Uwe Stender

It shifts, but right now about 6-12 weeks, sigh.

Both. One does not exclude the other. Unless your query and book works via query, then you have an agent and don't need competitions.

I cannot speak for others, but I don't. Yes, if *I* ask for an R&R it means WAY more interest.

Oh boy, you will get me in trouble. The current "standard" is 2 weeks, but I PERSONALLY will drop EVERYTHING to read if I am in competition. So, frankly, if someone cannot prioritize you within a week, I'd say bye bye, but I violate the pretend DOGMA. So whatevs.

I don't really know about adult scifi, but from what I think I know, you should be ok.

I would say both, but ,as I always say, I cannot speak for others.

If your first ten queries are rejections, you may want to tweak it.

I don't know their policy specifically, but I am a VERY literal person, so I would not query them, but I don't know their structure.

I go in order...clients' manuscripts first and in order of appearance. Sometimes deadlines are attached, then I prioritize by deadlines. As far as submissions go, it depends on the hype some projects have/get. If there is a lot of hype, I start there first.

That's a tough one as we all start somewhere. I would say that if they seem sleazy, they probably are. Also, don't let them charge you. The only pay an agent gets is their commission AFTER they sell your book. Follow your instincts.

I cannot speak for other agents, but I don't like it. Feels disingenuous.

If a person is a therapist, but needs therapy themselves, they would likely go to another therapist and not work on themselves.

I would.

I don't know that is a thing. Maybe you shouldn't listen to that someone. I don't know.

I would first have to love whatever you originally sent me. Once I do, then I would explore more about you. And that means I may look at your website.

Yes, but I wouldn't phrase it that way. Everyone has a dream, and one should pursue it. I applaud the effort even if the result may not be ideal. I admire people who write a novel. That is a hard thing to do. One can always get better. Keep the dream alive.

Somehow writers currently are overthinking the comps part. There must be Social media groups where this is overthought. Comps are great to place the product. If they are recent, they're on people's radar, but if they comp to instantly recognizable older stuff, it'll work, too.

Standalone with series potential is a good way to describe it. I could make up a long German compound noun to describe the second part, but to me that'd still be part of a series about that world and with more or less familiar protagonists. So standalone with series potential.

No. If the first book or two of the series bomb commercially, there just isn't the demand. Think of TV series being pulled after the pilot or 3 episodes in.

I suspect agents pay attention. It sounds wonderful. I just don't have the time. I need to read clients's work, study royalty statements, work on contracts etc., I need people to make the effort to find me, I won't find them. But kudos to the concept.