Why Literary Agents Reject Manuscripts
Tips to Improve Your Chances of Finding a Literary Agent
Aug 25, 2009
Literary agents seldom send anything but a generic note when they reject a manuscript. Agents are busy. They're looking for manuscripts to sell, and it's not their job to offer suggestions or explain why they said no.
Anyone who wants to write and sell their work will get rejection. It's never easy to deal with, and it can stop a promising novice from ever writing again. There are a few very clear reasons why an agent will reject a manuscript, and some of them are easy to avoid. Others will take time and work to overcome.
Rejection Because of the Writing
Although many people can tell a great story, it's another matter entirely to be able to write it well. Agents evaluate thousands of manuscripts that may sound good in a query letter, but fail in the execution. It takes honesty to admit that the book it took months to write is just not good.
Chances are family and loyal friends will have praised the writer's work. This is very kind, but can have the double edge of raising expectations and setting a young writer up for failure. People need unbiased criticism so they can get a sense of their strengths and weaknesses. Taking classes to learn the basics of writing fiction and joining a writing workshop can be of immense help.
Rejection Because of Lack of Revision
When a book is finally done, an inexperienced writer will run a spell check, read it carefully for grammatical errors, then print it up and start sending it out. That is never a good idea.
The novel is not done when the words "The End" are written. Revision of a manuscript is almost more important than the actual writing of it. There will be problems in areas such as plot elements, character development, pacing, and so on. Experienced writers revise many times, not just once. It can take months, so expect to live with the story for a long time.
A literary agent should only be approached when the manuscript is as good as it can be. They are not editors. Agents want to sell as much as the writer, but they must be able to present a complete and revised manuscript, not one that still needs basic work.
Never Send an Agent an Unsolicited Manuscript
The only way to approach a literary agent is by contacting them and briefly telling them what the book is about and asking if they would like to see it. This is done by writing a query letter. Some agents now accept email queries. If a young writer sends a manuscript to an agent out of the blue, they will send it back or dispose of it.
This is not really rejection, because they haven't read it. But it's a waste of time and money. Never send anything to an agent who hasn't asked to see the work. Only send what they've asked to see. If an agent wants the first chapter, that's all a writer should send. It's enough to give them a sense of the writing and the story.
Rejection Because of a Lack of Professionalism
Agents are business people. Although writers and agents can become friends, that is not the primary purpose of the relationship.
It is important to be professional when writing a query letter to an agent. They want to read a synopsis of the novel. They don't want to be told how great the book is, how long it took to write, or that Mom just loves it. Stick to the facts, be extremely polite and maintain a professional demeanor in every contact.
If an agent has asked to see all or part of the manuscript, don't call every day and ask if they've read it yet. Give them time-in some cases weeks or even a few months. Frequent phone calls or desperate emails will make them reject the writer just as much as the manuscript.
Choose the Right Literary Agent
Even if the manuscript is great and the story is riveting, it will be rejected if the writer has sent a Victorian Romance novel to an agent who doesn't handle that type of book. This will be avoided if the writer targets the agents he queries.
Research the agents before contacting them. There are several books and websites that list agents and what they sell. They also inform a writer on how to write an acceptable synopsis and query letter. It's worth the time and money to figure out where a manuscript has the best chance of being accepted.
Expect Rejection and Keep Writing
Writers get rejected. Some writers are rejected many times and for several different books before an agent finally agrees to represent them. Even then, there's no guarantee it will be sold. The publishing companies are experiencing the same economic downturn as other industries.
Rejection should not stop a serious writer from moving on to the next project. Someone with a true love and talent for writing and the drive to continue despite rejection will only improve in their craft. Every novel is different, and what is learned while writing a second or third novel will increase the writer's skill.
Revise that novel, do some research, follow accepted format, keep writing, and don't give up.
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