It's Not You, It's Me
The most common theme you're likely to see in a rejection of your manuscript is, "this just isn't for me" or "I didn't fall in love with it." The big question you're left with is, is it your manuscript or the agent's preference? If you have revised and polished your manuscript and have had either beta readers or a critique group read it and give feedback, then it truly might just be that it isn't what the agent is looking for. "But wait, how can this be?" You ask. "I researched the agent thoroughly and it says on their website, blog, or Twitter feed that they're looking for my type of novel ." You say. I trust that you did and will have a glass of wine with you to help take the sting out. Unfortunately there is more to finding the right agent than writing a good book and identifying an agent who is looking for your type of novel. I know, I know, please don't throw things at me. The industry is still in turmoil...