Folks Subbing to Agents: Get Your Skates On!

Paul Whybrow

The Cost Of Writing

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Paul Whybrow

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I wasn't going to do this one, but I noticed somebody was pitching so decided to give it a go.

First of all - THANK YOU very much to just about all Litopia people who RT the pitch. I really appreciated it.

Secondly, I got a bite.... Which would be good except that I've already been asked by an agent for the full MS.

Okay, so - "Why did you pitch in the first place?" I hear you ask. Answer - dunno. I just thought I'd see if I got a bite. But now I have a bite - what to DO with it?

The agent who's asked for the full works for a very small agency. And she's had it for a month. Do I:

1 - Do nothing and wait
2 - Send the original agent a polite email nudging her and telling her I have interest elsewhere
3 - Send to these other guys as well and say nothing about agent number 1
4 - Send to these other guys as well but tell them another agent has asked for the full.

Not sure what the wise / polite thing to do is.

Anybody?
 
David Steele said:
I wasn't going to do this one, but I noticed somebody was pitching so decided to give it a go.

First of all - THANK YOU very much to just about all Litopia people who RT the pitch. I really appreciated it.

Secondly, I got a bite.... Which would be good except that I've already been asked by an agent for the full MS.

Okay, so - "Why did you pitch in the first place?" I hear you ask. Answer - dunno. I just thought I'd see if I got a bite. But now I have a bite - what to DO with it?

The agent who's asked for the full works for a very small agency. And she's had it for a month. Do I:

1 - Do nothing and wait
2 - Send the original agent a polite email nudging her and telling her I have interest elsewhere
3 - Send to these other guys as well and say nothing about agent number 1
4 - Send to these other guys as well but tell them another agent has asked for the full.

Not sure what the wise / polite thing to do is.

Anybody?
Click to expand...
Did she say she needed exclusivity while looking at the full MS?
 
Oh, fantastic! :cool:Well done, David, and fingers crossed.

I'd probably do 4. Tell them how thrilled you are to get a chance to be considered by the Mighty Them, and here comes your submission pronto, but feel it only proper to inform them another agent has (optional fib? just this very day) asked for the full.

It's either 2 or 4, but if you do 2 you might nudge the original agent into declining, when the other one isn't in the bag.
 
Did the other agent ask for an exclusive and if so did you grant one? If you did then you have to honour the exclusive and cannot send it to these guys until the period of the exclusive agreed has expired. However, if you did not grant an exclusive then option 4. If these guys subsequently ask for a full then that would be a good point to nudge Agent 1.

Good luck with it. And congratulations on getting a bite. The only like I got was from some weird spammer. :)
 
You get a lot of useless spammers on Twitter pitch parties, @Kitty . I got utterly hacked off with them during #SFFPit. No end of cheap E-platforms pretending to be independent publishers.

Anyway. The original query just said that the agent enjoyed the sample and would like to continue reading the rest "If you don't already have an agent". That's not an exclusive, I take it?

That was on 10th July but, trust me, it feels a SHED LOAD longer.

For what it's worth the pitch that got picked up yesterday was "19th Century charlatans, demons in petticoats, big dance numbers, dodgy potions, romance, adventure and lots of accidental magic"
 
David Steele said:
I wasn't going to do this one, but I noticed somebody was pitching so decided to give it a go.

First of all - THANK YOU very much to just about all Litopia people who RT the pitch. I really appreciated it.

Secondly, I got a bite.... Which would be good except that I've already been asked by an agent for the full MS.

Okay, so - "Why did you pitch in the first place?" I hear you ask. Answer - dunno. I just thought I'd see if I got a bite. But now I have a bite - what to DO with it?

The agent who's asked for the full works for a very small agency. And she's had it for a month. Do I:

1 - Do nothing and wait
2 - Send the original agent a polite email nudging her and telling her I have interest elsewhere
3 - Send to these other guys as well and say nothing about agent number 1
4 - Send to these other guys as well but tell them another agent has asked for the full.

Not sure what the wise / polite thing to do is.

Anybody?
Click to expand...

Awesome! I, too, would recommend number 4, but I think it's appropriate to send the other agent who asked for the full a while ago an email informing her that another agent is also interested. Just to give her a nudge :)
 
David Steele said:
I wasn't going to do this one, but I noticed somebody was pitching so decided to give it a go.

First of all - THANK YOU very much to just about all Litopia people who RT the pitch. I really appreciated it.

Secondly, I got a bite.... Which would be good except that I've already been asked by an agent for the full MS.

Okay, so - "Why did you pitch in the first place?" I hear you ask. Answer - dunno. I just thought I'd see if I got a bite. But now I have a bite - what to DO with it?

The agent who's asked for the full works for a very small agency. And she's had it for a month. Do I:

1 - Do nothing and wait
2 - Send the original agent a polite email nudging her and telling her I have interest elsewhere
3 - Send to these other guys as well and say nothing about agent number 1
4 - Send to these other guys as well but tell them another agent has asked for the full.

Not sure what the wise / polite thing to do is.

Anybody?
Click to expand...

Well done @David Steele !!!!! That is great. Two agents requesting MS...you were quiet with that one. Did I miss the memo?

I would do both 2 & 4.

Email the original agent AND submit full MS to new agent since there is no request for exclusivity.

Good luck sir!
 
You know what?

I'm looking at their website - Massive client list - hugely professional look,

And I'm thinking: No.

EDIT - I did it anyway. In all honestly I think I was just over-awed by their client list.
 
Last edited:
David Steele said:
You know what?

I'm looking at their website - Massive client list - hugely professional look,

And I'm thinking: No.

EDIT - I did it anyway. In all honestly I think I was just over-awed by their client list.
Click to expand...

I know ..that's how I feel...not worthy of these agents. Just head down and submit!
 
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Paul Whybrow

The Cost Of Writing

  • Paul Whybrow
  • Replies: 2
Paul Whybrow

Fame and the Writer

  • Paul Whybrow
  • Replies: 32
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