Just like actors going to audition after audition, trying to land just one role, authors send query letter after query letter, trying to find agent representation and get a traditional publishing deal. Author Annie Sullivan says she wishes her early writer self would have known how hard it can be to get a book traditionally published. She feels lucky that she sat in the query trenches for only nine months before getting her agent, while some of her author friends have been there for years. It can be a discouraging business, which is why Sullivan believes it's essential to have a good support system.
She also wants authors to remember there are so many factors that can affect your ability to get an agent and their ability to sell it to a publishing house. For example, it's not right for the current market, something similar was just picked up, or an editor was having a bad day. Sullivan advises authors to be persistent, give yourself grace, take a breath, and keep writing. If your first book doesn't sell, write the next one!