When an agent doesn't accept simultaneous submissions, and wants to know the names of any other agent that has been queried, do they mean the agents I have send out a query package to; letter, synopsis and sample chapters, or which agents have seen the entire manuscript?
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
Which agent wants to know things like that, and why?
I really want to know the answer to this, darklight, and you can email me directly to tell me if you don't want to post it here.
Unless the agent has a very good reason (and tells you that reason) for needing to know whom else you've queried, it really isn't the agent's business to know.
The author employs the agent, and as the agent's employer, the author does not need to tell any agent whom else the author has interviewed for the job.
Authors are not the employees of agents, no matter how much an agent may like to think they are.
Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :
Seems a bit much for someone to be asking when you're querying. Why on earth is it relevant? Are they worried you're going to go with someone else? Then they should be focused on reading your work as quickly as possible to give you an answer on whether they'd like to represent you.
Is this an agent you'd really like to work with for some reason? (e.g., they represent an author you admire) I suppose you can assume good intent and try to answer the question, but my instinct would be to move on to the next on the list. There are a lot of agents.
Posted by EricJamesStone (Member # 1681) on :
A prospective agent would have legitimate reason to ask which editors have seen your manuscript already, but I can't see any reason why they would need to know which other agents have seen it.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
Darklight sent me the requests, and basically, the reason both agents give is that they want exclusivity. I think they're taking exclusivity a bit far, though.
Darklight, I'm going to check with Writer Beware on the SFWA website and see if Victoria Strauss has any recommendations on that question.
Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
I've heard of agents asking that, although I hadn't run into it. I'm interested in what Victoria has to say about it. Frankly, I think that is taking being pushy too far. After all, as someone mentioned, the agent works for the author, not the other way around.
Posted by lehollis (Member # 2883) on :
I've heard of that before, and it always seems a bit unprofessional to me. My response would be, "I'll think about it when I'm more desperate." :P
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
It seems like a bad way to start a professional relationship because it suggest to me they aren't willing to trust you even that far.
I heard an agent once caution writers, especially beginning writers, from being pushed around and to remember that a author/ agent relationship should be based on trust and a sense of mutual respect. If it works out, you could be with this person for a while.
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
Thanks everyone for your thoughts, and thank you Kathleen for checking with Writers Beware. I await any recommendations Victoria Strauss may have.
Posted by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (Member # 59) on :
I heard back from Victoria Strauss of Writers Beware, and she gave me permission to quote her:
quote:While you do need to let an agent know which publishers the ms. is on submission with or has been rejected by (since this may close off important market avenues, and factor into the agent's decision to offer representation), there's no reason for the agent to know which other agents have seen it, or to reveal the names of any agents that are reading it now. If the agent wants exclusivity, all you need to do is say "Two other agents are reading it now," and then let them decide if they want to read it anyway--which often they will.
I usually advise authors to ignore it when an agent asks for the names of other agents a ms. has gone to.
Hope this helps!
Victoria Strauss
Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
Thanks for checking on that, Kathleen. Great to know how to handle it if it ever comes up. You can count on Victoria Strauss for expert advice in this area.
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
That's briliant, Kathleen, thank you. I will take that advice when I send out my next lot of query packages.