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Southern Girl · Nov 11, 2009

I've looked around, (but I'm also suffering from mongo head cold, so my thinking is a bit fuzzy at the moment) but I'm not finding any clear cut explanation on requerying agents.

If you've rewritten your query and want to make the rounds again, how is that done? I realize that requerying a specific agent is a no-no, but how can one tell if it's acceptable to query other agents in the same house? And if you've queried the "name" of the house, the founder per se, is it bad form to query other agents there?

I have no problem looking up each agent on the web, so I'm not trying to be lazy here and cut corners...but if there is a simplified way of finding out if houses will accept multiple queries to multiple agents (not at the same time, of course), I'd really appreciate being pointed in the right direction.

Thanks,
SG

Cyia · Nov 11, 2009

The only way to know for sure is to check their websites. Some say "no means no", like Caren Johnson. Others, like Writers House say you can query someone else if you get an 'R' from a single agent.

Renee Collins · Nov 11, 2009

I always assumed that unless they specify otherwise, it's okay to query multiple agents in the same agency. Of course I could be wrong. . .

myrmidon · Nov 11, 2009

I think the issue is usually not querying agents in the same house at the same time.

But once you've gotten a rejection I believe it's as Cyia and Renee said - based individually on the house - some say okay, some say no.

Good luck!

Jamesaritchie · Nov 11, 2009

Generally, each agent at a house handles specific types of novels, so once you query one, you're done.

RainbowDragon · Nov 11, 2009

If 6 months or more have passed since you first queried, and you've reworked whatever material you've sent to a particular agent before (query letter and/or sample chapters) I'd say it's OK to requery. The worst that will happen is a rerejection.

As for multiple agents at the same house, many houses have more than one who rep your genre, and I say go for it (just not at the same time, as previously noted). Most houses are fine with it, and those that say they aren't don't notice unless perhaps your material gets close with one agent and is shown to other agents for additional opinions. You should know if that happens.

Cathy C · Nov 11, 2009

I'll have to side with James on this one. A very few agencies allow repeat queries, but only a few. Most are one try and you're done with that book. SOMETIMES if you got a favorable reply with a rejection, you can ask if you can re-send. But otherwise, send the new query out to new agencies. If it doesn't get picked up on the second round, put it aside, write another book and query that one. Sometimes you can get an agent for a second book to take on the first by default.

Epiphany · Nov 11, 2009

Then again, how does any agent keep track of whether or not they've already received a query on one book from one author? Don't most get hundreds upon hundreds of submissions a year?

RainbowDragon · Nov 11, 2009

Epiphany said:
Then again, how does any agent keep track of whether or not they've already received a query on one book from one author? Don't most get hundreds upon hundreds of submissions a year?

Most don't keep track, and they don't remember getting the same project queried twice, though they may reject it again for the same reasons, so requerying the same agent might not be as fruitful as querying a new agent at the rejecting agent's agency.

I have, however, had an agent request a partial on a revised project she had rejected a couple of years prior (she didn't seem to remember). I don't think this is deceptive, if your project is stronger it is simply giving it another chance. Even Nathan Bransford agrees in the comment section of his post on re-querying (a few months ago) that it's fine to requery after some time has passed if the project is now stronger.

We can't afford to preemptively reject ourselves, or we'll never make any progress.

Has this question been asked?

Southern Girl

Prayer in a tango

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

Renee Collins

Plotting . . .

myrmidon

i AM batman (not really)

Jamesaritchie

RainbowDragon

Perpetuous Revisasaurus

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Epiphany

Don't kill the bar, Dude.

RainbowDragon

Perpetuous Revisasaurus