It’s easy to believe that you have to be perfect to get published. Today, we bring you proof—hilarious, painful, honest proof—that things can go horribly awry and then end up great.

Whether it’s checking in too soon (and getting called out by an agent), writing a pitch without a conflict or stakes (and then booking back-to-back agent meetings) or having a typo create havoc in a room of 200 conference attendees, these writers have been through it all—and come out better for it.

They’ve since signed with agents, received multi-book contracts—and one even went to her release party just hours after we recorded.

2:15: Sending out a book with seven points of view

7:50: Pitching a book without conflict or stakes

13:24: Checking in with an agent much too soon

19:27: Querying work to just after typing “the end”

23:06: Sending out work personalized--for another agent

27:09: Submitting work to a panel without careful proofreading

Please welcome (in order of appearance):

Suzy Vitello is the author of three YA books and an adult speculative novel, FAULTLAND. You can find her at Suzyvitello.com, @suzy_vitello on Twitter, and @suzyvitello on Instagram.

Thalia Elie is the author of HAIR WE GO! : A Curly Girls’ Adventure series. As a multi-ethnic curly girl, she wanted to encourage readers’ curiosity about differing cultures. This book celebrates the curly girl!  It’s an animated escapade that travels around Africa to laugh and learn that curls color the world. Each excursion is an adventure in diversity.

Learn more about Thalia’s FREE event, June 2 at 8pm ET, here: http://evt.to/ogiaoagw

Rachel Remick has had several short stories published in literary magazines, including Rosebud, Bluestem and The First Line, as well as women's magazine Sasee. Her short story The Favorite was published in a recent edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul, Listen to Your Dreams. You can follow her on Twitter @tampawritergirl.

Nicole Moleti resides in West Hartford, CT and is a co-author writing under the pen name Addison McKnight. Her debut domestic suspense comes out spring of 2022 with Lake Union Publishing. Follow her @nicoleandkrista on Twitter and @addisonmcknight on Facebook.

Juliana Savia Clayton writes Young Adult novels and picture books. She’s a member of SCBWI and serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Indiana Chapter. When not refreshing her inbox, she enjoys reading and spending time with her husband and two cats. You can find her on Twitter @kidlit_writer

Agentless in America is a soon-to-be veterinarian that is an editor for the Heroic Fantasy e-magazine. She often melds fantasy with reality and believes that there is always room for romance. She currently lives, eats and breathes veterinary medicine, but never fails to appreciate the little things--especially if those little things are semicolons. Twitter: http://twitter.com/thedragonvet