Here's a new one for me; it's straight from the Golden Age of literary agenting:
"Thank you for the query. I would be interested in reading your work. Include a stamped self-addressed envelope if you want the material returned. Or you can send to me as a Word doc. Can I see as an exclusive. In return I will get back within [small number] days. I look forward. Yours truly,_________" I told him there were three other agents who already had the novel, but that they appeared to be in a long, frozen winter sleep (despite prodding); I said that I wouldn't make a move on the book until I heard from him, which is a joke because those other agents aren't going to be getting back to me anytime soon. He was cool with that.
6 comments:
Yay!!!
Sounds promising
Wonderful! I don't blame them for asking for an exclusive. Mine did -30 days. Fingers crossed for you.
I read that this was a pretty common practice for this particular old-school agent, so I'm not getting my hopes up. I would be surprised if he connected to my material....surprised and deliriously happy of course.
Oh, yeah, I remember all the old guidelines that said "We don't accept simultaneous submissions". Of course all the writer advice books said when you see a place that says that, simultaneously submit anyway.
As best I can, I let agents know when I've submitted to other agents, or that others are considering my manuscript. No one has ever refused a read based on the fact that other agents have it. Seems that everyone is hip to the fact that the chances of finding a fit between a writer's work and an enthusiastic agent are pretty slim. Needle-in-the-haystack stuff.
I'll keep fingers crossed for this one to work out, WR, and please keep us posted!
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