After hours of perfecting your proposal, researching publishers, editing your book, and striving to land a book deal, it can be frustrating to be met with oversight. However, oversight does not equal defeat. If you want to perfect your proposal before your next round of submissions, look no further!

There are concrete, identifiable reasons your pitch may be demoted to the “no” pile. By identifying these potential improvements, you can take your pitch to the next level and optimize your chances. So, let’s get you that book deal!

1. An Unprofessional or Superfluous Pitch

Review your proposal or query. Is it written in a professional manner? Is it to the point? Have you included extraneous information or details that can wait until a second or third email? 

Grabbing (and maintaining) the attention of a publisher isn’t easy, but adhering to the basics can ensure that you stand a chance. Your pitch should shine with utmost professionalism and succinctness. However, this doesn’t mean you should come off as impersonal or stiff. It’s a delicate balance, but nuanced writing should be right up your alley!

2. Submitting to the Wrong Publishers

Selecting publishers to whom you should pitch is a strategic process. If you submit to anyone and everyone, you are doing yourself a disservice. By performing research about potential publishers, you can curate a list of companies that fit your style and possess a vacancy where books like yours are concerned.

For instance, some publishers may already have published similar book topics. Alternatively, they may not typically represent your genre. By focusing on realistic matches, you’ll save yourself time and effort. You’ll also increase your chances of publication!

3. Inaccurate Representation of Your Manuscript

Before you submit your manuscript for agent representation or publication, your pitch should accurately reflect your book’s essence. Even as you maintain a professional air and a short word count in your pitch, your book idea should charm and captivate. After all, why would someone publish your manuscript if it doesn’t sound enticing to readers?

4. Major Grammatical Errors

Of course, you’re a professional. But even professionals make mistakes! Perhaps some grammatical errors crept into your pitch–the proposal, query, your email message, or your samples or manuscript itself–in your excitement and haste. If you don’t want to hire an editor, use assistive editing tools to ensure you’re not overlooking any errors that may cost you a deal! Also, note that several passes are often needed to catch every mistake.

5. Omitted Supplemental Materials

Did you include the appropriate supplemental materials? If not your entire manuscript, did you enclose sample chapters that prove your book’s worth? These accompaniments are the proof of your pitch! So show, don’t just tell. 

6. A Common Angle

Everyone believes their book idea is unique. However, have you thoroughly researched existing books and potential competition? Is your framing truly remarkable? Your book should stand out not only from any similar books on the market but also from other remotely similar titles at prospective publications. Naturally, a given publisher tends to avoid creating competition within their publishing house.

7. Fad Content

If you’ve chosen a fashionable topic that rides on the popularity bandwagon, it is likely unattractive to notable publishers. Many companies prioritize titles with promising longevity, as ongoing effective marketing and book sales are determining factors. 

8. Questionable Author Credibility

This point is especially important for nonfiction works. If you don’t possess a sound reputation or education regarding your manuscript topic, your book will not be published. Degrees, awards, previous publishing success, or other viable training exhibit a necessary expertise. Just as an engineer cannot perform her role without relevant education and training, an author cannot write and publish a work surrounding a topic about which she is not qualified. 

9. A Weak Author Platform

Whether you run several social media accounts, manage a blog, or arrange promotional events to conduct your platform, these components should demonstrate both your work’s promise and your drive and qualifications. If you are not actively gathering a following or attracting your audience, your book won’t sell well. And if your book won’t sell well, a publisher won’t take it on.

10. A Too-Broad Audience

Your audience should be clearly defined. No, your book does not appeal to everyone. Determine who is interested in your manuscript topic, and share these exact demographics or groups in your pitch. This way, your book’s marketing plan can effectively target potential readers.

11. A Too-Small Audience

Your audience should be clearly defined. Huh, déjà vu! Although your audience shouldn’t be too broad, it shouldn’t be especially limited, either. There should be enough people interested in your book to sell a substantial amount of copies.

12. Your Book Topic Doesn’t Need a Book

Perhaps your topic is better channeled and explored through an alternative medium. Or maybe it’s niche and personal enough for you to work through on your own. If this point resonates with you at all, don’t be afraid to consider that a book might not be the best path for your idea! 

13. Your Pitch Doesn’t Reflect Your Congenial Nature

Publishers not only want an excellent book with superb selling points–they also want an author who is easy to work with. After all, we’re all people first. If any part of your pitch comes off as disagreeable, it’s likely to deter publishers.

14. Your Story Isn’t Ready

If you have a completed manuscript, have you taken the proper steps to research, outline, write, and edit your book? If you have a strong book proposal, is all the prep work in order? No matter what stage it’s in, your story throughline and structure should be in the best shape possible before anyone considers publishing it.

15. The Writing

If you wrote your book quickly or didn’t prioritize the editing stage before submitting your story for consideration, it’s time to perform another pass. Writing is an art form, so your manuscript or any samples should be as perfect as possible before a publisher can take you on. 

16. Failure to Follow Submission Guidelines

Every publisher has a unique set of submission guidelines listed on their website. Your submission should follow these guidelines as closely as possible. It is a sign of respect and saves the publisher time and effort as they review your pitch. Some publishers won’t even spare a second glance at your submission if you don’t follow their guidelines!

17. Non-Compelling Samples

Review your sample chapters. Are they undeniably intriguing? Do they reflect the core themes and style of your book? Are they error-free and optimally formatted? These chapters should be carefully chosen and impeccably written. They serve as an indicator of your book.

18. Your Pitch is Too General

A good proposal or query includes a lot of details about your book. If every piece of information you provide is inexact, it is not helpful to a publisher. If your genre, audience, themes, credentials, or any other components are not clearly defined, no one can gain a comprehensive, accurate understanding of your book. Therefore, no one can make an informed decision about whether or not it is able to be effectively published, marketed, and sold!

19. Your Book is Better Suited for Self-Publishing

If your topic would benefit from more immediate publication and flexibility, self-publishing may be a more desirable route. There are many advantages to self-publishing, and many authors choose to take this path for their own reasons.

20. Nothing You Can Control

That’s right. Sometimes you do everything right, go above and beyond, exceed expectations… and a publisher still doesn’t take you on. Landing a book deal takes talent and skill, but it also takes luck and good timing. This is why perseverance is so crucial to the submission process!