Literary agents read a lot of manuscripts. At my agency, we ask to see an average of two or three a week. That means we need a way to quickly weed out the rejects, so we’ll have time to read the rest. Like other agents, I look for certain signs that tell me right away that a manuscript probably won’t cut it.
1. Mechanical problems. Before we even get to the writing itself, mistakes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation indicate a lack of professional skill on the writer’s part. The same goes for a manuscript that isn’t presented according to the conventions of publishing.
2. Writing that tells rather than shows. These days, commercial novels are mostly “show.” Save the “tell” for your synopsis, where it belongs.
3. Stale, derivative story ideas. You need—within the expectations of your chosen genre—to come up with the next fresh new thing . . . not serve up a mélange of everything you’ve been reading.
4. A story that fits no recognizable genre. Where would your novel be shelved in the bookstore? No, it’s not OK to say your novel is a blend of two genres—unless that blend is a legitimate genre in itself. The way to avoid this problem is to know your target genre from the very beginning and always keep it in mind.
5. An unsuitable word length. Do your homework and find out the appropriate word length for a novel in your target genre. A 50,000-word mainstream novel is an immediate reject. So is a 175,000-word romantic comedy.
Keep these signs in mind as you write and prepare your manuscript, and increase your chances of getting your manuscript read all the way to the end.
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