Top 10 Reasons Your Query Was Rejected

[@stormtrooper3381]

Harry Potter was rejected by 12 publishers. Kill a mockingbird over 12. It’s obviously not a perfect science. So my advice - perseverance. I don’t have a publisher and I’m in 53 stores. Over 750 copies sold since June 2019. Its a children’s board book. Good luck independents. You can still do it.... I plan on having 100 accounts by year end.

[@pawnstorminreno]

I've sold thousands indie but I have a book that's a better fit for trad. There are lots of niches out there.

[@oatmilk1741]

it took 7 years because they had to go to their day job.

[@MrK.A]

Exactly

[@Auxik]

I work about 50+ hours a week with a toddler and a wife that works shifts. I wrote 120k word manuscript in a little under 3 years. Most of the time it just poured out of me. I went back and rewrote a few chapters from different perspectives and most of the time was editing. Write drunk, edit sober.

[@garykotowski2622]

Correct. I think the high and mighty gatekeepers, perched atop their Ivory tower, have trouble understanding us lowly mortals.

[@jamal7586]

Most of the agents out there are not fit for your books. Most can't even write an essay let alone a book. Do not stress about what they 'think' is perfect for them or the market. Curve your path through seeking and patience. Don't ever be discouraged.

[@LolIGuess123]

Absolutely. The Artists are the Creators, the ones bleeding and sweating and squeezing their souls onto the page. Smug Agents without talent are to be avoided.

[@cjpreach]

They never mentioned my presumed #1 reason for Agent rejections: Failure to follow submission guidelines. Or did I miss it?

[@one_smol_duck]

whenever y'all do a video like this the comments are scary. i appreciate it though. these are very helpful videos, even if they attract the ire of bitter authors.

[@MissyLaMotte]

I wrote a cloning Jesus story when I was 16. If I remember correctly, it was after sheep Dolly had been born but way before Jurassic Park. And I found the idea quite original back then ...

[@lizpage4580]

This was really interesting and didn't repeat the same things I always hear about spelling correctly and addressing to the right person (which are a little basic).

[@BookEndsLiterary]

Thank you! That won't always garner a rejection, but they're nice to not have ;)

[@scubert-rw9qz]

I have written a YA Fantasy that can also apply to NA. My word count is in the 140k range I have done many edits and have made my story as tight as it can be. People say for fantasy 100 - 150k is alright but not if it's YA. My question is - Should I split my book into two? How do you know if you have really written two books instead of one? I'm worried if I query my story as one book with a 140k word count agents will think I have overwritten or it needs tons of editing and reject it.

[@AuthorGuy1]

If you guys used web forms for queries, you could automatically delete based on the contents of each section without even needing to read it. If the comp title section is empty (as mine usually are), you can auto-dump in bulk.

[@IvanWalshprofile]

the links to your blog post appear to be broken

[@BookEndsLiterary]

Thanks for pointing this out! They're fixed now!

[@avalock]

OMG. "Cloning Jesus!?!" I would've never even guessed people write about that. Also, I would NOT want to read that book, so good call.

[@adamlamare4777]

My next question for your amazing channel. Should a new UK writers stick to UK agents? I’m currently searching for a middle grade fiction agent should I broaden my horizons ?.

[@jakemccormac732]

Curious about that myself

[@samanthaapicella2525]

This video was useful. Thank you. However, what would be even more helpful is if you went through an ideal query letter vs. a “bad” one. There are so many when you Google but to have agents actually discuss the ideal letter would be even better.

[@BookEndsLiterary]

Thank you for the suggestion!!

[@KC-fl2ft]

Thank you! This video was extremely helpful. I will fix all of my queries.

[@shelbymaalouf4261]

Is a “pass” from one Bookends agent a pass from ALL bookends agents ?

[@tonyaosier1678]

What if an editor likes the short story, but asks for a contribution to print because of an unknown author? Is that good or bad? Thank you

[@hemavalliindrasenachilukur4970]

Hello world, I am a fiction thriller writer. I have been digging for so long and might have faced more than 500 agents rejections. And I have no reason why mine is getting rejected which is matching with yours. May be can you help me why?

[@urorazbojnik5678]

Would being in a different country, like eastern europe, be a reason for rejection?

[@cityman2312]

Recommendations about formatting would also help. Does it have to be double spaced?

[@jaggededge4]

Yes and indent paragraphs

[@psychic644]

Excellent vid ! Very practical, helpful information. It's no nonesense and to the point !

[@BookEndsLiterary]

Thank you! Hope it helps

[@psychic644]

Always ! Have a fantastic day !

[@BookEndsLiterary]

@@psychic644 You too :)

[@gadeshtmounigama8479]

Young people, hired to read submissions and their genre specialty is, what? Why would an author selling thousands give up part of their income to a publisher? Question 2, when the author gets pitance of percentage from the cover price who is really making the money? The agent wants to find a reason to reject you, their words. They are 2 people I would not want advice from let alone representing me.

[@innocent-yellowbean9670]

What's an appealing word count for you guys? Thanks!

[@Christines_World1966]

Funny divorce books? I'm still learning to write query, how many words should I use

[@BookEndsLiterary]

There's not so much a word count as there is a structure. Please visit our channel-- we have a whole video on this! Hope it helps

[@tonyh.anderson2658]

Why does it feel like we authors are idiots, and they are laughing at our expense?

[@anthonyryan9954]

Yea right this place is a breath of fresh air. Watch agents read first pages on Reedsy. You don’t know terror.

[@nunziobusiness1509]

@@anthonyryan9954 Do agents know that there's a lot of exposition in those first pages? It can't all be a white-knuckle, edge-of-your-seat page turner.

[@anthonyryan9954]

@@nunziobusiness1509 if you want an agent to read your first page you have to know they already have set rules that don’t have to be followed by established authors but do have to be followed by you. Plain and simple info dumping in the first chapter is not good. It’s so easy to start with zero exposition, where the reader can invest in the situation without having a sure grip on the circumstances. That’s actually what you want, stories need to let the reader tell it to themself, and an agent can see in the first paragraph of that will happen. They don’t take chances on stories because they know it gets good in a little bit im sorry.

[@rebelinthehighcastle]

Thanks for giving me my “homework” assignment.

[@woodlandlady7011]

Rejected for not using comp titles?

[@MGregg-sq8ey]

The Query letter only fulfills a minute portion of the author's true writing skills. Writing a book is much more than reading a resume. Yet, agents often gloss over submissions like a resume because they are overwhelmed with Query letters. The agent would be better off requesting a synopsis; a bio; platform; a proposal and the best three chapters in the book ( as opposed to the first three chapters); and the Query Cover Letter . This would drop the overwhelming quantity of submissions by Query letter alone. Most agents only want a Query letter which often winds up with a canned form rejection letter; a placement in the circular file or no reply at all.....

[@BookEndsLiterary]

We fully understand the frustrations authors have with the query. To alleviate that we try to remind you that all readers tend to buy on the query. When agents pitch a book to editors we base our initial pitch (and garner enthusiasm) by, essentially the query. Readers too buy books off the query, otherwise knows as the back cover copy. Whether we want to admit it or not, the query is essential throughout the life of the book. You can read more here: bookendsliterary.com/2018/11/01/the-long-life-of-a-query-letter/

[@AnnaMaledonPictureBookAuthor]

The problem with submitting the best 3 chapters is that, if the first chapter is not great, a reader ( or agent) will not get to the best parts. You need to grab a reader's attention from the start. If you don't do that in the first chapter, or really, on the first page, nobody will read the rest. Nobody starts reading a book in the middle.

[@gertrudetoll2213]

Again I found this informative, yet fun to listen to and watch. Didn't know cloning Jesus was such a popular theme, not sorry I missed those books....

[@kevinabate6056]

Do you know how much time I waste arguing with myself about whether or not working on this book counts as a job? Do you know much of that time wouldn't get wasted if I knew I wasn't alone in the process? I don't think many agents appreciate that, and I don't want to hear excuses about how my book isn't a worthwhile project because I shared some of it on Facebook. I know young adult agents want cutesy poo writing that's dumbed down a little bit. But I also know that agents will invest in crap that they think they can push on kids and in the same thought wonder why brick and mortar book stores are falling apart. Serious fiction will always, always, always have a place in the market and some people will always be intimidated by the scope of those projects.

[@thewizzard3150]

you are confusing an agent with an editor. don't worry agents do this a lot too. an editor works for a publisher and will help you edit your book once it has been accepted, an agent is self employed and is just a middle man who takes a percentage of your income. do you need an agent ,No. you need an editor. commission only jobs are jobs, volunteer jobs are jobs, if you work so many hours a day at your writing and put together good query's to editors, then it is a job.

[@reichsfuehrerniveacreme]

The guy doesn't act old enough to be a judge of a comic book.

[@aleksandrsav3309]

Helpful video. I am very protective of my manuscript. Not ready yet. But when i'm ready, Fiverr will be the Next Great Subjective Meta Hero ! :))))) Thanks for the Video guys!

[@alphafort]

Do you ever get a bad query letter....but the book is actually great? This might be a dumb question but if one had to think about it, the writer presenting the query might just have goofed up in the presentation. Does this happen? :)

[@BookEndsLiterary]

Of course. This happens more than you think!

[@alphafort]

@@BookEndsLiterary LOL. tyvm for the reply. I hope you approve my query that intend to submit very soon. :). One could logically conclude that the synopsis/ sample pages are the only matter a literary agent considers - to go straight to the relevant material ofc.

[@coreymoore1443]

So: #1. The idea has been done before. #10. There aren’t any comp titles just like your book.

[@BookEndsLiterary]

No, not exactly. #1 is saying that if a book is overdone in our opinion, then we're obviously not a great fit for that book. There's likely an agent somewhere else who is looking for this exact thing, but it's not us. #10 is warning against the use of inaccurate comp titles, not the idea that there are no comp titles you can find for your work. We talk often of the dangers of comp titles. If something doesn't fit your book, it's fine to query without comps. Hope that helps. Good luck writing/querying!

[@adaparkerbeuchert-author5838]

Great Ideas folks

[@christinabriggs1782]

Very helpful. Thank you for this video. :)

[@BillZebubproductions]

This was a cordial clip - thanks for that style.

[@BookEndsLiterary]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@JenniVander]

This is for you, James, and your magnificent writing prompt 😂 I looked down at the son of God laying on my laboratory table, proud of myself that I'd only needed three attempts to create the replacement for the son of a bi*** that betrayed me.

[@BookEndsLiterary]

Hahaha!

[@nunziobusiness1509]

@@BookEndsLiterary Blasphemy is hilarious?

[@crlake]

Thank you.

[@mrplatink]

Comp titles and knowing the market better than my debit PIN number - my Achilles heel

[@JumpCutProYT]

I would love to edit video for this channel! Query me if interested 👌

[@AdamPerryWriting]

Damn! I was so close to cloning Jesus in my next book! Hah!!

[@dhruvbs]

Considering words are your trade, you should choose better ones, jessica. Your 'honest' attitude is nothing but arrogance and demeaning to authors (I am not one). Also if you want to convey that you have a lot of stuff coming and you can accept only a few, you should probably say it in a way that does not make people vomit in their mouths. Hope this lofty, holier than thou demeanor serves you well.

[@tommmy6471]

Hi this is useful. Fan from india

[@thestorywasbetterinmyhead6990]

My word count is too much 😣😣😣 lol

[@NewtFidoScamander]

Is it naive to think that the writing should be enough rather than the query intriguing agents somehow?

[@galacticambitions1277]

Both are really fun and knowledgeable. My only suggest is not to fiddle with a pen on-screen - it's quite distracting!

[@francine8806]

Sounds like these agents are talking about purely commercial genre books, not literary novels. Think of all the artists we love who would've been rejected by these guys.

[@AmberZak83]

Well then these aren’t the right agents for them. It’s as much about finding the right agent for you’re type of book.

[@authorcharlieg]

It not looking like you seek Alternate History novels, as an informational interview, here is my query letter. Which categories is it failing under? Battle Group reveals military life from the enlisted view. At approximately 92,000 words, Battle Group comes, a historical alternate history fiction. Battle Group reveals the real Navy. “Bored, again! Mind if I chat with my wingman?” Desmarais asked General MacArthur at zero six thirty hours. “Why should I care,” MacArthur snipped. “Thanks!” she replied, her Hornet flying inverted over Ensign Bisset’s. Two jets flew corkscrews across the sky eighteen inches apart, to 50,000 feet to 30 feet and to 50,000 feet again, their pilots giggled like girls on a roller coaster. Captain Tammy Kidd, sets her sights on Admiral Barth who must come to terms with her, and half a dozen Navy pilots with more whit than wisdom. He must deal with brash 23 year old Seaman Ruth Tenaz, Raped three years prior, she now struggles with PTSD. Her goal is for male and female clothing equality, ladies not having to wear tops, unisex heads, and berthing, she thinks to end the mystic of being female and with it, the male desire for rape. The conflict between the Admiral, his senior officers, pilot, along with the sexual intensity between he and Tammy rivals the Japanese Empire’s fierce resolve. Story plot moves with the fleet, from Pearl, through the Philippines, Coral Sea, and onto Japan proper. Presenting a classic mismatch between our modern navy and World War II Japan, Battle Group will interest all loving Shock and Awe, blood and gore. Barth shows leadership to senior officers and pilots, using line and staff leadership. He uses line to explain how line leaders hold lines/ropes with their crews. The novel belongs in every leadership class at the University. Tenaz shows On the Job training techniques. Every sailor, would read Battle Group with nostalgia!” A Naval veteran assigned to the carrier, USS Forrestal, I earned the name Charlie Albacore. Captain Barth commanded the Forrestal with Admiral Kidd, his superior. May I submit my manuscript for your consideration? Thank you for your time.

[@stormtrooper3381]

Molly Maguire McGill I would take it on if I was an agent.

[@JS-rp7qb]

1 - Ensigns don’t fly Hornets. 2 - Service Ceiling of the Hornet? 3 - What model hornet? 4 - Excessive use of commas 5 - Still not sure exactly what this book is about 6 - Why is an ensign shooting the shit with a general? Admiral maybe? Still unlikely. 7 - Excessive use of commas. I could go on. There are reasons for rejections.

[@thewizzard3150]

@@stormtrooper3381 anybody can be an agent. no skills or training required.

[@thewizzard3150]

the problem with agents is they like to think they are editors, but their not. Plus the old saying "familiarity breads contempt". these people like to swagger around like they are gods, son's gift to publishing, plus I have never heard of cloning Jesus. It could be the good book if done properly. The sad fact is that most if not all agents reject or accept based on personal taste, a taste which has soured over the years by reading 100's of unpublished MS's the bad, the good and the ugly and they can't tell the difference any more. the truth the agent won't tell you is that a big book editor will read and accept a good book proposal regardless of whether it comes from an agent or an author. to cut a story that is getting to long short, this is why I don't bother with agents.

[@DrVVVinK]

Perhaps your manuscripts wouldn't get rejected if you learned proper grammar.

[@DrVVVinK]

"It could be the good book if done properly." Your sentence structure isn't proper.

[@AuthorGuy1]

Your arguments about self-publishing make no sense. Why would a publisher want a self-published book that has already sold like crazy? The target audience is saturated. A self-published title that has sold poorly at least has a target audience remaining, who in all likelihood have never heard of the book. Simply self-publishing shouldn't be automatically toxic to a book's success.

[@sammomin8115]

Why almost 90% of book agents, like in this video, are either Lesbians or Gays? I'm glad they were not around when James Joyce, Earnest Hemingway, or Charles Dickens decided to publish.

[@one_smol_duck]

Damn I thought all the comments bitching about their queries being rejected were bad but you've really taken the cake.

[@danmart1879]

Moronic conversation.

[@BookEndsLiterary]

Tough crowd.

[@Ruylopez778]

Seemed to me like it precisely fit the title of the video, and didn't repeat the same old obvious points about check punctuation and address it by name

[@tonyparete6892]

The only real reason your query gets rejected is because the agent ain't already a friend, relative, business associate or bribe recipient. That's how it works, people. We genuine creative types will forever be fucked because of it.

[@barbc.6996]

James' presentation is immature and unprofessional. Get over yourself. You're a young man who appears tp think you are better than the authors submitting theor work. And if Jessica is a truly experienced, professional agent, then she should act like one. Laughing at and joking about these "top 10" reasons is appalling. Perhaps BookEnds should take a look at its own staff and consider making some changes.

[@philipjohn1254]

I would like this comment more than once if I could.