Re-submitting queries

I've never do. I've resubmitted to a publisher only cause I was invited to do so after some manuscript changes, which were made at said publishers request.

Search out new agents. Don't requery agents with the same project unless the project is substantially different. Changing your query and synopsis is not a substantial difference.*

Find new agents to submit to. There are many fish in that pond. You can still land a good one.

You might try and workshop your query here and see what sort of feedback you receive.



* the caveat here is that of course you can resubmit if invited to by the agent.

Soccer Mom said:

Search out new agents. Don't requery agents with the same project unless the project is substantially different. Changing your query and synopsis is not a substantial difference.*

* the caveat here is that of course you can resubmit if invited to by the agent.

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I'm going to add a slight "but" to Soccer Mom's post.

Several manuscripts ago, I queried an agency and was rejected from the query alone. I tinkered with the book, but made only minor changes. I completely overhauled the query, though. Changed the tone, changed the focus of the blurb. Eight or nine months had passed, and since I really wanted to work with this agency, I queried again. This time the new query netted me a partial request.

Ultimately, the partial was rejected and I've since trunked the novel. But I suppose my point is that sometimes, if all you're sending is a query, the problem isn't the novel. It's how the novel is presented to the agency. Getting the query right is just as important as getting the novel right.

If they have already rejected your queries and didn't invite you to re-submit, I would say no, especially since you haven't really changed your ms. that much. On the other hand, as someone else said in another thread, what do you have to lose? The worst that will happen is they say no again (and brush you off because they remember your last query).

Oberon said:

I haven't seen this question yet, maybe it's a stupid one.

I have queried a number of agents (my first effort to publish) and received a number of rejections, which I expected. Now, after I have read more and thought more, I wonder if my query and/or synopsis is not catchy enough. If I can come up with a better query, is it kosher to send it to the same agents? Do they remember what they have read? Do I need to retitle my novel? Or must I search out more agents, something I probably need to do in any case?

Will appreciate your help. I just want somebody to read the novel and tell me it's trash or treasure, maybe tell me why it won't sell. Something.

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I sent a couple of query's out got a couple of rejections and then improved my query and book proposal significantly after receiving some very good feedback from an agent. It helped me tremendously, but the agents I sent the query to before the revision I skipped..most often they remember enough to remember their impression and I have been told its better to just move on and find the next likely interested agent.

I'd say it's safe to requery those agents who never responded to your first query -- 'cause it's technically not a rejection, right? It's possible they never received your first query.

I don't see why you couldn't requery an agency that never saw the manuscript. They saw your query and didn't like the idea. Maybe it was a bad query. If you completely change that maybe they'd be more likely to ask for more and they could end up loving the book.

And if you only sent a query, what agency would ask you to resubmit? It's a query...

Oberon said:

Thanks all for your comments. My feeling is that I shouldn't risk being a pest. I will likely have another novel to try to market. I'll keep looking for agents, and in the meantime I may post my query for you guys to tear apart. I need that. My wife is good at tearing my stuff apart, but she loves me, so no matter how tough she is, there is always that in the way. That doesn't sound right, does it? Love is not in the way of anything.

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There's a difference between being a pest, and being someone who quits too soon. Both will get you in trouble, but the second will keep you there.