Help! Full Manuscript Required on Agent's Query Form.

[George Prime]

Hi, I am a writer in USA and submitting Querys to agents. I have come across 2 who ask for the full manuscript uploaded with the query form. One is in US, the other has offices Warsaw and Paris. What is my protection against plagiarism if I do so? Is it Kosher to submit all but the last chapter? Or am I being too paranoid?

 

[Vagabond Heart]

Ask @AgentPete ? Any clue here, Pete?

 

[RK Wallis]

Hi, I am a writer in USA and submitting Querys to agents. I have come across 2 who ask for the full manuscript uploaded with the query form. One is in US, the other has offices Warsaw and Paris. What is my protection against plagiarism if I do so? Is it Kosher to submit all but the last chapter? Or am I being too paranoid?

Personally, this this too out of the norm for me and I'd cross them off my list. That's just me.

 

[AgentPete]

What is my protection against plagiarism if I do so? Is it Kosher to submit all but the last chapter? Or am I being too paranoid?

You probably are

If they’re regular, well-known agents, chances are almost zero that they’d consider plagiarising your manuscript. Why not just offer to rep it instead?

Plagiarism is a problem, but it usually doesn’t originate from agents.

However…

If the mss contain what I’d term “high concept” ideas, then I’d think twice. It’s so easy to “borrow” a high-concept idea, and there will never be any consequences.

What is “high-concept”? Well, think of “Jaws” set in space. That was the high concept behind “Alien”. You get the idea.