Chip MacGregor .com

Questions on Proposals and the Industry

A host of questions came in over the 4th of July weekend (all those writers with nothing to do but watch fireworks and drink beer), so let me try and tackle several of them...

Dania wants to know, "What is the purpose of a market analysis in a proposal? What kind of information are you looking for? And how much info do you want? It seems like the agent is the one who knows the market, so I'm not sure why an author is asked to do this."

A market analysis serves as an advance organizer to a publisher. It helps reveal that there is a market is for the new book, helps describe the potential audience, and helps the publisher think through how they could market and sell the new title. A market analysis is a way of saying, "You once published this title, and my proposed book is similar." The author does the legwork to put this together because it's the author's job to create the best proposal possible. A good agent will work with you to tweak this section, perhaps recommending other titles or revising the descriptions to best fit each publishing house.

Often writers will come to me with a pitch that says, "Nobody has ever done anything like this before!" That fails to recognize the real world of publishing. Companies discover how to produce and sell certain types of books -- for example, Bethany House knows how to sell historical fiction, and the folks at Baker know how to sell books to pastors and church leaders. Imagine walking up to a nonfiction publisher and saying, "You've never done western novels before, so the market is wide open!" It's stupid -- that's not how publishers think. If you bring them a new project, you need to explain the market for the book, and help them to see how they are going to succeed with it.

Generally a market analysis lists three to eight published books that have had some success, explains each book briefly, and may subtly define how the new, proposed book is unique. But it doesn't bash any current books on the market, and it should not include any over-the-top comparisons (if I see one more spiritual memoir that says, "This book is exactly like Blue Like Jazz," I'm going to scream).

Jane asked, "What is the industry standard for citing sources in a proposal?"

The standard is pretty much the same as in a book -- you want to cite your sources adequately. Sure, a proposal isn't going to be published, so you don't have all the same legal requirements that you do in a book, but you still want to make sure you cite the words correctly, you identify the source, and you give enough information that a reasonable person could pursue the source and confirm your citation.

Angie wrote and noted, "I have a busy life, and I seem to spend much of it in front of my computer. How can I keep up with the industry? Can you tell me websites, blogs, lists, etc, that you feel are worth sacrificing my writing time to follow?"

My choices may be different from your own, of course, but I subscribe to Publisher's Weekly (the bible of our industry), and I get Publishers' Lunch and PW Daily on my screen every day. These keep me in touch with the industry. There are a number of blogs I like, but I'll admit that I tend to look at the blogs of the authors I represent, and I can't quite keep up with all the good blogs that have been created. So if I leave out the funny ones and the thoughtful ones, and simply focus on those from an industry standpoint, Novel Journey at blogspot is good because it keeps you on top of a lot of titles. Most of the publishers have their own company blogs, and some (like Mike Hyatt's excellent "From Where I Sit") have their own personal blogs as well. I do a lot of work in CBA, so I still look at CBA Retailer+Resources magazine, which is just okay, and Christian Retailing magazine, which offers a decent overview of the CBA side. I also belong to a couple discussion groups to talk about the business and marketing side of publishing.

Dennis said, "I have an opportunity to do a book with an on-demand publisher. There's no fee and no advance, but they pay 25% of profits to the author, and it seems like a way in the door. Do you think that's wise?"

The wisdom I'd share is probably tied up in your expectations, Dennis. What do you want to accomplish in publishing this book? If you're hoping to make some money, it most likely won't provide that for you. The fact is, I don't know of any on-demand publisher who is really selling many copies, so 25% of nothing isn't exactly a lot of money. If you're expecting publishers will look at a POD book you've done and treat you as "an author," you'll be disappointed. Publishers aren't stupid, and they've figured out that anyone can claim to be published these days. If you really want to make a living at this, or if you have a message you feel is important, you're going to want to stick with a regular print-based publishing house. But if you have some means of selling these yourself  (say you've got a big online presence, or you're speaking at seminars around the country) then this may be an option. However, if you just feel a need to tell people, "Hey -- I wrote a book," I can't really advise you. For the majority of POD authors, writing a book is nothing more than an ego stroke, and I really don't care one way or the other about most author egos. I realize I can sound like a crank on this subject, but I keep running into really lousy writers who will tell me they've done a dozen books -- then I discover they did all those books with some POD publisher nobody has ever heard of. So think about your expectations before deciding which way to go.

Lisa asked, "With the economy taking a downturn, would you recommend writers, especially new writers, wait for better times to approach agents and publishers?"

I am SO tempted to say, "No, I recommend they call another agent," but I won't because people keep accusing me of being snarky. Um... Lisa, for all the talk of oil prices and home mortgages ruining our economy, people still seem to be buying books. Yes, I think publishers are a bit scared (everybody seems to be retrenching a bit), but I can guarantee you they are all looking for a GREAT idea, expressed through GREAT writing, by an author with a GREAT platform. If you have all of those pieces in place, don't wait. If you don't have all those pieces... well, you probably aren't ready anyway.

And Tom wrote me and asked this question: "You've talked about how much you appreciate the people who came before you. Who are the people in publishing you most admire?'

Not writers, but people working in the industry? Yikes. There are a bunch. Rick Christian, President of Alive Communications, is the person who most helped me take a leap forward in my career. He knows great writing, is a fine agent, and is one of the handful of people responsible for pushing CBA into the modern age. Mike Hyatt is perhaps the smartest guy I know in publishing, and though we don't know each other well, he's always been very kind to me. I've loved watching him turn things around at Thomas Nelson. I've long appreciated that Dwight Baker of Baker Books can continually move  a big publishing company forward while at the same time remain a regular guy. (He hides his smarts by making you think he's Mr. Normal.) Two men I very much admire who have moved on are Don Stephenson, the longtime publisher at Baker who is one of the best guys on the planet, and Scott Bolinder, the former publisher at Zondervan -- the most reasonable and godly man I ever worked with. Others I admire would be Ron Beers of Tyndale, David Young at Hachette Book Group, Carolyn McCready at Harvest House. Dudley Delffs at Zondervan has the best eye for fiction of anyone I know, and Terry Glaspey has the best mind for publishing concepts. There are also some agent friends I very much admire: Steve Laube and Janet Grant and Deidre Knight and Natasha Kern.

The scary thing about putting together a list like this is that I have a bunch of friends who work in the industry I value greatly, and I don't want them to feel slighted -- Angela Scheff and Andy M and Shannon and LaRae and Andrea and Greg and Beth and Becky Nesbitt and Brian Hampton. Wow. The more I think about it, the more I realilze how blessed I've been to be able to spend my life with such good people. No kidding. Guess that causes me to lose the snark factor quickly -- there's nothing like being reminded of the important people in your life to give you some perspective on how good you've got it.

Well, there's your 4th of July sermon... Take a moment to say thanks to all the people who have helped you get where you are today.

Talking Compilations and Agents

Jacob wrote to me and said, "I submitted to one of those compilation books, and the company requested I put my social security number on all my submissions. I wrote to ask them about the practice, since my submission had not yet been accepted, and was told by one of the people who helps with the project that he 'puts his SSN on everything' he submits. What's your advice on this subject?"

My advice is clear: DO NOT PUT YOUR SSN ON YOUR PROPOSALS. In fact, my guess is that anybody who routinely sticks that sort of confidential information on all his proposals is a dipstick. Don't take career advice from that individual. Yikes.

Belinda wrote and noted, "I have been accepted into a compilation book, but their contract has an endless non-compete. When I asked them about it, I was told they 'don't mean it like that.' What should I do?"

Sticking with the dipstick theme, if the editor said to you, "I know the contract only calls for you to make a 2% royalty, but we don't mean it -- we'll pay you 15%," would you agree to sign? No way. The reason you have a written contract is to clarify exactly what the deal is. If they want to offer a broader non-complete clause, get it written down, or suggest some wording for them to insert into the contract. Basically a non-compete is there to protect a publisher from an unscrupulous author writing a book with one house, then writing a very similar book and producing it with another house, thereby cannibalizing sales. An author who regularly writes and speaks on a particular topic needs to gain some freedom, so as not to be prohibited from ever writing on that topic again. A good contract strikes a balance between the publisher's protection and the author's calling to speak to a certain issue.

Timothy asked, "How long does a publishing house normally hold a submission before they make a decision?"

I don't think there is a "normal" period of time, but generally if a house likes a project, you figure they're probably going to get back in touch with the agent with a decision within two or three months. S0metimes it's much faster. But if a publisher has had a project for four or five months, they most likely don't have a lot of enthusiasm for it.

Stephanie wants to know, "How long does an agent wait after they've queried a publisher before they check back with that publisher?"

That depends on a myriad of factors -- what's the project? who's the author? what's my relationship to the editor? how much interest am I getting on this project? how big of a hurry are we in? It's not uncommon for me to check back within a couple weeks on a normal project, just so I get a feel for how a submission is being perceived by the publisher.

Shanielle asked, "Assuming someone approaching you is a great writer, would you take them on as a client if he or she was not yet a full-time writer? And would you take on a person who has no plans to become a full-time writer?"

Most agents I know would be thrilled to take on a great writer, whether the author is full-time or part-time. But I'd say the goal with many writers is to move toward being full-time. Not everyone shares this dream -- I represent a novelist who has clearly said to me she doesn't have the desire to move toward a full-time writing career. But she's probably in the minority.

Chris wrote to ask, "How can I find a listing of reputable agents who will accept queries from unpublished writers?"

There are four books you should review... You can look at Chuck Sambuchino's comprehensive Guide to Literary Agents, from Writers Digest Books; or try Writers Market, the  guide to the industry also published by Writers Digest each year; or Sally Stuart's Christian Writers Market Guide, published by Random House each year; or Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents, an annual from Three Dog Press. You can also go online to numerous sources in order to research literary agents -- try the Association of Author Representatives site, or simply begin to do some googling.

Two sites every author should be aware of include Writer Beware and Predators & Editors. Both are sites aimed at protecting authors by offering advice and pointing out unscrupulous agents. They serve an important function in an industry that sometimes attracts some bad characters.

Got a publishing or writing question? Send it in and I'll try to get you an answer.

Getting Published and Staying Published

I've received a slug of publishing questions recently, and I'm trying to catch up...

Marie wrote to say, "A while back, you blogged about the lack of staying power authors have in today's market. In your opinion, how do novelists like Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, and Frank Peretti stay on top?"

Publishing has always suffered from the "what's new" syndrome. Every generation (which, in our culture, means every 3-to-7 years) needs it's own voices -- its own rock stars, its own TV shows, its own authors. So names will come and go. Take a look at who did big publishing deals 6 or 7 years ago, and you'll find names you've never heard of. And yet... at the same time, the market has a tendency to fall in love with some people. Lori Wick may not write the best books of all time, but she's been around for 15 years, and she never has anything sell less than 100,000 copies. John Grisham is routinely on the bestseller lists with his novels. Karen Kingsbury hits readers' emotions with every book, and that drives her work to the bestseller lists.

I would argue that most successful authors share several characteristics: They know their own writing voice, and it's a voice that appeals to a wide audience. (I talk on this blog about "voice" quite a bit. I think it's the #1 reason an author succeeds or fails.) They deliver a consistently good story that carries the reader along (even though successful authors may get hammered for poor craft, their stories are always interesting). There is almost always a protagonist I want to root for, and I'm generally drawn into the story emotionally. I get to know the inner life of the characters, not just the outer life. There is easy-to-understand conflict. And there's generally some sort of transcendent theme to the book -- reading it offers an emotional or educational experience, not just a way to spend a couple hours. So when readers approach one of these authors' books, those readers know what to expect.

There's been a lot of discussion about "branding" among authors. But the best authors establish their brand through their words. Reading them is satisfying, because you know what the author will deliver. So to answer your question, Marie, I think all of those authors you mention have clear brands, and deliver on that promise to their readers. That's where "staying power" comes from.

Dennis wrote and noted, "As I research book publishing, I'm intrigued by the 'platform' thing. And as I think about how to build my platform, I'm having a hard time discerning whether publishers would consider my platform attractive or small potatoes. I edit a professional magazines (10,000 readers), help manage an advertising agroup (500 advertisers), am busy with the local Chamber of Commerce (another 500 members), contribute to a popular blog site, have access to a handful of other groups, and have been invited to submit articles to some very popular websites. Is that enough to get an editor's attention?"

That certainly sounds like the start of a good platform, Dennis. Of course, some of the "platform" issue will depend on what you're writing and who you're writing to. If all of your professional contacts are finance related, and you've written a romance novel, publishers may tend to discount the value of all those contacts. But if you're writing a book that speaks directly to your contacts, I imagine publishers would find your data base of people interesting. There's not really a magic number that you're trying to hit -- other than to say "the bigger it is, the better they'll like you." However, you're really beginning to think like a publisher when you approach your platform this way. How many people do you already reach? How often? In how many ways? How can you approach them about your book? Those are questions to talk about with a prospective publisher or agent.

Paul wrote, "I'm an unpublished writer living outside the US, but hoping to break into the US market. How much will my geographic location be an issue in trying to get published?"

It doesn't get talked about much, but it's an issue. US publishers like to have their authors on US soil, so that they're available for phone calls, media interviews, book tours, and the like. It's certainly possible to live elsewhere and do well in the States (Ms Rowling did okay, as I recall), but for most beginning authors, living outside the US is just another reason for a publisher to say "no thanks" to your proposal.

Emily wrote this: "When a popular author recently revealed her struggles with an alcoholic husband, it caused quite a stir. That author told me it had taken years of work and publishing credits to be allowed to reveal the truth. How do you know when to share your personal struggles in life with your readers? And how much should you reveal?"

Those are both excellent questions, Emily, but I don't think there's an answer that works for everyone. Some authors (Brennan Manning, Lauren Winner, Anne Lamott, etc) do a wonderful job of revealing the really difficult things they've faced. Brennan has written about his drinking problem, Anne about her addiction issues, and Lauren talked openly about sex -- all of them created wonderful, insightful books that spoke to spiritual growth and the human condition. But I get personal tell-all proposals across my desk regularly, and most of them are terrible. It's tough to reveal personal struggles without it seeming like a cry for attention or some sort of odd need to dump the prurient aspects of one's life. My sense is that all three of those authors I mentioned felt compelled ("called," if you will) to reveal their stories. And they had the writing ability to make those stories feel both important and relatable. Certainly that's a step up from the type of Christian books we used to see, where some preacher told us how to live, and used his or her own life to describe how wonderful they were.

That said, I'd caution a writer to consider carefully before revealing anything that might prove embarrassing later. You've got to show that you understand your mistake. You've got to have the writing ability to talk about it without sounding either arrogant or callow. And you've got to be ready to live with the consequences. Once ink hits paper, there's no taking it back. I've said some stupid things in print before, and wish I could reverse those words. Once you've put something sophomoric into print, you're going to be known for those words forever.

Justine asked, "Just how gritty or realistic can a Christian novelist be when trying to portray the reality of a sin-filled world?"

That will depend on (a) what your story is, (b) who your audience is, (c) what your publisher is comfortable putting into print. If you're doing a story about a young single girl dealing with a pregnancy, your story may call for some detail, or the story may be better off without any detail. If  you're writing that for a romance novel, it will certainly be presented differently than if you're writing it to the Christian YA market. Don't start out thinking there is one right way to present a story... and PLEASE don't fall into the trap of thinking that a Christian novelist must write a clean, religious story. Take a look at the writings of Flannery O'Connor and you'll find a Christian who challenges her readers with some pretty difficult characters and situations. We're all called to write different types of things -- we've all got diverse stories in our heads.

On a related note, Kevin wrote and asked, "How much should a writer cater to the sensibilities of the lowest common denominator when using words and phrases?"

Okay, I think where you're going with this is to ask if CBA publishers will allow novelists to use foul language in their novels. Most won't, unless there's some compelling reason to do so. It's just harder to sell into the Christian market when you've got characters cursing, and an argument can be made that we don't need to fill our mind with that sort of garbage. (When I was a publisher at Time-Warner, I remember having a long debate as to whether a guy writing a novel about race relations in the 1950's should be allowed to use the N-word in his book. Yes, it was appropriate for the time, but why bother tossing something that volatile out there now?) However, the truth is that I hate the question. It smacks of being in 7th grade Sunday School class and having someone ask, "How far is too far?" Ask yourself this: "What am I called to write?" If you're not comfortable using the words "damn" and "hell," then don't use them. If you're perfectly at home with words like "god-dammit" or "shit" in your novel because it's needed for realism's sake, or to set up a character, that's a choice you're going to have to make and be comfortable with. Just remember that words are tools -- the equivalent of a hue to a painter or a string to a violinist. And my experience is that it's easy to be a lazy writer by trying to rely on too many curse words for effect, rather than working to set the scene some other way.

Risa wrote this: "I've approached several editors and agents who all say to me the writing in my novel is good, but the topic isn't right for their needs or the market right now. However, everybody who reads a series of chapters in my book tells me they love the story. How can I get an editor to give me a break?"

Um... I can think of several responses for you, Risa. First, your writing might not be that good, but your friends might love you. Second, your writing might not be that good, but your friends aren't as sophisticated as the editors and agents you're talking to. (Put another way, who do you want to take  publishing advice from -- your friends, or professionals in the industry?) Third, your writing might be good, but right now isn't the time. If that's the case, STOP TRYING TO SELL THAT BOOK AND MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE. Most novelists don't get their first book published -- they go through several manuscripts before they find one that hits. Fourth, your writing might be good, and you just need to keep trying until you hit the right editor and the right house. If that's the case, then you need to go to some conferences, meet editors face-to-face, and ask them to read some of your book. Not just talk about it, and not just read the synopsis, but give them a sample chapter and sit quietly while they read a chapter during your meeting time. Fifth, your writing might be good, and everybody in the industry is wrong....... but I doubt it. I  mean, it's possible. But in my experience over the past three decades, I've met a lot of authors who felt their stuff was great, and in fact it wasn't. Just a thought.

Got a publishing question? Ask away.

Making Money, Attending Conferences, Creating Books

A heapin' hunk o' questions came in while I was on vacation, so let me catch up with them.

Mike wrote to ask, "Could we talk about making money through publishing in ways other than writing books? Like manuscript critique, reading submissions for publishers, writing reviews, etc. Do you think there's value in these sidelines?"

There's certainly value in these endeavors, Mike, but in most of them there's not much money. Let's put these publishing activities into two categories: the EXPERIENCE group, and the INCOME group...

In the EXPERIENCE group, an author finds ways to get more involved with the industry, learn about the craft, and make connections. To that end, he or she can write book reviews, create a column in a local newspaper, review movies or restaurants, read submissions for an agent or editor, participate in a blog, send an e-zine, regularly post articles on a web site, and send in a short piece for a book of collected essays (like the Chicken Soup or God Allows U-Turns books). All of those are great ways to get some experience and exposure. None of them will pay much.

In the INCOME group, a writer can set up an editorial service, offer to critique manuscripts for a fee, do copy editing for publishers (who are always looking for good copy editors), create magazine articles, do some collaborative writing, help authors strengthen their proposals, do contract evaluations (if you know what you're doing), or take a job with a publishing-related company. That could mean working part-time doing office work for an agent, or helping a marketing company with author tours, or even taking a job at Barnes & Noble. When I was a free-lance writer, I wrote study guides for people. I have a friend who works for a travel company and writes traveler-related stories. Another friend puts together a newsletter for one of America's largest home builders, another is paid to write articles on local businesses for the Chamber of Commerce, still another edits the trade journal for concrete workers. I was talking with an author yesterday who edits web content for one of the largest tele-com firms in the country. It's all word-related, so you're working on the craft, and it all helps pay the bills. It's tough to make a living at writing. For most real-world writers, this is how they help put food on the table.

Gail wrote wanting to know, "I see you're going to speak at a writers' conference later this summer. How often do agents typically attend conferences? Once a month? Once per quarter?"

It depends on the agent. Some agents don't like talking in front of groups or being approached by a bunch of newbies. They find other ways to invest their time. But I enjoy speaking and hanging out with a bunch of writers -- probably because I remember being one of those people sitting in the back row, not knowing anybody. People in the industry have been very good to me, and while I can't represent everybody, this is one way of giving back. Still, it's a sacrifice. I'm not paid much, they work me long hours, and it's a couple days away from my real job, which is running a literary agency.

I'll be at the Philadelphia writers' conference in August (writehisanswer.com), and I was just asked to pinch-hit for another agent who had to drop out of the Oregon Christian Writers' conference (a good regional conference in the Pacific Northwest, I had to do it, since I'm an Oregon native -- Go Ducks!). The only other conference I'll attend this year is the ACFW conference, happening in mid-September. The American Christian Fiction Writers conference moves around, but is in Minneapolis this year, and I'll tell you right now it's the best annual Christian writers' conference going. Great instruction, superbly organized, a wonderful group of people attending, and their awards are beginning to gain some recognition in the industry. Oh, and they'll be doing their author signing this year at the Mall of America! Check them out at ACFW.com. (They also have started a blog that talks about things like "how to get the most out of a writing conference," so I suggest you take a look, even if you're not attending ACFW.)

On a related note, Ed wants to know, "Do agents go to conferences on their own dime in hopes of snagging a new client?"

Occasionally they will, especially when an agent is at the starting stage of his or her career. But for an established agent, the conference will usually fly them in, ask them to meet with 15-to-25 writers, speak at a couple of workshops, maybe participate on a panel or lead an ongoing class, and then pay them about $300. That's just not much money for a couple days of my life (put into real-world terms, I'd only have to do one $2000 contract to earn that sort of money). It's the one-on-one appointments that really wear on you -- especially when you face an over-eager wannabe author with a bad idea who doesn't want to listen to your ideas for improving his work. Still, I enjoy the give-and-take with most writers, it often gives me a chance to visit with authors I represent who live in the area, and you're right -- there's always the possibility that I'll see a dynamite idea or meet a great writer at a conference. In fact, let me offer some examples...

Mark Bertrand is a guy I'd read online for months before meeting him a couple years ago at ACFW. He was clearly a good writer, and MUCH smarter than me, so I was looking forward to shaking his hand at the conference. We met, I discovered he's a great guy (the type of person I wished lived closer so we could hang out together), and we started working together. Mark just signed a three-book deal with Bethany House. Susan Meissner is one of the best novelists in CBA. My wife was a fan before I was, and introduced me to her work. I loved her voice and stories, and I was thrilled to meet her at a writing conference. We ended up standing next to each other in the security line at LAX, started talking, and... she just signed a two-book deal with Random House. Susan Page Davis is one of the busiest writers in the business -- she currently has four or five different publishing houses asking to work with her. And Susan just walked up and introduced herself to me at a writers' conference a couple years ago. I could see immediately that she could write, and she's been a joy to represent. And let me use one unpublished author -- Gina Holmes runs the very popular Novel Journey web site (noveljourney.blogspot.com, interviewing incredible writers... but I warn you: if you visit once, you'll be hooked for life). We met at a conference in North Carolina several years ago. She walked up, introduced herself, and we started talking. She's funny, charming, and her knowledge of the craft is scary good. Gina is also a fine writer. She isn't published yet, but she's got the gift, and will be soon enough. These are just four examples of the benefit I get from attending a conference. 

Dom wrote to ask, "What is BEA? I heard it just happened in LA."

Correct. BEA is Book Expo America, and is the big book show of the year. It just took place at the LA Convention Center. Lots of industry events, all the publishers showing off what's new, huge discussions about the changes happening in the industry (more on that in my next post), and the usual amount of hand-wringing about the economy, Borders, indies going under, the cost of paper, etc. If you really want to know "what's now" in the world of publishing, BEA is one of the best things you can attend all year.

And that leads me to this question from Donna: "How many books get published each year?"

I'm going to use some info that was just released at BEA to answer this question. Bowker announced that in 2007 there were 276,649 NEW titles released last year, up about two thousand from the previous year. They also noted there were 134,773 short-run and publish-on-demand titles created last year, so there were a total of 411,422 books published last year. That means 2007 offered the most new titles in the history of publishing. (Stop and read that sentence again.)

The Zogby people also did a study. According to Publisher's Weekly, Random House commissioned them to survey the book-buying habits of 8000 American adult readers. What they found was interesting: 14% buy more than twenty books per year, about half buy fewer than ten books per year, and more people buy online (43%) than anywhere else. There were a number of fascinating little tidbits in the report (for example, NPR is the biggest single influencer of book-buyers, and Jon Stewart influences more decisions than Oprah Winfrey), and you can get the whole thing on the Zogby site (www.Zogby.com).

Hey, and may I close by tooting my own horn? The folks at Seekerville have presented me with an "Award for Excellence" for my blog. Woo-hoo! Thanks very much.

If you've got a publishing question, bung it along and I'll respond.

Strategic Planning for Writers

Matt wrote to say, "You have a background in strategic planning... So can you give me an example of how you use that with an author?"

Certainly. My contention is that some agents pay lip service to "helping authors with career planning," but many don't really have a method for doing that. (From the look of it, "career planning" to many agents is defined as "having a book contract.") I have a background in organizational development -- the study of how organizations grow and change over time. And during my doctoral program at the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!), I served as a Graduate Teaching Fellow at the Career Planning and Placement Office. That experience allowed me the opportunity to apply the principles of organizational theory to the real-world setting of those in the arts who are trying to make a living. So here are a few things I like to consider...

First, I want to get to know the author. Who is he (or she)? What's the platform he brings to the process? Does she speak? If so, where, how often, to whom, to how many, and on what topics? Does he have experience with other media? What kind? What's her message? What books has she done in the past? What other writing is the author doing that could boost the platform?

Second, I want to find out about the author's past -- the significant events and accomplishments. I also like to make sure I'm clear on things like strengths, gifts, burdens... all of that helps give me context when discussing career paths.

Third, we have to talk about perspective -- what is important to the author? How does he define success? What does she need to change? What do they want t0 accomplish?

Fourth, we sit down together (or talk on the phone), and I talk about personal organization. Every author needs a TIME to write, a PLACE to write, and a GOAL that he or she is writing toward. Do they have a plan in place? Are they moving forward? Do they have a project they are working on? Do they have a filing system to keep track of projects? Do they have a writing calendar, so they know what  and when they are working on each project? I encourage authors to create a budgeting calendar -- something that is very important to every working author. Of course, each writer is unique -- what they are writing and how fast they write it will be different for each person. But knowing their financial goals and what sort of help they need from me makes my role clear.

Fifth, we start to talk about an actual writing plan -- what will happen over the next two years? The next five years? What plans are they making? Do those plans reflect their values? Does it match up with their life purpose? Does it maximize their strengths? Is their spouse in agreement with it all? Knowing an author is at peace with the overall plan is important if this is all going to be real.

These things all work together to create a career map for an author. Various documents are derived from this information -- a writing calendar, a budget, a wish list, maybe a statement of purpose. But my goal isn't to get an author to write some grand purpose statement -- my goal is to help an author create a workable plan he or she can use to move forward in the career. I aim to keep writers results-focused. I'll often ask an author questions such as, "What person would you most like to invest in this year?" or "What single thing would you most like to purchase this year?" or "What obstacle seems to be holding you back right now?" In talking through issues like this, we start to gain some clarity as to what an author wants to accomplish.

And, to be completely open about this, sometimes an author will work through the process and decide she really doesn't want to be a full-time writer. And that's okay -- the goal is to figure out the calling. I want the authors I work with to be crystal clear in their two- or three-year career plans. That way an author can understand what "success" is, and each one has a means of measuring progress.

On a related note, Dan wants to know, "What does a writing budget look like?"

Here's the basic idea...

1. The author sets a financial goal for the year. It's got to be something that is livable (if the writer is attempting to make this a full-time job) and reachable (so there's no setting a goal of "a bazillion dollars"). Let's say, for someone just moving into full-time writing, the goal is $24,000 per year. Skinny, but a real wage for most writers. So figure out how much you need to earn in a year from your writing.

2. I encourage an author to break that annual figure into monthly chunks -- so in our example, the author's goal is $2000 per month.

3. The next step is to add up what the author expects to earn on the writing they are doing. How much in contracts does she already have? What other writing does she know she'll be doing and getting paid for? That will help her figure out how much money is coming in, and how much she needs to add. Let's say an author has a royalty check coming in May, expects to have completion money on a book contract in July, and is expecting to sell a project in October. All you have to do is to figure out the amounts and write them onto your writing calendar. Nothing will give an author more clarity than hard numbers written down on a calendar -- it's a way of saying, "I'm making this... so now I need to work to make that."

4. The obvious thing to do next is to match up dates and amounts. If you know you're going to be working on a book in March/April/May, you can write down how much you're making on that project. By looking at your calendar, you'll see where the holes are that need to be filled with writing projects. And by looking at your budget, you'll see how much you need to make in order to fill in the gaps.

5. And here's an important step... The author should shift his or her budget from a monthly system to a quarterly system. So in our $24k-per-year scenario, the authors stops thinking in terms of "$2000-per-month" and starts thinking about "$6000-per-quarter." That pushes off the immediate, "How-am-I-ever-going-to-survive" worry a bit. Writing income never arrives on a monthly basis anyway, though it's fair for a writer to plan for a decent paycheck four times per year. So you move your income into quarterly groupings, lowering the pressure and giving yourself a better big-picture view of your budget.

6. The conversation then moves to something like this: "I'm going to make $6000 this quarter. It's going to come from three sources -- my completion money, my royalty check, and those magazine articles I'm completing. And the money is going to go toward..." (because part of having a budget is determining where the money goes, not just where it will come from).

I hope this all makes sense. Oh, and I always remind authors of the MacGregor Formula for full-time writing: 24m(s)+4b=RJ    (Let me translate that for you... If you intend to move toward a career as a full-time writer, you need to have the next 24 months of writing mapped out with enough money to equal a salary, PLUS the next four books contracted. That will equal a "Real Job." Once you're there, you can consider quitting that day job and focus on your book career. If you're not there, you want to be very careful about giving up guaranteed income. Making a living at writing is a tricky business.)

Yeah, this is a lot to choke down in one gulp. Feel free to ask questions if you need me to clarify.

Chip

Getting Started in the Business of Writing

I've had a number of questions recently from people in the beginning stages of their careers...

Deann wrote to ask, "As a beginner, is it a good idea to get published in an anthology? And what do you think about newer authors setting up book signings and doing readings from anthologies? Is that just good local PR?"

When you're starting your career as a writer, it's pretty much a good idea to get ANY bylines you can. So participating in anthologies is one good way to get introduced to the business. You should also consider looking to get published in magazines, e-zines, and web sites. If you've got a local newspaper, by all means try to get into that regularly. Think of it as learning to play the piano -- it takes lots of practice time and performing in plenty of dumpy school recitals before you get to be the star onstage at the concert hall. What you're looking for is a chance to perform somewhere. (Or, if you prefer sports analogies: Think of it as learning to play baseball -- it takes lots of practice time, and playing in plenty of American Legion games before you get to sign a contract with a major league team.)

As for anthology participants doing readings... It's not a bad idea, especially if you have some other pieces to read and talk about. But I sense from your question that you're wondering if a writer might be over-selling herself. And my answer is "maybe." Still, it's good PR for your career.

Ashley emailed me and said, "I've been working on my novel for months, and finally got the first few chapters to a place I feel comfortable. But when I sent them to my editor, she hacked it up and told me what to improve. So I worked on those things, until she approved of my new, revised work, and I send them to an experienced author for a critique... and SHE tells me to do exactly the opposite of the editor! I'm going crazy. How seriously do I take editors and critiques from other writers? It seems like everyone has a different opinion. Who do I trust?"

This is a common problem, Ashley, especially with newer writers. What do you do when one friend says, "Blue -- it's got to be blue," while another friend is saying, "No matter what, don't make it blue"? That's a dilemma facing many writers who ask others for their opinion. The real difficulty, in my mind, rests in the mistaken notion that there is a "right" way to do a novel. There isn't -- though there are many wrong ways. Editing is as much an art as it is a science. If you give ten editors a manuscript, they may all share some of the same criticisms, but they're sure to find different things to like and dislike. That's the nature of art. It's why some editors rise to the top, and others remain doing the meat-and-potatoes stuff in-house. So the best thing you can do is to find an editor or author you trust, preferably one with a solid track record, and ask them to give a look at your work. Of course, the person you pick may not be right. He or she may make some choices you disagree with. The fact is, as an author you're always listening to advice, choosing to follow some of it, and ignoring some of it. As you mature in your talent, you'll begin to figure out which advice to follow, and which advice to ignore.

Having said all that, let me offer one additional thought: If you're a new writer, ask for advice. I don't know many new writers who are any good. While we all like to envision this untrained, uneducated kid rising from nowhere to conquer the world with great talent, in the real world every successful writer I know improved with training. So by asking for help, I think you're taking the right step.

Susan wants to know, "How can a first-time attender get the most out of a writing conference?"

I'm a huge fan of writing conferences, since they offer writers a chance not only to learn in formal teaching sessions, but to hang out with writers and editors and learn just by being with them. If you're going to a conference this summer, start by figuring out who is on the faculty. Who do you most want to learn from? Who are you hoping to meet? Which editor or author would have the most to teach you? Next, look at the conference schedule and try to select a course of study that will give you the best information for your career. (If you're in a session and you realize it's not at all what you expected, you might have a backup plan at the ready, so you can sneak into another one... even if you're  a few minutes late.) Most of all, plan to participate in things. Don't spend your time hanging back, afraid to engage. Go to the sessions. Eat the meals at the tables with everyone. Introduce yourself around. Say hello. Meet people. There's nothing more fun than starting up some friendships with other writers you like. Stay up late and talk, go for a late-night glass of wine, and connect with these people -- many of them are just like you.

If the conference schedules one-on-one appointments, by all means participate. Sign up to meet with an editor, bring some of your writing to show him or her, and ask questions about how you can improve. Don't set some incredibly high bar for yourself ("I'm going to get a publishing deal" or "An agent is going to see my work and immediately sign me"). Instead, set reasonable goals for finding practical ways to improve your craft. After the conference is over, send thank you notes to everyone. And go back over the things you studied, so that you don't lose the information you spent so much money trying to learn. A writing conference is one of the best learning experiences imaginable for a beginning writer.

In a related vein, Kathleen wrote and says, "I would like to attend a good Christian writing conference this summer. Can you recommend a couple?"

Sure -- the Write to Publish conference will take place this weekend at Wheaton College in Chicago. It's a great conference, if you can squeeze it in. And the Oregon Christian Writers Conference will be in Portland in late July. (I would have recommended the Ridgecrest Conference in North Carolina, but it was last week.) Of course, there are numerous writing conferences at college and universities around the country. The Taos Conference in New Mexico, the Bread Loaf Conference in Middlebury, the Sewanee Conference, and the Harriette Austen Conference at the University of Georgia all have things to recommend them. There are numerous others that are excellent. These aren't "Christian" writing conferences, but they offer great information, with excellent faculties, and many are cost effective. In fact, summer is when every good writing program hosts a conference, so check the local colleges nearby. If you're really looking for a great Christian conference, and it's too late for the upcoming ones, you may want to wait until September and attend the ACFW Conference, which this year is in Minneapolis. Strong faculty, wonderful learning experience. Probably my favorite conference. (Oh... and I'll be at the Oregon conference and the Harriette Austen conference this summer.)

And on a similar note, Hank wondered, "Is it a good learning experience for a new writer to attend the ICRS convention?"

The International Christian Retailing Show (formerly the CBA International show) is happening in mid-July. In their never-ending quest to find the hottest spot on the planet to host the show, this year they set it at the Orlando Convention Center. (Rumor has it that next year they're looking closely at Death Valley.) It's a time when every religious retailer gets together to show off the wares -- so the convention floor is filled with CD's, t-shirts, ties, shoes, socks, jewelry, posters, wall art, choir robes, communion plates, and everything else religious. Oh, and books. Thomas Nelson, the largest CBA publisher, has pulled out of the show this year, but the rest of the publishing world will be there. (And yes, there will be dumb stuff there -- candies and underwear and couch cushions with Bible verses on them...but plenty of good stuff as well.)

Is it a good idea for a new, unpublished author to attend ICRS? I think so, as long as you keep the goal in mind. (And the goal is "to learn about the industry.") At the show, you can wander the floor and get a feel for all the different book companies. You can see where they are strong and where they are weak. You'll get a feel for the direction titles and covers are heading in the industry. You'll discover which topics are being talked about, and which are being ignored. You might be able to spot the "next big thing." Who knows -- you may even hit on a great, undiscovered book idea. More than that, by looking at all the different publishers, you'll begin to get a feel for where you might fit -- both in the industry, and with a particular publisher. Many of the publishing houses have author parties, so if you wrangle an invitation, you'll get a chance to rub shoulders with the authors and editors. And best of all, you'll meet people and make friends -- and publishing is as much a "who-you-know" industry as any other in the United States. It's a great time. I make fun of the dumb stuff, but I love the show and have been going for more than twenty years. If you go, make sure to stop me and say hello. I'm the tall, good-looking guy who is constantly being mistaken for Brad Pitt.

Got a publishing question? Send it in and we'll answer it.

From my Death Bed...

Okay, so maybe I'm not exactly on my death bed... but I caught this really lousy flu that has kept me in bed with a sore throat, aches, and a fever the last few days. Thought I'd emerge from my Robitusson-induced haze and answer a handful of questions from people.

Janet wrote to ask, "With the advent of e-book readers, how will this affect authors and the money they are paid? Will there be a bunch of ripple effects from all the electronic gadgets?"

Amazon's Kindle and Sony's e-reader are developing fans, and they are certainly beginning to sell some units. If you're not aware, Kindle is a book-shaped reader with a great, easy-to-read screen that receives book text via cel phone technology. You can purchase a book from Amazon and they'll send it to your Kindle wherever you are (using the same technology as text messaging) for ten bucks. A Kindle can hold about 200 titles before the memory is full. Last week Amazon cut the price from $399 to $349 -- still too high, but moving in the right direction. I like the product a lot, though I think it's a bit too plasticky. The Sony e-reader doesn't have nearly as nice of a reading screen, but costs a hundred bucks less and you can send Word document to it -- so many New York editors have been given them, in order to read manuscripts without having to lug around a bag full of heavy books. I've thought about getting one just so I could be reading the manuscripts of the authors I represent before they are sent into the publishers.

There are a lot of things to like about the future of these products, though neither are perfect. (The Kindle doesn't do graphics; neither is doing textbooks yet.) Amazon reported yesterday that they now have 125,000 books available to send to your Kindle, and [get ready to look doubtful] that more than 6% of the overall sales of those available titles were sold to Kindle users. (That's according to a report in Barron's yesterday.)  All that is interesting, but to this point their impact on the market has been negligible.

Publishers are still debating how to pay an author for electronic books. Some want to pay a flat royalty like any other book (which is questionable at best, since the publisher has no ink/paper/binding costs). Others want to pay a higher royalty than a regular book. And still others want to pay a fairly high percentage of any money that comes in (I've seen it as low as 15%, as high as 50%). So... yes, there could be interesting ripples. It's still shaking out, but theoretically an author should earn more from electronic sales than from a standard ink-and-paper book. Yet to this point... it hasn't added up to enough money to matter.

A quick question from Jim: "What factors into a decision on whether or not a book should be published as a hardcover?"

Though most authors think of the main factor being prestige (i.e., "If they put me in HC, I must be a big shot!"), the factor that most plays into the decision is money. A hardcover book will cost $1.50 to $3 more to produce than a trade paper...but the cover price will rise $7 to $10. So the return on the investment in hardcover is greater. Simply put, "We make more money per book when we sell hardcover books." BUT we'll also sell fewer books, since the price tag will keep many buyers from purchasing until it comes out in paper. Sometimes releasing a book in hardcover will kill it, since it won't sell and therefore won't leave open a trade paper following. And some genres just sell better in trade paper than they do in hardcover -- many "Christian Living" titles just seem to die on the vine when offered in HC. So the publishing team looks at the numbers and makes some projections -- If we project 10,000 sales in hardcover, but 35,000 in trade paper, is it worth releasing this book in HC first? Or should we just go straight to TP? I've been part of that discussion numerous times, and the numbers basically drive the decision.

Tiffany wants to know, "Is there a way an author can make his or her work more marketable for foreign rights? I'm fluent in French and would like to push publication in French-speaking countries. Should I create an entire marketing plan for francophonic countries? And do publishers simultaneously release in two languages?"

Oui, eet eez certainly possible to make money doing translation work, but writing exclusively for a French audience would probably mean you'd need to explore a French language publisher. A good agent should help an author try to make money by selling sub-rights and foreign rights. (Something I don't see agents doing regularly.) A good publisher will do the same thing, and the larger publishing houses have Special Rights sales people who specialize in getting their books published in other countries and languages. However, I'm not sure how helpful it would be to actually pitch a French language book to an American publisher. It's nice that you might be able to do a French version... but they're not in the market of creating and selling French books. As they say in France, Passe moi le pomme de terre! (I think that means, "We sell American books to Americans," but my French is a bit rusty.)

Carol wrote and said, "In a recent discussion with a publisher about a nonfiction book proposal, he asked me, 'Just how big do you think this will be?' I wasn't prepared to answer him. In fact, I have only the simplest notion of how I'd obtain such information. I can track similar titles, but different writing styles, different platforms, the cover, the marketing of the book, and a million other elements could influence that. What could I have said?"

I don't think I've ever heard that question, but I think your words here are pretty good. You're right -- the overall success or failure of your book rests on a number of factors, and you've named some of the biggest. But perhaps your publisher was looking to gauge your enthusiasm -- do you see this as being your life's work? Have audiences responded with enthusiasm when you've presented this material at conferences? Is there a groundswell of support for this type of message at this time? I have occasionally asked authors the "what are you writing these days" question, and had them reply with, "What do you need?" That's a weak answer, in my opinion, since it means I'm most likely going to see a book without much passion (and maybe without much research). There's nothing wrong with writing to a topic, or writing to a need, but I at least want to know the author is enthusiastic about it, and knows enough about the topic to see potential success.

One other point: You mentioned referencing other titles. That's a great idea. In fact, being able to point to similar books that have been successful generally offers a good reminder that people are looking for a solution to whatever problem you're writing about. So this is the time to offer that short speech about how this topic has proven popular with readers, and you are the person to write it, and you have the solution everyone is looking for, and the writing is fabulous.

Rhonda wrote to me with this: "I have one publisher who looked at my proposal and said he was interested in my manuscript. He asked me to revise my sample chapters. But now a second publisher has called to make me an offer. What do I do? I think I'm actually more interested in the publisher who has asked for the rewrite, but I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth."

Here's what I would do, Rhonda: "Hello, Mr. Publisher? I received your very nice note suggesting revisions to my chapter. In fact, I've already started doing those revisions, and I'm excited about the possiblity of working with you. But something has come up... I just received an offer from another publisher. In fact, it's a very good offer, and I'm tempted... but you've always been my first choice to work with. I can beg off for a week or so, but would it be possible for you to have your team talk about my proposal and give me a response a bit sooner than we'd expected? In the meantime, I'll be making those revisions you requested. Thanks very much."

And I'd offer you one caveat as well -- make sure you have a reason for wanting to work with that first publisher. As I've said on this blog numerous times, organizational enthusiasm really counts in book publishing. If that second publisher sees great potential in you, and is enthusiastic about your writing, they may work harder to make you successful than a publisher who isn't quite sure you've got what it takes. Give it some thought.

If you've got a publishing question, send it in. I'll try to get to it before I die.

Back to Blogging...

Okay, I've taken more than enough time for reflection and getting away to a conference. Back to your questions...

Clarice wrote to ask, "When is it appropriate to inquire on the status of a submission to an editor or agent? I sent something in to an agent four months ago, but have yet to hear."

Keep in mind that every agent has his or her own system. I try to get to submissions once a week, but sometimes I go three weeks between looking. And that's just for a quick look -- if I like something, I have to read it through, and that means I could have it for a month or two before I can give the author a firm response. In my experience, most agents would like to have two or three months to consider a proposal before they render a "yes" or "no." During busy times (like Christmas, summer vacation, and the like), it may take longer. So if you sent a project to an agent four months ago, and she hasn't responded to you, it might be very appropriate just to drop a friendly note -- something like, "Hello, I'm just checking back with you on that proposal I sent you a few months back. I was wondering if you've had a chance to look it over yet. I know you're busy, so thanks very much for giving it your consideration."

On a related note, Hank wrote to complain that an agent hadn't responded to his proposal in a year... but when I checked with Hank, he noted that he'd never met the agent, nor had he queried via email or letter. In other words, he had just sent in a proposal cold. And that leads me to ask, "Where is it written that an agent must respond to you just because you wrote to him or her?"

Answer: It isn't. An agent isn't obligated to respond to everyone who writes him or her. I've got a job to do, and time is money, so I really can't take the time to read every project somebody sends in cold. I don't feel that's a deriliction of my duty, either -- I simply don't believe that I owe every writer a favor. With MacGregor Literary, I state very clearly on my company website that I'm not looking for unsolicited proposals. Still, people send them. I also state on my site that I don't have time to read every project coming in over the transom, and that I don't return unsolicited proposals, even if they come with a postage-paid envelope. It's just not my job to take responsibility for someone else's idea. Still, I have people I've never heard of complain that I didn't respond, or that I didn't return materials -- as though their decision to mail me something puts a burden on me, merely because I work as a literary agent. Wrong. I generally represent people I know -- maybe we met at a conference, or they were a referral from a current author... but it's a very rare thing for an agent to yank something out of a slushpile and offer an agency agreement. So make sure you have realistic expectations, Hank.

Cecelia wrote and said, "I've noticed more authors using the term bestseller or bestselling author in their materials. Is there a rule about this? Must an author make an established bestseller list in order to use that term?"

Absolutely, Ceclia. An author needs to have a book that hits a recognized bestseller list in order to claim he or she is a "bestselling" author. That would mean your book needs to land on a legitimate bestseller list like the New York Times list, the LA Times, the Denver Post, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Barnes & Noble's list, or the Amazon Top 100. (It's also fine to note that you had a book land in your regional paper -- say the Portland Oregonian or the Cincinnati Enquirer, though those lists don't quite have the same cachet of the major lists.) The CBA releases its own bestseller list every month, noting the various genres as well as an overall "top 50 titles" in terms of sales. So if an author claims to be a "bestseller" in her proposal, she needs to be able to back that up with evidence of hitting a list.

By the way, BookScan is the reporting vehicle for most general market bookstores. Many CBA bookstores use a different tracking system, called Stats (though some also use an alternative system entitled CrossScan). These are supposed to track book sales by ISBN number, and create a reporting data base for publishers. But one of the reasons this can confuse authors is because some books can sell incredibly well and never have their sales reported. Books sold in Sam's Club and Costco, for example, are not reported to any bestseller tracking system -- so you could sell 100,000 copies and never appear on a bestseller list. The recent success of The Shack is a good example -- the book moved a couple hundred thousand copies through alternative sales channels before any reporting store picked it up and began noting sales. Once that happened, it hit #1 in the religion category. It's reasonable to ask the question, "Would it have been fair for the author of The Shack to declare himself a bestselling author prior to making the list?" Maybe... but that's not the way the system works.

Paul wrote to ask, "Do some agents represent both Christian books and secular books?"

Yes...but let me educate you. Don't refer to them as "secular" books; refer to them as "general market" books. The word "secular" suggests a book without God, and the fact is there are many authors who publish in the general market but love God very much. Still, to answer your question, yes. I do a significant chunk of my business with general market publishers. All of the authors I represent have a strong faith walk, but I probably take a wider view than many evangelicals regarding what constitutes a Christian. Still, all the books I represent have some sort of redemptive value.

One of the most significant changes in publishing over the past ten years is the influence of the New York houses on CBA. HarperCollins owns Zondervan. Simon & Schuster owns Howard. Random House owns Waterbrook and Multnomah. Hachette (formerly Time-Warner) owns FaithWords. Penguin owns Penguin Praise. So all the major players in the general market now have a presence in the Christian book market.

Barbara wrote and noted, "You have advised authors to spend some serious cash in order to create a dynamite website. Can you tell me how many zeroes serious cash has? And are there templates or places a prospective author could view in order to begin making plans?"

I think a good website can be a great marketing tool. We used to think of sites as akin to a highway billboard -- something you drove by, read, and moved on. But now sites are incredibly useful tools -- a way to stay on top of the industry, communicate with readers, and let people know about books and speaking events. They have also proven to be content-centered -- so if you have a plumbing company, you don't just say "great rates" and "quality service" like you might in a yellow pages ad. With a website, you'll have suggestions for fixing common plumbing problems, a place to ask questions, maybe even a "history of plumbing." In other words, the site has become the repository for information. It's why we've quickly become a nation of readers again.

If you're an author who speaks, wants to stay in touch with readers, and can devote time to it, your marketing people will probably encourage you to create a good website. And it will mean you can expect to spend somewhere in the $3000 to $5000 range. You can go cheaper, of course (some places offer a do-it-yourself site for $99), but you get what you pay for. And if you're interested, check out my company site -- www.MacGregorLiterary.com. I've got what I consider to be a dynamite website for a literary agency, and I get compliments on it all the time... but I can't take any of the credit. The guy who created it for me is Nick Francis at Project83 in Nashville. (A free plug, Nick.) He'd be a great person to talk to about establishing a strong site. If you want to check out author sites, visit my "authors" page and start clicking. You'll find all sorts of authors with a variety of styles and choices to their sites.

It's nice to be back to publishing questions. If you've got a question about books or writing or publishing, send it in and we'll try to answer it for you.

A Fresh Look

Well, I'm now 50. Older and wiser (hopefully). Please let me offer one short rumination...

Recently I made some comments about Mike Hyatt, the Thomas Nelson decisions, and the direction of CBA. That caused a couple people to write and ask me, "Why are you down on CBA?"

My response: "I'm not. Not at all." But their questions got me to thinking some things...

First, I love Christian books. My life has been changed by books I've read -- I can point to some titles (The Ragamuffin Gospel, In the Name of Jesus, etc) and say with all honesty, "My life was never the same after having read that book." It's the ministry a book can have in the life of a person that keeps me excited about words. When I read, I learn, and that changes me. And I'm one of those ignorant types who needs to learn a lot, since I've got a lot of changing to do.

Second, I love CBA and the things associated with it -- authors, publishers, booksellers. Honest. I've been part of CBA for more than 20 years. I feel as though I know it inside and out -- both its strengths and its weaknesses. I will sometimes poke fun at the stupid stuff (Armor of God pajamas and Standing on the Promises Insoles, for example), but let's face it -- those things are funny. Still, I don't want anyone reading this blog and coming away from it thinking that I'm not supportive of great Christian books. I always want to remember the people I work with are trying to change the world for good.

Third, this is the Golden Age of Christian publishing. There have never been so many good books, done with such quality, and at such an affordable price. Some day we will all look back on this time as an incredibly rich season of Christian writing. I dare say there are more good writers, more training opportunities for those writers, and certainly more outlets for those writers (thanks to the web) than ever before. That's a wonderful fact.

Fourth, I've been remiss in talking about the GOOD part of CBA. The fine writers. The skilled editors who spend their lives just trying to locate and foster talent. The publishers who risk large quantities of money and time to produce life-changing books. The sales teams that spend hours reading the books on their lists in order to best talk about them with people.

Sure, there are things I don't like. I'd prefer a CBA bookstore to be an actual bookstore, rather than a store that sells trinkets and kitschy art. I think there's abundant evidence that Christian bookstores began their decline when they started turning their focus away from books. We live in a specialized society, and I'm one of those who believes "Christian books" is enough of a niche to do well. But...well, I've had plenty of bookstore owners say that, in fact, they can't make it on their book margins -- they need the t-shirts and necklaces to pay the bills.

So I'm trying to take a fresh look. I was really touched by the note a former colleague posted on The Writers View (a web resource for Christian authors). The individual admitted having fallen into a trap of using cynicism, ego, sweeping generalities, and over-the-top snarkiness to criticize CBA. And all that cynical crud began to have a corrosive effect on the spirit. So, despite normally being a positive, sunny type, the author admitted acting like a teenager -- using attitude and a faux sophistication to criticize and act cool as a way of impressing people. And it was stupid -- the author needed to repent and be appreciative of all the good things in life; all the good things God has wrought.

Well... I'm there. That's me to a T. I've been overly critical and snarky. I've exaggerated the facts. I even got to the point where I found myself rolling my eyes when somebody told me to "not let unwholesome words come out of your mouth, but only that which is helpful for buiding others up." That's right -- I was rolling my eyes at Scripture. Yikes. (In case those words are new to you, Saint Paul wrote them in the First Century. It's pretty good advice; you've got to admit.) It seems like there was this image of me (snarky, negative, curt) that I didn't like at all. But maybe it was accurate.

That's when I realized things had gotten off track. I'm normally a positive person, and I don't know why I felt a need to act like such a freakin' know-it-all. I'm not negative -- my wife will tell you I'm the eternal optimist. I've been forgiven much, and I guess hitting 50 made me remember all the blessings God has given me, and that I need to appreciate His grace anew, and be humbled by the fact that I'm getting much better than I deserve. And stop ragging on the parts of CBA I don't like. Because there's a lot of great things happening in publishing. It's not just a matter of "speaking the truth" in this life (another thing I've had issues with), but "speaking the truth in love." So I very much appreciated reading the post from that author (as well as the honesty it took to say those things). It moved me to take some time and reflect. And make sure I change.

So this is me -- with a fresh look. Humbled over my mistakes. Sorry for my out-and-out bad choices. But ready to move forward.

And if this is sounding a bit too personal for you, here's the fact you really need to know: I love books. I love writing. I particularly like books that have the potential to change people. And while I'm not sure there are many books that can change the world, I believe very much that words can help stir small changes in the lives of individuals. And it's essential for me to believe that books change lives on an intimate level, because my own life has been changed by them.

Here's to books that make a difference.

And the winner is...

So today is my birthday -- I hit the big Five-Oh, and I'm celebrating by holding my nose and pouring over all the really bad poetry that faithful readers have sent to my 2008 Bad Poetry Contest. My friends took me to J.K. O'Donnel's Irish Pub for some inspiration, so let me offer some quick thoughts...

-Most of you really suck at this. I mean, really. You're great sports for taking part, of course, but you need to know that poetry is not in your future. Trust me on this.

-A few rose above the badness and actually had nice rhymes and good images. You were immediately disqualified. (My son Colin sent in a 28-liner that actually rhymed and offered the image of "this violent reek in my nose hair." Sorry, son, but to craft truly BAD poetry you'd have skipped the rhyme and focused more on the cat poo.)

-Why is it that limericks make us smile? And why is it that nobody can really take a limerick seriously? I mean, Shakespeare never wrote limericks, did he? ("Forsooth and anon from Nantucket...")

-When will bad poets realize that rhyming couplets get really annoying after the first two lines? Egad. Once I got by the lines like "Happy Birthday Chipperoo, You are really full of poo," I wanted to smack the author with a stick. (Take note, Paulette Harris: "Happy birthday to you, woo woo woo" is not actually a "poem" -- it's more like a "bad idea.")

-While I'm at it, when will poets realize that most haiku is awful? I mean, the faux depth is laughable. Just creating the dumbest haiku imaginable will probably put you into the Poetry Hall of Fame.

-I'd like to point out that Kelly Klepfer offered us a rap. A RAP! Kelly will be mistaken for a rapper the day after PEOPLE Magazine names me to their list of "50 Sexiest Men." White people cannot rap, Dawg, no matter how many eminem CD's you own. More on this subject later.

- I'd also like to point out that I had to disqualify my own daughter, Molly MacGregor, for bringing up Ralph Nader during an election season. See rule 48b(6). Oh, and I disqualfied Jim Rubart just on principle, for being a Washington Husky. (I'm an Oregon Duck, Jim. Wake up, man. The Huskies went 1 and 10 last year.)

-Though she didn't win, it's clear that Pam Halter has a nice way with words: "she smooshes us up and stuffs us down her baby's throats." Lovely. Truly bad. And M.L. Eqatin offered some great deep thoughts on the role of meter that, well, helped me to see you were in the spirit of things. And Tiffany Colter's Ode to Casserole, while too cutesy to win, still was awful. I salute you. One more: Ashley Weis penned something really foul: "Oh speak into my ear, what's that I hear? The owl, the owl, Mr. Rowel." Um... Mr. Rowel? He was your sophomore English teacher, and this is how you pay him back, by sticking him into a bad poetry contest? Nice work!

Okay, so it's on to the winners!

HONORABLE MENTION must go to John Robinson, who apparently was mixing his prescriptions again. Your "Monkey In a Cage" is genuinely wretched. You're a pro at this. And Janet's ode to "Little Debbie" brought a smile to my face. Wonderfully bad. A Forward's use of "Obama, Osama, Oprah, Yo Mama" was an exceptionally rotten use of rhyme.

WORST HAIKU: An easy choice. Robert Treskillard sent this bit of deepfulness:

Walk on marshmallows
Or run fingers through the mud
That is not banjo

Yeah, bay-bee! Now THAT is bad poetry!

This year's WORST IMAGE ribbon goes to Linda Shab's Snot Bubbles and Tears, which left me reaching for a kleenex...

Snot Bubbles and Tears…
Where are you?
My phone doesn’t ring
The doorbell doesn’t chime.
My lips can’t sing.
I’m a mime.
Just a mime.
But my heart cries out!
The snot bubbles ooze from the chambers.
They mix with my tears -
Enough to drown me.
But that’s probably what you want….
Right?
I thought we had something special.
But I guess I was wrong.
So wrong.
What will I do now?
I’ll sit in sorrow
Until tomorrow.
Then I’ll get up and move on
With my empty life.
If the snot bubbles and tears don’t drown me first.

Wow. As bad poetry goes, that is a winner.

THE WORST REFLECTION ON LIFE AWARD goes to Alison Morrow in a landslide. I won't share the whole thing, but any poem that offers the first few lines as "I, Yes I, I and not you, or u" reveals the true reflectivosity needed in a bad poet. You're my hero, Alison. What a deep thinker.

Our MOST CREATIVE BAD POEM was no doubt developed after a bad migraine by Lisa Samson, who wrote a love ditty that went, in part,

Or maybe if we were on a base 8
System and a quarter
Was worth twenty cents,
And we were each worth ten
Cents.
Cents! You left me and it makes
No cents!

Have you ever known anyone to craft a love poem around a base 8 numerical system? Me neither. Thank God.

This year's coveted CLEARLY ON DRUGS WHILE WRITING award goes to your favorite traditional tale-teller, Hajid Kirduz Mesechnohech, who gave us this bit o' badness:

Rejection is like the salt from lake Mizzri
(imagine here strumming and goatsounds)
rubbed on a wounded and festersome foot,
which was stung by barbed cockroach of Aldu-Haziz.
The roach snuck into your sandal the day
when you planned to set out for new lunar feast
wearing your favored red-tasseled hat

Amen to THAT, Hajid! Your poem had all the sweetness of the secretions of the she-goat as it is rubbed on the festersome foot. And Ducktales is sure to be interested in the movie rights.

Okay, SECOND RUNNER UP goes to Fred Gippler for his truly awful poem, No, It Is Not My Bagel:

NO!! IT IS NOT MY BAGEL
she sang lustily.
Why. Dreams. Memories. Fred Savage, star of Television's "The Wonder Years". A blue snow cone from May, 1977. Dreams again. Dinosaurs. Dreams one more time. Again; dreams.
Wow.
I hate your grandma--and. AND? AAAANNNDDDD!?!?!?!

And it is not my bagel, she sang, falling backwards into a future of stale tacos and unclosable milk jugs.

Let's face it, there's just something deeply stupid about that poem. Not just run-of-the-mill stupid, but in-your-face-disgrace sort of stupid. Love it! Exactly what I needed to see in bad poetry.

The FIRST RUNNER UP, who is very important, since if our champion cannot represent us on some random blogs that nobody ever visits, the FIRST RUNNER UP will be expected to take her place and pretend to be sober, goes to Darcie Gudger, for sending in these words:

Bad poetry.
Like, really, really bad.
Airplanes buzz around my cranium -
....with tootsie roll thoughts.

Poet laureates.
Say lor-ee-ates in the containium.
I mean continuum.

Free the monkeys!
Now!
I mean it!

Now THERE is a woman who understands the meaning of genuinely bad poetry. She offers bad rhymes, bad images, and even some mindless, off-topic shouts from the political left. Yes! THANK YOU for understanding what we're doing here.

And THE WINNER, THE GRAND CHAMPION, THE BAD POET LAUREATE FOR 2008, is none other than Holly MacGregor (um...she really is no relation to "Molly MacGregor," except through marriage). Stay with me before rolling your eyes. First, this is a real poem she wrote. No kidding. Granted, she was a sophomore in a Christian high school at the time, but still -- it reeks of true badness. And second, she admitted to the world that she actually wrote this -- and then she SAVED it since high school. I thought about giving her the award on bravery alone. But third, I have it on good authority that she actually once performed this in a classroom. Which leads me to reiterate a point I made earlier: White people can't rap. Especially someone like Holly, who doesn't exactly exude "street cred," since she is roughly as white as a trout's belly and is going to school to be an aesthetist (which, you've got to admit, is not your normal job for a rap artist...you down wi' dat?).  Here is her poem:

Dr. Jesus
I'm feeling ill
How about you give me
A salvation pill?

He said to me
that very day
with me in your life
you'll be A-OKAY!

I need a Christ Transfusion
Pump his blood into my veins
Take out the old
And make me new again
Give him my life
So he can take the reins!

Dr. Jesus
I feeling well
That pill you gave me
Sure is Swell!

Okay, so she's married to my son, and I love her dearly. But Holly, that rap is horrid. Bad lyrics, stupid images, lack of depth... all the qualities we look for in bad poetry, and the reason you are our BAD POETRY CHAMPION OF 2008. Your prize is a genuine copy of Does God Speak Through Cats?, a self-published book that, frankly, I don't want any more. So it's yours, you lucky girl!

Thanks to everyone who contributed. Next year I hope to have even more great prizes I don't want, so I'll give them to someone else.