YA author Jon Lewis has a very astute post on the self esteem issues writers have to deal with in an industry where there is so much competition for publication.

One shocking statistic I read today? Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner read 10,000 unsolicited non-referred queries in 2010, which is amazing enough – and how many authors did she take on a clients?

Deep breath.

Zero.  None. Not one single author. Out of 10, 000 slush pile queries.

That’s right. That agent did all of that work – for nothing.  Hence she is closing down her submission slush pile for a while to focus that time on her clients.

From the business POV that makes total sense.

From a writer’s POV -it is up to us to create something so amazingly outstanding that no literary agent could resist.

My heart breaks for all of those hopeful 10, 000 writers who sent Rachelle a query letter. Been there – done that. Will probably do it again.

Yup. Self esteem and self belief has never been more important.