Double Querying?Complications Ensue
Complications Ensue:
The Crafty Screenwriting, TV and Game Writing Blog




Archives

April 2004

May 2004

June 2004

July 2004

August 2004

September 2004

October 2004

November 2004

December 2004

January 2005

February 2005

March 2005

April 2005

May 2005

June 2005

July 2005

August 2005

September 2005

October 2005

November 2005

December 2005

January 2006

February 2006

March 2006

April 2006

May 2006

June 2006

July 2006

August 2006

September 2006

October 2006

November 2006

December 2006

January 2007

February 2007

March 2007

April 2007

May 2007

June 2007

July 2007

August 2007

September 2007

October 2007

November 2007

December 2007

January 2008

February 2008

March 2008

April 2008

May 2008

June 2008

July 2008

August 2008

September 2008

October 2008

November 2008

December 2008

January 2009

February 2009

March 2009

April 2009

May 2009

June 2009

July 2009

August 2009

September 2009

October 2009

November 2009

December 2009

January 2010

February 2010

March 2010

April 2010

May 2010

June 2010

July 2010

August 2010

September 2010

October 2010

November 2010

December 2010

January 2011

February 2011

March 2011

April 2011

May 2011

June 2011

July 2011

August 2011

September 2011

October 2011

November 2011

December 2011

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

April 2012

May 2012

June 2012

July 2012

August 2012

September 2012

October 2012

November 2012

December 2012

January 2013

February 2013

March 2013

April 2013

May 2013

June 2013

July 2013

August 2013

September 2013

October 2013

November 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

July 2014

August 2014

September 2014

October 2014

November 2014

December 2014

January 2015

February 2015

March 2015

April 2015

May 2015

June 2015

August 2015

September 2015

October 2015

November 2015

December 2015

January 2016

February 2016

March 2016

April 2016

May 2016

June 2016

July 2016

August 2016

September 2016

October 2016

November 2016

December 2016

January 2017

February 2017

March 2017

May 2017

June 2017

July 2017

August 2017

September 2017

October 2017

November 2017

December 2017

January 2018

March 2018

April 2018

June 2018

July 2018

October 2018

November 2018

December 2018

January 2019

February 2019

November 2019

February 2020

March 2020

April 2020

May 2020

August 2020

September 2020

October 2020

December 2020

January 2021

February 2021

March 2021

May 2021

June 2021

November 2021

December 2021

January 2022

February 2022

August 2022

September 2022

November 2022

February 2023

March 2023

April 2023

May 2023

July 2023

September 2023

November 2023

January 2024

February 2024

 

Friday, November 02, 2007

Is it OK to send the same query to more than one agent at the same agency? Could any issues arise from that?
You mean, like, having two agents mention your project in the same meeting, and decide that you've wasted at least one of their time, and reject you just because you're inconsiderate?

Or having one agent like it and having another one say, "Yeah, I read that, and it wasn't very good," thus deflating the other agent's enthusiasm?

Yeah, I guess there could be issues.

Labels:

13 Comments:

Devilish...

By Blogger kadgi, at 9:03 AM  

yeah, but since about 99% of query letters fail to get a response, how likely is it that two agents at the same agency will actually bother to respond. much less actually read the script? The risks you posit in your post are outweighed by the increased chances you get by targeting more than one agent.

By Blogger Michael, at 11:50 AM  

Then query away, Michael.

By Blogger Alex Epstein, at 11:56 AM  

Isn't that called something like multiple submissions. . .and not having to accept contracts from both of them?

By Blogger The_Lex, at 12:12 PM  

It's okay to say "I don't know", Alex. We won't respect you any less for it.

There's also the possibility of both liking your material, thus bringing you to the attention of the those higher up in the company. I guess it all depends on the confidence you have in your material.

My only concern is whether it would be a faux pas that someone out of the industry might not know about. It doesn't sound like it is, though.

By Blogger Tim W., at 7:14 PM  

Yes. My feeling is it would be a faux pas, if you got nailed for it. If you get away with it, then you get away with it.

Bear in mind though that the agents in an agency will talk to each other about who they're taking on as clients. So they will probably know that you double queried. And they'll probably be pissed off.

But your mileage may vary.

By Blogger Alex Epstein, at 7:29 PM  

Okay. I, personally, wouldn't do it, then. I do find it funny, though, that hey would be pissed off. They do know that the queries are going out to a lot of agents, don't they? What's really the difference between querying two agents at two different agencies and two agents at the same agency? Either way, you're simply trying to increase your chances of being represented, and are under the knowledge that most agents will say no.

By Blogger Tim W., at 8:24 PM  

Okay, one more comment and then I'll shut up. Alex is certainly right that "agents in an agency will talk to each other about who they're taking on as clients." In fact, the entire lit department of an agency will read your script before they sign you-- not just the agent you make contact with first. Taking on a new client is a pretty big deal at any reputable agency, which is one of the reasons queries don't work. But if you *are* so lucky to get an agent interested in you via a query letter, you will surely meet and/or talk on the phone with her before you are signed. Probably several times. And it's easy to say 'oh, by the way, I also queries your colleague Jane Agenty' and have a good laugh about it.

But again, that almost certainly won't happen because query letters almost never work.

By Blogger Michael, at 8:34 PM  

Uh, excuse me. That's MY bubble you're bursting there. Do you mind?

By Blogger Tim W., at 12:11 AM  

Would it be wiser to query one agent at an agency, and if the query gets rejected/ignored, then feel free to query a different agent there? Because no one's gonna talk about a reject query (unless it's intensely bad), and it's possible the other agent might be interested, right?

By Blogger Jud, at 2:55 PM  

That seems wiser.

By Blogger Alex Epstein, at 3:27 PM  

I find the line of reasoning here very interesting. Are screenwriting agents so different from publishing agents that they would assume you're only sending out your query to one at a time? In publishing, agents would be surprised if you didn't query like you send out resumes--until you get an actual contract.

By Blogger Mitch Klein, at 5:00 PM  

And if I had bothered to register the "same agency" part, it would have made sense. D'oh!

By Blogger Mitch Klein, at 5:09 PM  

Post a Comment

Back to Complications Ensue main blog page.



This page is powered by Blogger.