Have I been very very stupid please help

[Ty T]

Right I sent out queries to editors before I was signed with my agent. And on them I mentioned the name of other books I had planned to write and a synopsis of three of my other works. You see my first work is part of trilogy right so I mentioned the names of the sequels that I had planned and the two prequels but now my agent is asking me what works I would like him to represent. And a couple of editors have asked for the first four chapters of some of my other works. They aren't finished but they are not far off. Now I have sent off the first four chapters. Is this being very stupid, the editor asked for them and I never actually said they were completed. She said she thought it was a very interesting idea. Would the editor be likely to wait until I have completed the work if she likes the first four chapters?

Also my agent is asking me what works I want represented by him, I was hoping it would be all of them even though some are not finished. Can he do this, I mean I know he obviousley won't be sending them out to publishers for a good while but is it still okay for me to say that I want him to represnt them so that when they are finished he can send them out.

He has asked me to call him tommorow, which will be the first time I have actually spoken to him, I'm dreading it, I probably won't be able to get any sleep. What do I say to him, will he be all horrible? I know I'm a bit paranoic but I really worry about this sort of thing. A couple of editors have asked for different things, one wanted the first four chapters of one work, another didn't like the sound of it at all and wanted another while one wanted all of them. What happens if she does like them all, would she be likely to offer me a deal for all of them. Is that possible?

Or if one editor for example wants to buy one but doesn't the like the other then I take it my agent can just submit the one she doesn't like to different people.
I'm going crazy, three british publishers want to look at my work, two american ones have already got it and now one Canadian one wants to have a look!

I feel like my head is spinnning out of control.
Also I want my agent to represnt the screenplays as I have turned the five book series into five screenplays. The first is finished and the second is half way through. Can I aks him to represent me for them all I mean I know the rest aren't finished but can I still put him down as the agent for them I mean if I'm signed with him then sooner or later I would be sending them to him anyway

Please help me

[Kate Nepveu]

hold it, then let it out slowly.

Why are these not questions you can take directly to your agent?

What I do when I have a difficult phone call ahead:

Make a list of the things you need to talk about. Write it down. Print it out, if your handwriting is awful. Adorn it with checkboxes if you like. Have it in front of you, with a pen, when you dial the call.

You certainly need to be honest with your agent, if that's what you're asking.

[Takvah]

This is the same agent that didn't bother to inquire about the manuscript you wanted him to submit for you, right? Well look, this guy works for you... be clear about what you expect of him. Also send your manuscripts to this guy return receipt requested. As for what he will and won't be representing, I don't think you throw a bunch of unfinished stuff at an agent. I think you pick a few pieces you are happy with and you start from there. If you are afraid to talk to your agent then you're going to have a very hard time communicating your needs and wants to him.

Good luck.

[maestrowork]

I'm confused too. Why are you dealing with editors/pubishers on your own when you have an agent. It doesn't matter if you queried them BEFORE or after you got an agent. Now that you have one, you should do all your dealings through your agent and have him/her give you reports.

Also, I am still baffled. Most publishers don't deal with writers directly without an agent... unless they're small publishers. In any case, you should only deal with publishers through your agent now. Doing anything around your agent means you do not honor your business relationship/arrangement with him. I don't know, some of the stuff you said in your posts don't make sense to me.

And if you're not happy with your agent, maybe it's time to consider another one.

[Greenwolf103]

Definitely talk with your agent. Don't keep your agent in the dark! If you want your agent to do the best job possible for you, you MUST keep them on the up and up.

[SRHowen]

I, too, am having an issue here.

My agent contract calls for "representation" of all longer works.(novel length) Most agents rep YOU, not your manuscript. I also question why you continue to contact and send to publishers not through your agent.

Impatient? (your issue--fix it, let your agent do their job)

Don't trust your agent? (big problem--maybe time to find a new agent if you don't feel this one is trustworthy)

Think you know more than your agent? (your problem, unless you do know more, then back off and let your agent do their job)

Afraid of your agent? (your problem, get over it. They are not some giant god to fear)

Who is this person (agent)? I find it odd they are asking about which works YOU want them to rep--as most agents, as I said rep the writer not the work.

I also disagree that an agent works for you--your agent is your partner in your career.

So, you got answers to querys you sent before the agent. Simple, you call your agent--yes call, you can do that now (provided agent is a good one--if they don't want phone calls from clients--look elsewhere) he's your agent. Say, "Hey, awhile back I sent some sample chapters to so and so and now they want a complete ms. Is this publisher worth considering?" Agent should take it from there. And while you are at it--say "You remember that publisher I mentioned back in Dec.? Did you ever talk to them and see if they were still interested?"

It seems to me you have some sort of weird mess going on. Time to lay out your cards, and if your agent is worth his commission he will clean this up. If he's not worth a pinch of salt--then, well, time to move on--or maybe consider that you have screwed up with this mess (trying to do an end run around your agent) and chalk it up to learning and move on, next time letting your agent do his job.

Shawn

[pencilone]

Ty T,

Calm down, take your time and make a list of priorities: finished work first and then work in progress (discuss everything you have and possible future projects).

There are some very good pieces of advice here, so just follow them. Make your list just to be sure you discuss all the points you want and you do not forget anything.

I would also suggest getting the conclusions of what has been discussed on the phone in an email too, so that you can go back to it and thinking it over and maybe coming back to your agent over some points that were not too clear.

I say get it in writing because on the phone things get spoken quickly and maybe emotions get in the way too, and details tend to be forgotten later on. Remember long forgotten meetings where someone had to take down the minutes so everyone involved remembered what they talked about? Well, it cannot hurt to have something like that in a file. Maybe it's a good idea to file all your discussions/decisions with your agent, so each one of you knows where they stand.

I hope all goes well for you.

Best of Luck,

Pencilone

[Ty T]

Okay thanks for all your help and advice

I was kind of in a tizzy when I posted this so sorry about that, now that I've calmed down and have time to think about it I realize things aren't as bad as they seem.

The reason I was sending out the ms was because quite simply the editor didn't mind me sending it to them via email. She knew who my agent was and he sent her a confirming email and she just said I could send it to her.
I actually now realize that things arent as bad as I was making out. I'm not afraid of my agent or mistrust him its just I kind of get worried sometimes that he's going to decide that he doesn't like my work or he doesn't want to represent me anymore you know that kind of thing, I guess this becomes easy with experience.

My agent actually doesn't have a problems with me sending out queries to people I think might be interested or who have stated they are interested. He is really buys handling other authors work so if the editor is willing to take it straight from me then all the better.

When I first approached my agent my work was already being considered by a publisher, they declined on my work but another publisher had already said they might be interested.

I hate phone calls, well I dont' hate them as such but I get all kind of nervous.

About the agent asking about my other work, what has happened is in one query I made to a publisher I mentioned one work and then in another query I made I didn't mention and mentioned another one. That is because I decided to ditch the first project. My agent looked over the querys later and saw that there was a couple of different projects and I think he was wondering which one I was basically doing kind of thing. I got the wrong end of the stick on that one

And the thing with the other publisher whose work I though he hadn't sent to, that was because he though that I had sent it to her, because you know I had sent it directly beforehand so he assumed that I did the same and I just assumed that he was going to submit it. None the less the editor has now been giving the ms by my agent so everything I think has worked out okay