The “exclusive,” a trick of the (agent’s) trade
An “exclusive” is a tacit agreement between you and an agent granting her the right to review your manuscript or proposal on an exclusive basis, i.e., without sending it to others for consideration until she has had a given period of time to determine whether or not she wants to accept it for representation.
This is sometimes a thorny subject with writers, since you no doubt determined without my assistance that the advantage of such an agreement is all the agent’s. It’s actually a bit of a bluff tactic, created to give the writer the impression that the agent holds the strings, when in fact the opposite is true. On the other hand, it’s an increasingly common practice, and you’re likely to encounter it at some point, if you haven’t already, in your search for representation.
When I was beginning my own search, I was advised by one agent never to offer an exclusive, as it constrains the writer by taking her work out of circulation for long periods of time and shifts the balance of power from the writer, who holds the product, to the agent, who wants it. I even had a freakish experience when I na??⬨?òvely inquired of an agent whether she, like another agent I’d queried, “required” an exclusive, only to have her interpret my question as an indication that the other agent had obviously already turned me down and that she didn’t appreciate being second fiddle! (I considered that a major red flag. I was genuinely shocked and dismayed to have offended her, but on the other hand, could I really afford to have somebody that paranoid approaching editors with my book proposal?)
I was lucky: Of the three agents who simultaneously asked to see my manuscript, just one asked for an exclusive. Upon learning I’d already submitted the manuscript elsewhere, she asked me to go ahead and send it, that she’d get to it right away; she read it the night she received it, and called me the next morning with an offer. Courtesy and common sense do dictate that you inform anyone reviewing your work that it is under consideration elsewhere. (“This is a simultaneous submission” in your cover letter will do.) And the knowledge that the manuscript is being read by others provides a sense of urgency and cachet to the project; nothing lights a fire under an agent like the idea that somebody else is trying to acquire it.
If you are asked by an agent for an exclusive, what should you do? First, realistically, assess demand for the manuscript. All of us want to believe our work is uniquely compelling and that the publishing world is poised to break down our door to acquire it. The truth may be a bit harder to face. But you should have some grasp, however tentative, of where your place might be in the marketplace. By the time I had an assortment of agents asking to see my manuscript, I’d had enough positive early response to the work, including a contest win and evaluations from other writers, that I felt confident there would be not just an audience for the book, but a possible variety of people willing to bring it to market. If your project is “hot,” you have more leverage?¬¢‚Äö?ᬮ‚Äö?Ñ??unfair, maybe, but true. If, on the other hand, response to your queries so far has been tepid, you might feel more amenable to granting an agent an exclusive.
Likewise, ask yourself, how bad do you want it? This is not meant to imply that you should fling yourself desperately at any agent who passes your way; you shouldn’t, even if you’re a beginner who believes in your work (and if you don’t believe in your work, how do you expect an agent to?). But if the agent who’s contacted you is particularly high-profile or someone with whom you specifically wish to work, you may want to make the concession.
If you do agree to grant an agent an exclusive, it’s important both parties understand ahead of time just how long the “agreement” (which is ethical only and not legally binding, though I can’t swear such a thing has never been taken to court) is to be in effect. Again, beware the bluff; the agent may try to talk you into a lengthy review period on the premise that she’s “busy,” but you’re perfectly within your bounds to set a limit: a few weeks, tops.
It is always within your rights as a writer to say “no” to a request for an exclusive, just as it is within your rights to grant one if you so choose. (For many writers, it simply isn’t a big deal; they accept it as common practice, spend the time their manuscript is out of circulation by researching other places to send it, and don’t lose any sleep.) If you do say “no,” do so politely and with the offer to send the manuscript along if the agent will consider it simultaneously. Remember, your book, not the agent’s services, is the commodity, and that as such, the bargaining power is yours. You may find, again, that others’ desire to look at your work will make it more enticing to all, which could make you the center of a lot of very pleasant attention.