Odds of Getting Published – WordsRated (2024)

• Between 500,000 and 1 million books are published each year, excluding self-published books.
• A publishing house of a medium/large size will often receive more than 5,000 unrequested manuscript submissions annually.
• Within the book publishing industry, it is agreed that the odds of an author getting their work published stands between 1% and 2%.
• Despite this low number, more than 95% of manuscripts received by publishers and agents are below the level the standard required.
• Often, submissions are made with spelling/grammar mistakes, odd narratives, are too imitative or simply lack originality.
• From the remaining number of high quality manuscripts, under 5%, the vast majority are still rejected, usually due to not being a correct fit.
• Despite this, these higher quality manuscripts are much more likely to be published if they are passed on to different agents/publishers.
• As of 2023, all of the most competitive Kindle writing genres are contained within the fiction category.
• Romance related genres are included in 50% of the most competitive Kindle genres.
• All of the least competitive Kindle writing genres are contained within the nonfiction category.

Most competitive writing genres (Kindle)

• As of 2023, all of the most competitive Kindle writing genres are contained within the fiction category.
• Romance related genres are included in 50% of the most competitive genres.
• It is believed that authors have a greater chance of getting a mainstream book published if the book is within the genre of romance
• Standard romance novels have a lifespan of just a few months before going out of print.
• Due to this, romance publishers need to publish a high number of titles annually.
• Women/female demographic related genres are included in 30% of the most competitive genres.
• Suspense related genres are included in 20% of the most competitive genres.

A graph is given below to show the most competitive writing genres* on Kindle:

*genres can span multiple categories.

Least competitive writing genres (Kindle)

• As of 2023, all of the least competitive Kindle writing genres are contained within the nonfiction category.
• Scientific measurement related genres are included in 40% of the least competitive genres.
• Corporate taxation related genres are included in 20% of the least competitive genres.
• Hydrology related genres are included in 20% of the least competitive genres.
• Masonry related genres are included in 20% of the least competitive genres.

A graph is given below to show the least competitive writing genres* on Kindle:

*genres can span multiple categories.

Famous publishing rejections

• “Twilight” (2005) by best selling author Stephenie Meyer was rejected by 14 out of 15 literary agents that the manuscript was pitched to.
• Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi” (2001) was rejected by a number of London publishers, before its eventual publication in Canada.
• “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (1997) by J.K. Rowling was rejected more than 10 times by different publishing houses.
• “Chicken Soup for the Soul” (1993) by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen reportedly suffered 144 rejections. Canfield used this experience to encourage other authors.
• John Grisham’s debut novel “A Time To Kill” (1989) was rejected over 16 times before publication. It found success after the launch of the film adaptation of Grisham’s “The Firm”.
• The first novel published by Stephen King, “Carrie” (1974), received 30 rejections from publishers.
• After being submitted to more than 20 publishers, “Dune” (1965) by Frank Herbert was finally accepted.
• Shel Silverstein was told that his book “The Giving Tree” (1964) would never sell, before eventually being published and becoming well-loved.
• “A Wrinkle in Time” (1962) by Madeleine L’Engle had more than 25 rejections before its publication.
• Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22” (1961) was rejected 22 times, with one publisher commenting that the book was “not funny on any intellectual level”.
• After being sent to many US publishers and being rejected, “Lolita” (1955) by Vladimir Nabokov was published initially in France.
• Before being purchased by Faber, “Lord of the Flies” (1954) by William Golding was rejected 20 times before eventual publication.
• Dr. Seuss’ first children’s publication, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street” (1937) was rejected by at least 20 publishers.
• “Gone with the Wind” (1936) by Margaret Mitchell was turned down by almost 40 publishers before becoming instantly successful after its launch.
• “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” (1900) by L. Frank Baum was rejected so many times that the author decided to create the journal “A Record of Failure” to document its refusals.
• Herman Melville’s classic “Moby Dick” (1851) was rejected due to its length and old-fashioned prose.

Odds of getting published FAQ

Is it common for manuscripts to be rejected by publishers?

• Yes, it is very common for manuscripts to be rejected by publishers.
• Even if a manuscript is of a high standard, it can still be rejected if it does not fit what the publisher/agent is looking for in general, or at that moment in time.

What do publishers and agents look for when selecting manuscripts to publish?

• Publishers/agents look for well-written manuscripts that are interesting, unique and are not imitations of other titles within a genre.
• If a publisher/agent represents a certain genre or niche of publication, they will be less likely to consider a manuscript that falls outside of their specialty.

How can authors increase their chances of being published?

• To increase the odds of being published, it is better for authors to focus on subject matters which match their expertise and appeal most naturally.
• Additionally, it is important for authors to make sure their manuscripts are free of spelling/grammatical errors.
• Furthermore, it is important for authors to approach the correct type of publisher/agent for each manuscript.