If your manuscript is requested, the first stage is that it is sent to a reader in the company who will analyse it. Once they have completed their analysis, the book is marked "recommend," a "consider" or a "pass." Unless it achieves a recommend, chances are no one else is going to look at it. So how many books reach the next stage? Not many is the answer and around 97% will not make it. So what are the main reasons your manuscript will get the thumbs down?

Here are some of the reasons I have found over the years.

Your chapters lack enough conflict. Only 5% of writers actually attain the professional level of conflict within their story that makes the reader want to continue turning the pages. So that leaves 95% of writers that are not getting the right amount of character conflict in their story. But writers are never told this, they just receive a rejection and therefore continue to make the same mistakes with every manuscript. The good news is that you can easily gain this professional skill even if you do not naturally write this way. So I cannot stress enough the importance of learning the skill either by taking a course or by reading, watching tutorial videos, listening to industry professionals. Do whatever it takes to hone your skills in this area. Professional-level conflict is a learnable skill based on techniques that can be practiced and without writing compelling conflict, you are simply wasting your time.

Too many writers fail because they write by the well marketed creative writing classes out there. They follow a universal paradigm and their formula for writing is just like everyone else that has this paint by number approach. Publishers see this and instantly disregard the manuscript. At the end of the day, they are looking for something different, a story that is unique and stands out from the majority. Make your book innovative with memorable characters and a challenging storyline.

Your hero is standard and your characters are a bad stereotype and your villain is like a cartoon character of evil. The motivation for your lead characters isn't strong enough or you have weak female characters. Many writers fall into the trap of making their characters act or speak in a certain way just to fit into pre-ordained plot points. They start with the idea and plot and make their characters fit into that story. Whereas writers who can access their intuitive side are able to create realistic characters that are memorable.

Your story is too weak. Meaning that your story could have been covered in three chapters and you have stretched it to over ten. Or your conflict is too weak. Does a problem occur and before the chapter has ended the problem is resolved? Without compelling conflict that creates momentum and suspense, your story is constantly running out of steam. Some writers try to rectify this by having a good idea to build conflict and just keep repeating the same formula over and over again. Sooner or later this becomes repetitive and tedious to the reader.