It's always a gamble, but at least an interview provides a little more information to consider.

Very awesome post, Jessica. Thank you for sharing! And thanks Kristi Dosh too for the great info.

With every post, I feel like I can make better, more informed decisions regarding my career. As always, thank you. :)

Great information on how to keep things professional and to avoid potential miscommunication and drama. Work smarter not harder!

If you get an opportunity to go conferences where agents hang out, it's a good idea to attend their talks or say hello. I know Jessica is a great agent because I've talked to her clients too.
Best
Cathleen ross

Maybe I'm old school, but I was under the impression you didn't submit simultaneously to agent/publishers unless they said they would accept that. And most don't like to. So I'm not sure how you'd have your mss out to so many different agents at the same time.

Is an offer from a publishing house the same as having an offer on the table, even if it’s not from another agent?
That’s the pickle I’m in. I have an offer from a publishing house by a referral from an editor who worked at Random House in the past, but I really want an agent that can help a newbie author like me through the process. . .

First of all, I love the mall analogy. Secondly, great post!

My agent and I have amicably parted ways. As in life, sometimes the person you thought was "the one" simply isn't. That said, I wouldn't change a thing. This agent taught me a lot about the publishing biz, and we still keep in touch.

I feel fortunate to have experienced what having an agent "feels" like, and can't wait to (really!) find "the one."

Alissa:

Yes, that offer from a publishing house is the same. use it and find yourself an agent.

LA Freed:

What you're doing is offering unrequested exclusives and if you've read my blog at all you'll know that I strongly warn against this. Query (and submit) widely.

--jhf

What about agents that have politely rejected your initial query (but you really like them anyway?) Should you let them know you have an offer, or is that too presumptuous?

See, this is why I read your blog! Thank you for sharing your wisdom and wit with us.

Well, I read this a little late--I had no idea we needed to tell all parties, including people who don't respond to queries. I recently had this happen to me and I feel very bad that the agent who wanted to give me a call was out of the loop when I had an offer. We'd always been told to only tell those who are reading.

My advice to agents is to read thy queries! ;-)

Great advice here and great timing. The agency representing me abruptly closed its doors, two months before my debut novel releases (yeah, bad timing huh).

Then a few days ago I got a three book contract offer, and I have no agent. I was wondering how to word a "query" to a handful of agents I want to approach to represent my novels, along with the 3-book deal.

Might I just send a simple email explaining? Or do I send a query of the book that landed the 3-book offer?

This is the first time I "heard" about this. And what great business etiquette, too! It was my understanding to only contact other agents with fulls or partials when an offer was received, not those with only a query letter I'm still hoping to hear from. Funny, how this makes so much sense.

And I think another follower also asked this, but what is the best subject heading in an email to get the agent's attention when there's a good chance he/she hasn't yet read the original query? Is "Offer of Representation" enough?

All best! K

THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU!! I never even considered these aspects and I consider myself at least a little professional! This is such a helpful, generous post from you--it really is appreciated!

As an agent, are you ever concerned that writers will lie about representation offers in order to get their query faster consideration? Do you have any way of checking to see if the writer's claim is legitimate and/or is it important that the writer tell you who the offer came from?

So would you say waiting to query your top agent choices until the very end or that offer comes is smart or just plain silly?

I think your analogy was spot on, and thanks for the great advice, I hope for the need to apply it in the future ;)

Congratulations to LynneRush on the three book offer. I am sure you will find a new agent. Thanks for the advice, Jessica. I am querying one agent at a time. Perhaps I should speed things up a bit. I do have a deal memo for a picture book. But the novel I am querying is adult. I think you only get to have one agent in the literary world, although this is not true in the acting world. So can you tell me if it's possible to have one agent for picture books and another agent for mid grade and adult novels?

Argh! I just withdrew my query from agents who had not replied, even though one only had the query three days. Honestly, I thought I was being courteous. I love the agent who offered, but I did ask for a week for another agent who has a partial to have time to respond.

To Susan J. Berger: I've read on different agents' blogs that you can have more than one agent if you are writing in different genres and the agents you are querying don't represent both. You'll need to be clear throughout the process with all agents involved. I can't remember where I read the posts, but a Google search on the subject might help. Best of luck!

A very common question in professional job interviews is "what other jobs are you considering". And the follow-up "Do you have any other offers?" For those of us hiring the employees, it's a great way to tell so many things. For those of us looking, the option is always there to give a vague response. It doesn't hurt the situation.

I guess it just makes sense to me.

My agent asked who else had offered when she was looking at my material. I figured it was a veracity check than anything else: hang around a writer's forum long enough and you'll hear a story of someone who made up an offer of representation in order to get agents to look at his or her material. (Yes, everyone agrees that's stupid.)

For that reason, I told her without hesitation because if she wanted to check up on me, she should feel free to do so.

Wow, I am SO glad that I've never even heard of this Agency Gatekeeper. They sound like a spurned/bitter/un-agented writer more than someone with any real advice. They also sound like a bad business person.

I can totally understand a prospective agent wanting to know who is behind other offers on the table of a prospective client. It's a very reasonable question.

In the horse world, if you've been given more than one offer to ride more than one horse for a specific event, there's no hiding what owners/trainers had made the offers. The entire point is to get the most competitive combination of horse/rider/trainer arranged so that you have the best chance at winning. There are a lot of factors involved and trainers/owners want to consider them all.

To me, an agent would be the owner/trainer in this analogy of the book world, and your book is the horse. Nobody is trying to suck you into any arguments (like a stranger's opinion would matter in a 'generations-old battle' anyway) and agents have a right to ask any questions pertinent to offering us representation, just like we have the right to ask agents any questions about an offer for representation.

Gatekeeper said...
"that just isn't fair".

That phrase is the phrase of children fighting over who gets to sit in front, who gets the biggest piece, who gets school shoes first.

Boys and Girls nothing in life is fair, nothing, nothing, nothing. It's either right or wrong.

Ms. Trite says: ask me what you will, the only dumb question is the one not asked.

Will I answer...let me sit in front, give me the biggest brownie and a new pair of Niki's and I'm all yours...I'll even make up an answer if you give me another brownie.

I hadn't heard of the gatekeeper before Janet's post but I don't think it's a blog I'll be following anytime soon. It's one thing to give your own opinion on how to do business. It's another to make such a huge incorrect generalization.

I would think that if someone came to you saying "I've got another agent who's made an offer," that asking, "Oh, who?" is a fairly reasonable question on the part of an agent (or any business representative, for that matter).

Philangelus calls it a "veracity check" which seems reasonable enough to me. The author is, to some extent, saying, "Hey, hurry up if you want to work with me." That can be BS in so many ways, that a simple, "So who's the other guy?" seems to me to be due diligence, if nothing else.

I was in that situation once and I told the agent and she said, "Oh, okay." Why not? If you're not lying, what difference does it make?

I'm actually a fan of Gatekeeper's blog. But I understand your point. I think there's a solid middle ground between each of your points: letting the author know that it's okay to *not* tell the agent who asks who else has offered representation.

I'm all about asking for what you want -- because otherwise you'll never get it. So from the agent's point of view, it can't hurt to ask. But I think a lot of authors are so eager to land an agent that they're nervous to say no to anything, especially at the point where an agent is showing interest in them and their work. It's good for authors to hear that it's okay to say no in this instance, that it shouldn't ruin your chances of representation (and if it does, you didn't want to work with that agent anyhow).

So who is Agent Gatekeeper and which agency are they from? Never heard of them. That alone makes me wary.

www.duosays.com

I read Janet's blog regarding this issue and I'm glad that you posted on it as well. I've never heard of The Gatekeeper. I have, however, heard of you and Janet Reid. This is why I follow both your blogs and love your advice, and I don't follow The Gatekeeper.

Thanks Jessica

Evidently, the Agency Gatekeeper highly underestimates authors.

Thanks for weighing in on this. I see so much bad advice on blogs like Agency Gatekeeper it's nice to see a balance with good advice.

I think everyone is really blowing that blog post out of proportion. The Gatekeeper was giving her opinion based on her own experience and some horror stories she heard. She ultimately said it was up to the author to decide the best course of action in this situation but it was ok to say no.

I read/follow several agency blogs every day, including this one and Janet's, and so should all aspiring writers. Hopefully we are intelligent enough to make our decisions regarding situations like this.

But I don't think it's cool to keep calling out a specific agent or blog because they have a different opinion. I mean, it kind of makes the Gatekeeper's point for her.

I actually agree with Gatekeeper. Sure, it may seem like a harmless question but you never know when it could open up a Pandora's box. We all know agents love to gossip--who doesn't?--even if they're careful not to name names (just follow their Twitter accounts). Besides, giving out this type of info could haunt you later.

What if the writer did reveal the agent and the first agent found out and withdrew the offer? I say that's offering too much information. I've had agents ask me which agents were considering my ms. before they'd even read it--why should I bother? We don't ask agents whose work is under consideration, do we? I'm sure they'd say "It's none of your business." Likewise.

It seems to me that Agency Gatekeeper is expressing discomfort with the question. So another response might be to say, "Why are you asking?" Just walking out means sacrificing a chance to understand not only the agenting business but this particular agent. It's an opportunity to establish open communication and trust.

Not to point out the obvious, but if I have more than one agent offer on the table, I'm naturally going to want to see evidence of each agent's sales and negotiating skills. Frankly, if one sits back all quietly and politely, and one asks for whatever information that will help her make the "sale" to me, then I'm going with the proactive one.

It's how I'd want her acting when she's selling my book! I mean, duh! LOL! :-)

I’ve actually been in a situation where agents who have offered rep asked about the other agents who offered. 5 of 6 had good intentions, but there is always one bad apple in every bunch, no matter the business. One agent in particular hung up on me when I told him/her who else had offered. They later emailed me a two sentence message saying that they just didn’t think it was going to be a good fit after all. No kidding. I later found out the agent who hung up on me was a blabber mouth who had blabbed about losing a particular best-seller to their competition, who they claimed was ‘an incompetent buffoon’. After nearly two years, the author is still living off of that advance, but, I digress.

In the end, I think it all depends on the intentions meant and results followed. If asked in a manner of curiosity so that the agent can in turn tell you what they can offer that the other agent(s) can’t, such as superb editorial skills and/or specific names of editors at various houses that would love what you have written--in other words, an agent guaranteeing something so that you are not waiting for months on end with no responses from either end--then that is totally different. That is the kind of agent I would want! But to ask with just the intention beating the competition while offering nothing to me in return, then no thanks. I'll stick w/offers 1-5, thanks.

I mostly agree, but there is one thing that would make me hesitate to give the offering agent's name.

What if it somehow got back to the agent that I was using her offer to try to get a better offer?

If I asked a guy to the prom and then I found out he was using my invitation as leverage to get another girl to agree to go with him, I'd be pretty pissed.

That's my fear...not that I'd enter into some age old controversy by dropping the name, but that I'd hurt the original agent's feelings somehow.

I still think Gatekeeper has a very valid point (and is entitled to her own opinion), but at least you responded to her post without resorting to name calling and obscenities.

Good on you!

Ditto to Marsha's comments.

It's actually good to be having this conversation as it allows all opinions to be heard and considered, leading to a better understanding of the process.

Here's my two cents...I think in any relationship, personal or business, it's always important to take the high road; act in an honest, upfront, and professional manner. Ultimately, you cannot control the behavior or reactions of others, only that of your own.

Thanks, Jessica (and Janet)...great post.

The Anons seem awfully paranoid about this.

Why would an agent, genuinely in love with a book, withdraw their offer of representation after discovering another agent is interested too?

Either they're (1) too insecure to be a good agent, or (2) they think the other agent would be a better match and are doing the honourable thing for the writer's benefit.

If it's (1), then good riddance to that agent. If it's (2), then they're a saint, which is weird, because saints are rare and you don't generally find many of them working in sales.

In other words, this scenario is not one we need to worry about.

@ A. Grey

In fact, Gatekeeper is a fairly well known, though somewhat younger agent; and a lovely person. I've been following that post and its comments, and found nothing particularly objectionable--just a differing opinion.

May I add, she's not the only publishing professional to use a pseudonym, as Editorial Ass, Editorial Anonymous, and Evil Editor can tell you.

I do however, appreciate Jessica's reasoned approach to disagreement.

L.C. Blackwell

As a design professional, it is perfectly reasonable to ask if other groups are also pitching for a project.

It is pushy, rude and breaching etiquette to ask WHO else is pitching.

To me, the moment where you contact other agents with the news that you've received an offer of representation is really powerful. It means that other agents might hurry to read your manuscript, looking at it as a commodity. If just anyone could say "I've received other offers" but don't say from whom, it means that anyone could bend the truth (or outright lie) to achieve that powerful position. It makes perfect sense for me from all angles to be honest about the offers you receive.

After all, if the offer is from a "bad" agent in some way, or you're embarrassed for whatever reason about that agent, you shouldn't be considering their offer anyway.

excellent post, Jessica

I don't understand the big deal in an agent asking who else is interested in my work. If they are the type to decide not to work with me because Agent So-and-So is interested, then I'm sure I don't want to work with them either.

I have an issue with all of these anonymous bloggers writing about publishing, agents and writing. It makes me wary, as another commenter pointed out, and just doesn't make a lot of sense. Perhaps this particular blog isn't so anonymous, but many others are and I don't understand the need to hide behind a pseudonym if all you're offering is 'good advice'.

By the way, should multiple agents like to be interested in my work, I will happily provide a list for each. Generational battle, Pandora's box, or catty bitch-fight, I could care less. Have at it, as long as in the end, someone represents the damn book.

To me, it's just like the whole "exclusive" issue -- the agent is not a bad person for asking it makes good business sense to ask! -- but you, the author, get to decide what your response is going to be. I had multiple offers and felt perfectly fine telling the agents who else had offered; they were all respectful and friendly about it. But a simple "I don't feel comfortable giving out tht information" is just fine too.

There's one very practical reason for agents to ask, which is that some share office space even if they're not at the same agency, which isn't as obvious as it used to be now that we're mostly querying by email and don't always know the physical address.

To me, it's a simple solution: If you're comfortable giving out that type of info, do it--if not, don't. Personally, I wouldn't reveal that info until I'd def made up my mind--and I'd think twice about signing with an agent that demanding.

I'd say I'd rather not "jinx" it or "Why do you want to know?" Agents just want to make THEIR lives easier, not yours.

Thanks for the breakdown Jessica. I do agree with your point of view on this one.

I would like to point out to some of the commenters who haven't yet read Gatekeepers blog, but are denouncing it solely based on Jessica and Janet's responses, GKs blog is actually a very informative and helpful blog. Just because you don't agree with one blog post don't cut it out forever. I've read a lot of interesting advice there, just as I have on Jessica and Janet's blogs.

Seems to me that one of the most valuable pieces of advice I've read time and time again from industry blogs is to get as much advice as possible. Read as many industry blogs as you can find. Make your own decisions on what advice to follow.

I think that you're being too sensitive Jessica! It's a subjective opinion different from your own and lots of others, that's all.

I'm with Marsha on this one: the defensiveness with which agents are circling the wagons proves Gatekeeper's point.

Once a regular peruser of lit blogs of all sorts, I became disgusted with this defensiveness among industry "pros" primarily because it is so often deployed against the interests of writers and the health of the community as a whole. And, every time I venture back, this assessment is quickly reconfirmed.

There is no good reason to ask specifics about other offers. To what purpose, exactly, could an agent put this information that is simultaneously ethical, beneficial to the writer, and beneficial to the agent and his/her agency?

Sure, some writers may lie, but the idea that such a question is a "veracity check" is outrageously disrespectful in the way it lumps all writers together in the dishonest category.

There's a word for this sort of gross generalization: prejudice. Lit agents expressing such an insulting prejudice against writers deserve empty inboxes -- or at least inboxes filled only with garbage writers who have no respect for themselves or their profession.

JJ -

The Anons of the world have always seemed paranoid about something.

=)

Colleen

I *love* the Gatekeeper's blog. I love her enthusiasm for the industry, her passion for agenting, and her helpful advice, opinions and insights.

Not to mention her recipes!

I also don't see how it really helps agents to know who else is offering on a project, most especially due to the power imbalance (at that point of the process) in the relationship between agents and writers.

Perhaps some agents aren't assigning proper weight to the result of years of rejection upon writers -- and how, for some writers, when finally faced with a chance of representation, saying no to ANY request from an interested agent can feel quite daunting.

And on that note, why put a writer in that position in the first place? Why make it about the agent in that hallelujah! moment? How about making it about the writer, *finally*? The whole process is stressful enough.

I just had five offers of representation last week, and not one agent asked me to divulge the others offering. I thought it quite classy of all five.

Now, as for a writer lying about receiving offers? I think the proof will be in the manuscript. I know I had agents saying to me, "I can understand why so many agents are interested in this ms ..."

Do agents get curious about their competition? Sure. But let's call a spade a spade, and admit that curiosity is just that -- curiosity -- period.

The only question I was asked, in the end, was if I'd divulge the agent I'd decided upon. I had no problem, in that instance, sharing that information.

Just my two cents.

In the first place, Ms. Reid's blog about the subject was just rude and unprofessional. The work in two different agencies but there should still be a line of professional courtesy that one shouldn't cross. IMHO, Ms. Reid crossed it. I would never consider her as an agent for that reason.

Why is the Gatekeeper wrong? Because you disagree with the practice that makes her "wrong?" Why can't we just say, "I disagree" and leave it at that.

I, personally, see no harm in the practice of being asked and answering the question. But then, we seem to be assuming that the Gatekeeper and her agency don't have a justified reason for the policy. I think before we start pointing fingers and saying, "you're wrong" or "you're an idiot," it would behoove us to ask why. And still say, "I disagree."

*congrats to emilymurdoch!*

That said, I am in total agreement with Jesse. If an author wants an agent, they will do all of the necessary research in going about doing so. I’m sorry, but I don’t believe that one agent is more right or wrong than another in this business. It was built on varying opinions, correct? If an agent asks what other offers that author may have and who those offers have come from, as said time and time again, it’s up to the author to divulge that information.

In my opinion, I owe you nothing but my best work until I have made a final decision and all the contracts are signed. If anytime I feel bullied or pressured by an agent to give an answer about something I don’t feel comfortable with giving, do you think I’m going to let them touch 15% of a regular commission plus foreign rights if I’m lucky? I think not. On that note, I don’t necessarily have a problem with asking, depending on intentions, but I do agree that continuously stating how wrong the Gatekeeper is just proves her initial point.

As I said, this business was built on varying opinions. If you all thought the same and loved/read/only wanted to publish the same books, none or all of us *struggling writers* would be published by now. I believe in agreeing to disagree, but in this case, it just seems a bit much. And in Ms. Reid’s case, I’m sorry, but her reponse was just extreme. The swearing didn't bother me, it was the tone. What the Gatekeeper said was a ‘crock of ****’ huh? Spare me. And that’s my two cents.

I do know who Agency Gatekeeper is, but I guess to divulge that information would be rude right? Or would it? *Chesire Cat Smile* Her blog persona is different than her in-person persona. I never would have imagined she would stir up this kind of controversy. My, my. Didn't know she had that in her.

Thank you for the congratulations, Valerie B! Very kind of you. : )It took many years of hard work to get here, and I'm savoring my cloud nine.

I have to agree with you -- stating differing opinions in a respectful, professional manner is a wonderful thing, but condemning those with differing opinions in the way done on the other blog was unprofessional and crossed the line, imo.

Good for him and for you for stepping aside! Did you explain this to the author? When writers get a rejection, esp. a form, we have no idea how close we came...It'd be nice if agents expressed their regrets and offered praise as well.
Helps to know agents don't reject solely on the basis of the book.

I'm just curious, if telling an agent that someone else is interested in your mss makes them read it, what keeps authors from lying just to push you into it? It seems like a step a dishonest person wouldn't have any problem doing, and an easy way to get past a so-so query.

I should have added not only dishonest, but a desperate person also might give it a shot.

anon, I'm sure that happens from time to time, but when you do have several agents interested, you need to be honest with the agents. It gives them time to decide if they want to fight for the right to represent you, or bow out gracefully like Jessica did. And I don't think it's all that uncommon....when a great ms is shopped and the stars are aligned, this move quickly!

It takes a well-rounded agent, who is confident in herself to NOT make a play for a book just because others have. Kudos to you for that. Others do not have this self-restraint.

I do have a minor disagreement with one part of the post, though.

While this "strong and assertive" writer who portrays his/her book as a "must-read" might have piqued your interest, those same qualities, to other agents, might be taken as a writer who is a pompus ass who thinks he's written a best seller.

I'd say humble but professional might be the better way to go.

What a great story to share! Thank you!

Juliana,
I'm not saying that the author shouldn't tell an agent up front that someone else is interested. I was just saying it would be a clever way for someone to get an agent to read their stuff. I've written the next best-seller in my brain also, and figure instead of fighting the system to get someone to read it, why not just lie and tell them other agents are reading it. Not something I could do, but I love playing the devil's advocate.

Anon, you're right and I'm sure it's been done before. If you do have the balls to do something like this, you'd better have the talent to back it up. Truthfully, there's nothing stopping anyone from sending ms' out to agents, editors or houses and saying it's been requested material. But they have ways of finding out, and once it's been done...you've a mark against you....it really is an authors dream to have agents fighting over your material....means there's something special there.

Juliana,

If they don't have the talent they still have nothing to lose. And NO I certainly don't have the balls! I'll go the traditional route and let them fight for me the old fashion way. LOL. And, I'm with you I'm sure it has been done. All it takes is one of those agents you lied to, to like what you've written. Then who cares about the black mark, not you if your dishonest anyway.

What a luck author to you have several agents interested in his book. You don't see that everyday.

Thanks for sharing Jessica.

Great story. I can't get past his confidence though. How can an author be that confident right out of the gate? Did he have exceptional mentors?

Sure, I love my own stories and they're my favorite stories in the world, but I accept not everyone will feel the same way. Of course, my stories never fit trends or the confines of any known genre either, which I accept makes them not as marketable as those which do.

"I really, really liked the book and I know that it has huge potential, but I just didn’t think I was the strongest agent for it."

Okay, I don't want to seem to speak for most authors (though I think I do), but this drives us up the wall.

In this specific situation, when the author in question had five offers or representation, your decision was reasonable and probably good for the author (or you sold yourself short—your reputation precedes you). However, I can't count the number of times I've read these same words on agent's blogs when the author was not as fortunate.

For an unpublished author, landing an agent is akin to wining the lotto, so with that in mind, allow me translate the above words to fit the analogy: “well this ticket holder has won the mega millions, but I just don’t think I’m the right two hundred and fifty million dollars for him so I’ll give myself to someone else.”

Madness! Considering the odds of finding an agent whose tastes match your book, when you cut such an author loose in the tempestuous sea of publishing, his odds of sailing his ragged dinghy into the right agent’s port (again?) go right back to slim to none.

Please allow me to make this a bit more personal. I know I wrote a great book (two, actually), I know this because I circulate my work to a large network of test readers, usually friends of friends so that there is no personal connection to color results. The feedback I’ve received was along the lines of “this is awesome, I couldn’t put it down, it gave me goose bumps, it made me cry”. Great for me, but now what? Now I have to find an agent, and not only does that mean twisting my head into knots for months to write a decent pitch, it also means coming face to face with the above mentioned beast. “I really thought it was a great manuscript, but I’m not the strongest agent for it, thanks, goodbye and happy sailing. Oh and make sure to patch those leaks in your ridiculous little boat, muhahahahaha!”

I think I speak for most unpublished authors when I say we don’t care if you’re the strongest agent, or the right agent, or that you live in a floating conch shack in the middle of the Atlantic (as long as you have an internet connection). Maybe once I’ve sold some novels and people take me seriously I can afford to shop around, but right now I think that, like most other unpublished authors who are still holding onto the dream, I just want AN agent. A real agent, a successful agent, one who has sold books, to be sure, but really, any agent fitting that description will do. At the end of the day, an agent is ten orders of magnitude better than no agent at all, even if he or she mostly sells romance and you wrote a science fiction thriller.

Very cool anecdote. I like seeing this, and knowing that his confidence didn't turn you off. I think it's hard to know where to draw that line (between confidence and arrogance).

Anon 12:16. I feel your pain. But, frankly, you angst too much. If your book/books are as good as your beta readers say, then you will find that agent. It's a painful, frightening and frustrating but necessary process to query and find an agent. Unless you know someone who knows someone, you have no choice but to wade right in with the rest of us. You've got the talent, apparently. You've got the books that would appear to be marketable. The rest will come. Get querying. And damn the torpedoes...full speed ahead. And remember all these feelings of trepidation you are feeling when you do land an agent and get published. Don't forget those you left behind. Pay it forward. And good luck.

I LOVE this post. I can't think of a better way for you to have illustrated why "this doesn't fit our needs", e.g., is not the kiss of death most of us thinks it is. In this case, you loved the book and its potential, but felt that YOU didn't fit well enough with the author's needs. And to be able to not only do that but to tell us about it is pretty cool.

I agree totally Michael.If you like my mss and I haven't found anyone else, then you are the best representation for my book by default. I have often griped about this before. My job is to write, and I can't write if I am spending half a year looking for an agent. It takes way too much of my time on the business end of it. If you as an agent like what I have but don't think your the best representative, then by gosh take my money for this book and let the agents fight for me later.

And it makes me even angrier, when I think of tricks people could use to get an agent. What if I had a similiar book to this guy who managed to get Jessica to rush read his book. Did she bother to find out if he really had several agents making offers. I doubt it. I won't stoop to that level, and it makes me angry to think Jessica could have been reading my mss during her travel time. Well yeah, it's better for an author to let you know someone else is looking at your mss, whether it is true or not! I'm not faulting you personally, Jessica, but you do see where you could have been duped?

I cofident too, but he was arrogant and it worked.

Signed,
Frustrated and Too busy for nonsense

I want to drop in for just a minute to address a couple of things.

Anon 9:54. Yes, there is nothing stopping authors from simply lying and saying they have an offer and I will tell you that there has been more then one time when we here at the office wondered if that was happening. It might have gotten a faster read for them, but in the end it probably really didn't help out. Also keep in mind, it's not necessarily an easy way to get past a query. If you send the query and tell me you have an offer, I still might reject reading more based on the query, especially if I think you're already in good hands.

Okay, the second point I want to address is this author's confidence. Since it seemed to touch a "nerve" for lack of a better word. Never, would anyone think this author came across as arrogant. Sending the full manuscript with an offer in hand (I already had requested the proposal) really just came across as helpful. I still could have easily passed and if I wanted to read more I now had it in hand. Keep in mind, this confidence didn't come "right out of the gate." The author had at least one offer already and probably a full request or two from other agents. At this point he just wanted to make sure the agents he was most interested in had his manuscript.

--jhf

I have done the same thing Michael has, test audiences. Emotions brought out by a book are a pretty good idea on whether you have a good one or not. Michael too bad I'm not an agent, I'd love to read your book.

Now here is my beef, confidence and arrogance. I know I have a good book, just like Michael does. Can we put that we tested audiences, or does that come off cocky? and will it put you off? I have read about the over confidence thing over and over, but it worked for that guy. I am so confused.

wow, what an interesting post. That author does sound smart. I hope he got the best agent for his book. :-)
Thanks for sharing.

To the Anons who suggest that pretending other agents are interested has no down side, consider this--

First, if other agents are not interested, there is probably a reason in the manuscript, which will be obvious to any agent that does read the work. So you will be found out.

Second, once you start lying and are found out, you have lost something you can never redeem: your credibility.

Third, if you have any talent, your next work will be better, and the one after that, better still. Do you really want to spend your credibility NOW, so cheaply, on a work that isn't the best you will produce?

* * *

Michael - Consider it as dating. The query letter is like asking her for coffee.

What you're saying is, you don't care what she's like, you just want to get to third base with someone.

Time out. She's telling you that you're a nice guy but it ain't quite going to work with her. So, the natural question to follow up with (after a decent interval) is, "Well, I'm disappointed of course, but who do you know that might like to go out me?"

For agents, that would be, "I'm so glad you liked it. What other agents do you know that would be a better fit for this manuscript?"

(An agent is going to invest a lot of time and energy in any novel they choose to represent. They will, of course, pick the ones they believe are most likely to actually produce a published book. So get referrals to those people who might be able to do so.)

And, with regard to your writing, get back and get to work on novel number three, which might be the one that works as-is for someone. It sounds from your feedback like you have a career ahead of you.

No writing is wasted at that point.

If you're unrepresented, it may seem like the wrong agent is better than no agent, but that's really not true. If an agent cannot be a passionate advocate for your work, you'll be in the same unpublished boat, except you'll also be precluded from looking for someone who CAN be a passionate advocate for your work. And you're likely to spend a year or more making no forward progress.

Jessica, thanks for sharing the story. It's really good form for an author who has one offer to step back for a moment, take a breath, and inform other agents of that, rather than jumping on the first offer right away. Professionalism is always the right choice!

Dal,

I love your comments, but don't you know women like the bad boys! :)

Seriously, I do love your comments. You always have a level head and look at everything from everyone's point of view.

One point though, wonder if this guy really does have a good mss? There are lots of us out there that do. It's not going to come back and bite him. You are assuming he's been rejected, maybe he's just like me looking for a short cut. (And I repeat I would NOT do this! I'm the person who gives blood regulary, terrified of needles and just about pass out everytime, because I feel guilty. I have the good stuff (O- in case you were wondering).

I'm sorry, Jael, I still have a hard time believing that. Not every book is going to have that agent that is passionate about the work. There has to be books out there that break into a new realm of readers. There also has to be mss that agents are tired of seeing, but just like the YA vampire books, there is still a market out there and agents are tired of seeing them.

Jael is right. And the anon that said any agent is better than no agent does not get it.

The wrong agent can ruin years of your writing career.

You're not getting the point of Jessica's post if you're moaning that your manuscripts are great but you're not getting an agent. Getting an agent is easy. Writing a terrific manuscript that attracts several agents is the tough part.

Jessica-
Thanks for mentioning me in your blog, and thanks for your friendliness and professionalism during the query process.
If I am ever in the market for an agent again, I will be knocking on your door!

Yours,

PB

Couple of things:

There's a huge drawback to lying about having an offer that I haven't seen mentioned yet. If an author tells me they have an offer and I like the book, but feel it needs quite a bit of work, I'll oftentimes just pass, figuring that there isn't time to see revisions. If the author weren't waiting with an offer on the table, then I may be inclined to offer very specific feedback and hope to see it resubmitted.

Michael - I know this can be a frustrating business, but trust me, you don't want just any agent. The wrong agent can be much more detrimental than no agent. It can stall your writing career further and point you in all the wrong directions. If an agent is unknown in the genre of your choosing, then you're no better off with their name on your submission than you are with your own. And while the book sits languishing on what may be the wrong editor's desk, you could've been out finding the right agent who put it under the right nose and negotiated you a six-figure deal.

And speaking from the agent's perspective, we don't want to sacrifice our own credibility by pretending we have expertise in an area we so clearly don't.

This post addresses the issue of dishonest authors lying about getting another offer. As someone who did get more than one offer of representation, let me offer my opinion that getting caught lying is a real threat. As Kim L said, you could be shooting yourself in the foot regarding potential revisions. And if the agent offers representation, there are certain questions/procedures you as an author will go through with each agent. Unless you're familiar with the process, you may not realize what all is involved. None of the agents who offered to represent me could have doubted my sincerity because I talked to their authors. Authors talk. Agents know one another. My advice: Don't even consider lying about it. Your chances of getting caught are higher than you might think.

Jael & Anon 3:51

I'm just curious what genre you write, that it seems so cut and dry.

And Kim,

Obviously this wasn't out of Jessica's genre or she wouldn't have read it at all. And we all know she is well respected. It seemed to me she didn't feel she was the best, but from PB's post it looked like he really wanted her. Apparently there was some quality in her that he prefered.

Wonder if PB prefered Jessica for his own reasoning. A perfect agent for every book published seems very far-fetched, and I think Michael is right, it is a lotto. We do our homework, we know the unrespected agents, and I feel
the author should have some say so on whether or not Jessica represented his book, if Jessica has any interest. If what Jessica wrote was true then she sould have said PB: Here are the X number of reasons why I may not be the best agent for you, and then he should have been the on deciding.

Michael, I feel your frustration.

Anon 4:37

I believe everyone was complaining about it, not saying they were going to do it. At least in my post that is what I was saying.

Anonymous 4:57 -- My comments were directed less at Jessica's original post than to Michael's comment: "At the end of the day, an agent is ten orders of magnitude better than no agent at all, even if he or she mostly sells romance and you wrote a science fiction thriller."

Anon 5:02, this is anon 4:37. I was aware that the posters here weren't considering doing such an unethical thing. But since the subject came up, I imagined there were potential, unethical readers who didn't post and might think they could get away with it. I've heard awful stories of authors stooping to stealing synopses from contests - and even stealing plot points from friends' published books. Most of us are too proud of our work to even think of engaging in such dishonest behavior. But not everyone is honest, so I wanted to post a warning. Who among us wants to see a rat get a shot at a great agent when the honest writers work so hard?

I'm chiming in to agree with those who've said "no agent is better than the wrong agent." And I think Dal Jeanis touched on it well with his dating analogy.

For the folks who just want someone to sell their work, then think once they have a few sales under their belt, they've got the freedom to shop around for a really good agent? *laughs*

Agents are hardworking people, and from what I've gleaned over the years, most of the agents worth their salt want to build a long-term relationship with their authors. They want to build their clients up, keep selling their books, and they do a damned good job at this. Just because an agent thinks they can sell your book, that doesn't mean they owe you representation. And conversely, you shouldn't settle for the first agent who offers if you have reservations.

But dumping an agent who gets you your first contracts because you think you have the cred to find someone better? Not cool, and very unprofessional.

This happened to me: I received an offer when I had partials and fulls still out. I e-mailed everyone who had already requested material. About half of the agents asked me who had made the offer. If I had been lying about the offer I had on the table, I would have been caught-red handed.

Carl

I'm just curious, Jessica and Kim, if someone brought you a mss that wasn't your normal genre, and they had been through sending query letters to several agents unsuccessfully and somehow you decided to read it, and you adored the mss and I know you both are very professional and probably wouldn't do this, but can you tell me that if you recommened the mss to a publisher, they wouldn't even consider it? (I know that was a horribly long run on question)

Anonymous 8:01 --

If it were a genre (like science fiction or children's) handled by a set of editors completely outside the group I work with, then my name on the manuscript would mean nothing to them. They'd still consider it, but would be unlikely to prioritize it or put any stock in my stamp of approval.

If it's an editor that's familiar with me and knows the types of books I usually handle, they'd still give little credence to my endorsement of a completely different genre, because they know it's something I don't have prior experience with. The book would still eventually be considered, but wouldn't be given the same kind of priority or interest as if it had been sent by a more suitable agent.

Thanks for the blog. I think writers need to be reminded that it’s okay to have confidence. After a few rejections, okay a lot of rejections, and bending over backward to make sure everything is just to the agent’s specifications (I’ve actually read several submission requirements that say, ‘if you do not do A, B and C, I will not read your query at all.) A writer tends to feel like a very small fish in a very large ocean and the focus switches from: ‘Do I have a manuscript for you, to: Let’s not irritate the agent.
I’m not complaining, not really. I mean, let’s face it; there are way more of us then there are of you.
A spine of steel? I had one somewhere, I think I’ll pull it out again. Thanks.