Chip MacGregor .com

Sex and Language in Religious Books?

Elizabeth asked this: "With the rules relaxing on language in many general market books, it seems the rules have also relaxed as far as portraying sexuality in Christian books. I know you don't just represent religious books, but can you tell if this is the trend? How much is too much? How much can you reveal in romantic scenes?"

When it comes to both language and sexualty, I think two questions must be kept in mind:

1. Who is your audience?

2. What is your message?

If you're writing a romance novel for a CBA audience, any sort of foul language or explicit sexual description is simply going to torpedo your book. The gatekeepers of CBA are largely middle-aged, white, ultra-conservative types. (That's NOT a criticism, mind you, that's a description.) So any sort of over-the-line language will get you bumped, if not banned. (I know of an example where a CBA house rejected a manuscript because the author referred to a character's "silk underwear." Really! Apparently Christianity is a cotton-only kingdom.) Using curse words or describing any sort of sexual activity is not going to work in CBA.

If you're writing for a more general audience (and I say that because I do a lot of Christian books, and some people sort of expect me to have religious overtones in a lot of the things I represent), I don't think readers expect religious behavior from unreligous people. You have more latitude because of your audience and the message you're trying to send. I'm assuming that, even with some rough language or descriptions of bodies/actions, you're still seeking some sort of redemptive message to your readership. (If you see me at a writer's conference this year, make sure to ask me about the British actor who survived cancer and his postmodern response to God. Very funny story that, if I told it here, would bring me grief and 300 "I'm shocked" emails.)

If you're writing for the general market (I hate the term "secular audience"), I think it comes back to you knowing your own voice and your calling as a writer. What are you comfortable saying and showing? What words are you comfortable using? The fact is, if you're not comfortable with a scene as you've created it, you should probably change the scene. I think an author needs to feel he or she is going to be at peace with what he or she wrote. I represent a couple authors who use some salty language at times, but I have no doubt of their belief in God, and they have no doubt what they're writing is what they're supposed to say. Some of this points us back to the question of "what constitutes a Christian book?" If you see the writings of Dorothy Sayers and Walker Percy and John Grisham and Flannery O'Connor as Christian books (and I do), then you probably agree with me that sometimes the message of a book overshadows the exact words that are used, though the story is made up of those words.

If you're a Christian writer, listen to this: A few years ago, I'd have quoted the apostle Paul: "Do not let any unwholesome words come out of your mouth, but only that which is helpful for building others up, that they may give grace to those who hear." I might have used that as an argument to never use a swear word in your stories. (And, to be completely honest, my wife would still suggest I use that as my measuring rod.) At 52, my take on that verse has changed a bit -- enough to recognize that, at times, Christ Himself used some pretty tough language when dealing with difficult issues. He didn't swear, but he was pretty blunt in his description of certain people and behaviors. And maybe some authors, in writing for a particular audience, will use words and descriptions I may not choose to use. But I'm less apt to be critical of them than I used to be. You see, I sometimes swear. (Stop the presses! There's news.) I make lousy choices. I don't always follow my own advice. So I'm a sinner (huge news to many of you, I’m sure), but my faith tells me I’m saved by grace. I'm also a writer. And my writing is a reflection of who I am -- still struggling with issues. Not parading my failures, but revealing myself through my writing, even if at times that means letting people see under the veneer of spirituality I sometimes put on. 

I REALLY want to be "better." I want to be nicer. I want to be stronger. Some days I make it. Most days, I fall short. If I'm telling a story about a day I make it (or my character makes it, through me), that's probably going to reflect a much nicer, stronger, better person than if I'm telling a story about a day I really screwed up. Who are YOU writing to? And what is the message YOU want to tell? Answering those two questions will resolve much of the struggle over what words you can use in the telling. 

If you can figure out WHO your audience is (who will buy the book) and WHAT your message is, then you're well on your way toward creating a book you can be comfortable with. I represent some books you might not be comfortable with, in terms of language or behaviors or beliefs -- but so what? We're not all going to agree on every point, and God doesn't seem to mind our having disagreements (isn't that why we have denominations?). What's important is that YOU feel confident and comfortable in the book you wrote -- that it adequately conveys the story you have to share. 

How to Study the Market

Clovis asked, "If you are seeking a market for a particular idea, how do you study the market? What steps are critical in matching the work to the right publisher? How much do you rely on the guidelines, samples, catalogs, etc.? And what other sources are helpful?"

My answer: If you want to take steps like this , get to know the industry. I can think of a number of things that would help a writer do that...

1. Read frequently.

2. Read outside your genre (for example, if you’re a CBA person, read books outside of CBA).

3. Study the bestseller lists (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, your local newspaper -- all have them). Spend time on Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com to see what's selling.

4. Note who publishes the books you read and the books on the bestseller lists. (In case you haven't figured it out, not all publishing houses were created equal.)

5. Take a look at trade journals to find what's hot/what's not/what's happening. These journals would include Publishers Weekly, the email version of Publishers Daily, maybe Library Journal, or Christian Retailing, or Writers Digest, possibly Bookstore Journal. You may also glean some good information in some entertainment journals.

6. Keeps tabs on the economic climate of publishing and bookselling. Right now everybody is talking about what bad shape the industry is in... but this year there will probably be more book pages published and sold than ever before in history.

7. It's important that you study a publisher before sending anything to them. Harvest House may be the right place for your gift book, but it's the wrong place for your commentary on Habakkuk. So go to web sites and read catalogues to figure out who publishes what. If you research the house and its list, you'll be better able to target the right publisher.

8. Check out market resources like the Writer's Guild stuff, Writer's Digest publications, Sally Stuart's CBA Market Guide, etc. Go online and check out some good blogs (Sandra referenced a couple yesterday. I happen to be a fan of Rachelle Gardner's excellent CBA Ramblings, as well as Mike Hyatt's blog on the industry. There are plenty of others.) Anybody with internet access can do some basic research -- anybody who can get to Barnes & Noble can do some more. Walk around with a pen and a notepad for an hour or two at a store and see what you can glean.

9. Ask around. If you're part of a critique group or writers organization, you ought to have some connections with fellow writers, editors, publishers, and agents to bounce your ideas around. If you're attending a writer's conference, by all means ask in the sessions or the panel discussions -- or even in a face to face meeting.

10. Many publishers will print a style guide. Ask for one, and if they share it with you, follow it. Nothing makes an acquistions editor unhappy faster than having to wade through a wad o' manuscripts that only tangentially relate to the house's publishing focus.

NEWSDAY TUESDAY ...

Recently a friend said to me "it must be so cool to get paid to read manuscripts for a living." I knew then that he really had no idea what my job entailed. Reading manuscripts and reviewing proposals is an important part of what I do, of course. But, honestly, it's just the beginning of what can be a long process.

For me, sometimes reading manuscripts is soothing. It reminds me that there is always the possibility of finding something fresh, or a potential perfect fit for an editor, or simply a gem I want to seriously consider. Other times it's stressful because I wonder how I'll ever find time to help with another project. But, it ebbs and flows, and all works out in the process. Publishing is a lot of things, but one thing it most certainly is is a process.

Sometimes I think writers forget this.

For example, right now I'm working on submitting a project I've been helping an author shape since January 2009. Yep, you read that right. 18 months of work. Admittedly the author is a busy mom and works full-time, so it's been a bit of an off and on process for her. But, I believe in her work and her message, and I know when the time is right, we'll be ready. For some authors I represent, patience (on both our parts) is the primary speed. For others, sometimes, we have to hasten things a bit.

I'd love to hear from some of you who are willing to share how long it took you to get published. I mean from first submission to book on the shelf. Just to give some perspective. Anyone willing?

While we wait for your responses, here's a smattering of NEWS for you:

A COUPLE NEWISH BLOGS by a couple editor friends of ours we thought you'd like to check out:

Nick Harrison - Harvest House Publishers Nick Harrison Books
Barbara Scott - Abingdon Press The Roving Editor

CHIP WAS INTERVIEWED last Friday. Here's the link

REVIEW NEWS

Susan Page Davis' recently released title THE CRIMSON CIPHER (Summerside Press) is a Top Pick in Romantic Times Book Reviews' August issue.

AWARD FINALISTS 

Congratulations to several MacGregor Literary authors who have recently finaled in contests:

Kit Wilkinson's PROTECTOR'S HONOR is an RWA Maggie Finalist in the Inspirational Romance category. 

ACFW's Book of the Year Awards have been renamed. Henceforth they will be called the Carol Awards after Carol Johnson, an editor who played a big part in helping  create a place for Christian fiction in publishing. Congratulations to you, Carol. And to the numerous MacGregor Literary authors who are finalists: 

- Historical Novella -
Vickie McDonough - A Breed Apart (Barbour Publishing)
Vickie McDonough - Beloved Enemy (Barbour Publishing)

- Long Contemporary -
Joyce Magnin - The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow (Abingdon Press)
Susan Meissner - White Picket Fences (Waterbrook Press)

- Long Contemporary Romance -
Jenny B. Jones - Just Between You and Me (Thomas Nelson)

- Mystery -
Mindy Starns Clark - Under the Cajun Moon (Harvest House Publishers)
Darlene Franklin - A String of Murders (Heartsong Mysteries)
Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna - Pushing up Daisies (Heartsong Mysteries)

- Long Historical -
Siri Mitchell - Love's Pursuit (Bethany House)

- Long Historical Romance-
Janice Thompson writing as Janice Hanna - Love Finds You in Poetry, Texas (Summerside Press)

- Short Contemporary -
Vickie McDonough - A Wagonload of Trouble (Heartsong Presents)

- Short Historical -
Lynette Sowell - All That Glitters (Heartsong Presents)

-Women's Fiction -
Sara Evans & Rachel Hauck - Sweet By and By (Thomas Nelson)

- Young Adult -
Jenny B. Jones - I'm So Sure (Thomas Nelson)
Jenny B. Jones - So Not Happening (Thomas Nelson)

For a complete list of the finalists for the inaugural year of the Carol Awards, go to
The Carol Awards will be presented at ACFW's Conference in Indianapolis, September 17-20.  If you've been thinking of going but haven't registered, there's still time to do so here.

A FEW NEW BOOK DEALS

-Melanie Dobson is doing another Historical Romance with Summerside Press titled LOVE FINDS YOU IN AMANA, IOWA
-THE THREE MARYS, a new Bible study written by Eva Gibson will released from AMG in 2011
-Harvest House has contracted Poppy Smith to write a marriage book tentatively titled WHY CAN'T HE BE MORE LIKE ME
-Arloa Sutter is working on two Bible studies to accompany THE INVISIBLE: What the Church can do to Find and Serve the Least of These, her imminently releasing title from Wesleyan Publishing House

BEST SELLERS
I noticed something interesting today. Of the top 50 books on CBA's list of Best Sellers for August, 2010, eleven (22%) of them were fiction titles. And those eleven were written by seven authors. Like I said, I just found this interesting ...

News? Thoughts? Just let us know ...

Making Money through Articles

Kerry sent me this question: “Is it realistic to think an author can still sell articles and get paid for them? It seems like magazines and journals are all moving to unpaid, web-based forms.”

I started out in magazines, and I still think magazine, journal, and e-zine writing is a viable way for an author to make some money. No, it's not as easy as it once was... but when was making a living as a writer ever easy? If you're looking for ways to generate income through your writing, don't feel you've got to land a book contract -- focus on writing short articles. My experience has been that I made more money in less time creating articles than in writing books.

It's best to go to magazines or e-zines you already know, so you're familiar with (1) the sort of articles they publish, (2) the most likely reader of the 'zine, and (3) the length and tone of the articles. By going to the website of, say, Redbook magazine, you can find out what they buy, how long they want each piece to be, and what their interests and requirements are... but you might not really get a feel for what the voice is in that particular magazine. 

Once you have targeted a magazine, you create an article for them. Have a clear topic, find out who is the decision-maker, and send them an email. Put the title of your piece in the "subject" line. Tell the editor very simply who you are, what your idea is, the details of the piece (word count, etc), and why you're the person to write it. Keep it short, and under your name list a handful of links to other articles you've written. 

This really isn't rocket science, but it takes some work. Magazines have a tendency to do business with the same writers again and again (like every other sort of business, they stick with who they know and trust), so start small and don't be in a hurry. Some websites don't pay their writers, but that's because they struggle with finding ways to monetize the site. Payment is coming, albeit slowly. And remember that a magazine is a monster that has to be fed -- they've got a certain amount of space they've got to fill each month, so they're always looking to buy stories. Also, keep in mind that you can re-write and re-sell a piece if you spend some time re-shaping it for another market. If you do the same with a bunch of magazines, you'll soon find you're placing stories in various 'zines and starting to generate some income.

But be warned on two issues: First, the lead time for some magazines is months. Don't expect to send it to them today and have them use it next month when your book comes out. Second, magazines are in competition with each other, so Good Housekeeping hates it when they're talking to you about your fascinating article "Our Friend the Muskrat" and they find out you've just written "Ten Tips to Muskrat Love" with Better Homes and Gardens.

If you intend to use article to help promote your book, consider writing some targeted articles that highlight some of your book's points. Then send those out and get some nice publicity for your book (as well as an extra check in the mail). You should know that your publisher probably has a "print publicist" who is being paid to waste money by sharing copies of your book chapters, possibly sending them out to random addresses in hopes of having a magazine express interest and print a chapter of your book. (It won't happen. In all my years in publishing, I've rarely known a magazine that wanted to republish a chapter from a book.) But encourage the print publicist to go back to reading her romance novel while you send out unique, targeted articles that touch on your subject. This will take some actual "work," which, of course, means most people won't ever do it.

Bobbi wrote to ask, “If an article is published in a print magazine and reprinted in an e-zine, is this now the end of the road for the article?”

It doesn't have to be the end. I've sold articles several times -- including one that I've sold with a several-year gap in between deals. I created an article on “time management,” for example, and sold it more than a dozen times. I sold “Time Management for Contractors” to a builders’ magazine, “Time Management for Tire Salesmen” to a tire-selling journal, “Time Management for Teachers,” “Time Management for Realtors,” “Time Management for Managers,” etc. Each time I sold it, I reshaped it a bit. And, of course, I made sure I had the rights back from the previous time I’d sold it. 

Most print journals are clear on right -- all your publication rights are returned to you after the edition of the magazine that has your article is off store shelves. (So if you published an article entitled "Who Moved My Muskrat" in the July issue of Muskrat Monthly, when that issues comes down and is replaced by the August issue, your rights will generally revert to you.) E-zine and websites are different, since they can keep the piece up on their site for years -- so learn to negotiate a time limit on your articles, in order to get them back and re-sell them. 

Denise wants to know, “If an article is published with 'first-time rights' or 'one-time rights' in, say, the US, and you submit it to a market in the U.K., can you offer first-time rights again? Or is it still a reprint?”

Read your contract. The standard magazine contract was heavily reshaped a few years ago after a major lawsuit granted authors creative rights to their own writing. You'll want to be careful that your contract allows you to resell your article elsewhere AFTER IT HAS SEEN PRINT for the first time. That way it can be used in compilation books (Chicken Soup for the Muskrat's Soul) and sold in smaller magazines (Better Homes and Muskrats). Also check to see that you're giving up US publishing rights only – that will free you to sell it in Canada, the UK, and elsewhere.

Be advised that UK rights are generally sold together... but for the politically challenged, that no longer includes Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Just England, Wales, and the politically oppressed people of Scotland. Sell them one-time rights. Do NOT sell them anything else.

-Chip MacGregor

Author of Your Best Muskrat Now and Eat, Pray, Muskrat

A Dirty Dozen Notes on Agents

We had several interesting comments sent to us on that last post. Let me offer a dozen comments…

1. One author's suggestion to "do your homework" before selecting an agent is key. DON'T sign up with somebody just because they say they're an agent and they want to represent you. I know that's a temptation, but this is a professional relationship. Would you go to a guy's office for your health problems just because he claims to be a doctor? Ask around. Check him out. This is the biggest mistake people make with agents, in my view. This past year at CBA you could toss a rock in the air and when it came down it would most likely hit somebody claiming to be an "agent." Um... these guys are going to be taking your ideas and helping you sign legal agreements regarding them. Don't take that lightly.

2. Be wary of any agent who charges a fee or advertises what the charge is to work with them. That's a total violation of the guidelines for the Association of Author Representatives (and, in fact, those agents wouldn't be allowed as members of AAR). There are a couple relatively successful agencies in CBA who do that. It's unethical, and authors should stay away, if they want to keep from being scammed. On the other hand, I was VERY glad to have someone write and tell me that "Steve Laube is my agent and he's good." Don't we all get tired of people sort of beating around the bush, telling us one person is bad and another is good, but never mentioning names? The fact is, Steve IS good. So is Lee Hough and Janet Grant and Wendy Lawton and Rachelle Gardner and Natasha Kern and Greg Daniel and Karen Solem and Greg Johnson and Andrea Heinecke and Robert Wolgemuth and Sandra Bishop (the last works with me at MacGregor Literary). My guess is that none of these individuals are for everyone; and neither am I, of course. But they're all professionals who have proven themselves by doing good work for authors. Beware of working with "Bozo and Associates."

3. Check out more than one source. As an agent, I can be perfect for one person and perfectly awful for somebody else. Besides, you're more apt to get the facts that way. For example, there is one person I know who has it in for a particular agent. I've heard her say some really bad (and in my opinion, overblown) things about that individual. Okay... she didn't sell your manuscript. It happens! Get over it and move on to something else.

4. A couple people wrote to me to say, in essence, "I don't have an agent because I like doing my own deals," or words to that effect. Good for you. As an agent, I have to wonder if you know how to negotiate and therefore got the BEST deal, or if you really protected yourselves. Or if you really want to spend your time learning how to do that. Not everybody needs an agent, but if you don't know the market, or don't know about contracts, you might want to think carefully before throwing out the idea.

5. On two or three occasions I've had the chance to see a contract evaluation done by Sally Stuart (who lives in the Northwest and does the "Christian Writer's Market Guide" every year). She does great work. If you don't have an agent, at least consider working with Sally or an experienced contract person like Susan Osborne. Some company's contracts read like they were created by lawyers from Mars, so be careful signing a document you don't understand.

6. Cec Murphey, who has been in the business since the Cooledge Administration and became famous after writing dozens of books, knows what he's talking about when he says in a blog post, "Writers can still sell books without agents, especially to the smaller houses. What's wrong with starting with smaller houses?" Nothing. All of us start small and move to bigger things. That's how a career (any career) is built. 

7. One author asked, "Are there times when an agent might hinder a publishing opportunity?" Sure...when the guy is a jerk. When he doesn't know the market (which happens a lot...try using an ABA entertainment lawyer working with a smaller CBA house sometime). When he sees negotiation as a "win/lose" proposition. An agent should take the approach that publishing is a partnership between author, publisher, and agent. If he tries to squeeze the publisher to the point where the publisher is losing money, that is no longer a partnership. Yes, my authors expect me to protect their interests, but I have no interest in pushing publishers into losing money...that just hurts the market for other projects down the road. (But, on the other side, I've seen publishers lowball authors way too many times. A good agent will recognize when that's happening and take steps to protect you.)

8. One writer wrote and asked, "How has having an agent affected the relationships you've built over the years with editors - or has it?" My perspective is that acquisition editors are my friends. Ask around and you'll probably find that most publishers will tell you their relationship with our authors is better than if we weren't in the picture. (Really.)

9. One person wrote to contend that "you should be given copies of your rejection letters," and complained because her agent hadn't shows all the rejections to her. Um... I have to respectfully disagree. It used to be true, when things were done via snail mail and there were far fewer projects. Now almost everything is done via email and we rarely get a detailed response. Most rejections these days are nothing more than, "We're declining Bob Smith's novel 'Home.'" There's not much info to share. However, whenever I get a detailed response, or thoughts on improving the manuscript, I forward it to the author... AND I send a thank you note to the editor.

10. I also have to disagree with the folks who contended that "the agent will take over the marketing of my book." Hey, an agent should be able to assist with the planning, but as an author, YOU are most responsible for marketing your book. Do not leave that up to the publisher, the agent, the sales staff, your mom, or anyone else. Nobody knows it better than you, nobody has more investment in it than you, and nobody is more committed to its success than you.

11. Again, the biggest complaint most agented authors have about their agent is "lack of contact." That's why you want somebody who you like (love covering a multitude of sins, and all that). But to the person who wrote to say they hadn't heard from their agent in six months... for goodness' sake! That's terrible, to my way of thinking. I guess every author is different. Some want to hear from their agent every week. Others are happy connecting twice a year. Talk about your expectations with your agent -- make sure you both can live with them. But remember that most agents are working with lots of authors, so be willing to understand his/her business and adjust your thinking.

12. A thought...learn to be polite. I never mind an author saying to me, "HI Chip -- I hadn't heard in a while, and I was just wondering if you had an update for me. Have we heard from anyone?" On the other hand, I have a different reaction when somebody writes and says: "WHAT'S HAPPENING?! HOW COME YOU DON'T CALL AND SAY YOU LOVE ME? FOR GOSH SAKES, I NEED A LOT MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU'RE GIVING! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?" (Of course, my mom used to say that to me, but I prefer not to have the authors I represent talk that way to me.) 

I hope this helps clarify…

More on working with an agent...

After my recent post on agenting, a couple people said they didn't see why anyone would need an agent. One author suggested that all you need is a good proposal, and another asked, "What can an agent do for a writer that s/he can't do for him/herself?" I have some answers...

First, I'll admit that not everybody needs an agent. If you think you have the relationships and knowledge needed to succeed, then go ahead. There are authors who make that work. In my experience, most authors simply don't have the access to editors or the knowledge of contracts and negotiations they need to maximize their careers, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. It can. 

Second, there is almost always wisdom in experienced counsel. That means a good agent should bring something to the table to assist with editing, writing, reading, negotiating, checking royalty statements, and marketing. I'm sorry to say I've heard from several authors who had bad experiences. Hey -- it happens. The huge growth in Christian fiction over the past ten years led to a whole slug of people calling themselves "agents," but who didn't know what they were doing. One of the few good things that has come out of this lousy publishing economy we're experiencing is that many of those agents have dropped out, since they can no longer make a living at this business. As I noted previously, there are about 15 agents doing 95% of the CBA books.

Third, a good agent will have relationships that will get their authors' proposals looked at by decision-makers... something that many authors simply don't have. (A clue when selecting an agent: find somebody who is well-thought-of by ack editors. Ask around. See who your agent has worked with, who he or she has done deals with, and if others in the industry respect them.) A good proposal often isn't enough...it's got to get through the filters and be seen (and sometimes SOLD) by a person with experience.

Fourth, some publishers simply won't deal directly with authors. As we become a more specialized society, that will be more true, not less. As an author, you may not like that, but it's the way things have gone in this industry. 

Fifth, a good agent should know about contracts and be able to negotiate you a better deal. If he/she can't, find another agent. Or learn those skills yourself.

Sixth, the MOST IMPORTANT thing a good agent should offer is career guidance. Most of the authors I represent aren't starting out -- they are published authors who have had some success and realized they need help to achieve bigger success. Rather than thinking they are "giving up 15%" to me, they think of it as investing in their business in order to achieve greater success. If you aren't there, you probably aren't a good candidate to work with an agent. (And let me state for the record, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. Sometimes I get this feeling from a few agents that "when an author finally gets right with Jesus, he or she will hire an agent." Rot. I believe in the value of realtors, but my wife and I have sold five homes on our own -- we used a realtor on the two we couldn't seem to sell, and it was worth it to us. On the other hand, when it was time to create a will, I went right to a lawyer, so that I wouldn't screw up a legal document. And when I set up my retirement, I did some on my own, and used a professional for some of it. Hiring an agent is not a matter of maturity, it a matter of choice, and sometimes a matter of competence.)

This isn't a commercial, just a fact: at MacGregor Literary, we have some tools we use to help authors make career decisions. When I was in my doctoral program at the University of Oregon, I had a Graduate Teaching Fellowship that stuck me in the role of Assistant Director of the Career Planning and Placement Office, and I specialized in working with students who were graduating in the arts (music, dance, theater, fine arts, writing, etc). That doesn't make me a miracle worker, but it DOES give me some good experience for helping authors figure out how to move forward in their writing careers. A good agent provides something to help you with that portion of your professional life. 

Seventh, I’m already tired of people coming to me and arguing, “In the future, we’ll all do e-books, so nobody will need an agent.” Balderdash. As I noted above, you can sell your own house, but you might find the best deal by using a professional. You can create your own will, but you might find it’s better to let a professional handle that for you. You can create your own retirement portfolio, but most people are more comfortable having a professional assist with the process. All those people who are insisting e-books are going to cause the death of the industry by making them rich and famous? Um… to this point, I haven’t recognized any of your names. Come back to me after you’ve made a living, okay? The fact is, the advent of e-books has given writers more opportunity to be published than ever before -- so there's more bad writers getting published, and therefore more competition. Therefore a good writer needs a wise adviser if he or she is really going to move forward. The delivery mechanism for a book has changed, and the systems in publishing are changing to accommodate that, but the need for wise counsel and career guidance is still important. 

Got a question about writing and publishing? Send it my way and I'll pontificate some more. 

Understanding the Financial Side of Writing

Amanda asked, “What do beginning writers need to know about the financial aspects of writing?”

There are only a few thousand people in this country who make a full-time living at writing. Don’t assume, just because you’re hanging out at conferences with people who all write books, that the world is made up of full-time writers. An average novelist may take eight to ten months to write a book. With time added for edits and galleys, that works out to about one novel per year. Yet that novelist, unless he or she has a breakout book, is no doubt going to be paid less than $30,000 for the novel – sometimes considerably less. That means you’d work an entire year to scrimp by on wages barely above the poverty line. So think carefully before you quit your day job.

Here’s what I did when I decided I wanted to write for a living: I set a monthly income goal for my writing. When I first started writing (on a very part-time basis), my goal was to make $100 per month. I would sell articles, write advertising copy, create newsletters, make up back-cover content – in fact, I’d do just about anything to produce some income from my writing. I edited manuscripts, worked as a ghostwriter, created study guides, and worked with pastors to turn their sermon series into books. Eventually that figure jumped to $300 per month. Then $500. Then $1000 per month. When I set a goal of making $1500 per month, that’s when I figured I was going to become a full-time writer. (And yes, that was more than 20 years ago, when $1500 went farther. Sorry to sound like my own grandfather.)

That said, there’s nothing in life that says you are necessarily called to follow that same path. As I have said in other posts, publishing a book doesn’t validate your life. Perhaps you are called to write to your local community, or to your family. Perhaps the words you write are only for you, to understand yourself and your world better. There’s value in writing, not just in getting published. So don’t assume you must try and move toward writing as a full-time career. Many of the authors I now represent have other jobs, activities, and sources of income – that doesn’t keep them from making an impact on the world through their writing.

Ted asked, “Should a writer who is struggling financially considering becoming an editor?”

I would say that writing and editing are very different jobs. A good editor is not necessarily a good writer, nor are the best writers going to make great editors.

I suppose some editors I meet are probably frustrated writers. But if a beginning writer was thinking of becoming an editor, I’d encourage him or her to get some good training in the art of editing. Take a class, read up on editing, and by all means find venues to practice your skill. Offer to edit the work of local writers. Talk to local organizations about editing their publications and web site content. Try to link up with professional editors and see if they can occasionally steer a project your direction. If you're interested, you might want to check out the editing classes Writers Digest and other organizations have to offer. And if you're serious about getting a good overview, purchase a copy of Copyediting for Dummies, then buy yourself a copy of The Chicago Manual of Style. You'll need that if you're going to work in the world of books. For most magazines, you'll need The AP Style Guide. 

And Patrick asked, “Since good writers are always wide readers, what two or three books would you recommend that are a bit out of the norm?" 

-In the Beginning, by Alister McGrath. Every writer should know about the invention of movable type and the genesis of our industry, and Alister has created a great overview of how the printed book got started. It's a wonderful read.

-Dickens Fur Coat and Charlotte’s Unanswered Letters, by Daniel Pool. A fascinating look at how publishing moved from the realm of the wealthy and powerful to the streetcorners and homes of everyday working people. I wish every novelist had a strong sense of the history of their craft.

-The First Five Pages, by Noah Lukeman. This book is written by an agent, and helps beginning writers see how to significantly improve your writing – and your odds for getting published.

There are plenty of others, of course, but those three popped out of my head. All of them will help a writer begin to see some of the economic questions that have shaped book publishing. Hope this helps.

Some big news: Gina Holmes' novel Crossing Oceans is on the CBA bestseller list! Gina is the creator of the very influential Novel Journey website, and this is her debut novel... so it's GREAT to see her reach the bestseller list right out of the gate. Kudos to Karen Watson and the gang at Tyndale house for taking all the right steps to make this happen. 

Hey, in two weeks Lisa Samson and Susan Meissner are leading a writing retreat in Lexington, Kentucky, entitled "Adding Depth to Your Fiction." They're hosting it at Lisa's tea shop downtown -- two full days, Friday and Saturday, July 23-24. The cost is $349, but they're doing a discount for ACFW members. If you want more information, write to Tiffany Colter (who is helping coordinate the event) at tiffcolter (at) gmail (dot) com. 

Waiting. Waiting. And Waiting some more ...

News around here is that publishing is operating at a s-l-o-w-e-r than its usual s-l-o-w pace now for a few weeks. I'm trying to take advantage of this by catching up on submission reading. And I'm getting there, though still working every day to move projects along as well. And I'm also breaking into sudden fits of cleaning out closets, drawers, bookshelves, cupboards. 

I was thinking today how hard it is to wait on others to make decisions that will impact your immediate, and possibly long-term future. When I worked as a freelancer I constantly queried editors, sent articles out on spec, responded to editing suggestions, and then waited on others to tell me what my next step might be regarding an assignment. While I liked having multiple projects going because it represented income and productivity, truth be told, I preferred the finished project - and not just for the paycheck, but because I simply like having things settled. Put away.

I'm a very organized person by nature. Not as in all-my-pencils-lined-up-in-a-row and all-my-spices- alphabetized organized, but I like to know where my stuff is. Don't like an excess of it to distract me or waste my time, and I LOATHE looking for things. I like things in their places. Like my Monopoly pieces lined up straight and my money tucked in a neat stack, ready for quick access in case an opportunity arises to buy St. James, another Railroad, or YES!, Boardwalk!

In my role as an agent, I have finally come to a sort of tacit understanding with the reality that I will now always have open loops hanging over my head; I will always have projects in indifferent stages, sometimes out at multiple places, and often completely out of my hands in regard to the final decision.

And I have had to make peace with knowing that I'll constantly in a state of waiting to hear back on behalf of a whole host of projects that will impact a number of individuals. And families, actually. I don't take that lightly. I know it's HARD to always wonder what the status of your project is. Thinking about it can be draining and downright stressful. And feel fairly random sometimes. But it's not all that random, actually. Not really. Waiting is part of the publishing process for all of us.

Something I've done to help me make order out of what often feels like a messy, random process is to make myself a project board. It's a very elementary school looking piece of work  hanging on the wall of my office (seriously, it's made with poster board, sticky notes, and string) but it works to help me track the status of the multiple projects I'm working on at any given moment. And it reminds me what the next step is for each one. Of course the ultimate "step" is to get each project (represented by a color coded sticky note) to the "SOLD" column, and fortunately this column is looking fairly respectable for this time of year. 

But I will admit that it's  heavier than I'd like in the "READ/DECIDE" and "OUT" (meaning sent to publishers and needs follow up) columns. And that adds up to a lot of waiting all the way around, I know. 

And, like you, I hate waiting. Whether you're a first time writer hoping for a positive response to your first query, a published author looking for that next contract, or an agent trying to learn when the next pub meetings (and hopefully decisions) will take place, waiting is just part of gig and something we all must do.

Sigh.

Hey, need any help with that hall closet?

Leftover Questions about ICRS

I'm finding a bunch of leftover questions regarding ICRS 2010...

A couple people wrote to ask if there were author signings... A ton of them! The convention keeps some "personality booths" busy, so conventioneers could get autographed books from the likes of Chuck Swindoll, Ted Dekker, Christy finalists like Kaye Dacus, and a bunch of other authors. The folks from the Thriller tour were all signing, and publishers had numerous authors in their booths to sign and give away books. Author signings is one of the reasons many folks show up for the convention. Author Tosca Lee hosted a "Heart of the Author" breakfast one morning featuring a dozen authors you could meet face to face, and there were various gatherings with significant authors going on every day of the show. 

One person asked if there's one "can't miss" event for booksellers at the convention... If it wasn't the big Hachette party mentioned yesterday, it might have been Barbour's "Fiction Cafe." Barbour sells as much fiction as just about anybody in CBA, and they brought in Wanda Brunstetter, Kaye Dacus, and numerous others so that bookstore personnel could meet the authors face-to-face. They do this every year, and I always hear good things about it (though I'll admit I've never actually attended). Like everyone else, retailers like meeting celebrities one-on-one, so this is always a good way for Barbour to highlight their authors and books. 

Someone wrote to ask what sort of awards are given out at the ICRS convention. There are all sorts of retailer awards given, some art awards, and various other ways to recognize retailers. I suppose the biggest are The Christy Awards, given to the top novels each year. This has become a big deal, getting major press in publishing, and it's nice to see. As I noted already, Lisa Samson was this year's keynote speaker, and she had good things to say about Christian fiction being "the outcome of a life well lived." (Did you know there is a patron saint for writers? I didn't. Lisa told us all about St. Francis de Sales, who developed a sign language and is also patron saint of the deaf. And yes, it's interesting that the saint for writers is named "sales," but I'm sure that's just God's sense of humor at work.) You can find a complete list of Christy winners at www.christyawards.com

Bestselling novelist Colleen Coble wrote to tell me that ACFW didn't just name their Book of the Year Award after longtime Bethany House publisher Carol Johnson, but also announced they were awarding her a Lifetime Achievement Award. They also announced the start of a website, www.fictionfinder.com, that will help promote Christian fiction to readers. And CBA gave its own Lifetime Achievement Award to longtime president Bill Anderson -- a good guy who was always willing to meet and chat when we asked him. 

One cool thing that you may not have heard -- Mosab Hassan Youssef, whose father helped found Hamas, made a public appearance in which he not only spoke of his newfound faith in Christ, but admitted to spying for Israel for ten years. It was a courageous, shocking speech, coming on the heels of the US government declaring him a security risk, and he received a standing ovation from the audience. (He also got some good news -- a federal judge granted him asylum in the US while he was at the show.) Youssef has a book coming out with Tyndale this fall, and it should prove fascinating reading. 

Several people wrote to me in order to defend the sacred honor of St Louis... proving once again that Christians take themselves (and apparently their cities) WAY too seriously. To them I can only say, "Grow up, people! It's humor!" Sometimes I think this is the curse of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck -- everybody is constantly filled with outrage. I can't be that outraged for so long -- I'd explode. So, for the humor-impaired in our midst, I'll explain that my comments about St Louis were based on 4 days inside a convention center. (Not that it should matter, since you ought to be able to take a joke, for crying out loud. After all, your city is named after a FRENCH KING, of all things. My guess is he was canonized just before surrendering to the Germans.) 

One wag wrote to ask if this band performed at the convention: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-NOZU2iPA8

I told him I doubted it, but that many of the participants would have loved their performance. 

Speaking of great performances, check out this from the Opera Company of Philadelphia. It's great art, mixed with normal people at a train station, and it's one of the best things I've been seen that demonstrates the integration of art and normalcy. Enjoy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zmwRitYO3w

Finally, someone asked about the 2011 ICRS -- it's in Atlanta, July 10-13. They were looking for the hottest place they could hold it next year, and Atlanta won out. Apparently Hell was booked. 

The Last Word on ICRS 2010

Just back from ICRS 2010 in St Louis. As cities go, St Louis was really nice, so long as you don't want to do anything but look at an arch. And it was 100 degrees (though I'll admit that was, technically, outside -- a place I rarely ventured). Still, the show was cozy inside the downtown "America's Convention Center," and the hotels were all within walking distance. I've never been one to grasp the charms of St Louis. I mean, the tourist guides can point out the arch, which really is nice, and there's a fine museum underneath it, but not much else. (Actual tourist guide I overheard: "And from THIS angle you get another nice view of the Arch!") The baseball stadium is downtown, which is cool. And there's a Budweiser tour. Um... some good rib joints. That about covers the high points of the city. Not exactly what you might refer to as Vacation Wonderland.

However, since the Christian book show has shrunk markedly in recent years, putting it inside a smaller venue is nice. So St Louis is probably a good size city to host something like this, assuming it survives (more on that later). It doesn't feel like you've got to walk miles to get to everything. (Some of us remember attending past conventions that were so spread out it felt like you were trodding from nearby towns.) And while the convention space is certainly smaller, sticking it here made it feel more crowded, so the mood was generally upbeat. The only downside is that the entire area around the convention center is under construction (the city had to do something, since downtown was becoming ugly and dangerous). That meant it lacked a lot of great restaurants close by, like we had in Denver, and wherever you walked you were stepping over pipes or walking under scaffolding or wondering if the St Louis Crips were holed up in the big abandoned building next to you. 

Still, I don't want to sound whiny. I thought the convention went smoothly. The CBA team did a nice job of putting together this gathering and keeping spirits up in the face of (1) declining membership, (2) the forced sale of its headquarters, (3) the sudden and unexpected resignation of its President, and (4) the plague of locusts that attacked the opening ceremonies. Ha! Just kidding. The opening ceremonies (and indeed most every public event) went off without a hitch. The actual convention floor was great -- I was glad they went back to the old plan of putting the book publishers all near each other, so it was easy to see whose books were doing battle and what the latest cover ideas are. The Art-and-Crud crowd was on the other side, and the various music people and purveyors of Jesus Junk were in between. (The music people are easy to spot --the women are all young and pretty, the guys all have ponytails.) The displays were maybe a bit more subdued this year, as companies cut back on art and signs, but that meant there weren't a bunch of howling morons trying to compete with each other in the music section. I liked the simple layout and the scaled-back designed. And there were no big embarrassing empty floor spaces where people had pulled out at the last minute, as there were in recent years. (True item: A couple years ago, a CBA exec made a point of telling me how wonderful it was that everybody had rented their space and showed up... except we were standing right in front of a big empty booth space at the time. I still marvel he could say that to me with a straight face.) 

If you've not been to ICRS before, imagine a giant building the size of an airplane hangar filled with 10x10 booths displaying books, music, jewelry, t-shirts, art prints, and knick-knacks, all with a Christian theme. Most are fairly mainstream, a few on the fringe. The people working the various booths are almost always nice (they're there to sell products, remember), though occasionally you find the bored sales guy or the woman who you can tell is DYING for a cigarette break. There are great ideas and remarkably stupid ideas, and they're all on display next to choir robes and Betty Lukens Felt Boards and Precious Moments statuettes. 

I'll admit: I love it. Love seeing all the new books, reading the titles, and evaluating covers. Love watching the signings, saying hello to friends, and being surprised by the authors who have jumped houses. I've seen people become speechless when they actually get to face Chuck Swindoll (who, let's be honest, is shorter than me). This show was a bit short on media, which is a bad sign, but Christian Retailing did its usual job of over-hyping everything ("Standard Publishing Is Throwing a Party!" -- "Destiny Image Is Getting Into Movies!"). 

There were some really cool things that happened. First, FaithWords threw an A-list party. You may not have much context for this, but FaithWords is part of Hachette, and Hachette always throws a huge party at the Frankfurt Book Fair. So there's precedent for this, and it was the talk of the show. Speakers included Ted Dekker, Philip Yancey, Chuck Swindoll, and David Jeremiah -- heavy hitters all. Second, the Christy Awards are finally getting some overdue national attention. Christian fiction is not only a significant part of nearly every publisher's bottom line, it's been the fastest-growing segment of publishing over the past decade. So it was nice to see Lisa Samson (an author we represent) serve as the keynote speaker, then win an award for Novel of the Year, and have the story picked up by national news services. Third, B&H Fiction's "Thriller Tour" got a lot of attention for four novelist and the company's new, upgraded foray into suspense novels. Jim Rubart, one of the B&H authors (and another writer we represent), made headlines with his "thank you" talk to retailers, telling them they are helping to change lives. And fourth, the International Square on the showroom floor was remarkably busy -- proving there is a growing interest in American authors around the globe. I sat in the square for an hour, just to get a feel for it, and had a line of foreign publishers asking me about the books we represent. 

There were other cool things as well -- the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) announced that their Book of the Year Award was now going to be known as The Carol, in honor of longtime Christian fiction editor and publisher Carol Johnson, and the Advanced Writers & Speakers Association (AWSA) gave longtime publishing consultant Sally Stuart their Lifetime Achievement Award for her years producing the Christian Writers Market Guide. But there were some clunkers mixed in... One of the award shows invited Phil Vischer to speak. Um... that would be Phil Vischer, the guy who created Bob the Tomato. He had huge success with his Veggie Tales tapes, but then he ran the company into the ground. Don't get me wrong -- I have met Mr Vischer, and think he's very nice, but I doubt you really want people who are trying to run small businesses to follow his example. And his talk on the CBA of the 90's being like one big party -- well, I found it odd and out of place. Just as bad was the workshop on social media -- when a session starts by having someone have to explain what Twitter is... well, you have a sense it ain't going to be on the cutting edge. 

However, my biggest disappointment was that there was no clear winner of my annual "Worst of Show" award. I realize that may cause you to put down your cup of Starbucks and gasp, so go ahead -- I'll wait.   There. Back with me? Previous years have shown there is no LOW to which some tasteless bonehead won't go in order to claim he is spreading the gospel when all he really wants to do is make a buck. Earlier winners include "Praise Panties" (women's underwear with verses on them -- I was always rooting for "His love endures forever"), "Armor of God Pajamas" (pajamas with the appropriate parts of Ephesians 6 printed on them), "Standing On the Promises Shoe Insoles" (don't ask), and "Gospel Golf Balls" (they featured John 3:16 on them, and as the saleswoman said to me, "You never have to worry about losing a ball -- you're just helping to spread the gospel!"). Even worse, there have sometimes been truly tasteless products -- I'm thinking of the artist who had created a painting of a junkie shooting drugs into Christ's arm, or the guy who sold "actual ash from the ruins of Sodom & Gomorrah" (a GREAT way to witness to your gay friends!). 

This year's show had nothing like that. I was pretty disappointed -- apparently the budget cutbacks have even hit the nutjobs and shysters. Oh, sure, there was the company selling soccer balls with miniature verses on them, so you can stop the game, pick up the ball with your hands, and ask your opponent to squint and read the words, I think (apparently the people manufacturing these have yet to pick up on some of the finer points of the game). There were the usual collection of insipid one-off books claiming God wants you wealthy (one guy was having a sale on those, so I'm thinking he may be changing his theology, now that his 401k is down). And there were the "Blood Donor" t-shirts worn by the Kerusso staff, with the fake spilled blood and sayings like "Power in the Blood" on them. Ugh. I don't really understand who wears something like that, aside from the sales staff. Maybe the feeble-minded. They also had "Jesus Is My BFF" shirts, in case you need to give something to a middle-school girl you want to see get beat up. (I also noticed they were having a special on the "One Nation Under God" tees, which is doubtless because the red, white, and blue eagle on them make them look amazingly like the opening of the Colbert Report. My guess is that Glenn Beck supporters were buying these as part of their patriotic duty.)

Still, nothing really rose to the level of Award Winning Badness. I even called my buddy Steve Laube, to see if he'd spied anything that made him want to barf. Nope. If you were there, and saw something I missed, please make a note in the "comments" section below.

Of course, this may be a good sign. The fact that there are no longer so many stoo-pid products could mean we're actually getting rid of the crackpots and fast-buck artists. Or maybe they're just all going mainstream. (There was a Macy's close by, and I could have SWORN they were selling Praise Panties.) I'm not completely sure this trade show will survive -- for all the good vibes, it was still much smaller than before, and publishers are pulling out, and the gift people already have their own shows. 

But all in all, a good show. Would love to know your impressions.