[j. d. worthington]

Teresa's right. Nor is this a recent trend. This is true throughout the history of publishing. Publishers talk to each other. They get feedback from each other. They sometimes show manuscripts they're interested in, but not quite sure they're going to take, if they think the writer deserves a chance, to other publishers on the chance they may take it. The same with editors. There's generally a strong sense of community with the publishing business, especially when it comes to genre publishing. And they look very dimly on writers whom they perceive to be playing both ends against the middle. While there isn't actually a blackballing, it can result in an unconscious resistance to that writer once they earn that reputation. Agents have that privilege. A writer selling his own work really had better not play that game, not unless he (or she) has a very sharp straight razor and a good mirror handy for when the final results come in....