Couple of questions about querying/submissions

Homer · Jul 11, 2006

What does it mean when the directories say the agent accepts "simultaneous queries"?

I think a SAS is more work than it's worth. I don't care if I get the stuff back; nor do I care a whole lot if they reply if they aren't interested. Is it bad form to not include a SAS? Should I tell them I deliberately didn't include one?

Cathy C · Jul 11, 2006

What does it mean when the directories say the agent accepts "simultaneous queries"?

It means that you may send the same query for the same book to more than one agent at a time. If the agent's guidelines say "No simultaneous submissions/queries" it means they expect you will NOT send queries for the same book to anyone but them until they respond. Generally those agents who request no simultaneous get back to you fairly quickly (1-3 months).

I think a SAS is more work than it's worth. I don't care if I get the stuff back; nor do I care a whole lot if they reply if they aren't interested. Is it bad form to not include a SAS? Should I tell them I deliberately didn't include one?

Yes, it's bad form. It doesn't matter whether you want the manuscript back. Most agents understand if you don't want to incur that expense. All you need to send is a #10 business envelope with a single stamp. They're bright people. They'll know to throw away the ms. But if you don't send an SASE at all, you won't ever get a response. Yes, that's quite possibly NEVER. Not every agent sends an email or telephones if they want the manuscript. If there's no reply envelope, the query will merely be disposed and they'll move on to the next author who's interested in hearing back. Harsh, but true.

Take the time and spend the couple of bucks. It's part of the game.

Homer · Jul 11, 2006

Cathy C said:
It means that you may send the same query for the same book to more than one agent at a time. If the agent's guidelines say "No simultaneous submissions/queries" it means they expect you will NOT send queries for the same book to anyone but them until they respond. Generally those agents who request no simultaneous get back to you fairly quickly (1-3 months).

Yes, it's bad form. It doesn't matter whether you want the manuscript back. Most agents understand if you don't want to incur that expense. All you need to send is a #10 business envelope with a single stamp. They're bright people. They'll know to throw away the ms. But if you don't send an SASE at all, you won't ever get a response. Yes, that's quite possibly NEVER. Not every agent sends an email or telephones if they want the manuscript. If there's no reply envelope, the query will merely be disposed and they'll move on to the next author who's interested in hearing back. Harsh, but true.

Take the time and spend the couple of bucks. It's part of the game.

Thanks! It's not the money; more the time and/or having to ask my secretary to do this for me. I see I'll have to develop a system.

Cathy C · Jul 11, 2006

Well first-- you want to make sure that your replies DON'T go to your office. Again, it's bad form (and I worked for years at a law office, so I know of whence I speak.) It screams pretention to the agent, unless your book is non-fiction in your same career field.

What's probably easiest for your secretary would be to buy some Avery #18167 return address labels and use the built-in "Label" command (either Word or WordPerfect) to print up a half dozen sheets with your name and address. There are 80 labels per page. Stick one in the upper left corner and one in the middle. Use Times New Roman font in 8 point. You can fit three lines. They're legible and quick and are perfectly professional. I did this and nobody complained a bit.

Jamesaritchie · Jul 11, 2006

Homer said:
What does it mean when the directories say the agent accepts "simultaneous queries"?

I think a SAS is more work than it's worth. I don't care if I get the stuff back; nor do I care a whole lot if they reply if they aren't interested. Is it bad form to not include a SAS? Should I tell them I deliberately didn't include one?

Many things without a SASE are simply tossed unread. If they ask for a SASE, then include one.

And sometimes what you get back in your SASE is the most valuable lesson on what you're doing wrong you'll ever receive.

Starbrazer · Jul 11, 2006

Homer said:
What does it mean when the directories say the agent accepts "simultaneous queries"?

I think a SAS is more work than it's worth. I don't care if I get the stuff back; nor do I care a whole lot if they reply if they aren't interested. Is it bad form to not include a SAS? Should I tell them I deliberately didn't include one?

If you don't send a SASE then you will get no response at all, whether they like your stuff or not. Not sending a SASE is like diving into water head first and not holding your breath, you're going to drown. Personally, I wouldn't even bother submitting unless I included a SASE. I submitted my very first short story to a magazine when I was in high school and I was not aware that a SASE even existed. Months later I wondered why I did not receive a response and so I called them. Ah ha, they could not send their reply, because I had not included a SASE. Yeah, it's that important! Shortly thereafter I sent them a SASE and they sent me my first form rejection. Ironically, it was a letter informing me that they were not accepting fiction at that time, and not the form rejections I have received since. No rejection, no closure, and without closure what's the point, right? Rejection is apart of the process and Stephen King got a whole bunch of it before he got one short story published.

Couple of questions about querying/submissions

Homer

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Homer

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Jamesaritchie

Starbrazer