What Agents/Editors Really Look For

It's all about the story, right? Weeeellllllll sort of...

When we get a project coming across our desk, yes, we start with the quality of the writing. If the writing is awful, it is an automatic NO! However, there is a heck of a lot more that we actually look at before making the call.

MARKETABILITY? - Remember, this is a business of selling a product. We do our market research and if the project is not something that readers are wanting right now, it is a NO. For agents, we also look at this and determine if this is something we have the expertise and connections to get that book published. 

ONE HIT WONDER? - You might have a great book, but it that is all you have, then we might be tempted to say no. Why? Your success as an author do not necessarily come from one book, but repeated sales. It takes time to build your audience. We want to know what else you have written, planned, or thought about.

ARE YOU MARKETABLE? - Remember, it is also about you. If you are someone who is hard to work with. If you are someone who cannot accept criticism. If you are going to require an extensive amount of hand-holding, then we might turn away. Let me just give you a hint here. We can see this in your query letter, you professionalism, what you "decide" to leave out of your letter and what you post on social media.

OUR GUT INSTINCT? - This business is about subjectivity. There are times when we just don't connect to a story. There will be times when we look at a project and something tells us, to pass on it. 

So let me end this with something I frequently put in my rejection letter... "Just because the story didn't work for me, there is nothing to say it might not work for someone else."