Constant Rejection: 5 Signs to Stop Querying and Get Help

Before Exhausting Your Agent List + FREE WEBINAR SIGN UP

Jan 17, 2025

👉 👉 A note before I start. I’ve sent the date for my FREE Live Webinar + Q&A “Query Mastery”.

⭐⭐Details and sign up at the end of the post⭐⭐

It’s the start of a new year, a time for resolutions, fresh goals, and for many writers, a reinvigorated querying strategy. However, one of the most costly mistakes writers make is querying agents before their manuscript is truly ready. While persistence matters in publishing, a well-polished manuscript matters more. (See The Art of Patience)

There comes a point when pushing forward does more harm than good. If you’re deep in the querying trenches, and you’re not getting anywhere, here are five signs it might be time to hit pause, get help, and reevaluate your approach—before you exhaust your agent list.

1. You’ve Queried Too Many Agents Without Results

If you’ve sent your manuscript to 20-30 agents and received nothing but rejections or radio silence, it’s a signal to pause and reassess your strategy.

Ask yourself:

Were these agents truly a good fit for your book?
Did you follow their submission guidelines and align with their preferences?
Did you send to agents in your top, mid and lower tier choices? (i.e. agents from your A, B and C list)

If the answer is yes and you’re still striking out, it’s time to seek feedback on your query and/or manuscript from a professional or trusted critique partner.

Bonus Question: Are all your rejections form letters (i.e. not personalized)?

Personalized rejections can provide valuable insight. Many agents take the time to personalize feedback when they see potential in your work but aren’t fully sold. A steady stream of form rejections suggests your query or sample pages aren’t grabbing attention. Before sending more, consider hiring a professional to evaluate your materials or joining a workshop that focuses on query success.

⭐Tip: Don't wait until you've queried 50+ agents to spot issues. If your first 10-15 queries result in form rejections or silence, pay attention. The querying process typically shows some variety in responses—perhaps a few personalized rejections or a request or two. Form rejections across the board often indicate your manuscript needs more work.

2. You're Getting Quick Rejections on Partial or Full Requests

When agents request your materials but reject them within days (or even hours), this likely spotting fundamental issues. While one fast rejection might just be a mismatch, multiple quick passes on requested materials suggest problems with your opening pages or overall execution. Even without personalized feedback, this is the time to pause and reassess.

Consider working with a developmental editor or book coach who can help you identify and address issues in your manuscript.

3. You’re Overlooking Constructive Feedback

Maybe you’ve received a few thoughtful rejections with comments like, “The pacing feels slow,” or “I couldn’t connect with the protagonist.” If you’re brushing off this feedback and continuing to send the same query and manuscript without adjustments, you’re doing yourself a disservice. The ability to revise and improve is a critical.

Pay attention to patterns in feedback and consider working with an editor or taking a class to strengthen your craft.

A quick note on: “I just didn’t connect with the writing/protagonist”. I’m known to write this—and I assume other agents do too. For me, this is more of a subjective, ”it’s me not you”, issue. You may have a certain voice or style that just doesn’t resonate with me. In this case, it’s about finding the right agent who’ll champion your style.
In the case of the protagonist, this can be subjective or objective. An agent could just not relate to the character’s journey; or, the character may simply come across as “unlikeable”—perhaps too whiny or excessively unreliable. Even when you’re writing “bad” characters, they require some type of redeeming quality.

4. You're Revising Your Query Letter After Every Rejection

If you're constantly rewriting your query because you can't nail down your book's core story, stakes, or selling points, stop. A strong query letter might need minor adjustments, but major rewrites between submissions often indicate either the book's concept isn't clear enough yet, or you're not confident in how to position it.

Consider working with an experienced developmental editor or attending a workshop to help you resolve this.

5. You Can't Stop Editing the Manuscript

If you find yourself making significant changes to your manuscript between queries—not just fixing typos but revising entire scenes or adjusting character arcs—stop querying immediately. This means the manuscript isn't ready, and you're potentially burning bridges with agents who might be interested in a more polished version.

Honorable Mention: Current Market Trends

Publishing trends come and go, and the book you started querying two years ago might not be what agents are looking for today. If your manuscript no longer feels timely or competitive, it might be worth shelving (for now) and focusing on a new project.

This doesn’t mean your book is “bad” or that it won’t ever find a home, but sometimes timing is everything in publishing. I often tell writers that sometimes you first book isn’t your first published book.

How to Make the Most of Professional Help

1. Be specific about your struggles when seeking assistance
2. Research potential consultants thoroughly.
3. Set clear goals and expectations for the collaboration
4. Be prepared to invest both time and money in improving your work
5. Stay open to fundamental changes in your approach

Seeking professional help isn't admitting defeat—it's making a smart investment in your writing career. Many successful authors work with developmental editors, book coaches, and other publishing professionals before landing an agent. Recognizing the need for support early in your querying journey, rather than after exhausting your agent list, can make all the difference.

Above all, don’t be in such a rush. There is no upside to cutting corners or taking short cuts. I truly believe the fulfillment of writing, comes from the journey, not the destination.

Query Mastery: Key Insights to Crafting a Strong Submission

Join me in February for my FREE Live Webinar + Q&A.

Crafting a strong submission package is the first step toward landing your dream agent, and this free, live, webinar is here to guide you.

In just one hour, you’ll gain essential insights into creating a query letter, synopsis, and opening pages that make an unforgettable impression.

Here’s what I plan to cover, plus a Q&A in the second half:

Query Letter Essentials – How to write query letters that get responses
Demystifying the synopsis – How to summarize your story effectively
Solid First 5 Pages – How to write captivating first pages

BONUS: While you won’t get a recording of the live webinar, I WILL BE creating a recording of the webinar, plus Q&A from all the dates so you’ll have information beyond the one you attend. I strongly encourage you to show up live to get YOUR questions answered.