We Briefly Channel Emily Post
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Dear author-friends, here is a pleasing secret for you: most agents are pretty smart, have a pretty good idea of what sells, and have pretty decent taste in books. Surprise! What does this mean for you? It means if your beloved novel/memoir/inspirational treatise receives one offer of representation, it will probably receive several more shortly thereafter. Super exciting for you, yes indeedy. However, whilst cavorting about your domicile in a state of ecstatic glee, please keep this in mind: submitting to multiple agents, and then emailing them all at once to say never mind, as you've accepted another offer and are withdrawing your manuscript, is sort of like offering to take someone out to dinner, encouraging them to order something particularly delicious, and then taking their plate away from them just as they're about to tuck in and handing it off to someone at a neighboring table. In other words: not polite. Remember, the agent ultimately is working for YOU. If an agent is pleased enough by your manuscript to make an offer, that agent will be equally pleased a week from now, and if that agent isn't totally impressed by your professionalism after you request said week to give other agents you've submitted to a chance to look at your book, that agent is probably not someone you want to be working with. Also, if, say, "Steve" is TWO HUNDRED EFFING PAGES INTO YOUR MANUSCRIPT AND GIDDY WITH EXCITEMENT RE: ITS AWESOMENESS upon receiving your email withdrawing it, "Steve's" assistant--er, "Steve"--will probably HATE YOUR GUTS FOREVER. That's all. We will return to our regular programming of wailing, gnashing our teeth, and complaining about moronic query letters shortly. Thank you.
Posts
RE: Bosses drinking martinis and watching Youtube while we do all the work--
Ain't. It. The. Truth.
In solidarity,
E
I think you were supposed to slaughter birds and read their entrails to divine the perfect moment to make an offer of representation. I know I expect that of every agent. I mean, we have too many pigeons, as is.
Dear Rejectionist,
Is there anything writers can do to make these situations less awful/awkward? Is the week timeframe to let other agents finish up a good or bad thing? I wasn't 100% sure, and would like to know. Good etiquette = happy times for everyone.
Thank you for your widsom! :)
Dear Rebecca, this is only an awful/awkward situation if you take away your ms sans warning. It is a very exciting situation otherwise, as other agents will assume, if you have received an offer, it's for a reason (i.e. your book rules). The extra week is nice for everyone; all the agents you queried get a shot at the ms, and you maybe get to hear perspectives from a bunch of different agents, any one of which might (or totally might not) be a better fit for you than the person who happened to make the first offer. Phew. Tirade. Sorry.
That is just rude. I would sooo give everyone at least a week before retracting my submission.
Signing with an agent should not be spur of the moment or taken lightly. Important questions should be asked..such as:
1)Do you drink Vodka or Tequila?
2)Are you a little bit country or a little bit Rock N Roll?
3)Are you prepared to drunken dial prank calls (anonymously) to editors who reject our ms?
Everyone has their own set of questions, but the point is to make sure you mesh well before taking that leap.
Thanks for the help and direction. I haven't gotten that call yet, but I'm getting closer all the time and need all the insight I can get.
Good manners always brings about good relationships.
Thank you for the reminder. I'm half tempted right now to send my manuscript to at least 2 editors, out of sheer despair at my life - which may or may not involve some teeth gnashing and wailing.
Ohhhhkay, that makes total sense, and the way I thought it should be done :). Hooray! Thank you for verifying!
I would have thought the most polite thing to do would be to let the agent know you have received another offer for representation, and see if they are enthusiastic enough to try and engage you as a client. Is this the case? Or what would you prefer the writer do in this instance?
Oh Wise Rejectionist, thank you for your wisdom. I will file this useful Postian advice away for that time when I am seeking representation.
And when that time arrives, I would love to have to worry about selecting the best fit from the bevy of agents vying to represent me. But I'll make sure I conduct myself in a manner that would make both you and Emily Post proud.
Okay, I'm not quite clear on what you are recommending.
You write to, say, 10 agents, and 5 ask for partials, and 3 ask for complete mss., and 1 says she wants to rep you, but others have not yet responded. Instead of saying, never mind I found one, you should e the others who still have ms. and tell them you have an offer of representation, and are they still in the running? And if they are still interested, how do you proceed from there? Ask them about plans for shopping book and their thoughts on your career trajectory, stuff like that??
@ writtenwyrdd: yes, and send us chocolates.
@ lettersfromlordship: yes, send us chocolates, and yes.
@ Marsha: 1) BOURBON, 2) willie nelson, 3) we drunk-dial editors for fun anyway, so no worries there.
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