The Paradox of Submission Anxiety
Are you feeling insecure about your work? It’s probably a good sign.
–Jessica Sinsheimer, Context Literary
One of the most consistent patterns I see on the agent side of the desk is that truly talented writers–the ones who’ve been working (and dreaming!) for years, researching how publishing works, finding their very best agent fits, editing with beta readers and carefully crafting their query letter–are the ones who are most nervous.
Meanwhile, the “Take on my book or your agency will fail” writers seem to have a remarkably stress-free existence (until they get ghosted by everyone in publishing, that is).
The Dunning-Kruger Effect
You may have heard of the Dunning-Kruger effect. To put it simply, those who don’t know what they don’t know are likely to be the most competent–and the most insecure.
Meanwhile, the more you learn, the more you realize that this is an industry that takes years–even decades–to fully understand.
Don’t panic: your future agent will manage most of this for you. You don’t need to know how to negotiate your own contracts, or which editor has moved to another reading group (telling no one) within Harper Children’s this week.
And if you didn’t know that, within imprints, there are reading groups, and they affect submission rules–congratulations, I’ve just nudged you closer to knowing more of what you don’t know.
Why Your Nervousness Is Actually Encouraging
If you’re reading this and feeling nervous about your submissions, be kind to yourself. Your anxiety likely indicates several hopeful traits:
You’ve done your homework. You understand how complicated publishing is, or at least can imagine that there are so many layers, you should learn all you can. You’ve researched the industry, studied successful queries, read agent MSWL’s (not sure what we mean? Learn more at our sister site here), and learned what genres are popular this year. And this research makes you appear more professional–like exactly the kind of client we want to take on.
You care about quality. Your nervousness suggests you’ve invested enough in your craft to recognize the stakes. You understand that agents receive hundreds, if not thousands, of queries a month and that yours needs to stand out. So you put in the effort. You don’t simply send, “This is my book, a future bestseller. Here’s my number.” (Yes, people really do this.)
You’re self-aware. The ability to critically assess your own work, to see its potential weaknesses alongside its strengths, is crucial for growth as a writer. Sure, sometimes you’ll get feedback and have a knee-jerk “No! You’re wrong! It’s perfect”–but you’re self-aware enough to know that if an edit makes you mad, it might be because they have a point.
Due Diligence: The Other Half of the Equation
Here’s the really encouraging part: if you’re not only nervous but also here—reading articles about the submission process, learning about the industry, seeking to improve your approach—you’re already WAY ahead of the curve.
Seriously, most of our inbox is “I wrote a book, and you’ll like it.” I once counted my reasons for rejecting work and made a pie chart–and the largest slice (around 60%) was lack of research, including sending me academic nonfiction, sometimes on political arguments I clearly disagreed with after a quick search of my social media, though I’m primarily a fiction agent.
Due diligence matters enormously in publishing. It’s the difference between:
- Querying an agent who represents your genre versus one who doesn’t
- Following submission guidelines precisely versus ignoring them
- Crafting a compelling, personalized query versus sending a form letter
- Understanding industry standards versus submitting a 200,000-word debut fantasy and refusing to break it into multiple books
The combination of appropriate anxiety and thorough preparation creates a powerful signal. It tells agents that you’re professional, serious about your career, and respectful of their time.
What This Means for Your Submission Strategy
So what should you do with this information?
First, recognize that your nerves are normal and perhaps even beneficial. They’re keeping you sharp and motivating you to put your best foot forward. Don’t let them paralyze you, but don’t dismiss them either.
Second, channel that nervous energy into preparation. Research agents thoroughly. Polish your materials until they shine. Make sure you’re following every guideline to the letter.
Third—and this is crucial—actually press send. Or, better, hit Schedule. Schedule a batch of emails (we recommend you send to about 30% of your list at a time, check how well they do, and then decide if you want to pivot) for a week in the future, so if you think of any changes, you can make them. If you want to get really careful, you could schedule them for a non-holiday Tuesday, 8am ET, mid-January or later, not in August or December. (There’s some disagreement about whether you should send in December or off-times. Learn more here.)
The Bottom Line
Being nervous about submissions doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not ready. More often, it just means you’re paying attention.
So if you’re sitting there, anxious and overthinking, doing one more pass on your query letter: breathe. Follow our query check list. Do your best. And hit send (or schedule).
Your future agent is waiting.
View our query checklist here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/december-vs-january-querying
Research agents and editors here: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/
Learn about query timing (and why agents disagree) here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/december-vs-january-querying