by Dan Buzzetta

“Determination” and “perseverance” are two words often mentioned in connection with “how to succeed” or “the secret to overcoming adversity.” My experience in securing a literary agent and publisher for my debut legal thriller, The Manipulator, published by Severn River Publishing, provides an up-close example of how these two traits fueled my ambition to become a published author.

I spent over a year and a half writing The Manipulator, from the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic through late 2021. When I finally wrote the words “The End,” I naively thought the hardest part of my journey was behind me. I was anxious to sign a contract with a publisher and excited to see my book among titles sold on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Boy was I in for a rude awakening.

I quickly learned that most traditional publishers negotiate only with agents, not authors. “Okay” I thought, “I’ll just hire an agent.” Not so fast. It turns out, most agents hire authors, not the other way around. And to be “hired” by an agent, you first need to solicit them through a query letter. Think of it as an elevator pitch––in 240 words. It’s your audition, intended to grab an agent’s attention with a tag line and a tantalizing summary of your work that elicits interest without giving away the ending. All easier said than done.

After weeks of writing and rewriting my query letter––who knew writing 240-words could take so long––I was ready to query agents. I scoured the internet and spent a few bucks on books that contained agents’ contact information. With my list curated, I sent my query letters via email. Some days I sent one or two, other days I’d send ten. Some days, and even some weeks, I didn’t send any, consumed by my work as a lawyer or other commitments.

By early 2022, my inbox began filling up with responses. I was sure agents were lining up with offers to represent me. I opened the first email with both excitement and trepidation. But after reading words of thanks, I began reading words of rejection. One by one, rejection after rejection, “thanks but no thanks” was the sentiment that connected all those early responses. Undeterred, I plowed ahead. I identified more agents, and tweaked and edited my query letter, always mindful of the 240-word limit, trying to find the right mix of words to interest an agent in my work.

Days turned into weeks as months passed, and seasons changed. Every few days or so I’d receive a fresh batch of rejections. The reasons tended to fall on a continuum from “I’m not taking new clients” to “your story didn’t excite me enough to passionately advocate for you.” At least no one said my query sucked or it wasn’t well written. While I appreciated the candor, the rejections did nothing to boost confidence. Nor did they bring me any closer to landing an agent.

All told, through the fall of 2022, I sent 184 query emails, and received over a hundred rejections. The others didn’t even deign to respond. Over time, not receiving a response actually felt worse than the rejections because it meant my query wasn’t even worth their time to respond.

But through it all, I persevered. I was determined to exhaust all avenues before I gave up, and even then I wasn’t sure I’d give up. I liked the story I’d written, and I was convinced some agent somewhere would like it too––if they just took the time to read it. My determination and perseverance paid off when in late 2022 an agent responded with a request for my entire manuscript. By early 2023, I had been “hired” by an agent.

But that was still only half the battle. Next came finding a publisher. My agent worked tirelessly and queried half a dozen publishers, only for me to receive more rejections. Until I heard from Severn River Publishing. The good folks at Severn River liked The Manipulator so much they offered me a four-book deal.

Thomas Jeffereson is quoted as having said, “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more of it I have.” Every rejection I received could have been an excuse to throw up my hands and give up. Instead, I became more determined to prove the naysayers wrong. In the end, through grit, a lot of luck, determination and perseverance, I achieved my dream of being a published author.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

Dan Buzzetta is a successful attorney and partner in the New York City office of a large national law firm. He is also an afficionado of the history of the mafia in the United States and Italy, where his parents were born. In 2024, Dan was elected to the governing body of his hometown in New Jersey for a three-year term. Dan is also a volunteer firefighter, and in his spare time enjoys traveling and skiing with his wife and three children. The Manipulator is Dan’s debut novel. Visit Dan Buzzetta online at: www.danbuzzetta.com.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.