We share queries with each other frequently, so a no from one is a no from all.

[Johnny 5]

How much water does this really hold? Do they really sit in a meeting room/call with 100's of queries and share each one? Do they really know exactly how the other agents think and what gets them excited? Can they mind read the mood every other agent is in on any given day?

I made such a mistake sending a query to an agent at an agency who seemed great, but who I found out now is way overloaded and a little unhinged. I have also now found a junior agent in the same agency who sounds like a better fit for my chances. I know, why didn't I notice this before? I'm trying to figure that out myself! 

So I'm stuck now . . . They have no info on when to consider no response as a pass, and I am also keen to try the other agent.

What do y'all reckon?

[littlewritings]

I have a few thoughts about this:
- Sometimes agencies have shared query inboxes and all agents can look at all queries, so in this case it's absolutely possible that an agent you didn't query will have a look at your submission.
- Agents will absolutely know what their fellow agents are looking for, so if you send them something they think a fellow agent will be interested in, they'll definitely pass it on.
- I don't think queries get passed around just because. You have to keep in mind that a big chunk of all queries an agent receives either aren't query-ready or don't follow submission guidelines and I highly doubt they'd bother sharing those, since those basically get auto-rejected.

So I think they share sometimes, but definitely not every single query.

(I've heard of people who got away with querying two agents at a "no from one is a no from all" agency, but it's risky. If the agency uses QM, they often see if you've queried another agent at the agency. Then some agencies are okay with a re-query after changes were made. Very worst case: They figure it out and you get auto-rejected and you end up burning bridges.)

[Tabris]

If you're querying an email address like Queries @ AgencyName . com then I believe they do have interns doing the first pass on all the queries and are going to redirect your query to a better-fit agent if you targeted the wrong one. ie, you queried the nonfiction agent with your romantic suspense, they'll send it to the agent who's a better fit. But if they have two agents who do romantic suspense and you queried Agent A, they probably aren't going to send it to Agent B as well.

If each agent has an individual email address, I believe it's less likely that they share, but I wouldn't query both of them, either at the same time or one after the next.

So in this case, I would say you may be out of luck with the junior agent.

[Johnny 5]

Thanks all, maybe it was for the better

[Miss Plum]

This did work out to my advantage once. I submitted to Agent A, forgot all about it, and got an excited call from Agent B. Agent A had said he couldn't handle this particular project, but he thought Agent B would like it. Agent B LOVED it, signed me, and... couldn't sell it, but that's another brush-with-success story for another day.

The point is, Yes, agents can, one way or another, get a manuscript to a colleague if they think it has merit but they themselves aren't right for it or have too much on their plate.

[Johnny 5]

That is great to hear Miss Plum (at least the progress you had with it. Pity about the sale )

Well I just got an ER from this agent (Dear Author, not even my name) so door is officially closed until I send through the next book to them. 11 days response time though which was pretty decent given they are quite popular.