Twitter Guide For Authors & Illustrators > Networking > Is it ok for me to send a DM to an editor, agent or art director? If not, how can I reach them?
Index of topics: Main Twitter Guide For Writers & Illustrators page. To go back to my blog for kidlit/YA writers and illustrators, see Inkygirl. You can find me on Twitter at @inkyelbows (focus: writing and illustrating children's books) and @DebbieOhi (livetweets, chat, photos, personal ramblings). Also see my list of Other Useful Twitter Guides For Authors And Illustrators and Twitter Lists of: agents who represent kidlit/YA, kidlit/YA editors, children's book art/creative directors and K-12/teen librarians on Twitter.
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I would not advise it, unless they invite you to do so. If they're like me, they don't tend to read DMs because their inboxes are too flooded with autoresponder spam.
A better bet: do your research to find out how they prefer being contacted, or if they're even open to unsolicited submissions/queries. If the info isn't available on their publisher/agency website, then you can also try doing a search for online interviews and profiles, especially by others in the industry.
Some purposely make it a challenge to find their contact info as a screening process. I attended an annual SCBWI conference at which an art director was asked for his email address in the Q&A section. He smiled and said that the info was online for those who were willing to work to find it.
My advice: Always assume that if it seems too easy to reach a popular editor, agent or art director, then they're probably inundated with inquiries that way.
Last updated on September 3, 2013 by Debbie Ridpath Ohi