#165. How To Interpret Agent Rejections (& What To Do Next)

It’s no secret that one of the biggest roadblocks to getting traditionally published is the dreaded literary agent rejection. But to find the right literary agent for you and your story, you have to go through the process of querying a handful of agents—which means you should expect to get a handful of rejections before finding your perfect match. In this episode, I’m sharing the three most common literary agent rejection scenarios and, more importantly, what you can do in each scenario to take the next steps and keep moving forward with your querying journey. Tune into this episode to hear things like:[02:04] What it means to get a form rejection letter from a literary agent (and why this does NOT mean you should give up on your publishing goals)[05:21] The next steps to take if an agent requests your full manuscript (or some sample pages) but then still doesn’t offer you representation[05:46] What literary agents are looking for in your opening pages—and how to determine if you might be missing any of the elements they’re looking for[10:42] What it means to get a “Revise & Resubmit” request from a literary agent (and more importantly, what NOT to do if you get one)[12:38] 5 signs you should stop querying—including my answer to the commonly asked question, “How long should I query agents before giving up?” If you’ve ever wondered how to interpret the rejection letters you’re receiving (or how to take action on the rejection letters you’re receiving), you’re going to love this episode! ⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they"re also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too! Also, if you haven"t done so already, make sure you"re following the podcast! I"ll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you"re not following the show, there"s a good chance you"ll miss them. Click here to follow now! 🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:Ep. 58 - 10 Querying Mistakes (& How To Avoid Them)Ep. 142 - How To Write A Query Letter That WorksFirst 5 Pages Workshop: How To Hook Readers In Your First 5 Pages Interested in becoming a book coach? Check out Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program before prices increase in 2025! Support the show 👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.