When you heard an agent is leaving the agency...?

ILove2Write

Jaws has nightmares too
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 23, 2007
Messages
214
Reaction score
14
Location
Fraggle Rock
When you hear an agent is leaving the agency, but their name is still up as the number one source on the agency website (for your genre) to mail your cover letter, what do you do?
You don't know if they have already left and you don't have any other names. It's long distance for you to call (in another country) and will be expensive.

Would you still address the mail to that person even if they have left? And what would happen to it then? Would it ever be read?
 

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess
Kind Benefactor
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
6,704
Reaction score
1,314
Location
Far from the madding crowd
Website
www.victoriastrauss.com
How reliable is the information that the agent is leaving? If you saw it in a source like PW or Publishing News, you can probably figure it's true.

Assuming the info is reliable and you want to target this agent in particular, you should probably wait to see where the agent winds up before querying. Even if the agent does read your letter before s/he leaves, it might get lost in the transition process. On the other hand, if it's the agency you're interested in, it might make sense to send the letter anyway, on the assumption that it will be read by other agency personnel.

- Victoria