 One of the most common questions I get at writers conferences is this: Can I query multiple literary agents at once? My answer is that not only yes you can, but you’re encouraged to. After all, though an agent will usually reply quickly (bless you, e-mail), they may take three months or more to get back to you, only to send you a form rejection. You can’t wait around for agents one by one like that. So if you’re doing simultaneous submissions, that is, contacting various agents at the same time, how many agents should you query? Would it be wise to just mail out your query to all 80 agents who rep science fiction, trying to personalize your letter wherever possible? I wouldn’t, if I were you. I would submit to 25% of your total agent list, to begin, including those you’ve met at a writers conference or retreat. But why 25%? Isn’t that a strange, arbitrary number? The first thing you have to do is build your list of possible agents. Good resources to help you build your list include Publishers Marketplace, Agent Query, Manuscript Wish List, and Google, to begin. Once that's done, you'll have your list of target agents. The size of that list depends on your genre and how much research you do. For example, if you're writing Amish romance, maybe 30 agents seek that genre. If you're a diverse author writing young adult fiction, maybe 175 agents want your query. THE RATIONALE: I say "25% of your list" because I want you to protect yourself. My question to you is : what if you submit your query to all agents on your master list, but — heaven forbid — your query letter and first pages suck? Every agent will turn you down and you’ll have hit a brick wall at the beginning of your journey. Instead, submit to a limited number of agents and gauge a response. If you submit to 20 agents and three months elapse with no reps asking to see more work, then guess what? Your query sucks, or your first pages suck, or both. So edit your stuff. Overhaul it. Give it to friends, beta readers, a or a professional book editor for a look. Protect yourself. Taking this approach one step further, let’s say you send your polished query and first chapters to 20 literary agents, and get five responses asking to read your entire book. Congratulations — your query letter is doing its job. But let’s say that none of those 4 agents who request you full manuscript end up offering representation. Guess what that means? After your first few chapters aren’t up to snuff. Revise them. Overhaul them. Give the chapters to friends for a blunt critique. The message is this: If you’re not progressing as you hope, try to identify where you’re going wrong so you can improve on it as quickly as possible. Protect yourself. Give yourself the best chance of success in finding a literary agent.  Attend a writers conference in 2025:
CHUCK SAMBUCHINO is a bestselling humor book writer, a freelance editor, and a former editor for Writer’s Digest Books for many years. During his time with WD Books, he edited the GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS as well as the CHILDREN’S WRITER’S & ILLUSTRATOR’S MARKET. His Guide to Literary Agents Blog was one of the biggest blogs in publishing, averaging more than 350,000 page views each month. He was named by Forbes as one of the top influencers in publishing in recognition of his personal Twitter. Comments are closed.
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