Shadows and Storylines 8: The Brutal Truth About Query Letters | Is Anyone Even Reading Them?

Most writers dream about getting an agent.Nobody talks about what happens after you send thirty query letters and barely get a real response.In this episode of Shadows & Storylines, Pelham Pugh pulls back the curtain on the querying process. From instant rejection emails to the frustrating silence, from paying editors hundreds of dollars to wondering if anyone actually reads your work — this is the unfiltered reality of trying to break into traditional publishing.After moving over ten thousand copies as an indie Southern noir author, the question remains:Is the gatekeeping real?Is it about money?Or is it about the right hook at the right time?If you are:• Querying literary agents• Writing your first novel• Self published but considering traditional publishing• Curious about how the publishing industry worksThis episode is for you.Subscribe for more honest conversations about writing, publishing, Southern noir, and the creative life.#WritingLife #QueryLetters #LiteraryAgents #SelfPublishing #SouthernNoir #PelhamPugh