1/29/26
Queried adult horror, 88K
3/17/26
Lightly personalized rejection
Per agency policy, encouraged me to submit in 3+ months after significant revision

Query: 1/30/2026
Speculative Sci-Fi, 70k
Form Rejection: 3/17/2026

"Dear [AUTHOR NAME HERE],

thank u so much for thinking of Starling Literary + Media, I see u, I perceive u, I opened the email and everything. was genuinely excited to look at [TITLE], no cap.

unfortunately I’m gonna have to respectfully yeet myself out of consideration because this project is not the vibe for my list at this time.

pls know I did read your query—this is not a “delete without reading” moment, this is a “read, blink slowly, process, and then simply…cannot” situation.

I wish I could give personalized feedback but I am currently being absolutely ratioed by 900+ queries a month and my remaining brain cells are in power-saving mode.

that said, just because it’s not for me doesn’t mean it won’t absolutely slap for another agent. publishing is chaos. someone out there is going to read this and go feral (in a good way).

so keep going. stay hydrated. stay delusional. trust the process (derogatory).

wishing you crit requests, agent offers, and zero form rejections moving forward.

Best,
Jennifer"

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Just kidding...I received a deeply moving form rejection:

Dear [AUTHOR NAME HERE],

Thank you so much for thinking of Starling Literary + Media. I am thrilled to be a part of this new venture and delighted to have the chance to consider [TITLE]. Unfortunately, the project is not the right fit for my list, and so I am going to step aside for now.

[Author], I am sorry not to offer you representation, but I am grateful for this opportunity to consider your work. Even though I am responding with a form letter, please know I personally read your query and considered your project.

I wish I could give a more personalized response. Unfortunately, with the volume of queries I receive (900-1000+ per month), it's not possible for me to write to everyone individually. While this particular project is not the right fit for my list, others might find it perfect for theirs. I encourage you to keep striving for publication.


Thank you again for thinking of me and our agency. I wish you the very best of luck as you move forward.

Best,
Jennifer

Q: 1/25/26
psychological thriller 75k Serial Killer
R: 3/10/26 (This was a fair rejection, this was one of my first ever sent, and I had no idea what I was doing)

45 days to rejection citing opening pages. Offered to resubmit in 3+ months with "significant revision."