So you’ve written a book – well done! After hours upon hours of plotting, planning and fighting writer’s block, the hard part is finally over … right? Wrong. Writing a strong proposal and submitting to publishers can be a difficult task if you’ve never done it, and disheartening when you end up with a rejected manuscript. If you’re sitting there wondering why your magnum opus is being ignored, you’ve come to the right place.

Here are 5 common reasons why you may not have had that call-back from the publisher’s office: