Query: Two agents from one agency?

Jimmy McAdams · Apr 6, 2009

Hey, everyone, just got a quick question.

Is it poor form to send out a query to two agents from the same agency? Would it be weird in any way if one rejects while the other accepts? I'd think there wouldn't be a problem, but I just want to make sure I'm not overlooking anything.

Thanks again, AW!

Kitty Pryde · Apr 6, 2009

I read on Miss Snark's blog that one shouldn't query 2 agents at the same agency. Then I had a friend who did so accidentally, and when both agents asked for partials, she had to admit her error to them. When she did, they confirmed that it was poor form to query both of them at the same time. the agents agreed that one would look at it first, and then the other would look at it if #1 didn't want it.

shokadh · Apr 6, 2009

Definitely poor form. Stick to one or the other. They often pass queries around in the agency to someone more suited to your work and if two copies turn up on different desks, they think you didn't do much research in the first place to figure out who handles your genre, or even that you are quite desperate.

Fade · Apr 6, 2009

From all of the advice I've heard and agents websites I've looked at, you shouldn't send out queries to two agents in the same agency.

scope · Apr 6, 2009

Very bad idea. One at at time, and in some cases only one at an agency forever. Don't run the risk of getting knee-deep in something about which you no control. Keep your name as clean as can be.

Jimmy McAdams · Apr 6, 2009

Thank you very much for the quick responses, everyone.

I realized that two potential agents I had written down on my list were from the same agency, and I wanted to see if it really was a problem. It's a good thing that I checked it out here before I did anything, as I now know not to do that.

Kathleen42 · Apr 6, 2009

Jimmy McAdams said:
Thank you very much for the quick responses, everyone.

I realized that two potential agents I had written down on my list were from the same agency, and I wanted to see if it really was a problem. It's a good thing that I checked it out here before I did anything, as I now know not to do that.

At the same time, it definitely is a problem.

However, some agents/agencies are okay with you querying another agent at the agency once the first has passed. If you do decide to go that route, though, give it a good amount of breathing time between queries.

Jimmy McAdams · Apr 6, 2009

Alright, I'll keep that in mind, too. Thanks again!

Exir · Apr 6, 2009

Kathleen42 is right. An agency who has a policy of "one only -- forever" will spell it out clearly. If it doesn't say that in the agency guideline, that means that you can wait a while after one agent passed, then query another agent at the same agency.

But NEVER query two agent at the same agency SIMULTANEOUSLY.

RJK · Apr 7, 2009

I accidently sent a query to a second agent at a large, well known agency in New York that handles a Maas amount of queries. The second email was bounced back by a spam filter with a statememt notifying me that they already considered my submission. Six months later I sent a query for a different novel. It got past the spam filter but not the rejection.

Query: Two agents from one agency?

Jimmy McAdams

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

shokadh

Now serving Table for 300

Fade

The Captain of My Soul

scope

Commonsensical Maverick

Jimmy McAdams

Kathleen42

crushing on fictional characters

Jimmy McAdams

Exir

Out of the cradle endlessly rocking

RJK

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