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
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.
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.