Not sure where to post this question...(OK to resubmit revamped query to same agent?)

Leigh.Lyons · Feb 3, 2009

I have a question about agents.

If they rejected your query letter, can you completely revamp it and send to them again, or is that inappropriate?

Thanks for any help (including where I should be posting this question) you guys can give me.

RJK · Feb 3, 2009

By 'it' are you referring to your novel?
In general, a 'No' from an agent is a no.
I know of one agency that automatically rejects your second email as spam after it sends a rejection. It happened to me when I sent a second query to another agent in the same agency.
If, after reading a partial or the full manuscript, the agent were to suggest changes to your novel with the rejection, then you should probably resubmit to the agent, explaining that you've made the requested changes to the novel.

dawinsor · Feb 3, 2009

RJK is right, but Miss Snark used to say that if you'd revised the novel extensively (not just the query letter) and a year had lapsed, you could revise the query and send it again.

gothicangel · Feb 3, 2009

Why don't you post the query on SYW and find out if it was the letter that was rejected or that the agent didn't like the idea?

kaitlin008 · Feb 3, 2009

It also depends on the agent - some of them say on their sites (or blogs) that they're happy to have you requery something, and others don't want you to at all. Either way, I'd put some time in between, though. Requerying someone every few weeks or something will probably just annoy them.

scarletpeaches · Feb 3, 2009

RJK said:
By 'it' are you referring to your novel?
In general, a 'No' from an agent is a no.
I know of one agency that automatically rejects your second email as spam after it sends a rejection. It happened to me when I sent a second query to another agent in the same agency.
If, after reading a partial or the full manuscript, the agent were to suggest changes to your novel with the rejection, then you should probably resubmit to the agent, explaining that you've made the requested changes to the novel.

What happens if you're querying a different book?

I once got a knockback from a particular agency. I sucked it up, went away and wrote something else. Years later I queried the same agency and they wrote back saying, "As we told you in 200- [whenever it was] we are not currently taking on new clients."

Uh...yeah. That was years ago, and this is a different book. If you seriously don't want any new clients, why not say so in the W&A Yearbook?

They probably just ran my name through the computer, saw I'd previously submitted and printed off a form rejection. It certainly seems like they didn't bother reading what I sent them.

Sam Stephens · Feb 3, 2009

gothicangel said:
Why don't you post the query on SYW and find out if it was the letter that was rejected or that the agent didn't like the idea?

Excuse my "newbieness", but what is SYW?

I've seen it mentioned a few times, and my curiosity decided to drag itself off it's lazy butt and tap on the back of my eyeballs.

Thanks!
Sam

Danthia · Feb 3, 2009

Depends. If the original query was terrible because you were still new at it, then sure, because you're showing that you do indeed have good writing skills this time around, and bad writing is probably what got you the rejection.

If the story is the same and you're just reworking the query, chances are you'll still get a no, because the story is what didn't hook.

If you've revamped story and query, then sure. Odds are still against you, but you lose nothing by trying. Just don't do it right away (3-6 months is what I hear from a lot of agent blogs on re querying) and don't keep hounding that same agent with that book if the second attempted is unsuccessful.

CarolSanDiego · Feb 3, 2009

SYW - Share Your Work

Sam Stephens · Feb 3, 2009

Thanks Carol!

cheers
Sam

RJK · Feb 3, 2009

@ Scarlet - Unless otherwise directed, I put the project title in the message subject line as follows: Query - Title - My Name. I sent the first query in June, the second query for the same book in July. it was rejected as spam. I sent a query for a different project in October, and it got through (to a rejection).

Clair Dickson · Feb 3, 2009

Don't forget, there are other completely competent fish in the sea.

scarletpeaches · Feb 3, 2009

RJK said:
@ Scarlet - Unless otherwise directed, I put the project title in the message subject line as follows: Query - Title - My Name. I sent the first query in June, the second query for the same book in July. it was rejected as spam. I sent a query for a different project in October, and it got through (to a rejection).

Mine were sent snail mail. I've never queried by email.

Leigh.Lyons · Feb 3, 2009

gothicangel said:
Why don't you post the query on SYW and find out if it was the letter that was rejected or that the agent didn't like the idea?

It is posted there.

Leigh.Lyons · Feb 3, 2009

Danthia said:
Depends. If the original query was terrible because you were still new at it, then sure, because you're showing that you do indeed have good writing skills this time around, and bad writing is probably what got you the rejection.

If you've revamped story and query, then sure. Odds are still against you, but you lose nothing by trying. Just don't do it right away (3-6 months is what I hear from a lot of agent blogs on re querying) and don't keep hounding that same agent with that book if the second attempted is unsuccessful.

From what I'm understanding via the feedback about my query (posted to the SYW area), it needs a good bit of work, but the idea is intriguing. I've shown in every paragraph that I am new to querying. When it comes to summery or business pitches, I've never been very good at them (I worked as a telemarketer but realizes I wasn't pushy enough to make money ^^; ). I'd heard some agents say that if you've made changes, resubmit to them, but I didn't know if that was just mss or it applied to queries to.

Danthia · Feb 4, 2009

Leigh.Lyons said:
From what I'm understanding via the feedback about my query (posted to the SYW area), it needs a good bit of work, but the idea is intriguing. I've shown in every paragraph that I am new to querying. When it comes to summery or business pitches, I've never been very good at them (I worked as a telemarketer but realizes I wasn't pushy enough to make money ^^; ). I'd heard some agents say that if you've made changes, resubmit to them, but I didn't know if that was just mss or it applied to queries to.

If this is the case then you're probably a good candidate to re-query

Don't rush into it though and spend time getting your query just right.

Leigh.Lyons · Feb 4, 2009

Danthia said:
If this is the case then you're probably a good candidate to re-query Don't rush into it though and spend time getting your query just right.

Getting it right, letting them forget my feeble query attempt; >.> same thing...

I am going to be working on it every waking, spare hour I have to get my precious query just right. I only wish I'd found this place sooner

.

Not sure where to post this question...(OK to resubmit revamped query to same agent?)

Leigh.Lyons

Bored Fanatic

RJK

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

dawinsor

Dorothy A. Winsor

gothicangel

Toughen up.

kaitlin008

Seeing newness all the time

scarletpeaches

Sam Stephens

Danthia

CarolSanDiego

Sam Stephens

RJK

Sheriff Bullwinkle the Poet says:

Clair Dickson

A dark core to every cloud

scarletpeaches

Leigh.Lyons

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Leigh.Lyons

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Danthia

Leigh.Lyons

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