Odd question concerning sending multiple queries

kaitie · Jun 18, 2010

Okay it's late and I'm having a brain fart and can't think of whether or not the term is multiple or simultaneous in this case, so be forgiving.

Anyway, I was just thinking...it's obviously taboo to send the same manuscript to two agents in the same agency. It's also taboo to send different manuscripts to the two agents in the same agency at the same time. But what if I had two different manuscripts and one agent?

I've got quite a few people I haven't heard back from on my last book, and some agents are notoriously slow (3, 4 months on up). You also have some who don't always respond so you just assume that it's a no after awhile and give up.

So let's say I get my new one ready to go and I've still got a couple of people I haven't heard from. Would it be wrong to send the next one to them, or should I wait until I got the rejection? I mean, I'm assuming if someone has a four month backlog even if I sent a new one now it would be months before they'd get to that one, right? I've heard agents before talk about how it's a negative to send things one after the other, but in a case like this it would be okay, huh?

Mishell · Jun 18, 2010

I'm actually not 100% sure about agents. But I do know that most magazines ask you not to send another story til you've heard back about the last one you sent, so I'd assume agents feel the same.

Unless, of course, it's one of those agents who clearly says "We only respond to material we're interested in." Then treat it as though it were a rejection.

AriaKane · Jun 18, 2010

I can't remember which agent blog this was on (maybe Rachelle Gardner?), but I remember one agent saying that six months is a good time between querying for different projects.

Of course, that's just one agent's opinion and I'm sure others will differ.

cate townsend · Jun 18, 2010

If I were you, I'd send your new stuff. I'm assuming you mean a query, right? Agents usually represent "the work", so if they are completely different books, it shouldn't matter. If I were an agent, I'd be looking for something I liked and that I thought I could sell. It wouldn't matter if the same writer sent me three different queries for three different projects- I'd treat each one individually.

shaldna · Jun 18, 2010

i have read that it's bad form to query two agents at the same agency at the same time, because at the end of the day, what if they both want you but for different books? it could be awkward.

i would only query one of them at a time, even with different projects.

AriaKane · Jun 18, 2010

Umm, am I missing something? Wasn't his question whether or not he should send a NEW project to the same agents he queried before on another project?

NicoleMD · Jun 18, 2010

I'd say 4-6 months is a fair amount of time to wait before querying a new project, unless the agent specifically says that all queries will be responded to. Then I'd wait at least 6 for sure.

Nicole

kaitie · Jun 19, 2010

Wow, I sucked at that!

Alright, let's see if I can do this better. Shalda, I know.

That's cool.

I also know it's okay to query with a new project. I'm just trying to figure out if, for instance, this guy over at Trident who has the query letter for my last one but hasn't responded (and may not) is okay to send a new query to. Meaning, can I send a new query even if I haven't heard back from the last one?

See, my thinking is that if it takes someone four or six months to send a rejection letter, that means it's going to take them another four to six months to get to the new one. Would I really have to wait on the rejection letter, then wait another six months to send the new story? I'd kind of prefer to send to the slower people earlier on just because I know I'll be in for a wait, if that makes sense.

Did I do any better that time?

Odd question concerning sending multiple queries

kaitie

With great power comes

Mishell

That Clarion chick!

AriaKane

Write. Wine. Repeat.

cate townsend

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

AriaKane

Write. Wine. Repeat.

NicoleMD

Onomatopotamus

kaitie

With great power comes