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Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

Simultaneous querying to publishers and agents?

Asked by: Deneen Sellers

Can you query agents and publishers at the same time?

This is acceptable, as you long as you let the agents you’re querying know. However, while it’s not the end of the world, I wouldn’t suggest on planning to submit to agencies and publishing houses simultaneously while you’re trying to find an agent.

Can I querying multiple agents at the same agency?

Can you query multiple agents at the same agency? Generally, no. A rejection from one literary agent usually means a rejection from the entire agency.

How many literary agents should you query at once?

DON’T SUBMIT TO MULTIPLE AGENTS AT THE SAME AGENCY

No ifs, ands, or but’s about it: you should only query one agent per literary agency. It’s not cool to email multiple at once. However, once an agent declines an offer of representation to you, you can feel confident querying another relevant agent in the same agency.

What is a simultaneous submission in publishing?

● Simultaneous submission occurs. when a person submits a paper to. different publications at the same time, which can result in more than one journal publishing that particular paper.

Can I have 2 literary agents?

Having More Than One Literary Agent is Okay When

For example, you also write adult (and you can have an adult book agent either at the same agency or a different one) or screenplays (another agent or manager there). Those divisions are much clearer than the divisions between kidlit categories.

Should you query multiple agents at a time?

The quick answer is, “Yes.” In fact, many literary agents expect writers to query multiple agents at once. Unless they specifically state they prefer writers avoid simultaneous submissions. Or if an agent requests (and you grant) an exclusive look at your submission at a writing conference.

How many agents should you query before you give up?

Just make sure you’ve done your due diligence and had a long, hard think about what you want. If you conclude that traditional publishing is your optimal route, then you should commit right now to querying at least 20 agents (hey, that number wasn’t totally arbitrary) in order to find the right representation.

Do literary agents talk to each other?

General querying etiquette: Agents talk to each other. And to their clients. This impacts querying etiquette in so many ways.

Should I keep querying if an agent requests a full manuscript?

It goes without saying that you should not be querying without a fully finished manuscript. So you should be in a good position to respond and send within 48 hours. Any longer, then it will look like you are scrambling.



Should you submit to multiple publishers at once?

For the most part, traditional publishers and literary agents frown upon simultaneous submissions. Generally speaking, publishing industry professionals feel it is inappropriate to contact multiple publishers and agents simultaneously.

Should I do simultaneous submissions?

Should Writers Send Simultaneous Submissions? The natural answer to this question from the writer’s perspective would be “yes” in most cases. But read the guidelines for the agent or publisher before submitting, because some of them specifically state they do not consider simultaneous submissions.

Can you send the same manuscript to multiple publishers?

Yes, it’s common practice to submit a story or poem to multiple publishers at the same time, provided their guidelines indicate they accept simultaneous submissions.

How many chapters do you send to a publisher?

Most publishers want to see up to the first three chapters of your book. Others will want to read a certain number of pages. I like to prepare several versions of these sample chapter requirements, all double-spaced and in their own separate documents ready to submit depending on the publisher’s guidelines.

What is multiple submission?

Multiple submissions are submissions that include multiple pitches and/or manuscripts. For instance, I write and publish poetry, and it’s very common for poets to submit bundles of three to five (and sometimes more) poems per submission.



Can you submit multiple book proposals?

Typically, if this is in the context of submitting book proposals, yes, you can, unless the publisher explicitly prohibits it. But you cannot submit your full manuscript to more than one press at a time.

What is a prospectus in publishing?

A book prospectus is a printed description of or advertisement for that book, usually issued before publication in an attempt to generate interest and advance orders.

How do you assemble a book proposal?

What a book proposal should contain

  1. 1) Header. …
  2. 2) A brief synopsis of the book. …
  3. 3) Longer synopsis of the book, if you feel it is necessary. …
  4. 4) Chapter breakdown. …
  5. 5) Sample chapter (some editors will not require this) …
  6. 6) Book details. …
  7. 7) About the author/biography. …
  8. 8) Platform/audience.

What happens after you submit a book proposal?

For most good academic publishers, after your book proposal is received it is sent out for peer review. Yes. Your proposal has to go through the peer review process. Fortunately, many editors ask for a list of potential reviewers, so you can stack the list with people who will get what you are trying to do.

What are the odds of getting a literary agent?

The Chances of Getting a Literary Agent



Your odds of getting a literary agent are 1 in 6,000. That does NOT mean 1 out of every 6,000 authors who try to get an agent will make it, and the other 5,999 will fail.

How long does it take to hear back from a publisher?

Depending on the publisher, this can take a few weeks or even a few months. On average, I see a contract come in three weeks to one month after I strike a deal. Tip #3: Plan for an additional two months of negotiations after your agent receives the contract.

How long does it take to get a contract from a publisher?

When commercially publishing, the timeline to print once a contract has been signed is anywhere from 18 – 24 months. A traditional contract can take anywhere from 1 to 3 months to sign.

How long does it take Stephen King to write a book?

Finish your first draft in three months.



King likes to write 10 pages a day. Over a three-month span, that amounts to around 180,000 words. “The first draft of a book — even a long one — should take no more than three months, the length of a season,” he says.

How long does it take a literary agent to find a publisher?

This entire process usually takes 4-6 weeks, and can occasionally take longer for one or two of the publishers your agent has submitted to, depending on when their meetings take place.

How many pages is 50000 words?

200 pages

Book Length by the Numbers
A typical manuscript page (8.5×11 paper, 1-inch margins, standard 11- or 12-point font, doublespaced—like you would type in Word) is considered to be 250 words. So a 25,000-word manuscript is about 100 pages. A 50,000-word manuscript is 200 pages.

How do I know if my book is worth publishing?

Seven Signs Your Book Idea is Worth Publishing:



  1. Uncontrollable Thoughts. Your book—whatever stage it is in—is always on your mind. …
  2. Constant ideas to note down. You’re ready for ideas to strike at any point in the day. …
  3. Unavoidable Rambling. …
  4. Endless rewriting. …
  5. Hesitant Sharing. …
  6. Unbiased Feedback. …
  7. Unwavering Passion.

Jun 16, 2014

What publishers look for in new authors?

Still, there are some basic elements every publisher considers when evaluating a potential project. Those elements are: content, market, competitive titles, and author platform.