My agent is leaving. Should I ask for a referral?

Ken · Jan 24, 2010

My agent is leaving the profession and going into another line of work, as an editor for a publishing house. I just found this out from a thread on AW about the agency he belongs to.

I'll be contacting the agent tomorrow by email to see what's what. Should I ask for a referral or transfer to another agent in the agency if that's at all possible? I'm not in the greatest standing at present.

My first book didn't sell. I was planning to get my latest to them this week. I've just about finished it after 8 months of intense labor. And now this; sigh. At least the agent is doing good with their new upcoming job. So I'm glad for them, though not much so for me :-(

kellion92 · Jan 24, 2010

Your agent didn't contact you with the news? That's uncool. But yes, you should ask for a referral and get ready to start querying the new book to new agents. Fun times!

So sorry, Ken.

Ken · Jan 24, 2010

... am used to setbacks and disappointments. So guess I'll manage to see this latest one through. Thnx. I've learnt a lot from this site. So my search for a new agent will be more efficient this time, though undoubtedly not much easier.

kellion92 · Jan 24, 2010

Ken, it will be easier! You know what you're doing, and I'm sure your new book is great.

jilly61 · Jan 24, 2010

That's too bad he didn't contact you himself. Hopefully the new agent will communicate better.
Good luck with your search, Ken.

scope · Jan 24, 2010

I think you have every right to be angry that the agent didn't contact you and let you know what's going on. He certainly should have. No matter what you think of your placement in the agency, you are their client -- they did sign you to a contract. A letter of referral would be nice, but I don't think it's that important. I really think your integrity wins out here. If it were me, I would contact the agent tomorrow and ask why, where you stand, if a replacement has been hired (who, and has s/he seen your work and/or will s/he do so and contact you), has another agent within the agency been given your genre to handle, that you have another book ready to submit but don't want to do so until you know what's going on and to whom it should be submitted, when can you expect an update on your present work from the new agent, etc., etc. You need to know immediately what's going on. If the agent isn't available I'd ask to speak to his higher-up, whether or not that's the president of the agency.

Good luck.

katiemac · Jan 24, 2010

Definitely ask for a referral. The agent is still your agent, even if for not much longer. Be clear you want some advice about how to move forward.

Also: Why wait until tomorrow? E-mail today.

ETA: Sometimes I forget it's the weekend, so, okay, tomorrow works if you want to get your head on straight first.

waylander · Jan 24, 2010

Is your contract with the agency or the individual agent?

Shady Lane · Jan 24, 2010

hey ken--if this is who I think it is, feel free to PM me.

Sage · Jan 24, 2010

Ken, I think you're definitely in the right to call or e-mail the agent and ask what's going to happen to you. It's possible the agent is currently trying to figure that out himself (looking for the right fit for your work in the agency).

Ken · Jan 24, 2010

waylander said:
Is your contract with the agency or the individual agent?

... with the agent. I signed with them when they were at another agency. They took me with them when they went to this new one. I didn't sign another contract with the new agency, but there was an understanding that I was still the agent's client and that I was preparing to get a new work over to them. Not having a contract with the new agency may make a transfer or referral less likely, I've just begun to realize. Thanks for the helpful and supportive replies, everyone, and the reps too! I think I'll begin getting a query letter together. Seems like I'll be starting from scratch.

CAWriter · Jan 24, 2010

It may feel like you're starting from scratch, but all the new agents really need to know is you've had representation, but that person is leaving the work for something new and that leaves you searching. You're a leg up from someone who hasn't had an agent or been published previously. Don't let it discourage you. You may find a great fit with your new work.

kaitie · Jan 24, 2010

I just saw your post in the other thread. Glad it seems to be working out.

Ken · Jan 25, 2010

kaitie said:
I just saw your post in the other thread. Glad it seems to be working out.

... thanks

My agent is 'introducing' me to another agent, of my choice, at the agency. Not entirely sure what that means, but it sounds somewhat promising. The agent contacted me last night, which was a welcome relief. Will post back here, probably towards the end of the week, to say how it all turned out. Probably with me putting together a new query letter ;-) Good luck to everyone else here seeking agents. If I managed it, once, you most definitely can too.

kaitie · Jan 25, 2010

That agency is filled with really talented agents, so it sounds like a pretty awesome opportunity overall.

Good luck!

Ken · Jan 28, 2010

... under direction of my former agent, I just wrote a one-page letter of introduction to another agent at the agency. I think I managed to say everything I shouldn't have, and nothing of what I should have. So my outlook isn't high. I'm a decent writer, but when it comes to selling myself man am I bad! :-( ... By some miracle, though, perhaps things will turn out okay. The agent seems cool, and possibly accepting of a little oddity.

------------------------

Quick reply. The agent will be getting back to me by the end of next week. Was friendly and nice in the email. My hopes are cautiously raised.

lucidzfl · Feb 3, 2010

Did you ever think that the agent's lack of response to you was representative of their being a poor agent? Especially if the dumbass is leaving the profession! Perhaps your first book wasn't properly shopped around and doesn't need to be trunked?

Ken · Feb 5, 2010

... not cool, Lucidzfl, and I'd urge you to edit your post and eliminate the insulting term you used to refer to the agent. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and to express it, but civility has to be maintained, especially in matters as this. I don't feel I can really respond to the points you've raised in your post with the insulting term in place. And there's no need for it, either. Your point comes across clearly enough without it.

-------------------------------------------------------------

It's the end of the week. So hopefully I will be hearing from the other agent at the agency today as they said. They've got their hands full at the moment, as they've explained, with the recent upheaval. So I'm not concerned about the wait, though I am eager to get things settled, one way or another. The Earth seems to have lost its gravitational field. Making the best of it, perhaps I'll float over to Europe to pay visits to some of my AW friends there. (Silly Friday mode ;-)

stormie · Feb 5, 2010

Ken--I just saw this thread. It's great that at least he's seeing if you can be placed with another agent within that agency. That helps. Keep us posted!

Terie · Feb 5, 2010

lucidzfl said:
Did you ever think that the agent's lack of response to you was representative of their being a poor agent? Especially if the dumbass is leaving the profession! Perhaps your first book wasn't properly shopped around and doesn't need to be trunked?

Since when is leaving agenting to take a job in publishing 'leaving the profession'? Good grief. (You might also want to bear in mind that the person so labeled is a member of AW and could easily see your post.)

Inkblot · Feb 8, 2010

Ken, the upside of all this confusion, of course, is that you now have an editor who likes your work. Whether he is working in your genre or not, that is a good thing.

Ken · Feb 8, 2010

Inkblot said:
Ken, the upside of all this confusion, of course, is that you now have an editor who likes your work. Whether he is working in your genre or not, that is a good thing.

... didn't think of it in that way. Thanks

No word yet. Agent said I'd be hearing by Friday, of the previous week. May give a nudge. I hope I didn't blow things in the one-page introduction I sent. I have a knack of putting my worst foot forward. (I wrote up a preliminary query letter for my new work, in the event things fall through. Should know for sure this week. *Resumes biting nails.*)

DerekJager · Feb 9, 2010

Ken, hope this makes you feel MUCH better!

My first agent once emailed me:

"I have BIG NEWS and will let you know later this week!"

Of course, I knew it was a HUGE book deal for my NF book. I responded with a "Great, can't wait to hear!"

Days passed. I left a voice mail: "What's the great news?"

Silence. I sent an email. No response.

Finally, I called and got him live--"What's the great news?"

"Oh," he said, "I'm no longer agenting! I was asked to help a start up publishing company and I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooo excited!"

Furious and dumbfounded, I kept my cool--this was the agency that had handled one of the most successful books of 2005--and asked him for a referral. He said, "Sure, sure."

Silence. I waited two weeks, left voice mails at the agency he had left-- no return calls. No returned emails.

A couple weeks later, a box was sent to me via Fed Ex with my manuscript and a thanks, but no thanks letter in it from another agent--and a $12 bill for Fed Ex!!!

And they kept sending me that Fed Ex bill for 6 months and I kept throwing it out.

A few months later, my agent's "deal" fell though and he returned to a job he admitted he hated.

I rewrote my NF, got a great NEW agent--and YOU WILL TOO!

Now, please feel better -- !

stormie · Feb 9, 2010

DerekJager's post should be a sticky; a reminder that lousy things can happen to writers but then someone better comes along.

DerekJager · Feb 9, 2010

stormie, I also learned to keep my mouth shut until a signed contact is in hand. Although I blame that agent for his HORRIBLE insensitivity, of course I thought his email was really about me/the book, so I told some people -- and then had to tell them the very odd news that the "great news" was. that. my. agent. had. quit.

Everyone agreed he was demented to post such a thing and now "I have GREAT news!" is a running joke.

My agent is leaving. Should I ask for a referral?

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