As writers, we often obsess over crafting the perfect sentence.
We fight over every word and comma in our manuscripts.
But what if I told you that literary agents care more about your character’s voice and story’s momentum than your grammar?
By, like, a lot.
I recently interviewed a friend of the podcast, Jenna Satterthwaite.
She’s a literary agent and author of Made for You. During our conversation, she revealed some publishing insights that might surprise some of you.
Jenna’s background as an agent and writer provides an important perspective on the industry. And it’s something most writers never hear.
That’s why her brutal honesty about the publishing industry is so important.
If you missed that episode, you can check it out HERE
The Publishing Industry’s Best-Kept Secret: Story Always Wins
The most shocking advice from our conversation wasn’t about thriller writing techniques.
Honestly, it was about what agents actually prioritize when evaluating manuscripts.
Jenna explained her approach to working with writers across different skill levels.
I have writers who are so polished that I have not had to touch a thing in like line edits where I’m just like, It’s done… And then I have writers who, you know, are still on the newer side, where I’m sending a huge edit letter of stylistic notes.
This changes how we should approach writing our stories. Or at least it should help us better understand what’s important.
While we’re perfecting every sentence, agents are hunting for something else entirely. They just want to see if you can create a story that keeps readers turning pages.
But prose doesn’t tend to hold me back when signing someone. I don’t need the most polished sentence of all time. I want a great story. I want a strong voice.
For thriller writers, this means your high-stakes plot and compelling characters matter more than whether you’ve used the perfect verb tense throughout your manuscript.
Consider focusing your energy on creating that page-turning momentum that defines great thriller writing instead of achieving literary perfection.
Why Voice Matters More Than You Think
Perhaps the most important writing tip from our conversation was Jenna’s emphasis on voice over pretty much everything else.
Because you cannot, an agent can’t go in and via, like, redlining a manuscript, create voice. I can’t make that for my authors. But I can fix, like, someone who’s inconsistent with verb tenses.
We’ve all had that experience of reading something off a best seller list and thinking…this isn’t better than my story.
But that’s the thing. You’re already a good enough writer to get published. You’re here, doing the work, listening to the podcast, getting the reps in.
You just need a compelling voice and an agent who believes in it.
That’s why Jenna’s insights were so interesting to me.
Technically perfect manuscripts get rejected. All. The. time.
Others with flaws find representation.
Because voice is that singular quality that seems to make or break your thriller.
Your Action Plan for Thriller Writing Success
Based on Jenna’s insights, here’s how to write a thriller that agents actually want.
And you missed that episode, you can check it out HERE
The Story-First Revision Strategy
Before your next draft, read through your entire manuscript with one question in mind:
“Would I absolutely need to know what happens next if I weren’t the author and just picked this book up off the shelf?”
Apply this test to every chapter ending.
If the answer isn’t an emphatic yes, you’ve found a pacing problem that needs fixing before you worry about sentence-level polish.
My advice?
Focus the bulk of your revision energy on strengthening story momentum, character development, and voice.
Save the grammar polishing for last. Because as Jenna suggests, agents can help with technical issues, but they can’t manufacture the compelling story that makes your thriller irresistible.
Remember, thriller writing success isn’t about perfection; it’s about creating stories that readers can’t put down.
This is why I always love talking to Jenna because she’s honest, insightful, and willing to share the ugly truth about the publishing industry.
