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Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency

Prevostprincess

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Julie,

I don't know. When I was querying, if agents asked for an exclusive and I refused (which I always did after one bad experience - ie keeping my proposal 12 weeks, and when I called, saying how sorry they were but the "interns" were behind on sending out rejections), it was pretty typical for them to request that I at least notify them if I had an offer and give them time to consider my ms before making a decision. I always agreed as long as the time period was "reasonable." (I don't recall ever having a specific period stipulated, like a week, but that does seem reasonable to me.)

I think what agents want to avoid is putting in the time to read a chpt or two of a partial, loving it and wanting to finish the partial, only to be told "sorry - just signed with another agent." I didn't have a problem with that. They were investing their time, I felt I could give them the curtesy of a brief wait if I got another offer.

Full disclosure: I'm rep'd by Mollie Glick who is also at Jean V. Naggar. Mollie, in fact, asked for an exclusive but when I told her I could not give one, as it was already out to other agents, was fine with my promising to let her know if I got another offer before I accepted it.
 

Julie Worth

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Prevostprincess, once you sign a contract, I think it's professional to let all the agents who have partials and fulls know that. But I would not hold up signing for a week while another agent finally got around to reading a partial, not unless that agent was substantially better than the one who made the offer. I would certainly not take seriously any "requirement" by this other agent.
 

Prevostprincess

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Since she's making that stipulation in order for her to read the partial in the first place, a potential author can always decide not to agree and I guess she would not read the partial. It seems like a small price to pay to me, especially for a chance to sign with a good agency. Given the odds on how many partials are read and rejected, why not increase your chances?
 

Julie Worth

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Since she's making that stipulation in order for her to read the partial in the first place, a potential author can always decide not to agree and I guess she would not read the partial. It seems like a small price to pay to me, especially for a chance to sign with a good agency. Given the odds on how many partials are read and rejected, why not increase your chances?

She doesn't represent my type of stuff, but if she did, I would simply send her the requested material and not say anything about this "requirement." I might keep an agent hanging if a better agent was reading the full (and I knew they were actually reading it) but not for a partial.
 

YAwriter

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She doesn't represent my type of stuff, but if she did, I would simply send her the requested material and not say anything about this "requirement." I might keep an agent hanging if a better agent was reading the full (and I knew they were actually reading it) but not for a partial.

I actually just sent the chapters and didn't address her requests...don't know if she has read it or not...
 

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For what it's worth, my experience with Jessica Regel mirrors that of others who have posted here. She responded quickly to my query, asked for an exclusive and was happy to read first few chapters despite my note to her that other agents were reading it. She asked me to give her a month and when she didn't reply I dropped her a note. She apologized for the delay and wrote back about a week later. Rejection. Argh. But she was on the up and up and professional.
 

DustyFeathers

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Hi! I just got an email from Mollie Glick too! She requested a partial and an exclusive for two weeks. I used this forum's advice and toldher that I alreayd had a few out--and that some hadn't replied. Did she still want a partial. That was a few hours ago and no reply . . . how long did it take you to get a reply? (I'm worried that I screwed things up.)
 

Prevostprincess

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Yes, please don't worry. Also, since Mollie's my agent, I know that they're very busily gearing up for the London Fair. She's so quick though, I'll bet she gets back to you on Monday with a "go ahead and send."

Good luck!
 

DustyFeathers

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Got a "please send"

Hi! I got a please send from Mollie Glick. I'm so DYING for her to be my agent. I just think she's so amazing from everything that I've read. You were right, she got back to me by email last Friday and I sent my first three chapters out in that day's mail. I'm trying to not check my email every SECOND of the day. Thanks for the heads up that she's preparing for a big trip to London. Please keep your fingers crossed for me! Thanks everyone!
 

Prevostprincess

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I'm a psychic shrink, what can I say? :)

Seriously, good luck. And, just to clarify: Mollie isn't going to London herself, the foreign rights person at the agency is, but there's still a ton of stuff to do in preparation so that all her titles (including mine!) are presented in the best way, possible.
 

DustyFeathers

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Wow! Good luck with your book in London! And thanks for all of your advice. It's impossible to see what goes on inside of the agency, really, what they want, what they do, how my mss stacks up, what happens once it's accepted. Really! It's like trying to read road signs on a foggy road.
 

finewritingfinewine

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Add me to the list of "please reads." I also had to deny the exclusive as a couple of fulls are currently out. Thanks, Jenna, for the perfect wording. And thanks Provost for the words of praise--a personal rec in an agent is worth its weight in gold. And, of course, you were right. Mollie and I had a wonderful (albeit brief) correspondence--she was fair, prompt, and enthusiastic. What more could someone ask for in an agent?

Fingers crossed, sprinkling good luck fairy, leprechaun and all sorts of other magical being's dust that the reading vibes this weekend go well!
 

DustyFeathers

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Add me to the list of "please reads." I also had to deny the exclusive as a couple of fulls are currently out. Thanks, Jenna, for the perfect wording. And thanks Provost for the words of praise--a personal rec in an agent is worth its weight in gold. And, of course, you were right. Mollie and I had a wonderful (albeit brief) correspondence--she was fair, prompt, and enthusiastic. What more could someone ask for in an agent?

Fingers crossed, sprinkling good luck fairy, leprechaun and all sorts of other magical being's dust that the reading vibes this weekend go well!

What sort of mss did you send her?
 

finewritingfinewine

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Literary novel, and you?

Here's hoping that the weekend brings good news for both of us!
 

gettingby

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Hi Dusty,
Sorry to hear that. Hopefully, you still have some more stuff out with other agents. Good luck.
 

finewritingfinewine

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Sorry to hear that. :( And, yes, goodness that was quick. She only got my pages yesterday. Guess I should be looking for that email at the end of the week, huh?

Out of curiousity, has anyone seen a pattern in what sort of fiction Mollie takes as compared to Jessica Regel? Just trying to finetune the search.

Thanks!
 

Steffi

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Sorry Maui. I think that's the worst; sending a partial and then getting a rejection. It is so hard to not get psyched, and then the 'no' is just all the more worse. Keep at it though. I got two rejections today (one query, one partial) and boy was I bummed - but I'm not giving up.
 

gettingby

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That's too bad, Maui. I hope you have mare things cooking on your back burners.
I have something with them too, and I am waiting for them to say something. If you don't mind me asking, which agent were you talking to?
Anyway, best of luck!