I am bootsie to my kids, because I don't dress top-to-toe in Baby Phat, Apple Bottoms and BCBG. And I don't own a single Coach or Vuitton bag.

blinks

...it looks like English, and yet...

is baffled

You dare come to my shop and ask for the Coca-Cola! Americans! Jean-Charles, to the barricades!

::snerk:: I like, Connie!

Snerk too.

Quick question. In a particular publisher I happen to know who ends up editing books like mine. Unfortunately for me, that editor is a VP and Associate publisher. Do I send my query to the bigwig editor (who does not know me) or to the assocate editor who normally handles the slush pile?

Gar, is there no guideline for that, one that's specific to the publisher?

My take is that, if the guy already knows you and there's no guideline specifying otherwise, send it to him. AmyLiz? Your take?

connie, that was funny. I suspect the French shopkeeper would be more likely to call that tinned meat patè, though.

Like I said bigwig does not know me. But there is no guideline as to who to send queries to. I know that the bigwig handles books like mine by a "thank you" in a book line mine. I know who handles the slush pile cause I called a receptionist and asked.

I think the publisher is discouraging unsolicited queries without outright saying they are not accepted just in case they get a good one.

Huh.

Might be worth it to query first - the "I have a proposal I believe would be a good fit with your line, who should I send it to" kind of query. If you get a name one way or the other, there's your personalised salutation. If not, you can always address it to the name the receptionist gave you. Nothing to lose, after all.

But if you want to send the proposal straight in, I'd send it to the slush pile guy.

Really, this is way more Amy's purview than mine. Me writer/Amy writer and was-editor at mainstream house.

Gar, never *ever* send a full manuscript, or even a proposal (outline, chapters, etc.) unsolicited.

I think the publisher is discouraging unsolicited queries without outright saying they are not accepted just in case they get a good one.

All *queries* are unsolicited -- it's the first step, after all. Unsolicited *submissions* are often discouraged, because there are always too many submissions period. Still, there's always a slush pile because a lot of writers don't do research and send stuff merrily along (see: the submissions that came to editors who had been gone for years, the volumes of poetry -- which we didn't publish -- etc.). Doesn't mean anyone actually reads it, except for fun -- most stuff like that gets tossed.

Bottom line -- if you have a name, make sure it's correct and use it. But send *only* a letter asking if the house is interested, with a SASE. And be prepared to wait for a response for a good long time.

Oh definitely going to query. There is no point in sending an unsolicited proposal I think. (Well there are some places that specifically say not to query - that want proposals straight out. But I'm not contacting them yet - waiting to see if I can get a solicitation for a proposal by querying those who do prefer queries. Cause an unsolicited proposal would have to be multiple with all the problems that implies. So definitely doing queries first.)

So If I have a name you think I ought to direct the the one page query to that name, not slush pile person?

The ideal thing would be to have an agent. But this stikes as very much a small press book - and I honestly don't think an agent is going to want to rep a first time small-presser. 15% of a small press advance is minimum wage, given what a good agent does. While obviously I'm not expecting to net money from a first book, if I think about agents then I do have to take that into consideration; an agent who worked for nothing would be unbelievable popular, and er living on catfood.

x-post: so send the query to the name, not the slush pile - even if the name is a bigwig?

Heh. See? Amy knows.