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

[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?