Ep. 25: The Many Reasons for Agent Passes (Beyond Writing Quality) and How to Cope with Them episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 9, 2025 · 55 MIN

Ep. 25: The Many Reasons for Agent Passes (Beyond Writing Quality) and How to Cope with Them

from You, Me, and the Writing Journey Podcast · host Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD

The querying journey is full of passes. They are the expected, the inevitable. In this insightful episode, Agent Heather Cashman helps us understand the many reasons for agent passes—beyond writing quality. (And plot spoiler, that is often not the reason at all!)You, Me, and the Writing Journey (X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcastPodcast Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heather Cashman (Agent and Author):Heather loves books about people she could become friendswith and introduce a new world, but she cherishes the ones that make her want to be the heroine of her own life. Writing for enjoyment turned into an interest in improving craft and eventually led to becoming a professional editor for Cornerstones Literary Consultancy, volunteering asManaging Director of Pitch Wars, interning for The Bent Agency and Entangled Publishing, and now a Senior Literary Agent and Agent Mentor at Storm Literary Agency.Agency Website: https://www.stormliteraryagency.com/heather-cashman.htmlWebsite: www.heathercashman.comWay Word Writers Podcast: https://way-wordwriters.com/BlueSky: @heathercashman.bsky.socialTwitter: @HeatherCashmanInstagram: @heathercashmanauthorDanielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlitauthor, trauma therapist, experienced professor, internationalpresenter/speaker, Picture Book Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @DrenderturmaudWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The querying journey is full of passes. They are the expected, the inevitable. In this insightful episode, Agent Heather Cashman helps us understand the many reasons for agent passes—beyond writing quality. (And plot spoiler, that is often not the reason at all!)You, Me, and the Writing Journey (X, Instagram, and BlueSky): @YMWJPodcastPodcast Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm/you-me-the-writing-journey-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heather Cashman (Agent and Author):Heather loves books about people she could become friendswith and introduce a new world, but she cherishes the ones that make her want to be the heroine of her own life. Writing for enjoyment turned into an interest in improving craft and eventually led to becoming a professional editor for Cornerstones Literary Consultancy, volunteering asManaging Director of Pitch Wars, interning for The Bent Agency and Entangled Publishing, and now a Senior Literary Agent and Agent Mentor at Storm Literary Agency.Agency Website: https://www.stormliteraryagency.com/heather-cashman.htmlWebsite: www.heathercashman.comWay Word Writers Podcast: https://way-wordwriters.com/BlueSky: @heathercashman.bsky.socialTwitter: @HeatherCashmanInstagram: @heathercashmanauthorDanielle Render Turmaud, PhD (Host/Author/Therapist):Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD is an agented kidlitauthor, trauma therapist, experienced professor, internationalpresenter/speaker, Picture Book Critique Coach with the Picture Book Author Academy, and the host of You, Me, and the Writing Journey, Take Your Kid to Publishing Day kidlit event, and the #YouDeservepIt Pitch event.X, BlueSky, and Instagram: @DrenderturmaudWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Ep. 25: The Many Reasons for Agent Passes (Beyond Writing Quality) and How to Cope with Them

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This episode was published on November 9, 2025.

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The querying journey is full of passes. They are the expected, the inevitable. In this insightful episode, Agent Heather Cashman helps us understand the many reasons for agent passes—beyond writing quality. (And plot spoiler, that is often not the...

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