You're submitting to the entire agency as a general query instead of one of their agents?
I've read never to put "To whom it may concern," so what should I say?
I've read never to put "To whom it may concern," so what should I say?
How do You Address a Query When....
- Thread starter andiwrite
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2012
- Messages
- 16,171
- Reaction score
- 3,734
Why would you not put 'To Whom It May Concern?' That's strange advice. If you're not querying a specific person, what else would you put?
I realize that's your question but I don't get the advice to not put it, heh.
I would imagine because it reads a bit like "Dear Agent," which is usually discouraged.
OP: I'm not sure why you would query the whole agency instead of a particular individual. I always directed the query at a specific person, even when it was going through a submissions manager (i.e. Send queries to Miss X instead of individual agents).
You might address it to the head of the agency. (That's the way short stories are submitted, addressed to the editor, even when it's going through first readers and acquisitions staff first.)
Well, some of the agencies I have on my list don't say to address a specific agent in their submissions info. They say "submit to us" and then instruct to send the query to the general email address for the agency and don't give an option to submit to the individual agents. I realize I could probably hunt down the individual agents and find their emails, but I'm trying to follow submission guidelines as closely as I can.
I've read many times never to use impersonal greetings such as "to whom it may concern" or "dear agent." I'm not sure how much this really matters (at least, I'd hope an agent wouldn't cast aside a query they would otherwise find interesting for this reason), but I'm trying to do everything right.
I think I'll submit to the person whose name is on the agency if there isn't another option. Thanks!
I've read many times never to use impersonal greetings such as "to whom it may concern" or "dear agent." I'm not sure how much this really matters (at least, I'd hope an agent wouldn't cast aside a query they would otherwise find interesting for this reason), but I'm trying to do everything right.
I think I'll submit to the person whose name is on the agency if there isn't another option. Thanks!
Is "Dear Sirs or Madams" too antiquated?
If not too antiquated, is such a salutation more acceptable in the UK (or elsewhere) than in the US?
If not too antiquated, is such a salutation more acceptable in the UK (or elsewhere) than in the US?
I'd still address it to the agent that you feel is the best fit. I've seen several agencies say, "If you query one of us, you're querying all of us"--but all this means is that if the agent you're querying thinks your work is more appropriate for a colleague they'll pass it on, and if they don't, they won't, so don't waste time requerying the agency.
In the end, a query is a buisness letter, and should ultimately be addressed to a specific person or persons.
Hope that helps.
ETA: Oops, I see you've already come to that conclusion. In that case, good luck!
In the end, a query is a buisness letter, and should ultimately be addressed to a specific person or persons.
Hope that helps.
ETA: Oops, I see you've already come to that conclusion. In that case, good luck!
Last edited:
Thanks for your help! Querying is scary and I tend to get really nervous and over think every small step along the way.
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2012
- Messages
- 5,448
- Reaction score
- 2,980
I'd still address it to the agent who I feel might be the best fit as well. When I queried UK agencies though, oftentimes they didn't list their agents, so, after some time spent searching for agents' names, I just put "Dear So-and-so Agency" as a last resort.
Last edited:
Ditto to this. I've queried a few reputable UK agencies that just don't list any agents and I've had to use "Dear [Awesome] Agency" a few times.
- Joined
- May 11, 2012
- Messages
- 5,874
- Reaction score
- 418
I just wouldn't, unless they'd specifically requested that in some kind of listing, professional website or whatever.
I would call them to discover the most appropriate person to query.
For me, it would be.
I can't speak for anywhere else, but I'd think it isn't acceptable at all, in the UK. I wouldn't dream of addressing a London literary agency as "Dear Sirs or Madams".
I would suggest doing a search for the individual agent if there is one you would prefer to submit to. I have seen some agent blogs that tell authors to submit to the agent's own email address, thus bypassing the general agency email.
Or, I think there was even one agent on AW awhile back who said something to the effect of "If you're a member of AW reading this, submit to my personal email." So yes, if you can "hunt down" the individual agents it might help.
(Of course, if they don't want you to send to their indivdual emails, you follow their guidelines.
)Unless the agency has guidelines that say how to address a query, I use an agent's name. Same with editors. Finding out which agent or editor handles a particular type of fiction is not rocket science.
I've come across the same thing. When that happens to I research the agency and make certain I address it to someone who reads submissions. Sometimes easier said than done...
For politeness sake put the ladies first in Dear Madam or Sir. However, I wouldn't use this either unless no other option existed. Since one person is reading at a time, I'd use the singular. The plural sounds very strange to my ear.
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2010
- Messages
- 4,526
- Reaction score
- 1,804
- Location
- Southern California
- Website
- www.storyrhyme.com
I wouldn't risk this, considering a lot of agents view phone calls from strangers as an unwanted interruption to their daily work. Personally, I'd play it safe with 'Dear X Agency,' rather than phoning.
This might be one of those things that's more acceptable in the UK, though? I've never done it, but that's because I've had the no phoning rule hammered in by various US sites.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2009
- Messages
- 194
- Reaction score
- 12
You should be researching the agents and not sending out mass queries. It's not that hard to find information on an agent. And if you can't find out what they are looking for, find agents that you can and come back to the other agencies later. No matter what your genre, you should be able to find at least 100 agents that represent your genre. I use querytracker as a starting point and then this site and and P&E to make sure there are no issues. And finally check out their websites is a must for any recent changes. Research prevents gotchas.
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2009
- Messages
- 194
- Reaction score
- 12
If it's a general email then put the agents name in the subject line similar to:
Query for Awesome Agent: NAME OF NOVEL
You could even go as far as:
Query for Awesome Agent: NAME OF NOVEL (genre)
I have seen a few agent guidelines for the last example.
Query for Awesome Agent: NAME OF NOVEL
You could even go as far as:
Query for Awesome Agent: NAME OF NOVEL (genre)
I have seen a few agent guidelines for the last example.
There are quite a few agencies that use one email for queries for all agents, some of those agencies though go further and tell you to address it (in the subject line or salutation) to the agent you think would be best. If they don't specify it, then I don't see any problem sending it as "To whom it may concern" or a simple "Hello" since they're going to forward it (hopefully) to whoever they think is the best fit.
The "Dear agent" or "To whom it may concern" is frowned upon if you're sending the query to a specific agent. The difference between sending your query to [email protected] or [email protected]
The "Dear agent" or "To whom it may concern" is frowned upon if you're sending the query to a specific agent. The difference between sending your query to [email protected] or [email protected]
Some agencies require you to send your query to an email address like submissions@Blahblahagency rather than to a specific agent.
The question is then how do you open your email, where you would normally start 'Dear Ms. Jones' or similar.
I think the OP might be talking about this kind of situation. It's a tricky one!
The question is then how do you open your email, where you would normally start 'Dear Ms. Jones' or similar.
I think the OP might be talking about this kind of situation. It's a tricky one!
Even if it's going to a general email, you put the name of the agent you are querying either in the subject line (as mentioned above) and/or in the salutation. (Dear Ms <Awesome Agent>)
This is the same protocol used with short fiction submissions to a magazine. You always address the editor, even though a slush-reader will see it first.
In the case of querying an agency, it also helps whoever is handling their submissions queue point your query toward the correct agent.