Simultaneous Submissions?

[juggalojess]

Hey all,
I am about to submit my latest project to Slave Labor as my top choice based on the material. I noticed they ask if this is a simultaneous submission as they like to know if they are not the only one viewing the submission.

Anyone have any views on this? Is saying yes a turn off? Should I exclusively submit to Slave Labor?

Just wondering, I noticed no one else has asked that.

Thanks
jess

[Tom Nguyen]

Originally Posted by juggalojess

Hey all,
I am about to submit my latest project to Slave Labor as my top choice based on the material. I noticed they ask if this is a simultaneous submission as they like to know if they are not the only one viewing the submission.

Anyone have any views on this? Is saying yes a turn off? Should I exclusively submit to Slave Labor?

Just wondering, I noticed no one else has asked that.

Thanks
jess

That's interesting...I'm not sure why it should be any of their business. Just say that they're the only one

Best,
Tom

[T.J. May]

I wouldn't lie. Not if you want the opportunity to work with them in the future. It is common practice for publishers in all mediums to want to be aware of simultaneous submissions.

If it's in their guidelines that they'd like to know, then tell them. Chances are if they are interested others will be too and it isn't going to hurt your chances of getting it published.

[Kep!]

In the prose publishing world simultaneous submissions are considered a real no-no. In comics, it's mostly the same. One reason is if they take the project, they want to start at once and not have to wait for you to hear back from the other publisher. Also, the other publisher feels the same. With email and such, response times have dropped to nada, so this usually doesn't slow you down much, but when it was strictly paper and stamps you'd recieve one rejection and send it out again the same day to the next guy on the list. Call it tradition if nothing else, but there are practical reasons.

[Scribe]

I don't see anything wrong with not informing publishers of simultaneous submissions. Email has cut down the time it takes to send a response, but it doesn't mean faster response times because more people are sending submissions to editors.

Not sending out simultaneous submissions is in effect a no bid contract. Would you rather have two publishers interested in you or one? Unless those publishers specifically ask to be made aware of multiple submissions I wouldn't mention it because all it will do is harm your chances.

Sure editors may want to be able to monopolize your time when handing out an assignment, but it is an unreal expectation for them to just assume you’ll be ready when they call. Most experienced editors realize this when working with freelancers. Also you’re not under an obligation to wait for another publisher. If your top choice calls first accept the job and if and when another publisher calls just reply, “I’m sorry that project already sold, but I have another proposal you might be interested in.”

[kdmelrose]

I don't think the "practical reasons" really hold up, though.

I know that some publishers want to be the One And Only, but the "no simultaneous submissions" stance is silly. It's great if the publisher wants to approve a submission and start immediately: They can say, "We need an answer tomorrow," which cuts down drastically on the creator insisting he needs to hear back from other companies.

Email has greatly reduced shipping time and response overall. But it hasn't necessarily cut down on the time it takes for publishers to actually go through submissions (some companies then have to go through a process to greenlight a project, too).

The sheer volume of submissions sometimes makes it difficult to respond quickly; even those who are generally timely can get backed up with convention season, holidays or the end-of-year rush. So if there's an expectation of "exclusive" submission, how long should the creator wait before going to Option B? A month? Six weeks? Three months?

A month or so I can see as reasonable. Beyond that, I'm not so sure.

As T.J. said, I wouldn't lie. It's a small industry in which many editors and publishers know each other, and talk at conventions. It probably wouldn't be a good sign if, after you told an editor that you hadn't submitted to another company, he was chatting up a colleague who said, "I'm looking at this great pitch about zombie gunfighters called The Slowest Gun in the West."

"Yeah? Um, me, too."

[Raven]

This is an interesting question. Frankly, I wouldn't submit to a publisher that wants "exclusive" submissions only. Until they pay me, I'll do whatever I want with my story.

Normally I switch a bit of the story, tweak it to fit that particular publisher, and then send out a special submission just for that company. So technically it is the only one, the other one is a different version for a different company.

[Scribbly]

Originally Posted by Raven

This is an interesting question. Frankly, I wouldn't submit to a publisher that wants "exclusive" submissions only. Until they pay me, I'll do whatever I want with my story.

Normally I switch a bit of the story, tweak it to fit that particular publisher, and then send out a special submission just for that company. So technically it is the only one, the other one is a different version for a different company.

Cool.

[jrod]

Originally Posted by kdmelrose

"I'm looking at this great pitch about zombie gunfighters called The Slowest Gun in the West."

I'd buy that, by the way.

[kdmelrose]

Ha!

[Buckyrig]

It's absurd to me. If you were out pounding the pavement looking for a job, no one would expect you to only apply to one place at a time.

But you don't get to make the rules. I also don't think it's that bad that they are only asking if someone else is looking at it, not asking that you don't submit to someone else.

[Caleb Monroe]

Here is the article you should read.

In it, the editors of Dark Horse, Image, AiT, Avatar, IDW, Marvel, CrossGen and Humanoids all give their answer to this exact question.

If Slave Labor asks to know, then tell them. All you have to do is squeeze this little sentence onto your cover letter somewhere: "This is a simultaneous submission." Like someone else said, this is a small industry and people talk, so don't give anyone any ammo. If you don't inform them and they contact you saying they want the book and you say "Sorry, I'm going to go with Image after all," well, that's the sort of incident that can follow you.

[JAQ]

Originally Posted by Scribe

Sure editors may want to be able to monopolize your time when handing out an assignment, but it is an unreal expectation for them to just assume you’ll be ready when they call. Most experienced editors realize this when working with freelancers.

You're talking about this in terms of freelance assignments where someone is hiring you to work on their project, but submitting a project of your own to a comics publisher such as Slave Labor isn't quite the same thing. That's an author-publisher relationship, not a client-freelancer deal.

Given the amount that a proposal can sit on a publisher's desk before they have time to respond to it (likely including some that will never get around to it), I don't think it's particularly fair for one to insist that you practice serial monogamy with your proposals. But regardless: if they ask to be told that you're playing the field with a proposal, you darn well better be honest with them about it. There aren't that many pretty girls out there that you can afford to get on one of their shit lists.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Buckyrig

But you don't get to make the rules. I also don't think it's that bad that they are only asking if someone else is looking at it, not asking that you don't submit to someone else.

Actually yes I do.

When I got to work in the evenings at a grocery store, working stock, dealing with idiot customers, doing what I am told, I don't get to make the rules.

When I come home and tell stories, I make the rules. These are my ideas, my stories, my blood and sweat and soul. If they don't want me to submit it to other companies, pay me. Otherwise, I don't feel they have the right to say anything until they own it.

On the other hand, always follow submission guidelines and be honest. If you don't like THEIR rules, don't deal with them.

I never submitted to Image before Erik Larsen was in charge simply because I did not like Jim Valentino's taste in books.

[juggalojess]

Thanks for all the responses guys.

After reading Caleb;s suggested article it sounds like you're damned if you don't and damned if you do.

Jim Valentino states: It's an instant turnoff

Erik Larsen states: Send it to EVERYBODY you can think of.


So I guess it makes more sense to send it off everywhere.

Jess