Rejection is an unfortunate, but inevitable, part of the querying process for memoir manuscripts. Agents receive thousands of book queries a year, and they have to pass on the vast majority of them. In fact, many memoirists end up querying 50-100 agents before they get a “yes.” However, there are still concrete ways of improving your chances of catching an agent’s attention. The odds of getting interest from agents increases when you understand what they’re looking for, and what might make them pass on a project. Want to learn why agents might say “no” and how to maximize your chances of a “yes”? Read below to find out.

If you want your memoir to be published by a major publishing house, you’ll need to pitch agents with a query letter. Query letters are notoriously difficult to write. They require a bird’s eye view of your manuscript, where you articulate the arc and overarching story being told. What’s more, query letters are brief, which means you need to distill your manuscript to its essence. Agents are strapped for time, and this is your one chance to impress them. If an agent isn’t immediately pulled in by your query, you’ve likely missed your chance. Need tips for writing a successful query letter? Read below!

So you’ve finished your manuscript and want to take the next step toward publishing your memoir. Maybe you’re asking yourself: How do I know if I’m ready to look for an agent? While you might be eager to start querying agents right away, there are some benchmarks you should meet before moving forward.