Email Templates to Help You Reply to Literary Agents’ Offers of Representation
You’ve queried literary agents for months. Years, maybe. Finally, after enough rejection to drown a damn whale, the email arrives. The Zoom chat happens. A literary agent wants to represent your book. First off, CONGRATULATIONS. This is a huge milestone on anyone’s publishing journey. But before you pop the champagne (or as soon as you’re up the next morning), it’s worth wrapping up the querying process right.
Typically, when an agent offers you representation, they give you a period of time to consider. Two weeks is standard, but when I went through this, I found agents to be patient and flexible. I ended up taking about three weeks to decide.
I agonize over emails. It’s not healthy. Like most of my vices, I do it anyway. If you’re sitting there, also agonizing, I hope these templates help!
Letting Other Literary Agents Know About Your Offer
When I received my first offer of representation, I was between querying two different manuscripts: Book-1 and Book-2. In my heart, Book-1 was dead. I’d queried all the literary agents I’d be happy to work with, eliciting several requests for a full manuscript. But almost everyone had ultimately declined, and the only agent with a full manuscript still out hadn’t messaged for nearly a year. Surely, I reasoned, that meant a pass from her too. I was hopeful, though, because I’d just begun querying for Book-2, which had already attracted some interest.
But that first offer of rep? It was for Book-1.
There wasn’t a lot of guidance for my exact situation, so I did my best. Within 36 hours, I submitted a big round of fresh queries for Book-2, targeting literary agents at the top of my list. The very next day, I notified everyone that I’d received an offer of representation . . . albeit on my first book (Book-1). Almost all my queries were via Query Manager, so I used the platform’s tool for alerting agents of an offer of rep.
EMAIL FOR BOOK-1 AGENTS
Hello [Agent’s Name],
I’m writing to let you know that I’ve received an offer of representation for my first novel, [BOOK-1].
I’m hoping to conclude all my pending submissions by [Month Date].
If you’re interested in the manuscript, please let me know by then. I’d be thrilled to discuss it with you!
Thank you,
[Your Name]
EMAIL FOR BOOK-2 AGENTS
Hello [Agent’s Name],
I wanted to let you know I’ve received an agent’s offer of representation based on another manuscript of mine. Please let me know if you’d like to hear more about it or if you’d like to see the full manuscript for [BOOK-1]. I’d be thrilled to discuss either with you!
I’m hoping to conclude all my pending submissions by [Month Date]
Thank you,
[Your Name]
EMAIL FOR BOOK-2 AGENTS (WHO HAD DECLINED BOOK-1)
Hello [Agent’s Name],
I’m excited to let you know I’ve received an agent’s offer of representation based on another manuscript of mine, albeit one you have declined ([BOOK-1]).
Please let me know if you’d like to see the full manuscript for [BOOK-2]. I’d be thrilled to discuss it with you!
I’m hoping to conclude all my pending submissions by the evening of [Month Date].
Thank you,
[Your Name]
And if you’re in the unusual position of wondering “should I even bother alerting literary agents who already passed on one of my books,” hang on for the plot twist at the end.
Contacting Agents’ Current Client(s) for Their Insights
It’s completely normal to ask offering literary agents if you can touch base with their current clients. It’s like asking for a “letter of recommendation.” I knew this. I was nervous asking anyway. But I’m so glad I did, because those emails were crucial to helping me make my decision. My advice? Suck it up and ask for a reference.
In total, I had four offers of representation, and I emailed seven clients. (Fun side note: I was juggling this whole process while flying internationally to visit family.)
I discovered that these emails could be much simpler than I thought. Less is more! Most clients were eager to talk about their agent, and they all understood my position since (duh) they’d been there themselves. Whenever possible, if I was familiar with their writing or social media presence, I mentioned it. Personalizing everything is almost impossible, but if I could sincerely express some appreciation for their work, I did.
When thanking clients for their insights, I also did my best to respond to personalize. I was so grateful that it wasn’t difficult. But excluding personal details, I’ve also included a few “thank you” templates below.
EMAIL FOR AN AGENT’S CLIENT(S)
Hi [Client’s Name],
I’m so honored that [Agent’s Name] has offered me representation, and she indicated you might be willing to answer a few questions. I’m curious about what it’s like working with her from your perspective.
I have a few questions below, but you could ignore them and just share some thoughts, whatever is easier.
- Could you tell me a little about what the editing process is like with [Agent’s Name]? Do you brainstorm together a lot, or is the process more streamlined? What’s her editorial feedback like? How many rounds of revision do you tend to go through?
- When a manuscript does sell, what role does she play afterward? Does she step back, or does she keep helping with communication, maybe offer some guidance or pointers on the publicity side of things?
- Is there any advice you might give me on how to be a good client? Anything you wish you’d known on getting started?
I’m really grateful for your time! I have until [Month Date] to make my decision.
Best,
[Your Name]
EMAILS THANKING CLIENTS FOR INSIGHTS
Hi [Client’s Name],
This was such a great and helpful message!
I’ve never been repped before, so I’m learning a lot very quickly. [Agent’s Name] was brilliant in our chat, and it was such a pleasure to talk with her. Thank you so much for these insights; I really appreciate it!
Best,
[Your Name]
Hi [Client’s Name],
Thank you so much for these insights. I’m so grateful for your time!
[Agent’s Name] was awesome to talk with on the phone; I felt that he clearly knows what he’s doing, and this email has sure backed that up.
Best,
[Your Name]
Hi [Client’s Name],
This is such an awesome endorsement. Thank you so much! She really has been so kind and professional even in just our initial interactions.
Have a great day,
[Your Name]
Declining and Accepting Offers of Representation
After an intense two to three weeks, the time will come to make a choice. Who is your champion? Which person do you want to build your career with? Who can you see yourself trusting when things go well and, importantly, when things don’t go well?
Making this decision was difficult for me. But it was difficult for a great reason. All the literary agents who offered to represent me had at least one accomplished client to their name. They were kind, patient, and supportive, all the markers of real professionalism. They cared about my vision for my books, and they were interested in my long-term career, not just selling the one (or two) manuscripts I’d submitted.
But when I was ready to make that call, I had to (you guessed it) send more emails.
These emails to literary agents were some of the toughest I’ve ever had to write. These were people I respected as professionals and readers who had loved my stories enough to want to fight for them. I did my best to express my gratitude in these final messages.
EMAILS TO DECLINE OFFERS OF REPRESENTATION
Subject: Offer of Representation
Hi [Agent’s Name],
Thank you so much for your patience with my decision. In the end, I had [number] offers, and everyone was so kind and professional.
I’ve decided to sign with [Name of Chosen Agent] of [Name of Agency].
It was a tough decision, especially given how much I enjoyed talking with you and how enthusiastic your references were.
I’m truly grateful for your time and energy.
Best,
[Name]
Hi [Agent’s Name],
Thank you so much for your patience with my decision. In the end, I had [number] offers, and everyone was so kind and professional.
I’ve decided to sign with [Name of Chosen Agent] of [Name of Agency].
Saying this was a tough decision is an understatement, and that’s especially because I enjoyed talking with you so much. Your responses to my writing indicated such a sharp editorial eye, and [Client’s Name] gave glowing feedback about working with you.
I’m truly grateful for your time and energy, and obviously, I can’t wait to follow the other authors you represent. I hope to see them (and you) find great success!
Best,
[Your Name]
Hi [Agent’s Name],
Thank you so much for your patience with my decision. In the end, I had [number] offers, and everyone was so kind and professional.
I’ve decided to sign with [Name of Chosen Agent] of [Name of Agency].
It was an incredibly tough decision, especially given how much I enjoyed talking with you and how on point I felt your feedback was for [Book-1]. I’m truly grateful for your time and energy.
I wish you and all your clients so much success.
Best,
[Your Name]
EMAIL TO ACCEPT AN OFFER OF REPRESENTATION
Hi [Agent’s Name],
Thank you so much for your patience with my decision. Your credentials are amazing, and the feedback from [Client’s Name(s)] was just glowing. I also loved talking with you, and your initial thoughts on my writing resonated with thoughts I’ve had myself.
I’m so excited to accept your offer of representation!
Please let me know the next steps. I can’t wait to get started!
Best,
[Your Name]
Other Sources & Tips on How to Handle Offers of Rep
Jessica Faust’s article for BookEnds Literary, Step-by-Step: Handling an Offer of Representation, is a great place to start.
Jane Friedman’s article How to Choose an Agent Amid Competing Offers is also great when preparing to deal with offers from multiple literary agents.
TIPS FROM YOURS TRULY
Check your spam box. CHECK. IT. During this process, I missed two incredibly important emails. Ugh, even now, it hurts to admit. The way my stomach dropped . . . do not risk the guilt and panic. Don’t trust your inbox to sort these emails for you. At least once a day, open your spam and trash folders. Check Query Manager itself. It’ll be worth the peace of mind.
Prepare before the first offer comes. Keep a copy of your manuscript(s) ready to send; it’s okay if it’s not the most up-to-date draft. Start collecting questions you’ll want to ask offering agents. Have your submission materials ready to copy/paste. Join the Authors Guild if you’re able! They’ll offer a legal review of agent contract(s). Start joining groups of writers, big online ones that can offer insight into your potential agent(s); just searching those groups’ histories can reveal a lot (my list of Resources mentions several groups). Start an action checklist to confirm your offering agent is trustworthy, e.g., “Check their status on Publishers Marketplace” and “Check if they appear on Writers Beware.”
Track your data. Get comfortable on Query Manager, but also (and this is my personal hot take) track your own submission details. Track those details with love and efficiency. Use an Excel chart. Record sentences from rejection emails that are personalized. Save details that agents share about themselves via their public profiles that might help you identify good fits. When that offer arrives, you’ll want this data. Moreover, you may want this data years later, long after you’ve dropped off Query Manager.
The Promised Plot Twist
Among the four amazing agents who offered to represent me, one was Ginger Clark. But when I sent that notification email to her, reporting that I’d received an offer of representation, I didn’t have much hope of hearing back. Ginger’s resume punched hard. An agent for over two decades, she’d worked at Tor, Writers House, and Curtis Brown, and she’d held major positions at the American Association of Literary Agents. More than that, though . . . she’d declined on my Book-1 query.
When she emailed back anyway, eager for more on Book-2 and even open to reconsidering Book-1, I was over the moon. This blog is, sort of accidentally, also my “how I got my agent” story!
If you’d like to follow my publishing journey, subscribe to The Author-Oddity Newsletter. It’s a fun twice-monthly email where I share updates and whatever spooky content matches the theme for the month. My blogs also share glimpses of its content: HOUSES was one of my favorite themes so far!