Big six editors, submitting to multiple editors?

keston925

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I have a stupid question.

If one editor from one of the Big Six decides to pass, does that mean that you shouldn't submit to other editors at the same publisher?
 

Siri Kirpal

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Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

1. Unless you have connections or pitch an editor at a conference, you probably won't get an editor at a Big 6/5 House to look at your work. You'll need an agent.

2. If your book goes through their editorial board or is vetting by their financial/marketing people, and it's a no go, then no you won't be able approach another editor at the same imprint of that House. (The Big 6 all have lots of smaller imprints. Approaching one of them is not the same as approaching another.)

3. However, if an editor declines to look at the work or declines it after reading it, but without approaching the editorial board, I don't think there's going to be a problem. But different imprints might have different rules about that.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal
 

keston925

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Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

1. Unless you have connections or pitch an editor at a conference, you probably won't get an editor at a Big 6/5 House to look at your work. You'll need an agent.

2. If your book goes through their editorial board or is vetting by their financial/marketing people, and it's a no go, then no you won't be able approach another editor at the same imprint of that House. (The Big 6 all have lots of smaller imprints. Approaching one of them is not the same as approaching another.)

3. However, if an editor declines to look at the work or declines it after reading it, but without approaching the editorial board, I don't think there's going to be a problem. But different imprints might have different rules about that.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

That makes sense.
 

Debbie V

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Most of the big six have an imprint or two which are still open to unsolicited query letters. Check guidelines carefully. You can only submit to open imprints unless you've met someone at a conference who requested your work or allowed submissions.
 

Jamesaritchie

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I have a stupid question.

If one editor from one of the Big Six decides to pass, does that mean that you shouldn't submit to other editors at the same publisher?

Check guidelines. It's extremely difficult to approach Big Sis editors without an agent. They may have a line or two that can be queries, but that's about it.

I won't say it's impossible to approach them. Editors are people, and the right approach can sometimes do wonders. I know a writer who sold a book to a Big Six editor a few months back. It started with a letter, rather than a query, and the editor asked for a query, and then for the manuscript.

I've known other writers who were at least able to get a Big Six editor to read something.

An agent is far and away your best bet. If you can't write something that will attract an agent, you probably can't write something that will attract a Big Six editor because they're far more difficult to approach.
 

keston925

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Check guidelines. It's extremely difficult to approach Big Sis editors without an agent. They may have a line or two that can be queries, but that's about it.

I won't say it's impossible to approach them. Editors are people, and the right approach can sometimes do wonders. I know a writer who sold a book to a Big Six editor a few months back. It started with a letter, rather than a query, and the editor asked for a query, and then for the manuscript.

I've known other writers who were at least able to get a Big Six editor to read something.

An agent is far and away your best bet. If you can't write something that will attract an agent, you probably can't write something that will attract a Big Six editor because they're far more difficult to approach.

Luckily, I do have an agent. She has approached one editor at a big six who passed it on to another editor at the same big six and together they ultimately decided to pass. But strangely praised the book. I just wondered if my agent will not be able to approach any other editors at that publisher. It sounds like she can if they hadn't escalated it.
 

suki

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Luckily, I do have an agent. She has approached one editor at a big six who passed it on to another editor at the same big six and together they ultimately decided to pass. But strangely praised the book. I just wondered if my agent will not be able to approach any other editors at that publisher. It sounds like she can if they hadn't escalated it.

This really is something you should be discussing with your agent. Whenever you have a question like this, you should feel comfortable asking her.

Some houses allow shopping to different editors, at different imprints. Some don't.

Talk to your agent. :)

~suki
 

Jamesaritchie

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I had one novel that was a pain in the butt to sell, and my agent at the time had fourteen agents look at it before one took it. My experience is that the only editor who looks at a book is the one the agent sends it to. If there are other lines where the book would fit, and that have a different editor, it's usually up to the agent to contact that editor.