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Rejecting Submissions is the Worst Part of the Job

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Blogger: Rachel Kent

Believe it or not, agents don’t actually enjoy rejecting submissions, but it’s part of the job. I think it’s my least favorite part of my job. I often do all of my rejection emails and letters on the same day each week, and I never feel good about that day when I go home. It’s not fun to think about crushing the hopes of so many writers. The agents I know never set out to be insensitive when it comes to writing a rejection to an author, but sometimes we sound as if we don’t care just because of the number of rejections we have to send out. It’s humanly impossible for an agent to represent every good project that comes along; so we have to evaluate each project using these criteria:

1) Is the project something I’m excited about?

The best representation comes from an enthusiastic agent. I want to be excited about my clients’ projects, and my clients want me to be enthusiastic about their writing.

2) Could I show this project to my established network of publishers?

Every agent has a network of editors and publishers whom they’ve established relationships with. These editors and publishers are usually interested in the same type of material the agent is; so the relationship has been built on a mutual love for certain genres or topics. Agents want to represent books that could be shown to many different editors and publishing houses in their preexisting network because the possibility of selling the project is higher.

3) Could I work well with this author?

The author-agent relationship is very important. There needs to be mutual respect and trust between them for the relationship to last. I have a phone call and exchange several emails with potential clients before I offer representation. I try to get to know them as much as I can because I would much rather be very careful about whom I work with than having to end a relationship because it didn’t go well.

4) Can this author write well and revise if necessary?

I look for clean writing in submissions and often will suggest revisions not only to help to improve the project but also to see if the author is willing and able to make revisions. It’s understandable that authors don’t want to change their “babies,” but when I see changes that need to be made, I want clients who are going to trust my judgment and do a thorough and professional revision.

If the answer is “no” to any of these criteria, I’m going to choose not to represent that writer. When I send a rejection, I hope that author will find the right agent for his or her project; I want every author to succeed.

How do you handle rejection? Have you ever had to reject someone’s work? How did you feel about it?

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  1. Rachel, I have never had to reject or accept anyone’s written work. I can only imagine how hard and awkward that must be. I know if I’ve hired work done and things didn’t come out like I wanted, it would be so hard for me to voice it, with my personality. I’m so thankful when that dress’s alteration turns out just right, so I can say, “I love it!” And I smiled at: “I want every author to succeed.” I think that helps a writer to handle rejection … just knowing that someone is for you and using persistence to keep trying.

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  2. Rejection’s not an easy thing
    when you’ve got so much to give.
    Last round’s bell’s about to ring,
    and I really want to live.
    I’d say it was the week from hell
    but it was far worse than that.
    I have heard the tolling knell,
    and I was choking, on the mat.
    My body wants to quit the fight
    but my body’s not my soul,
    and in cancer’s dim red firelight
    I’ll show death how we roll.
    Write this across the burning sky:
    “I rise, and stand, and shall not die.”

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  3. Great post, Rachel. Maybe you need your family to bring you a load of chocolate on those rejection letter writing days.

    Last year, I became an acquisitions editor intern for one of my publishers. I don’t, however, speak directly with the author when it comes time to accept or decline a project. When I provide feedback to the publisher, I’m honest, but diplomatic–which is how my book reviews read. Is it always taken that way? No, but that’s something I can’t control.

    It’s hard to accept that a project we have slaved over for any length of time doesn’t meet an agent’s or publisher’s needs, but through perseverance and with an open mind we get closer to finding the right one.

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  4. The reality of rejections and the huge amount of competition should encourage upcoming writers to revise and polish their work to the best of their abilities. I know–we all grow weary of laboring over the same manuscript month after month. But a too hasty “Good enough” can be the literary equivalent of shooting yourself in the foot. I’ve proofread some manuscripts that could have shined much brighter if only the writers weren’t in such a hurry to submit.

    Blessings to you for this view from the agent’s side of the desk!

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  5. I write everyday. My children’s story, Licky the Lizard, was published in 2018. I continue to write my blog. I also submit articles, devotions and stories. Some are accepted and some are rejected. A published author once shared with me, “Each rejection is one more step closer to publication”. I don’t like rejections but I learn something from each one. I write in hopes of sharing His love and glory with others. I pray He will give me words that will lead others to a relationship with Him.

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  6. Great post, Rachel. yes, both sides of rejection are hard. I haven’t had to reject anyone’s work, but judging contests (of which I’ve only done a few) is hard because telling someone ways their work needs to improve can be difficult to do graciously. This is definitely not something I enjoy doing. 🙂

    Thanks for sharing this from an agent’s perspective!

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  7. Rachel, I wouldn’t like that either. Yes, I’ve had my share of rejections but usually without much information to go on. There are so many pieces to the puzzle that have to fit together that I’ve learned to do the best I can, apply everything I’ve learned, and then hope the stars align! It takes courage to keep pushing on. You have to believe in what you’re doing and hope it makes a difference. Thank you for what you shared.

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  8. It’s bad enough to give a critique or write a review when you didn’t absolutely love the story! I can’t imagine having to write rejections. You guys are brave! And Rachel, your rejections have always been very nice, I can tell you consider every project carefully!

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  11. As a writer, I don’t mind receiving rejections if they’re honest. I’m cool with letters that say the agent has too many similar projects right now, or doesn’t have contacts for this type of book, or even something vague like, “This project isn’t right for our list at this time.”

    I do mind when form rejections appear to be personalized, but they aren’t. I’ve received letters from agents that seemed to be critiques of my sample–e.g., “Though the premise intrigued me, the opening pages didn’t grab me”–and I fretted over them. Then I found out through query tracking sites that everyone else received the same email, word-for-word. Because this has happened so often, I can’t take the feedback in rejection letters seriously anymore.

    As you say, Rachel, there needs to be mutual respect and trust between authors and agents. Those agents probably intend to let writers down gently–or to prevent rude authors from demanding explanations and arguing back–but little white lies do more damage than good. (Not that I think you would use form letters like that. I’m only venting about how prevalent they are.)

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