The Truth About Querying: Why Persistence Matters More Than You Think
One of the most emotionally difficult parts of getting a book published is querying. Writers spend years crafting manuscripts, polishing query letters, researching agents, and preparing submissions. Then they send their work out… and often hear “not the right fit,” or worse – crickets. It can be truly challenging to maintain hope and stay resilient.
The Numbers Can Be Sobering
Today’s agents receive hundreds — sometimes thousands — of queries each month. Only a small percentage of these receive personalized replies… industry estimates suggest that request rates are typically between 1–3%. And more and more agencies operate under a “no response means no” policy, meaning writers don’t even get the courtesy of a “thanks, but no thanks.” This reality is dispiriting. But it’s important not to interpret silence as proof that your writing lacks value.
Publishing Is Subjective
First, remember that publishing is a business, run by human beings. A truly excellent manuscript may be rejected for a number of reasons not related to its quality, reasons like:
• The agent already represents something similar
• The market feels saturated with respect to that topic
• The timing feels off
• The editor’s list is full
• The sales team couldn’t figure out how they would sell it
None of these necessarily reflect the quality of the work.
Tenacity Matters
One of my teachers used to say: “Never mind the talent. Do you have the tenacity?”
Most successful authors have rejection stories. Often many of them. The writers who eventually break through are not always the most naturally gifted.
They are frequently the ones who continue learning, revising, improving, and showing up. Publishing rewards persistence.
Querying Is a Skill
Writers sometimes forget that querying itself is a separate craft. A strong manuscript can still struggle if the query is unfocused, the pitch lacks clarity or the comps are weak. Sometimes a query might not even get past an assistant because the personalization was wrong or the submission guidelines were ignored.
Learning how to query professionally is part of becoming a professional writer, as is cultivating the resilience to deal with rejections – lots of them.
Protecting Your Creative Spirit
The querying process can be emotionally exhausting. It helps to focus on writing new work rather than refreshing your email every five minutes. It’s also helpful to stay connected to community, and to remember why you began writing in the first place. Hopefully it’s because you love to write, because you have stories to tell, because you can’t imagine doing anything else. So write, keep writing, and write some more. Publication is wonderful, but the deeper creative life must exist independently of validation.
Submitting is just a necessary step in the larger process… and remember, it only takes one yes.
For more information on querying and submitting, check out this free training: https://picturebooksubmissions.com/free-training
