When an agent's webpage says 'don't send to an individual agent but write to the address stated and the work will be read by the appropriate person' or words to that effect, do they really mean it? Everything I've read suggests you should write to a named person.

I think the default should always be to do what you're told on the website, unless you have a very strong reason (say, you've met this agent in person and they've said "send it") to do otherwise.

I wrote the generic Submissions Department in the address, but put Dear Particular Agent in the letter bit. This way I demonstrated that I knew which agent best met my novel and my letter - or email text - tried to show how they fitted.

Saying that I have a 3-0 rejection record.

Hope this makes sense. It is Saturday night.