Querying multiple agents at the same agency

InsanitySquares

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I'm not near the query stage yet but I'm doing a bit of research into it and was stumped by something. Say, for example, Good Book Agency has three agents who take YA Contemporary fiction, which is the category I write. Is it possible to query all three agents simultaneously, or should I only query one? If one, how do I decide which agent to go with? And if the agent rejects me, can I still query the others with the same book at a later date?

Hope that makes some sort of sense, I'm a newbie to the professional side of writing.
 

DahlELama

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It is generally accepted that you should only query one, and will usually state as much in the submission guidelines for any given agency. In most agencies, the agents talk and will pass around your submission if they think it's better suited for another agent. I've even been asked by an agent if she could pass my full along to someone else in the agency. If there's an agency where you're especially inclined to simultaneously submit to multiple agents, I would strongly suggest first checking their submission guidelines to make sure there's no blatant rule against this. (But honestly, with simultaneous submissions, I just wouldn't.) Same goes for querying another at a later date--in some agencies, this is OK. (I forget which agency it is but I know there's at least one that specifically states "If X says no, you are permitted to then query Y," and I'm pretty sure they both rep contemporary YA.) In some, a no from one is a no from all. The best way to know which are OK is to look at their guidelines and look them up here as well for extra info.

As for knowing which agent to submit to when several represent your genre, try searching online for interviews or wishlists, or following them on Twitter to see what specifically they're looking for. You can also look at what books they already represent. You may see that for one, they really like dark, edgy contemporary YA while another wants beach reads. Or one likes "issue" books while another likes romance, etc.
 

leahzero

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^ As the post above says, agencies each have their own policies on this. Make sure you check their website THOROUGHLY to discern their policy. If in doubt, don't do it.

When I was querying, I submitted to an agency that had no policy on the matter. The first agent gave a form reject; tried again a few months later with a different agent at the same agency, and it led to a request.

The type of response may matter, too. If the first agent you query requests materials but then ultimately rejects, there's a chance she/he may have consulted another person in the agency for their opinion.

It's not, like, the end of the world, especially if the agency's policy isn't clear on the matter. But you should definitely make sure you know that beforehand.
 

kaitie

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Not at the same time, but generally you can query more than one agent at an agency. Unless they all used a shared email account, I personally sent to agents even when the policy said "A no from one is a no from all."
 

abbyabigial

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Hi, I am new to this forum. I am a little unsure on something, so I thought I would ask here. Is it okay to send multiple queries to one agent in an agency if each query is on a different project?
 

Roger J Carlson

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I'd start with one project, your strongest. Then if the agent says, "This one's not right for me, but send me another.", you're already prepared.
 

abbyabigial

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Thanks! I was wondering the best way to go about it. I'll do that.