First full request…. Help!

[TellMeOnAMonday]

Namechange as don’t want to tempt fate and have people who know me irl ask how it is going… long time lurker on these threads but first time poster on the subject.

I got a full request today for my contemporary fiction novel, from a big name agency. Super excited as I had sent about 40 out overall but for this one, and a couple of others, I tweaked it after getting some feedback from a friend in the industry.

So, two questions…

1. When I tell the other agents I am waiting on, should I tell them the submission was tweaked since they received it (I changed chapter order so text v similar but order different) and include the new sample?

2. Do I need to name drop the agency that has requested the full?

Thank you! So excited and also trying to be realistic. I know high chance of not being picked up.

Congratulations! I would contact the other agencies that have not responded and let them know that someone has requested the full MS. If they haven't requested a full MS, will they know that you've tweaked the running order? Anyway, it doesn't matter - that's the way the chapters are working now so just send any who ask the redrafted version without comment. I'm not being snitty but I don't think most agents/readers read the sample chapters beyond the first page or two unless they really like it so they may well not notice.

I wouldn't mention the other agency by name. I suppose you could say something like a "well-established and respected literary agency".

Good luck.

Hmmmm I think it’s really only worth contacting the other agencies when you have an offer: I think they may view you as a bit of a nuisance if you are notifying them about full requests. What you can do, however is amend your query letter and mention the agency and the full request there, so any other queries from now have that information.

Congratulations! The fact someone requested full shows you're on the right track. I'm no expert on this but I'd check back on what the automatic submission response and/or agency website says to do in this scenario. Some definitely say to let them know if anyone else requests the full.

I wouldn't name drop the agency though, just say to other agents that you've been asked to send a full and thought you'd keep them updated.

I've recently subbed my book for the first time to 2 agents and am in the torturous wait period. Decided not to tackle more agents on my list until I hear back from these to decide what change of tactics might be needed. It's nerve wracking!

That's great news. You must be really excited.

I know views vary on nudging with fulls, but I'm in an authors' group where there's been a lot of discussion about this recently - quite a few people changing agents - and the overwhelming consensus is to nudge on a full unless the agency specifically says they don't want to know. The only time I've seen an agent mention that they don't want to know about fulls was a US-based agent on Twitter, so there might be a US/UK difference.

When I changed agents, I had quite a few full requests, and some of those came off the back of nudges re the others. Agents do tend to suffer from fomo! I kept communication straightforward - 'as a matter of courtesy, I'm getting in touch to advise that the full has been requested by another agent' or 'as per your submission guidelines, I am advising that...' - and I made further submissions with the previous requests mentioned. I did mention agency names in the amended submission letter in the early stages, although not specific agents - 'the full manuscript is currently with agents at X, Y and Z' - but once it went over 4, I stopped listing as it sounded a bit daft.

I only did one 'someone's asked for the full' type request for each agent. If there was no response, I took them off the list. If they asked for the full, I gave them an update re full requests at the point of sending it out, but didn't email them about any subsequent ones.

It's worth mentioning that an agency with the initials L&R said they have a policy of not trying to gazump another agent where there's already an offer on the table, so they might be the exception to the advice to nudge on a full request.

I don’t know but I just wanted to say that’s so cool and well done!

Thank you everyone. Am now steeling myself for the rejection of the full