about queries

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reenkam

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I'm not sure if this is the right place to be asking this, but when an agent says they "consider simultaneous queries" are they saying that they don't mind if you're sending it to other agents or are they saying they'll take more than one query? I thought it meant the second definition, but the first seems to make more sense...
 

ChaosTitan

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I've never seen "accepts simultaneous queries," and it would me wonder about the agent's credibility (mostly because I don't know who you're talking about).

Queries are simply that--a question of interest. You sending a letter asking if the agent would be interesting in reading your project. Smart agents recognize that most authors will query widely. No one recommends querying one agent and then waiting for a response befoe querying another. You could spent ten years doing this. All queries should be multiple queries. Send 'em out in batches of five or ten or twenty, just send them.

Either joyce's interpretation is correct, or the agent was a little confused when they wrote their guidelines. Dunno.
 

Julie Worth

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The standard definitions:

Simultaneous submission means sending a submission to multiple agents or editors, while multiple submission means sending different submissions to a single agent or editor.

If someone says simultaneous is okay, that is not a red flag.

Most allow simultaneous but dislike multiple. Some are the opposite--Glimmer Train, for example. The really snotty ones don't like either.

The usage is the same for queries and submissions. Quoting Duotrope:

Simultaneous submissions This refers to the practice of sending a single story to different publications at the same time. When simultaneous submissions are allowed, most editors prefer for you to let them know up front, and always let them know if the piece is accepted elsewhere. When simultaneous submissions aren't allowed, some editors blacklist writers who get caught sending them simultaneous submissions.

Multiple submissions When more than one of your stories or poems are under consideration with a single publication, you have sent multiple submissions. Very few fiction publications allow multiple submissions, and when they do, be sure to follow their guidelines. Many impose length restrictions on multiple submissions. Most publications prefer for you to wait until you hear back from them on a pending submission before submitting another.
 
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reenkam

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thanks for clearing things up Julie Worth
 

Stijn Hommes

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I guess I'm late to the party. I was about to reference that very same page, but I guess Julie beat me to it. By the way, that was a typo. It's Duotrope, not Durotope.
 

BrookieCookie777

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Julie's right. It means you can send the same query to several agents. Please don't send agents more than one query at a time - sending them everything we've ever written will make us look insane . . . our secret of insanity should be saved for AFTER we've already signed with them and they are stuck with us! lol =)

Best of luck!
 
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