Very, very few authors are guaranteed a publisher’s acceptance of their work. Those authors have spent years, even decades, proving they can write bestselling, or at least profitable, books with almost no misses. And if they have a string of misses, their publishers may drop them. They must. No matter how much a publisher likes an author, books must make money; or the publisher will be forced to go out of business.

A literary agent can get behind a book and love the project. The agent may adore working with the author and believe the author deserves to be published. In fact, this is how an agent should feel about an author and project before taking them out into the big, wide world.

Even then, agents can’t guarantee the industry will agree with their assessment. Sometimes books that should be published, well, aren’t. Sometimes, there’s a downward market trend for the type of book the author is writing. Sometimes, the publisher just signed another author writing in that space. Sometimes, a committee member doesn’t like the project and has enough influence to make it tank. None of this is in the author or agent’s control. We can be grateful we’re Christians, knowing God is in control.

While acceptance is not guaranteed, I can guarantee you won’t be published if:

You don’t send us your work.

If your proposal never makes it to our inbox, how will we know you’re a great writer deserving of publication?

We won’t.

Yes, it’s tough to approach an agent. The chances of rejection are high since sometimes agents don’t have room at the inn, either. Sometimes, agents are aware of market fluctuations that authors aren’t. Sometimes, agents don’t connect with your work.

Keep trying.

If an agent sends you helpful feedback, consider it. Like editors, agents don’t have time to leave doors open. Agents don’t have time to give authors busy work. If you feel encouraged, keep in touch.

Send us your work.