Multiple Submissions

[cathschaffstump]

So, here's what agent A had to say about multiple submissions:

We rather frown upon exclusive submissions at ***, and never ask for them. We are supposed to be writers' advocates, after all, and this just decreases their chances of finding a suitable agent. Feel free to send your manuscript elsewhere, and let the competition it causes among agents be our problem!

So, I've learned something new. In your writerly experience, do you find that this is more often the case? Why do some agents still ask for exclusive submissions? I'd love to hear some discussion, especially from the established writers and agents who might be reading.

Catherine

Comments

[p-sunshine.livejournal.com]

I'm still in revisions for book #1, so I can't give you personal experience, but from what I've read on agent/industry blogs, exclusives really depend on the agent. Some frown on them, thinking that the writer will get the best deal for them if they're querrying as widely as possible, others want to have the first yay or nay on the project. If you really want a specific agent, and you're ok with giving them that exclusive first bite that s/he is requesting, it's not breaking any "good agent" rules, but you want to make sure that the exclusive is for a specified amount of time.

[lisa-schroeder.livejournal.com]

I think there are a few agents who ask for exclusives because they don't want to invest the time to read something, only to be 3/4 of the way through and be told the author has accepted representation elsewhere.

One well known agent worded it like this - "I'm at a stage in my career where I don't need to be competing with other agents."

I think the agents who ask for exclusives are in the minority. It will be interesting, as time goes by, if that changes?

[acusa-dora.livejournal.com]

I don't understand it, because any person looking for a job doesn't apply to one employer at a time. If you need to market yourself, you do it as much as possible. Why not your book then?

[cathschaffstump.livejournal.com]

That makes sense, yet there are agents who ask for exclusive queries. I just moved one down on my priority list today after learning that there are distinctively divergent philosophies. I thought that maybe it was more the norm than not, but now I know differently.

Apparently some agents do feel submitting to multiple agents is to the writer's advantage.

Catherine