I write middle grade novels and also have written and illustrated a picture book. I have sent queries out to agents for both projects at different times and had some interest. I have a few fulls and partials out for my middle grade right now. Recently, I’ve had some serious interest in my picture book, and an agent is working with me on non-contractual revisions and has asked for an exclusive. I told her that the older version was still out with a couple of agents and that my middle grade novel was out with other agents, too. I told her that, of course, I would give her a first look at the picture book revisions (especially since we are working together on them and I love her ideas). I have sent her my novels, also, so that she can see my entire body of work.

My question is: Do I let the other agents who have my middle grade novel know that I am working on revisions for a DIFFERENT project on an exclusive basis? And, as an agent, wouldn’t this make you less likely to want to waste your time looking at my work (knowing that someone else has first dibs)?

I want to do the right and ethical thing, and I’m just not sure what that is!

So far as I can tell, so far you’ve absolutely done the right and ethical thing. Moving forward, I have a few questions for you. Does the agent who has an exclusive look at your picture book do a lot of middle grade novels as well? To be more clear, if you signed with her for your picture book, would you expect that she would also rep your MG novels? Is that what you want to do, or would you prefer that your novels are with a different agent than your picture book(s)?

At this point, with no offers as yet made, I don’t think you have any obligation to the other agents considering your work. When should you tell them something? When the agent exclusively considering your PB makes you an offer of representation, then I would contact all of the other agents who currently have your work, let them know you have an offer, and ask for their decision within a fair amount of time — a week or two, usually.

You’ll be asking them to make a decision based on the material they have — the revised picture book is still the PB agent’s exclusive, so they’d need to see the germ of what that agent saw, and be willing to offer first, and know that there’s a tighter, more polished version that would be available, if they took a chance and offered representation.

I can see another possibility as well — someone might love your middle grade novel, and want to represent you on that. Then you do the same thing — inform all the other agents that you have an offer, including the one looking at the PB exclusively (although I would be sure and let her know that the offer is based on a review of your novel, not PB), and give them time to respond.

It’s complicated — which is why I usually recommend that you focus on one project at a time, at least in terms of querying. You should absolutely be writing something else while you query — I mean, you need something to do to take your mind off waiting from response emails from agents — but having a lot out there at once makes things complicated.

Does that help? Readers, have you ever been in a similar situation? Do you want one agent to handle all your work, or multiple agents to handle different projects in different genres or age ranges?

How many times should you revise your novel before trying to get an agent?

Until it’s ready, Kathy. There’s no magic number, but if you’ve polished it, and shown it around to your writer’s group, and feel that each word you’ve chosen is the right one, then you’re ready to send it out.
She also asks:

If you find what you think is your “dream agency” should you only submit to them?

You can submit to them first, if you like, and allow them some time with it, but I’ve said it before, I’m not a huge fan of exclusives. Get your manuscript out there! You may think Agency A is the bee’s knees, but Agency C or D or Q may surprise you, and be an even better fit. You won’t know unless you try.
Sarah wonders:

Do you only accept submissions from residents of the US, and do the writers have to be a certain age?

Nope, Sarah. I’m open to all! kt literary client Lili Wilkinson is a happy resident of Australia, fer instance. As for age, you don’t have to be a certain age, so long as your writing is strong enough. I just haven’t yet seen a novel by a teenager that was on par with the submissions I’ve received from authors with a few more years of experience under their belt. But I’d love to be proven wrong.
Meanwhile, Gabby ponders:

I don’t know what to do. You see, I had an amazing idea for a novel but it seems just like everything else I’ve read. So the whole idea seems ridiculous, like I need to make up something that no one has read before.

Well, Gabby, there’s a school of thought that there are only five original stories out there, and every novel ever written is based on them, but that’s not really helpful to you, is it? Justine Larbalestier had some great advice on this topic during her “January is Writing Advice Month.” In terms of finding ideas of your own, she suggests, “take a plot from somewhere else: a fairy tale, a movie, a novel, manga, anime, anywhere at all really. But change it. Change it a lot.” That’s just the beginning of it. Read the whole thing, and see if that doesn’t help you come up with an original idea.
And another teen reader writes:

I want to write an autobiography, but I’m only 16 years old. Would it be wrong to write your life story when your life isn’t over?

Not wrong exactly, but what’s so great and important about your life that a memoir or autobiography at this stage is going to be worthy of being published? Maybe you’re a movie star (like Miley Cyrus) or a royal (like Prince William or Harry) — then I’m sure you have tales to tell, even if you’re just a teenager. You don’t have to be famous, either — if you’ve lived through an extraordinary event, you may have an important story to tell. But for most of us — and I think back to my own teen years — a memoir of me at 16 would have been pretty dull. It’s not that your life isn’t over yet, and therefore not worthy of being told, just that it may not be all that readable.
Thanks for the questions, guys! Please keep ‘em coming by emailing me at daphne.unfeasible@gmail.com