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[Agency] Writers House

Saltier

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I submitted my partial about a month ago, but the request mentioned a timeframe of about 6 weeks, so I'm not getting antsy yet. Congrats, Suzanne on the full request :)
 

Forsaken

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I submitted my partial about a month ago, but the request mentioned a timeframe of about 6 weeks, so I'm not getting antsy yet. Congrats, Suzanne on the full request :)

Thank you! :D
 

themanda

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I sent a e-query for Jodi via Alec on 4/1/10 and got a form reject form Alec on 4/29/10

did the reject come via email, or did they send you an actual letter?

i sent an e-query 7/28 and got an auto response that it had been read 7/29, but that only means that he looked at the email. :p
 

Mr. Anonymous

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About three weeks after the full request, I received a personal rejection from Mr. Malk's assistant.

"We thought this was an unusual and exciting premise, and MAIN CHARACTER was a sympathetic and relatable character. Unfortunately, after careful consideration, I’m sorry to say that we didn’t think this project was the right fit for our list, so we have decided to pass."

*sigh*
 

Mr. Anonymous

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muahaha. Simon Lipskar's assistant requested a partial. And I LOVE two of his clients so this is more exciting than your typical request from great agent whose clients you haven't read.
 

Yoshima

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Anyone queried Jodi Reamer and heard back from her assistant Alec Shane lately?


Here's my timeline:

e-query: 4/24
request for partial: 6/7, sent 6/8
form rejection: 8/3

Given how busy they are, the wait really wasn't that bad. Hope others have better luck!
 

Filigree

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I queried Merrilee Heifetz about a secondary-world fantasy on June 17. Rejected on July 1 with the note: "I regret that our office will not be offering representation at this time. The concept behind your idea is interesting, however I'm afraid we didn't respond with the rare enthusiasm we believe necessary to give your the kind of service your work deserves. Furthermore, due to Merrilee's full client list, she must limit the number of new projects she agrees to undertake, and this project didn't feel like a perfect fit."

Signed Jennifer Escott, on behalf of Merrilee Heifetz.

Not a horrible form reject, and it was printed on letterhead and actually signed. Other writers who've worked with Writers House warn me that the different agents farm out queries to other in-house agents, so a rejection by one is a rejection by all. No resubmissions!

I knew Merrilee was busy, but she was one of the top 10 of my genre list, way ahead of Jodi Reamer. Ah well, onward. I'll cross WH off my list until I send out a new project.

Filigree
 

Mr. Anonymous

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Filligree, I'm not sure what the protocol for snail mail is, but I know for a fact when you send in queries by email, a rejection by one does NOT mean a rejection by all.

My track record with Writers House for the novel I'm querying
Query (rejected) - Dan Lazar, Jodi Reamer
Partial Request (under consideration) - Simon Lipskar
Full Request (rejected) - Stephen Malk
 

Ryan_Sullivan

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This was a snail-mail query, Mr.Anonymous. My information came from mid-2009, so I might wait and include other WH agents on the next round in October.

Thanks,
Filigree

Writers House doesn't have (and hasn't for years, if ever) have a one no = all no policy. Each agent is very independent, and while a pass to another is possible, it's not likely. You can submit to as many as you'd like one at a time. Heck, I submitted to my agent's assistant (she was taking clients, so I didn't know she was still his assistant at the time), got rejected, and she was the one who sent the yes reply when he requested. So feel free to keep querying them.
 
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Vultural

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Sent the query to Mr. Lazar on 22 July for a humor piece. Received the rejection from his assistant four days later.
 

flyinghorses12

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So Merrilee's assistant, Jennifer Escott, has a partial of mine from mid-July, and I just found out my manuscript is a finalist in a literary contest (contest rules state it's ok to continue pursuing an agent during the contest). I'm thinking about sending a polite email with this information to Jennifer if I proceed to the next round, which I'll find out about this weekend. Anyone have experience/thoughts/recommendations about this?
 

Mr. Anonymous

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flyinghorses, I don't think it could hurt but I also don't think it would necessarily help. If she's not in love, your performance in a literary contest is not going to change that fact, and vice versa. Still, if I were you, I'd go for it. (congrats, btw, and good luck!)
 

Filigree

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Send a polite, short email about your contest status, Flyinghorses.

If the contest is widely-respected and in a genre the agency represents, finalist status (and even better, winning) will certainly be helpful in marketing your work to editors. It's a bit more validation.

OTOH, if this is a very local (think County Fair, community college, or small convention) contest, or one with a lot of controversy and no larger industry clout, then don't mention it.

I'm more familiar with this in the visual arts field. I've helped too many fine art fairs and galleries weed through applicants trumpeting their 8th grade State Fair best-of-show award for a commercial tole-painting kit. I'm sure literary agents have similar stories.

Filigree
 

miamyselfandi

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Send a polite, short email about your contest status, Flyinghorses.

If the contest is widely-respected and in a genre the agency represents, finalist status (and even better, winning) will certainly be helpful in marketing your work to editors. It's a bit more validation.


Filigree

Those are very important "ifs" and I second them. IF it's a nationally recognized competition, one that is recognized in the genre, let her know in a brief "FYI" note. Otherwise, don't mention it.
 

dewinter53

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Hey, I must just be missing something, but how to I send a query to a specific agent in writers house? I'm interested in contacting Merrilee Heifetz, but the only address listed is for the general office.
 

defyalllogic

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http://www.writershouse.com/content/submissions.asp
title.jpg

Writers House represents fiction and non-fiction, for both adult and juvenile books. Our agents work with literary and commercial fiction, women's fiction, science fiction/fantasy, narrative non-fiction, history, memoirs, biographies, books on psychology, science, parenting, cookbooks, how-to, self-help, business, finance, young adult and juvenile fiction/non-fiction and picture books.

Please send us a query letter of no more than two pages, which includes your credentials, an explanation of what makes your book unique and special, and a synopsis. Also, please include a self-addressed-stamped-envelope for our reply, which generally takes six to eight weeks.

We receive hundreds of submissions a month, all of which receive careful consideration. This takes time, so we encourage your patience. If we request your manuscript, we prefer that you send it to us on an exclusive basis.

Please do not query two agents within our agency simultaneously.

they bolded it, not me...
 

EagerReader

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Hey, I must just be missing something, but how to I send a query to a specific agent in writers house? I'm interested in contacting Merrilee Heifetz, but the only address listed is for the general office.

You can also use querytracker for a lot of specific agent information. Good luck!