You’d like to think that once you finish your manuscript and proposal and send it to an agent, they’re waiting eagerly by the mailbox, pen in hand, ready to send you an acceptance letter.

 Sadly, that’s not how it works.

When agents and acquisitions editors receive unsolicited proposals, they often toss them into a stack in the corner of the office. Back in the day, this was a physical pile of manuscripts called the slush pile. Once the pile grew as tall as an intern, someone would sit down with a pot of coffee and go through hundreds of proposals and manuscripts in a few hours.

Usually, every single one got rejected. But sometimes, a proposal jumps out, grabs the intern’s interest, and makes its way to the agent, who takes it through the publication process.

How can your proposal be the lucky one? Luck has little to do with it. There’s a way to get out of the slush pile, and I asked Deborah Raney how to do it. Her first novel, A Vow to Cherish (Affiliate Link), went from slush pile to published book to major motion picture. Twenty-six years and forty books later, she’s still creating stories that touch hearts and lives.

How did your first book make it out of the slush pile?

Thomas: Did it get accepted by the very first agent?

Deborah: No, not at all. I sent out at least 20 manuscripts back when you had to print them and mail them physically to publishers.

I got at least 17 rejections, most of which said, “Dear Author, we’re sorry, but this manuscript, which we haven’t touched, doesn’t meet our current needs.” It was clear from the pristine condition of the returned manuscripts that no one had even looked at them. I got a few nice personal notes showing someone had read it, but they were still rejections.

I was making typical first-time writer mistakes.

My husband also experienced the slush pile. Ken has had two children’s picture books published. When he started pitching his first book, we left our Kansas home, flew to New York, and pounded the streets with his portfolio, visiting publishing houses. We saw more than just piles as tall as interns; we saw multiple piles tall as interns lined up along walls. At one of the Big Five publishing houses, we saw a mail cart overflowing with manuscripts. It was daunting.

That experience made me realize the immense competition out there, whether it’s an email inbox or a physical pile of manuscripts.

What mistakes do writers make that keep them in the slush pile?

Mistake #1: Targeting the Wrong Publisher

Thomas: On my first day as a literary agent at the Steve Laube Agency, I had a new website and got two proposals. Nobody even knew I was an agent yet. I was so excited that I read them and sent back personalized rejection notes. The authors were encouraged, even though they were rejections. The next day, I got five proposals, then 10, then 20. I quickly realized I couldn’t keep sending personalized notes.

Many proposals were clearly not what I was looking for. My website clearly stated the kinds of books I represented and those I didn’t. Some submissions weren’t even Christian books. One proposal was about Jesus landing in a medium-class spaceship to talk to Vladimir Putin. I was a Christian literary agent for Christian books, and I didn’t represent fiction, so that was a definite no.

Deborah: The first thing you need to do to stay out of the slush pile is target the right publishing house. It’s a complete waste of time to send your book to a publisher who doesn’t publish your genre. They won’t change their mind and start publishing Christian fantasy just because your book is wonderful. Publishers have a specific focus, and you need to target the right one.

Thomas: How did you figure that out? You sent out your book and got those seventeen rejections. How did you learn to use the right bait for the right fish?

Deborah: I wasn’t sure whether I wanted my book in the Christian or secular market. I probably should’ve decided before sending out manuscripts. I had two versions of my manuscript: one where characters prayed to Jesus and God and another where their faith was more generic. The manuscripts weren’t that different, but I ended up getting offers from a secular publisher and two Christian publishers. That helped me decide to focus on the Christian market. But I made many writing mistakes and pitching mistakes. It was only by God’s grace that I got published.

Mistake #2: Sending the Full Manuscript

Deborah: First, I thought my book was so amazing that publishers would want the entire manuscript, not just the required three chapters. I thought I was exceptional. I wasn’t. I was just one of millions trying to get published. Now, with email, publishers are often okay with full manuscripts, but at that time, I was way off.

Thomas: Having worked with authors, I can say they all think they’re the exception.

In Christian publishing, many authors feel called to write, which is likely true. But just because God called you to write doesn’t mean the rules change or the path gets easier. He might call you to write to lead you through a hard season to show His faithfulness. God’s motives are often enigmatic. We don’t always know why He calls us to certain tasks.

If He calls you to a land with giants, you’ll still have to fight them. He’ll give you strength, but you have to do the work.

Deborah: I wrote my first novel in five months, started sending it out, and within a year, I had three offers. Two years after starting, my book was in bookstores. That’s not typical, and my publishing career hasn’t continued that way.

I’ve heard agents and publishers say authors have told them, “God told me you should publish my book.” That’s not a good approach. However, writers who believe their book is special often have the resilience and persistence needed to keep going. That’s not a bad trait, but you should keep it to yourself until the publisher agrees your manuscript is special. Your manuscript will speak for itself.

Thomas: It’s true that some agents or publishers feel called to publish a book. They get a strong sense of it and move forward. But I’ve never heard of a case where that calling came from the author convincing them. That feeling has to come from God or the publisher themselves, not from you.

Mistake #3: Not Learning the Craft

Deborah: Most of my mistakes came from the manuscript not being ready. I was a brand-new writer and hadn’t read a single book on the craft of writing.

In high school and college, I was told I had a gift for writing, and I think I do. But having a gift doesn’t mean you’re ready to perform brain surgery on the first day of med school. I had to learn quickly.

I’m so grateful the Lord led my manuscript to an editor who was patient and taught me everything I know about writing and the conventions of Christian novels at the time. There were specific expectations about what Christian novels should and shouldn’t contain.

Mistake # 4: Not Being Teachable

Deborah: Writers today are much savvier. They know to attend writers conferences, read books on craft, and listen to podcasts. That’s why I love doing interviews like this and teaching at conferences. Those resources weren’t available when I started writing my first novel.

Thomas: Listening to the Christian Publishing Show is like attending a writers’ conference session every week. Our guests are top writers and conference speakers like Deborah Raney. You teach about getting out of the slush pile at conferences, but people can also learn from your podcast interviews without attending one.

Deborah: Absolutely, and I still listen to podcasts and attend conferences. Even when I go as a teacher, I try to sit in on one or two classes if my schedule allows.

Thomas: I remember speaking at Mount Hermon eight years ago at the very last optional session of the conference. Everyone was exhausted, especially the introverted authors. It was a poorly attended session on some marketing technique.

But sitting in the front row was a household-name author everyone would recognize, who had many successful books. She was taking notes to stay current with marketing trends.

She’s successful because she never lost her teachable spirit. She likely knew much of what I was saying but was there for that one nugget that would give her an edge for her next book so she wouldn’t be outpaced by the energetic, tech-savvy newcomers.

Deborah: I’ve seen that so many times at conferences. The pros on the faculty are the ones sitting in classes, soaking up knowledge and trying to learn more.

Mistake #5: Not Understanding Genre Conventions

Thomas: Walk us through some of those writing conventions you learned the hard way. What do Christian editors expect in manuscripts?

Deborah: I critique a ton of manuscripts each year, and I see the same five or six mistakes repeatedly. Fortunately, most are easy fixes. These errors can make an intern toss your manuscript onto the slush pile. If you know and fix them before submitting, it makes a huge difference.

Mistake #6: Overusing Adverbs and Adjectives

Deborah: Overusing adverbs and adjectives is a clear mark of an amateur writer. Adverbs and adjectives are tools, and there are times to use them, but most writers overuse or abuse them. A lot of adverbs and adjectives often mean you’re not taking the time to find strong verbs. Why say “she ran quickly” when “raced” is stronger and more concise?

Thomas: C.S. Lewis said to use the right word, not its second cousin.

I went through writing training where we had to write without a single adverb or adjective, focusing on the right nouns and verbs. It’s a great exercise.

Top authors, like Jim Butcher in his Dresden Files series, rarely use adverbs or adjectives. In one book, he described a vampire as “wholesomely beautiful,” which was a perfect, strategic use that captured the character’s seductive nature. When you limit adverbs to five in a 100,000-word novel, they pack a punch.

Adverbs are like a powerful seasoning; too much salt ruins the dish. Some authors dump salt on everything, making it unpalatable.

Deborah: Exactly. Overusing adverbs and adjectives makes your writing sound amateurish.

One trick I use is to read my manuscript aloud. You’ll feel the “ly” words in your mouth. I also search for “ly” to catch adverbs and adjectives. For a long time, I kept a list of strong verbs by my computer for common words like “looked,” “walked,” “ran,” and “smiled” to avoid the easy way out.

Another trick was cutting speaker attributions. I used to rely on adverbs in attributions to show how characters spoke, but I learned to eliminate as many as possible. If your dialogue is strong, it shows how the character is speaking without needing “he said excitedly.” In my recent sister series, with three characters in nearly every scene, I had to use some attributions, but I replaced many of them with action beats or tags where possible.

Thomas: Jerry Jenkins once wrote an entire novel without a single speaker attribution just to improve his craft, and that was after he’d already sold $1 billion worth of books.

For me, it’s “be” verbs like “was,” “is,” and “am.” You can’t write a book without them, but I’d turn on track changes, replace every “was” with “was” to flag them and then review each one. If I could find a stronger verb, I’d replace it. Strengthening sentences by cutting “be” verbs, adverbs, or adjectives stands out to the trained eyes who are sifting through the slush pile. Agents and editors notice these mistakes immediately.

If your first page is sprinkled with adverbs and adjectives, they know the whole book will be, too. That’s how they can review hundreds of manuscripts in an hour. They check a few sentences to see if you can craft a strong sentence and cut unnecessary words.

Mistake #7: Believing the Writing “Rules” Don’t Matter

Deborah: Absolutely. Some writers argue that readers don’t notice these rules, and that might be true. But if you want to publish traditionally, you have to get past the agents, editors, and proofreaders. You won’t find a publisher if you’re making these mistakes.

Thomas: While readers don’t know the rules, they do know what they find interesting. They won’t say, “This book is great because it follows this rule.”

For example, I learned from a podcast that children’s books often end each page on a cliffhanger. I didn’t know that rule, but now, since I read a dozen children’s books per day with my daughter, I notice she’s drawn to books with cliffhangers. Right now, she’s reading It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny. PJ Funny Bunny doesn’t want to be a bunny. He wants to be a… and you have to turn the page to find out. That tension and release is a more advanced writing rule, and it’s the reason she loves it. She can’t articulate, “This book has great tension and release,” but she knows what she likes.

If you don’t want your book to be one of the many readers don’t finish, then write books that feel fast-paced. Publishers know that removing unnecessary words makes a book move faster. Readers may not identify the fluff, but they can feel boredom. Just because they can’t pinpoint why it’s broken doesn’t mean it’s not broken.

Deborah: That’s so true. I used to feel so guilty about not finishing reading a book. I used to read every word, even if I hated the book. I’d only stop if it got too sleazy for me as a Christian to continue in good conscience. But I read so many books I didn’t enjoy, and I missed out on ones I might have loved. At age 50, I decided life’s too short. Now, I give a book 50 pages. If it hasn’t grabbed me, I put it down without guilt.

Mistake # 8: Telling Instead of Showing

Thomas: I started listening to an audiobook that was all telling, no showing. It felt like an expanded outline. It was independently published, and the author published too soon. If they’d rewritten each scene to show instead of tell, it could’ve been interesting. I measure audiobooks in minutes, not pages, and I lasted about 20 minutes before realizing every chapter would be like that. I bailed.

With Audible, you can get your credit back and spend it on a more interesting book. They have a satisfaction guarantee.

Deborah: Show, don’t tell was a big one for me. My publisher, Bethany House, said they’d publish my book if I fixed two issues and telling instead of showing was one. I did some showing, but not nearly enough.

If readers can’t picture your scene on a stage or movie screen, you’re probably telling. If you’re struggling to hit your contracted word count of 80,000 words, and you’ve told the story in 60,000, it’s likely because you’re telling, not showing. It’s a bigger rewrite than some mistakes, but I see it over and over.

Thomas: That’s why I recommend writing short stories. You can get feedback quickly and learn if you’re telling instead of showing. If you discover you’re telling in a 5,000-word short story, you can rewrite it and fix a major flaw fast. But if you write a whole novel first, you’ve wasted six months because you’ll need to rewrite every sentence to show, not tell.

To learn more about writing scenes that readers can visualize, listen to the following episodes

• How to Write Cinematically
• Show, Don’t Tell With Tim Shoemaker
• Show *AND* Tell With Angela Hunt

Deborah: And that 5,000-word story will likely grow to 7,000 or 10,000 words when you show instead of tell. It’s hard to do it concisely.

Thomas: at 10,000 words, it’s novella length, which is perfect for giving away to build your email list. It all works together.

Mistake #9: Head Hopping

Deborah: The other big issue my publisher asked me to fix was point of view. I was head-hopping.

If you’ve been to a writers’ conference, you’ve likely heard about head-hopping. Many writers think they’re writing from an omniscient point of view, but most aren’t; they’re just being lazy. They believe readers need to be in multiple characters’ heads to get the full story. But your writing is stronger if each scene belongs to one character. You should only show what that character sees, knows, and feels.

Readers should know whose head they’re in after the first sentence. You might start a scene with a couple of dialogue lines but then include something visual or an action to ground the reader in that character’s perspective. You can show other characters’ perspectives in later scenes, but each scene should stay in one character’s head.

Thomas: A good drill is to write a short story in first person. It forces you to stay in one character’s head, even in attributions.

Christian editors often prefer third-person limited, like Jerry Jenkins’ style, over first person, which is more popular in the secular market. But as an exercise, it helps you master a single point of view.

Once you’re skilled, the rule relaxes slightly in some genres. For example, in Dune, the most successful sci-fi series, Frank Herbert does a lot of head-hopping. In a conversation, you see one character’s perspective, then the other’s, but his clarity of voice and point of view makes it work. It adds intrigue but makes writing harder, not easier.

Deborah: Exactly. When everything is clear, and the reader is never confused, that’s a true omniscient point of view.

Thomas: It takes practice. You can’t pull off advanced techniques in your first book. That’s why early feedback is crucial; it shows you’re not ready yet.

My daughter was reading Dr. Seuss’s ABC the other day while I was working on a podcast outline for Novel Marketing. She crawled onto my lap. I wrote the letter “A” for her, and she stared at the paper like I’d done something magical. Then I wrote “B,” and she got so excited because she recognized the letters from her books. I wanted to teach her how to outline a podcast, but first, she needs to learn to write, and before that, her letters and how to talk.

As a writer, advanced techniques come later; you have to earn your way into them. You probably aren’t ready if you’ve only been writing for a year.

Deborah: That amazement your daughter felt is exactly how I felt when I finally grasped point of view. It made all the difference. Staying in one character’s head for a scene is harder, but it opens doors for suspense and tension.

For example, a woman might see the man she loves with a red face, looking angry, and think, “It’s over for us.” Then, in the next scene, from his perspective, we learn he’s choking or having a heart attack, which is completely different from what she assumed.

Movies are more omniscient and show multiple perspectives. Actors convey so much with facial expressions. Avoiding head-hopping does that for a book.

Mistake #10: Talking Heads

Deborah: A common issue, similar to show, don’t tell, is “talking heads.” I see characters having conversations, but we can’t picture where they are or what they’re doing.

In our last podcast, I mentioned a great dialogue scene between a mother and daughter, but I was shocked when they were broadsided by a semi because the writer never indicated they were in a vehicle. I’d pictured them in a restaurant.

In our visual society, readers are trying to make a movie in their heads as they read. If you don’t give cues or have characters doing something during dialogue, you’re missing out and might confuse or frustrate the reader.

Thomas: That also slows the pace. If you separate talking parts from doing parts, you get a slow talking section followed by a slow action section. Combining them makes both more interesting and moves the plot faster.

Deborah: Exactly. Giving characters something to do shows their emotion. In that example from the last podcast, a simple indicator like “she gripped the steering wheel” tells us she’s in a car and shows her tension. It raises questions, which great fiction does.

Mistake #11: Starting the Story in the Wrong Place

Deborah: I wanted readers to know my characters’ entire history, including where they were born and how they grew up. But a story must start with action. You can show a page of the character’s ordinary world, but then the story needs to begin. When I meet a new friend at a writers’ conference, we don’t start by sharing our life stories. I get to know them bit by bit, beginning with where we are at that moment. That’s how it should be with characters.

Thomas: It’s okay to write a character’s backstory to understand them, but you don’t have to publish it. Short stories are great for exploring a location or character without including it in the book. It allows you to practice fleshing out the character.

My brother is writing an epic fantasy series set after a big war. He doesn’t want to bog down the story with the war’s backstory, so he’s writing short stories from different perspectives and sides of the war, visiting various towns, and introducing characters who’ll appear in the book. It helps him practice point of view and build character consistency without starting his novel with a bunch of backstory.

Deborah: More authors are using that extra material as reader magnets for diehard fans, which is great. My editor often marked chapter two and said, “Deb, this is where your book starts.” They were usually right. Chapter one might have had a couple of key nuggets I could weave elsewhere, but most of it was just me getting to know my characters, which was stuff the reader didn’t need.

Thomas: For pantsers, that running start is fine. They need to get revved up, and chapter two often starts stronger because of it.

A runner who gets a head start and hits the line running has an advantage over those starting from a dead stop. You want to start your book with a bang to hook the reader. The bang depends on your genre—it doesn’t have to be a dead body—but it has to be something.

Readers might guilt themselves into finishing a book they bought, but they’ll put it back on the bookstore shelf or skip the Kindle sample if you don’t grab them in the first few pages.

Do you still offer manuscript critique services?

Deborah: Yes, but almost exclusively at conferences. I set aside time there, but my deadlines and editing work keep me from doing critiques outside of that, sadly.

Any final tips for new writers?

Deborah: If you’re a new writer, know that you won’t learn everything by writing one book. It takes time to master these skills. The mistakes we discussed can make your writing look amateurish. Fix those mistakes, and you can get away with other mistakes while you learn more advanced techniques.

Connect with Deborah

• DeborahRaney.com
• How to Write Cinematic with Deborah Raney

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