She Pulled Her Manuscript Out of the Trenches, Rewrote It From the Ground Up, and Came Back 18 Months Later
Rebeccah Sheridan queried before she was ready — two fulls, two rejections. Instead of shelving the book, she rebuilt it. When she re-entered the trenches, she got 15 requests and an offer from Trident Media Group.
📚 15 Requests (9 Fulls + 6 Partials)
🎉 1 Agent Offer
🔄 18 Months of Rewriting Between Rounds
⏱️ ~4 Years on Her First Manuscript
The Numbers:
The Backstory
Writing Came Back After Her Second Daughter
The manuscript that got her an agent was her first — "worked on lovingly and with lots of hair pulling over the course of about 4 years."
“I started writing in high school, but put it aside for a long time! I picked it up again during the pandemic, after the birth of my second daughter when I needed something just for me.”
Round One: Querying Too Early
"I started querying in January 2024. In hindsight, I wasn't ready. I fell into the 'let's see what happens!' trap. I got two full requests and both ended in rejections."
One agent's feedback changed everything: "One agent gave me some incredibly helpful feedback, and I knew it was time to pull the manuscript from the trenches and either shelve it or rewrite it."
"I didn't fully understand the strategy behind the query process. It's not 'vibes', it's not 'luck'. There should be a lot of thought and careful consideration put into the querying strategy before you even open QueryTracker."
The Struggle
The Turning Point
Spring 2025: Rolling Up Her Sleeves
Once she was confident in the direction, she worked with a developmental editor through Lauren Kay Writes, "to make sure the manuscript was as strong as it could be."
"I wasn't ready to let go of it, so I rolled up my sleeves. I took writing courses, joined Query Bootcamp (where I met my amazing critique partners), and rewrote the story from the ground up."
The Critique Partners Who Stuck
Rebeccah names her critique group as the single most impactful thing she got from Query Bootcamp:
"My Query Bootcamp critique partners! Nora, Mina, and I connected on Slack and still meet at least 2-3 times a month. We've moved on to additional manuscripts and have grown from writing partners to friends. I'm so thankful for them and their support and encouragement, and thankful for QBC for connecting us!"
"The critique group pairings via Query Bootcamp. I still meet regularly with my group and my book wouldn't have gotten an agent without their feedback."
— Rebeccah Sheridan
The Strategy That Made the Difference
"Batch querying, and understanding that the query letter is a living, breathing document. My query evolved several times throughout the process and each time I felt more confident after it shifted."
The Querying Journey
October 2025 – June 2026: Round Two
After about 18 months of rewriting, Rebeccah re-entered the query trenches in October 2025.
This time: 6 partial requests and 9 full requests.
She received her offer of representation in June 2026 — and one more request for a call arrived after she'd already signed.
What’s Next?
The Next Chapter
Rebeccah is now represented by Kristen Bertoloni at Trident Media Group.
About The Slow Burn
When an event planner with her promotion on the line must plan a holiday gala with a firefighter who works for her father, she vows to keep things strictly professional…until the undeniable chemistry between them threatens the gala, her family relationships, and the career she's built her life around.
Daphne's Reflection:
"Query Bootcamp was essential to my querying journey. It helped me understand that querying is a strategic process, and because of this I was able to prepare in a way that set me up for success."
Follow Rebeccah on Instagram: @whatrebeccahread