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This is a professional ettiquette question. My first novel was under consideration by a small publishing house in 2007 and was championed mightily by my contact there, but being a small house they could only choose one book to focus on in 2008 and it was somebody else's. So I am going out again with the queries etc.
If another publisher or an agent is interested, is it kosher to refer them to my champion at the house that rejected my book, for a publisher's view of its virtues and potential? Or should I start each relationship from scratch? Is it Don't Ask, Don't Tell?
Thanks, everyone!
If another publisher or an agent is interested, is it kosher to refer them to my champion at the house that rejected my book, for a publisher's view of its virtues and potential? Or should I start each relationship from scratch? Is it Don't Ask, Don't Tell?
Thanks, everyone!
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Re: References between publishers
Tue, January 29, 2008 - 7:23 AMI' ve never been in this situation, quite, but I would be loathe to volunteer to a publisher that they are anything but my first choice. An agent would probably think it a plus that your book has been under consideration. -
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Re: References between publishers
Tue, January 29, 2008 - 11:01 AMMy experience here is limited as well. One publisher to whom I marketed my series gave a glowing review but rejected the work because it was set in a place that was too Earth-like. (I'd queried the publisher on this point before sending the ms., knowing the specs. She agreed to look at it despite the setting, because everything else sounded like a good fit.) However, I didn't use the review in my subsequent marketing.
On the other hand, the online magazine Helix (which accepted my story "Prometheus Rebound") asks for a submission history. My story had been rejected once before I sent it to Helix, though the editor at the first place invited me to submit again.
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Re: References between publishers
Wed, January 30, 2008 - 12:45 AMThank you both for your comments. Here's another twist: my contact at the first publisher recommended that I submit to another small but highly respected publisher in the same city. Maybe I shouldn't mention the recomendation at first, just wait until they are interested in the book?? -
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Re: References between publishers
Sat, February 2, 2008 - 8:28 AMIs your contact at the first publisher someone of authority? Could THEY recommend the book to publisher two? These guys do talk and share. When my first book was being shopped around, it was tossed over the wall to several other publishers by internal folks. -
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Re: References between publishers
Mon, February 4, 2008 - 9:04 PMHum, that's interesting. Publisher #1 is actually a group of small imprints under one dba and my contact was Publisher of the imprint, but all the Publishers had to hang together and get behind whichever book was chosen for the year since the whole dba only puts out one book per year. I'm not sure of the process, there may have been a vote and the marketing dept liked the potentials of another book better.
But the fact that she suggested *I* take the book to Publisher #2 tells me they don't quite have the close relationship you describe.
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Re: References between publishers
Wed, January 30, 2008 - 2:45 PMKosher sure... helpful, not always. Unless you know Editor 1 knows and has similar taste to Editor 2, its probably not worth noting. -
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Re: References between publishers
Thu, January 31, 2008 - 6:22 PMExcellent point. Thank you.
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