UK querying question

Lonegungrrly · Nov 20, 2014

So this time around sending my new shiny out to agents, I've noticed a rise in the "one for all" submissions email address. As in,

Send your three chapters and a cover letter to: submissions.at.awesomesauce.com

First of all, how is the correct way to start one of these things? Coz all that Dear Sir/Madaam stuff gets a bad rep, but I can't exactly personalise the sucker if it could be picked up by six or more agents/assistants.

Is the answer that I'm over thinking this, and these agencies don't want any personalisation? Coz I've noticed a bit of a decline in my request rates, namely from these sorts of agencies, and wondering if I'm doing something really wrong!

Should I be FAO-ing them?

I much prefer to personalise each letter. Any advice, oh sage and world wise experts?

Thedrellum · Nov 20, 2014

When I was submitting to agencies with a joint e-mail address, I still personalized my letter to the agent I was specifically targeting. What the joint address means is that, most likely, the agent you specify will be the first to read/evaluate your query, but that it's possible other agents at said agency might be interested, too.

However, the default--unless the agency guidelines state that every agent considers each query equally--is that you are still sending your query to a single agent.

That's my advice, at any rate.

Treehouseman · Nov 20, 2014

Oh, i know what you mean, most agencies have the info@ email.

I found that if you address it to the one person, it will get to them. Sometimes you'll be given a second email address to correspond with them for partials and fulls.

Lonegungrrly · Nov 20, 2014

Thanks for the advice both of you!

Yeah... I've not been doing that. Do you guys literally write FAO: Mrs agent in the subject? Or just address it to the person in the body of the email?

Thanks for your help

Thedrellum · Nov 20, 2014

In the subject line I usually just put

Query: Book by Name

and then start off the e-mail with Dear Agent.

thepicpic · Nov 20, 2014

Seconding what everyone else said.

UK querying question

Lonegungrrly

Thedrellum

Grr. Argh.

Treehouseman

Lonegungrrly

Thedrellum

Grr. Argh.

thepicpic

May or may not be a potato.