Chip MacGregor .com

Precisely why I don't blog much ...

... because I should be working on getting proposals out and answering phone calls and emails. But, here I am instead. Wondering why on earth I threw my opinions out there in there in the first place.

First, let me say I realize we need to change our blog setup so people realize when it's me, SANDRA writing. I'll work on that.  For now, you get to read my words in orange.

Regarding yesterday's blog, I began posting comment replies but they got too long, so consider this a group reply.

I want to clarify that expressing whether or not I approve of TN's decision was not the intention of my post yesterday.  Who really cares whether I approve or not? I certainly wasn't trying to shake my finger at Michael Hyatt. Frankly, I don't know the man, but I do respect his position, and I'm smart enough to know (and humble enough to admit) that he's someone with a lot of influence who has the capacity to make or break careers. Or at least bend them.

My pointing out "what's behind the curtain" had more to do with my frustration about the whole farm team analogy. It just didn't fly for me.

Thomas Nelson's decision to add self publishing to their product line was their choice to make. It's a business model which is different from what's always been done. Does the fact that Nelson and other traditional publishers are stepping into this ring threaten the status quo? Absolutely. Do I respect their courage to at least step out and try something new? Yes, as a matter of fact I do. Am I jumping up and down in excitement about it? Uh, no.

I'm sure this decision wasn't considered lightly. Business ideas are sometimes conceived in a vacuum, but rarely carried out in one. My guess is that the seed of this idea started with a simple question like "how can we continue to move forward and mitigate risk?" For Nelson, this was their answer. Is it the right answer? That's the million dollar question, isn't it?

I realize from Thomas Nelson's perspective, this new division simply offers authors a new choice to make in regard to how they pursue publication. It's a service in exchange for a fee. And it's not like TN is going to go out and hang authors upside down to shake spare change from their pockets. Whether authors choose to buy this service is their choice.

Still, it's needs to be said that good authors work and sacrifice long and hard on their product before presenting it for consideration and this move doesn't make the road to publishing shorter or easier for them. It makes it steeper, bumpier, and harder to navigate.

For most authors, traditional publishing is still the end goal. In CBA, Thomas Nelson has long been considered the brass ring. The stamp of approval. Validation and evidence that an author has earned their way to the top and is deserving of respect as a Christian author. And I believe that respect is something which should be earned. Not available for purchase.

Face it, there is the potential for folks to let their desire to see their name on the spine of a Thomas Nelson book override their motivation to do the work. And, conversely, there is also the potential for TN to let their desire to make money override their motivation to hold to their standards. I'm not accusing. I'm just saying this looks like it has the potential to be a slippery slope and this concerns me.

Obviously I wasn't asked for my opinion on any of this. And as I was talking with another agent this morning, we agreed that it's easy to criticize and point fingers at other people's solutions without offering suggestions or alternatives, so here's mine:

Want a farm team? Go for it. I think it's a great idea. Start a new non-advance, higher royalty division - and perhaps use the Westbow imprint for just such a thing. This would still raise the commitment required from authors without lowering the bar. Help authors who are willing to commit to making the product a success, then spend the money that would have gone into an advance to help the author with marketing. I've done a couple deals this way with other publishers recently, and I have to say, I feel fine about it. There was nothing in it for me upfront as an agent, but in both cases, they are projects I believe have the capacity to not only make money down the road, but also make a difference in the long run.

Just an idea. Conceived in bit of a vacuum, I'll admit. Feel free to discuss. I've got work to do.

Sandra

BOOK REPORT: What Sandra Learned This Summer

Okay, so summer isn't the vacation it used to be, is it? I'm still in denial about that. When my kid gets out of school in June, I'm still of the mindset that life should be should be all about popsicles, flip flops (I did not call them thongs, you'll note), searching for the perfect swimming hole, and lazing around in the hammock. Not only for him, but for me, too!

However, I think I work harder during the summer just to keep up than I do during the rest of the year. It's okay though. I love fall, too. Though the ubiquitous roar of leaf blowers (grrr... get a rake, people!) has replaced the more pleasant ka-chink wop-wop-wop of sprinklers, it's good to be back at work and thinking through what I learned this summer.

This summer I met editors and authors at conferences in Philadelphia, Oregon, Denver (twice), and Seattle. And I learned a lot. I think, though, I can distill my most important summer lesson into a quick three point report. Hopefully I'll get a good grade.

AUTHOR BE READY, BE WILLING, BE ABLE

Be Ready

If there ever really was one, the age of selling book ideas is practically over. Even well published authors are now having to work harder to get commitments from publishers than ever before. Considering this, if you have a semi-completed novel and are a first-time author, my advice to you is to not bother working on marketing it until it is complete, edited, and polished to a high gloss. Spend your energy doing the hardest thing first - finishing it! I talked with several authors over the summer who had great ideas for novels, but I can't sell ideas. Certainly not for first timers, and unfortunately, it's getting difficult to do for well established authors also.

The thing is, publishers (and therefore acquisition editors) are looking for a sure thing. Whether it's fiction or nonfiction, if they don't know you, nothing feels sure to them. If they have heard of you and you are represented by a well-known, reputable agent, it can help. BUT, the first question out of every editor's mouth these days is "What is the author's sales history?" The second question? "Is it finished?"

Be Willing

I'm working with a published novelist whose third book sold over 20,000 copies in the general market in the first six months. But when her agent went part-time, her editor left on maternity leave and decided not to come back, she and her book were more or less orphaned. When we started talking about a year ago, we decided it was best to keep her options open regarding her next project and try marketing it in both CBA and the general market. She reworked the proposal some, and I got to work pitching it, and her.

With her track record, writing experience, and work ethic, I thought it would be a slam dunk to find this author a new home. The proposed (finished) novel received lots of interesting feedback, but no commitments. After about six months of trying, we decided it was time to take a new approach. A year and at least six full-length synopses and dozens of sample chapters later, we have just received a commitment from a publisher. Given the current state of things in publishing, she may be looking at the smallest advance of her career, but this author understands the importance of keeping in the game for the long haul and she's willing to do what it takes to begin building her career again.

During the time we were looking for the right publisher to help her relaunch, she worked hard to respond to the suggestions and recommendations of several editors and was open to discussing other possibilities. Never once did she complain that she was too good (though I thought so), too busy (which I know she was), or too important to do what it took to get published. I don't like that I had to ask her to jump through so many hoops to get her here, but that is the reality and what it took in her case. The good news is that I'm certain her hard work and willingness will pay off.

Be Able

I see bad writing all the time. Given all the books, websites, conferences, lectures, and generous authors who lead critique groups and spend their time mentoring junior authors, there is simply no excuse for it.

After seeing lists and lists of workshops and classes offered at conferences, meeting successful authors who also freelance edit, hearing story after story of authors who spent years honing their craft before getting published, it's clear to me that while it may be more difficult for some than for others, writing is something which can be learned, practiced, honed, and constantly improved. I'll admit that the ability to write well is an innate talent for some. But, it is still hard work for every author. Some may say it comes naturally, or that not writing is not an option for them. But I don't think I've ever heard or read an author say "writing is easy". If so, I'd wonder who they were plagiarizing.

Being ready takes time. Being willing takes sacrifice. Being able requires resources. Becoming ready, willing, and able demands all three.

Perhaps now is a good time to head back to school in one area or another? Good news is, flip flops are optional.

Sandra writes about the "L" word ...

After having worked for myself as a freelance writer, and now agenting, I don't think I could go back to a nine-to-five job working for someone else. Never say never, but seriously, the freedom I've enjoyed in both "jobs" far outweigh the benefits I'm missing working for "the man". Cafeteria food. Overpriced health plans. The opportunity to practice defensive driving during rush hour.

And, I'd totally miss out on responding to the questions folks ask about an industry I love.

It's my birthday, (and I'm on vacation) so I'm going to allow myself the indulgence of answering this one often debated question which I hope stirs up lots of discussion and other questions, from you.

Gina asked:

What kind of Christian fiction do you wish you could find more of?

Personally, I wish I could find more Christian fiction that tells the story of redemption and discovery through a focus on character vs. plot.

The trouble with these, though, is that CBA booksellers don't know how to describe them quickly, which makes them hard to sell. Several CBA publishers have success with authors who write in what is often described as a more literary style. But, they have to limit the spots for these because it often takes years for these authors to build a following. This makes them hard to find in CBA bookstores, specifically.

Take my favorite book - PEACE LIKE A RIVER by Leif Enger. A word-of-mouth book which took a couple years to grow into a best-seller. It's one of the most "Christian" novels I've ever read, but I've yet to see it shelved in a CBA store. The most obvious reason for this is that sales folks who call on CBA stores sell CBA books. Still ... I often wonder what might happen if Christian bookstores stepped a little outside the lines and stocked non-CBA books. Gasp. I know. It's heresy. Like I said, it's my birthday. Indulge me.

The strength of books like PEACE LIKE A RIVER, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, EAST OF EDEN, is that the authors carry you away on the strength of their prose and the breadth and depth of their characters.

But, they are hard books to categorize without using the L word. Literature. It's an oft ignored category in CBA for a very good reason. It doesn't sell well.

I know, I know. I sound like a snob. I'm not. I understand the desire for commercial fiction. And, as an agent, I've learned to appreciate this desire, and come to understand the enjoyment of reading more commercial novels. Honestly, I've been pleased to learn that there are more excellent writers in CBA now than I thought I'd find when I started agenting two years ago.

And, literary or not, working with authors to help them entertain, encourage, and make a difference in the lives of their readers is not just a job. It's a dream job. In fact, it's like it's my birthday -- everyday.

Sandra

Hey -- while I'm here, I have a favor ... I've been racking my brain to come up with my own birthday blog tradition but so far the best I can muster is a fruity-drink recipe contest. Obviously, the islands are getting to me.

Anyone have any suggestions, I'm game!

Good News from a Trade Show

That was the heading of yesterday's email from PW Daily, a daily digested version of Publishers Weekly.

What? Good news? In publishing?

I'll admit that as I (Sandra, here) prepared for and traveled to ICRS this year, I was hoping for a more upbeat experience than last year's episode of gloom and doom.  Not expecting, necessarily, but hoping.

I was relieved to find that my optimism was rewarded. Attendance on the floor seemed up from last year despite a report from PW of a 20% drop in attendance from 2008. Maybe it was because there were fewer exhibitors. Or maybe it was because the overall exhibit space was smaller. But, it at least gave the impression of increased activity and attendance. And at events such as this, impressions matter.

I recall a dismal scene from the show floor last year when I rounded a corner and saw one of CBA's most noted authors sitting at his signing table ... doodling.  I happened upon this scene at time when I was wandering the floor, seriously praying about the future of CBA, and wondering what had compelled me to enter the industry just as a tsunami was threatening to hit.

A good sign this year, though, was that signings seemed steady and well attended. There were lots of lines, a few even snaking around the aisle-ways. One of my authors was there at the invitation of her publisher and they had to pull books from the shelves to meet demand. One house intentionally held four signings at one time; one on each corner of their booth - an example of the kind of new thinking which probably helped in giving the show a more upbeat and positive feeling.

Most industry professionals I talked with sounded authentically hopeful about the show's survival - even in spite of lower retail customers in attendance. The handful of sales people I spoke with reported they were taking modest but steady orders. Lean times call for modest expectations, and I think, for the most part, this is how publishers approached the show. They sent fewer staff, kept their expenses down, brought less product with them in the first place.

As far as meetings with editors (always my favorite part of any industry event) most expressed that publishing spots are still fewer and pushed out, and that decisions are still taking longer to make with far more deliberation than ever before. But, a majority of the folks I met with said they are actively looking for fresh approaches to perennial topics and strong voices in fiction to lead the way by taking our message of hope and invitation into the general readership.

This is strictly from my gut (and I've not had breakfast yet at the time of writing this, so consider yourselves warned) but I think the tide of CBA is shifting away from being dominated by the Bible Belt sentiment of what's acceptable material for Christians and what's not.  (Please read carefully that I said Bible Belt, not Bible!)

This was perhaps forecasted by my agreement with a June 4th Newsweek article by Lisa Miller in which she noted "evangelical Christians are less willing to identify themselves as a coherent group embodying one set of values."

If that's the way the tide is turning, I'm glad I dived in. Hooray and Hallelujah! Change is coming and I, for one, think embracing it instead of fighting it always brings good news!

The Future of CBA

People are clearly worried about the world of publishing these days, and today's questions reflect that...

Marcus wrote to ask, "What are the opportunities in the CBA market right now?"

This is a tough publishing market, reflecting a tough economy. For the past five years, the fastest growing segment in all of publishing has been Christian fiction, but that's slowed considerably lately. My guess is that we'll still see some growth in fiction, but it will be moving much more slowly as the various houses shake out what's working and who is selling. People want an escape, so historical romances and over-the-top suspense will continue to do well. Because of the economy, I think we can expect to see some more practical books take the lead -- money management, job searches, getting by in tough times, etc. The whole emergent discussion is also growing, as the church rethinks its theology in a postmodern world. That means I expect to see a surge in practical Christian living books again soon -- titles that focus on going deeper, living like Christ, and making an impact on the world. People need help coping with things like a less extravagant lifestyle. Two other areas we're starting to see as growth categories in CBA nonfiction are books on social justice and living a green lifestyle. In terms of overall growth, I think we'll see more romance, more spiritual journey books, certainly more e-books, more celebrity-driven books. 

Denise wants to know, "How has the CBA market changed over the course of the last year or two?"

Fiction has grown like crazy over the past four or five years, of course. CBA used to be a bunch of nonfiction books and a couple novels. Now it's dominated by novels. As I've said, that has been slowing, but I think it's still a growth category overall as things begin to shake out. Keep in mind that the financials in CBA are tough. Thomas Nelson has cut more than 120 people since last fall. Several other CBA houses have cut staff and reorganized. A couple have been in a cash crunch and been late with payments. This is a brutal economy right now (thank you, Mr Bush... I hope the screen door didn't hit you on the butt on your way out) for all publishers, and CBA is not exempt. 

Another change you need to understand about CBA is that it has become much more a part of the bookselling mainstream. Zondervan is owned by HarperCollins, Waterbrook by Random House, Howard by Simon & Schuster, FaithWords by Hachette. The religious book market used to be its own separate world, with its own publishing houses and bookstores. CBA still exists as its own entity, but it's very much part of the publishing mainstream these days. An example: You used to find very few CBA books at Barnes & Noble or Borders. Now that's one of their money-making areas. So while it's more integrated into the rest of the publishing world, we have to keep in mind that the Christian publishing arena is huge -- a book that hits in CBA can sell as many copies as a book that hits in the general market. 

Joey asked, "Is CBA going to survive?"

I think CBA as an organization is in deep trouble. Independent bookstores are shutting down (in both CBA and ABA), the CBA publishers aren't happy, and the big summer convention is in trouble -- they've already closed the winter CBA show, and the summer International Christian Retailing Show has been in steep decline. Christian publishers banded together through ECPA and created their own publishing event, the Christian Book Expo, which was held in Dallas last month. In my opinion it was a good idea, but it bombed with the public. They're going to try again next year in a better venue, and hopefully with more marketing to get the public in the door. I'd like to see it succeed and be replicated in other cities, but it could fail again, leading to publishers having their own mini-shows. (Thomas Nelson did this last year. I could see some of the other publishers doing the same thing in their home cities, or perhaps several small-to-medium-sized publishers banding together to have a visiting book show somewhere.)  

Another change I see happening is the shrinking mid-list of publishers, and the movement toward e-books and, eventually, POD titles. B&N purchased an e-book retailer, Zondervan started Symtio last summer (think of the way you download music onto your ipod through your computer), and we're going to see more of that type of bookselling. I think the delivery of books is changing considerably, and we're fast-approaching the time where many books are only offered POD. That means a shrinking publishing list -- something we're already seeing with Thomas Nelson and Cook announcing their cuts a few months back. This is still the Golden Age of Christian Publishing, in my view, but it's going to change and re-shape because of the technology, the choices, and the sophistication of consumers. Will CBA survive? Maybe, but it will be completely different from the CBA I grew up in. 

Lisa wrote this: "Do you think the advent of e-books and the movement to publish things online will help new authors get published easier and faster?"

Though everyone seems to be going doom and gloom on publishing, I think there's good news for writers: There have never been more opportunities for writers. I mean that. Every business has a website, and they all need content. Every organization has a website, and they not only want to share their history, but offer tips and wisdom, connecting with readers on a daily basis. We used to worry about our kids not reading, now they seem to read all the time (um... when they're not playing video games). The movement of reading has been away from the printed page and toward an electronic page, but that has opened up the world of reading to many. So there is an abundance of opportunities, they just may not be in the areas where writers have traditionally sought to publish. 

So yes -- I think e-books and online publishing will help authors get published much faster, and perhaps more easily... though you still have to be good to get published. The one thing that I don't see changing? It will still be exceedingly tough to make a living at writing. But when has it ever been easy to make a living at art? Talk to a singer, a painter, a sculptor, a dancer, a violinist. Making a living with your art has always been tough, and will continue to be. Online publishing will certainly offer more opportunities, but to make money at it will still require the writer to be good. That doubtless says something about learning the craft and the business, I think. 

One other note: Candace wrote to me to say thanks for connecting her with Christian Library International. They take your leftover Christian books and distribute them in prisons and other places. She had published a book with WinePress for a speaking tour, sold a bunch, had a thousand leftover copies, and donated them to CLI, who was happy to receive them. Again, it's a worthwhile place to consider when you're changing covers or doing an updated edition of a book, and you need to reduce inventory of your old title. Just thought I'd let you know that people actually read and do some of the stuff I mention on this blog. 

More on CBE, Stickered Books, and Celebrations

I've had more than two dozen people write to ask, in effect, "Why are you bashing CBE?"

Hey, let me be clear: I thought the Christian Book Expo was great. Honest. The show itself was wonderful. Incredible authors. Great workshops. The panels were as good as any conference or trade show I've ever attended. So the problem wasn't the show, it was the way the show was put together, marketed, and sold. Nobody came. And that's awful.

Let me choose just one publisher to explore... The folks at Thomas Nelson must have spent a fortune on this show. They set up a big booth. They had a ton of books. And they brought in Max Lucado, Donald Miller, Andy Andrews, Patsy Clairmont, Shela Walsh, Robert Liparulo, Colleen Coble, and even Ron Hall & Denver Moore (the two guys who share their story in the New York Times bestseller Same Kind of Different as Me). They did everything they could to make for a successful show. They not only flew those folks in, but put them up at a nice hotel and must have paid them something to do workshops and panels. In addition, they flew a bunch of Thomas Nelson staffers in to shepherd the authors and man the booth. That had to cost them a fortune. In other words, Thomas Nelson (and the other publishers who participated) did everything right. But the reason I called the show a "disaster" is because, after all this time and effort and money being invested, nobody came. There were no book sales, no big media push, and not even a huge relationship gain with readers.

Think of the losses for the publisher. And those losses are coming at a terrible time, when the economy is in shambles and book sales overall are down, causing layoffs and cutbacks in the industry. That's why I said the show was a disaster -- it was. I don't take any glee in that. I would have preferred the show was a huge hit, with jammed aisles and a huge boost to the publisher's bottom line. So... we move on, and hope for better decisions in the future. I hope they find an inexpensive location, work with churches and bookstores, and put on a great event somewhere next year. But what scares me about this is, after talking with some of the publishers, I don't think everybody will participate again. The show scared away most of the mid-level publishers from investing in this type of event in the future. So... yeah. That qualifies for the "disaster" tag.

If you want to read more about CBE, check out the three blogs Mike Hyatt did at www.michaelhyatt.com. (And if you're not reading Mike's blog, you're missing out on one of the really insightful posts in all of publishing. He regularly has good stuff to share.)

On to something happier, the Christy Finalists were released. The Christy Awards are given out every year to the best Christian fiction, and this year's list of finalists has quite a few surprises and first-time names on it. That just goes to show the breadth we're now seeing in Christian fiction. (The list also includes two authors I represent -- Lisa Samson for Embrace Me, and Claudia Mair Burney for Zora and Nicky. Lisa is already recognized as one of the great writers in CBA fiction, and Mair is a wonderful young novelist who has had a great first two years. A shout out to both of them.)

Max wrote to ask, "Is a place like CBE appropriate for an author to meet with an agent or editor and pitch their book?"

I suppose theoretically that's a good idea, but practically speaking it's almost impossible. Consider my schedule at a show like this... I might have 20 authors I represent show up. Then there are at least 20 or 25 publishers I need to meet with. And there are a bunch of agents and editors trying to create a list, so we're all setting up schedules months in advance. By the last couple weeks before the show starts, my datebook is filled to overflowing with meetings. So I may not be able to squeeze in something else... and even if I could, it will be for 25 minutes, and it'll be one meeting amid 100. You probably want to stand out a bit more. I'm not saying new author/agent meetings never happen at these types of things -- they do. But your odds are better to try and meet at a writing conference, or simply by traveling to meet the agent for coffee sometime. 

I also had some folks from Lifeway write me a note, defending the company practice of stickering certain books with the words, Read with Discernment. They asked me not to quote them directly, so I won't, but their basic arugment was that as booksellers they have a responsibility to protect the minds of Believers.

My response: Okay... so why sell name-it-and-claim-it nutjobs, but put a warning label on Rob Bell? Why sell mindless tripe from the likes of Benny Hinn but warn people to be careful of Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz? This doesn't strike me as really caring about the spiritual lives of believers, so much as defending a certain theological stance. You're willing to sell something weak to make a buck (see: Osteen, Joel), but you want to make yourself feel better by compensating with a sticker on someone not seen as being "with you" in the evangelical camp. That's just intellectually dishonest.  I don't agree with everything that comes from the pen of Brian McLaren (and, to be completely honest, I'm not sure Brian himself knows what he believes any more), but isn't a bookstore the last bastion of intellectual integrity? A place we can go to get all the opinions -- crazy though some may be? Hey, if you don't like a book, or feel a book is heretical, the response is simple: Don't carry it. If you believe a novel is pornographic, don't stock it. But to carry it, sell it, make a buck off it, then slap a lame warning label on it as a way of telling yourself you are "defending the faith" is one stupid way of doing business.

[Correction: Lifeway doesn't stock Benny Hinn. In fact, they're not really favorable toward any charismatic. So, granted, I could have used a better example... They sell C.S. Lewis, who (1) smoked a pipe, (2) drank alcohol, and (3) believed in infant baptism! Or how about if I point out they carry Adrian Rogers books -- a great guy, and a man I did some writing for and respected very much. But Adrian also wrote that he believed Jesus never drank wine. Honest! I know this because he asked me to create the chapter for him. While I think Adrian was wonderful, this one point was, um, not exactly in sync with the biblical text. My point is just that bookstores offer a wide variety of theological perspectives. We read ALL books with discernment, so let's not pick on a couple authors because there's something about their theology we feel doesn't toe the party line. This harkens back to the heresy that salvation is found in checking the right boxes on a test. Knowing Christ as Savior isn't evaluated just by what theological positions you hold, but by who you are as a representative of Christ in the world. If a bookstore feels a book is so bad they need to warn readers away from it, then it seems like they are compromising their values to actually sell a copy.]

Imagine you're a conservative, you walk into Barnes & Noble, and they've put warning labels on the books from Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, P.J. O'Rourke, and Rush Limbaugh. But there's nothing on the inane ramblings of Bill Maher or the spiteful, unfanny rants from Al Franken. Wouldn't you feel as though they had done a disservice to readers? I don't care if they want to sell Al Franken -- I just want to make sure the bookstore is a marketplace of ideas, isn't run by the government, and doesn't turn into a mouthpiece for one particular political party. The same holds true in Christian bookstores. I'm not a charismatic, nor am I a baptist, but I don't want to see CBA stores stickering books with things that warn me from engaging their ideas. Our local Barnes & Noble sells Mein Kampf. They dont' feel a need to sticker it. "Nuff said.

One last item, and it's the most important one of all: the lovely and talented Patti MacGregor hit the big five-oh! Our small group surprised her with a great birthday party, complete with black balloons and medications for coming ailments. We've been married for 27 years, and Patti has not only stuck by me through all the moves and all the mistakes, but she's still convinced she married the right person. (Please don't text her and let her know the truth -- that she married a dope not really worthy of her. I prefer we keep that a secret a while longer.) Love you, darlin'.

Notes From Big D (that's "D" as in "Disaster")

I spent the last several days in Dallas, attending the first-ever Christian Book Expo. I had really been looking forward to CBE -- a books-only version of ICRS. I thought it would pull together everyone in Christian publishing, draw in the reading public, and forego the people shilling Gospel Ties, WWJD belt buckles, and Thomas Kinkade soap-on-a-rope. The big concept was that this would be a consumer show, not a trade show. So the goal was to get consumers (i.e., readers) to come visit, meet authors, and buy books.

That's the goal. As loyal readers know, I've been a fan of the idea from Day One. I made my plans early to attend, blogged about the show, and encouraged everyone I could to be there. I honestly think the basic idea behind CBE is wonderful. And I had fun.

But let's face facts... The show, in terms of what it was supposed to be, was a disaster. Now don't get me wrong -- I had a good time. Saw lots of great authors. Connected with publishers. Heard some fabulous presentations. But in terms of what it was supposed to be, the show was an unmitigated disaster. And not just your run-of-the-mill disaster, but a Joaquin-Phoenix-On-David-Letterman type of disaster. You're going to read a bunch of reviews, and many of them will try to spin this into something happy, but I'm not buying it.

The problem is that consumers didn't show up. They were planning on hosting 15,000 people at the show. I asked the folks at registration how many tickets they had sold and was told they "did not reach 1500." Ouch. (And Christian Retailing says that 275 of those were kids... who got in free.) The first day consisted of publishers, authors, and agents -- insiders all, walking around and talking to each other. It was like somebody decided to throw a Christian publishing potluck. There were more industry professionals on the floor than there were consumers (and no, that's not an exaggeration).

The organization failed to explain the concept. Hear me out: It cost $29 to attend for a day. And what do you get for your $29? A chance to go buy books. That concept didn't make sense to people. I mean, you can buy books at Barnes & Noble for nothing. When I go Christmas shopping at the mall, they don't charge me twenty bucks for the privilege of going in and spending money. Whether the organization wants to admit it or not, most consumers couldn't get over the high price tag for an event that was basically a chance to spend money. (More on this in a moment.)

The venue was all wrong. Why do this at an expensive place like the Dallas Convention Center? That's where trade shows take place, not consumer shows. Why not move it out to one of the centers in the suburbs that are considerably cheaper? Or why not have it at a mega-church that has the space to host it? For that matter, if they really want to make it similar to some of the "book celebrations" that are hosted in various cities around the world, why not do it outside somewhere, so it has more of a festival feel to it? Going back to my Christmas shopping example, the mall not only invites me to come, they offer me a nice food court and free parking. The food at the Dallas Convention Center was, in a word, awful. And any consumer who wanted to drive to downtown Dallas had to pay to park. All of this worked against the show's success.

The author events were great... and almost completely ignored. Back to my point about the cost of the show -- the reason you'd pay money to get in would be to meet authors, correct? Consumers are willing to pay something for access to insights and insiders -- we'll pay ten bucks to go to a home-and-garden show, for example, or to attend a boat show that offers us stuff we can't find at the local stores. But some of the workshops on Friday had nobody in attendance. At others, a half-dozen people showed up. Can you imagine the embarrassment to have a good author prepare to speak and have nobody show up to hear him? I don't want to embarrass any particular author, since this clearly was not their fault, but I saw some great authors sitting at their signings with nothing to do. Not a single person in line to talk with them. I counted at least ten bestselling authors standing around with no one to sign for. That's a shame (to say nothing of it being a costly mess for the publishers who paid to fly in authors and put them up at downtown hotels).

There were too many signings -- a strange thought, when you consider the interest our culture has in celebrity. In fact, the lack of people at famous author signings is all you really need to know about the reading public's response to this event. You're a book lover -- don't you enjoy getting the chance to meet some of your favorite authors? Don't you love walking up and having a chat with some beloved authors and getting them to sign their books? This is a celebrity-driven business -- and even great celebrities had a tough time drawing a crowd.

Publishers lost a ton of money. If there is anything that could doom future CBE's, it's the fact that publishers spent a bunch of money and got zero return. Let's say you're a publisher who shipped 100 cases of books to Dallas for the show. You only sold a few books, so now you have to pay to ship all those books back. Ouch. (I happen to know that some publishers simply went to chains and distributors, and asked them if they'd buy the entire leftover mess at a huge discount. They figured they'd lose less money dumping them for pennies on the dollar than having to bother with re-boxing and re-shipping the whole mess back to the warehouse.) Publishers didn't find a bunch of new readers at this show. They didn't get much press. And remember, this all took place in a terrible publishing economy, with publishers cutting jobs, reducing inventory, and watching sales sag. While I'd love to see CBE continue, I think the leadership at ECPA is going to have a hard time convincing member publishers to pony up any money for a future event. They are already pulling out of the ICRS show in July, and this looked like it was a colossal financial loss for the publishers who participated.

There was certainly good stuff that happened. I'm really not trying to be overly negative. As I said, many of the workshops and talks were well done. Susan Meissner's Shape of Mercy won Novel of the Year at the ECPA Awards Banquet. That was well-deserved (and here I'll admit that I can be accused of bias, since I represented that novel, but it's one of the best CBA novels I've read in years). The downside: The banquet lasted roughly as long as the weekend -- in fact, it might still be going on. Okay, that's an exaggeration, but... five hours? Should giving out six awards really take longer than the 50+ that it takes to hand out the Academy Awards? (And a mea culpa: I got delayed and missed the big show, sad to say. So the criticism of the length is admittedly second hand, but it's supported by numerous TB sufferers.)

Another nice thing is that Crossway's ESV Study Bible won the overall Book of the Year award. You don't normally see a Bible win something like that, so it put a unique spin on the award. I happen to be a huge fan of the ESV, and maybe this will get more people to pick up a copy and acquaint themselves with it. The nonfiction book winner was John Piper's Spectacular Sins, which I'll admit I have yet to read.

The movie Collision could be a hit. The film is a debate between famous atheist Christoper Hitchens and Christian apologist Douglas Wilson, done in sort of an art-house style. A fascinating piece for people who think. It premiered at CBE, but didn't get quite the press it deserved.

The biggest buzz was probably the live debate that featured a bunch of Christian theologians taking on Christopher Hitchens. I'd have to say that Doug Wilson did a nice job of stating his case, and Lee Strobel seemed to be the only one on the panel who didn't buy into the "we have to be respectful to Mr. Hitchens' ideas because we want to show you how polite we are" line. Good grief, why didn't somebody say, "This guy is actively trying to destroy lives, and it's not healthy"? Look, Mr. Hitchens is charming, but he didn't once respond to a question with an answer. He's making a buck off saying "I don't think God exists, and you shouldn't either," but he can't ever answer a question with any sort of reason. (When asked a straight question, he smirks and says, "Let me tell you a story..." -- which never actually gets around to having a point, other than revealing what a charming guy he is. I kept waiting for one of the Christians to shout, "Answer the damn question!") So I found the whole thing rather frustrating. I'm sure if they had a debate with Hitler, the Christians would all be polite and try to find areas of agreement, rather than saying, "You're an evil nutcase whose ideas don't merit serious consideration." But perhaps this is why I'm not an academic.

So what lessons do we take away? I still think a Christian Book Expo is a fine idea, but it needs to be cheaper, needs to be marketed better, and needs more than just a few tweaks to make work. And no, I don't think it will happen. I think the losses the publishers took will scare many away from investing in something of this size again... which is a shame, but probably reality. My guess is that a large publisher might see great advantage in doing this sort of thing themselves (I could see Thomas Nelson hosting their own version of this in Nashville, for example).  I honestly think the leadership at ECPA swung for the fences, and there's something to be said for that. They whiffed this time. And, in the end, that's probably all that matters.

[Addendum: The leaders at the larger publishing houses (Dwight Baker at BPG, Mike Hyatt at Thomas Nelson, Mark Taylor of Tyndale) were all quoted today as saying they saw value in the event, and would try to make the event work in a better venue, with a different pricing plan and better marketing. That's good news. CBE is still a good idea, if done right.]

The Christian Book Expo

Next spring, everything about the marketing and selling of Christian books is going to change. The ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) is going to host the Christian Book Expo in Dallas, March 20-22. Modeled after the very successful Guadalajara Book Fair and the Los Angeles Festival of Books, I think this is going to be the next big thing for Christian publishing.

Why? Because of the direction the organizers are taking. Instead of being focused on retailers, the focus of this show is going to be on authors and content. The public will be invited, and the whole idea is to expose readers to authors and their work. Think about this: there are going to be 180 workshops at the Expo. They are planning readings, and performances, and dozens of speakers. There are going to be mini-events where authors discuss contemporary and theological issues. There will be activities for families, and an entire area dedicated just to children's books. They are planning 11 different panels, with world-class participants, to explore what the authors have to say about today's significant social issues. (The panels are going to be sponsored by Christianity Today.) And they're expecting major media, the participation of every ECPA publisher, as well as most general market publishers who produce Christian books. I think this event is going to raise the awareness of Christian publishing in this country. Best of all, this will be a books only event, meaning all of us get to focus on authors and their works.

Here's something that might surprise you: The Guadalajara Book Fair attracted 525,000 people last year. The LA Festival had 140,000 attendees earlier this year. The fact is, people are still interested in books. And since last year was the biggest year ever for selling religious books, it's fair to say that people care about Christian books (even  if CBA and their retailers convention is struggling to survive). So this is the perfect time.

A few days ago I got a phone call from Mark Kuyper, the President of ECPA, and had the chance to ask him about the Christian Book Expo. His enthusiasm for the event came through clearly. "This is an author show," he told me. "The focus will be on Christian authors and their ideas." Frankly, it was nice to hear the guy in charge of the organization talking about  books rather than talking about marketing. "We want to reach as many people as possible with the life-changing message of books," he said to me, before noting that this is going to be "a great opportunity for readers to interact with top authors" as well as to "discover up-and-coming Christian writers." Part of the overall plan is to drive people into stores to buy more books, and Mark mentioned that they are going to work with local bookstores and churches, making this show a catalyst for Christian publishing instead of just making the event itself a big selling opportunity.

Oh... And they're going to try and keep the cost to less than $20.

Frankly, I'm thrilled. CBE (I assume they're calling it "CBE," even if that's too close to "CBA") is no doubt going to see some involvement from music companies (since there are certainly musicians who write books), and from movie and entertainment companies (since many of them are translating Christian novels into film). But to think that somebody is trying to energize readers instead of retailers gives me hope for the future.

Yeah, I can already hear it... No doubt the people at CBA at upset with this plan. But they don't need to be. Theirs is a show for retailers. This is a show for authors and readers, and I think it has the potential to significantly re-shape the way we think about Christian books. Huge news. I can hardly wait.

The Future of CBA and ICRS

I've had a bunch 0f questions about the future direction of publishing, especially the future of CBA (the Christian Booksellers Association). Let me try to tackle some of the questions that have been posed to me or posted in the "comments" section...

Carol asked, "How is the much-touted Christian Book Expo different from the current ICRS?"

ICRS (the International Christian Retailing Show) is a collection of everyone who sells into religious stores. It includes jewelry companies, art distributors, t-shirt and tie manufacturers, card companies, music and entertainment corporations, and all the wacky stuff from Testamints to Gospel Golf Balls. There's a sense that the show has lost its momentum. Next March, the ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) will host the Christian Book Expo in Dallas. Many are viewing it as an alternative to ICRS. The focus will solely be on books, it will be open to the public, and they are hoping t0 line up major media for the authors at the show.

I have long advocated Christian publishers focus on BEA (the annual general-market book show) by sending editors, setting up media, and asking the folks who run it to put all the religious publishers in one location. But BEA just doesn't thrill the old CBA crowd. Too expensive, too much competition, and too much liberal nuttiness to make Christian publishers comfortable. (They all attend, but it's more of a sales show, so they don't bring many authors or editors.) Will the new Christian Book Expo work? Beats me. But when your current plan isn't working, you need to try something else. One of the weakest aspects of ICRS this year was the lack of media, so the ECPA types have decided to focus on a Bible-belt city, try to draw commercial crowds, and make it a "happening" that will attract TV/radio/print people. I'll be hoping for the best.

Another person asked, "Will the new ECPA show make up for the loss of revenue from ICRS?"

Let me clarify a few things... The new Christian Book Expo is under the leadership of ECPA (a collection of Christian publishers). That organization is going to be around awhile. The money they've made at ICRS is simply through writing book orders (most of which is now done before the show) and selling international rights (a growing area for Christian publishers). So they hope to increase their income through selling space at the new Christian Book Expo. They're also going to try to get the international reps to show up.

ICRS is under the leadership of CBA (an independent trade organization representing religious bookstores). CBA basically makes all its money on the ICRS convention -- so I've had some folks tell me CBA will never give up on ICRS; that it's the only way they can stay in business. Maybe. But if the publishers pull out of ICRS, it's a pretty small show, and shrinking fast. Hard to see how it survives.  The leadership at CBA might move toward smaller, regional shows. Or they might try to re-think the whole thing. OR it's possible CBA as an organization could close up shop, at least as we currently know it.

Tiffany asked, "How do you think the reduced exposure at ICRS will affect authors? And do you see events like BEA or the Christian Book Expo having more authors participate in an attempt to boost sales?"

Authors everywhere are talking about the fact that their publishers are bringing fewer and fewer authors to the show. I've been told the Christian Book Expo is going to make the participation of major media a focus, and I hope that's true. It's funny, but I don't see many people talking about the lack of media at ICRS, and I can't figure out why that's being ignored. This year's event didn't attract half the media we used to get. With no media, it barely makes sense for a publisher to bring authors -- all you can do is have them come for a meet & greet with some bookstore owners, but that's an expensive proposition. Of course, that all points to the continuing need for authors to do their own marketing.

Important News to Know: Last week Ballantine cancelled a novel entitled The Jewell of Medina. The book was written by Sherry Jones, and is a fictionalized account of A'isha, who was wed to the prophet Muhammad at age nine. It tells the story of the life of Muhammad through the eyes of his youngest wife. The agent for that book, Natasha Kern, is a friend of mine and a fine agent. It's not being talked about very much, but here's why you need to hear about it: Random House said they cancelled this book because it might be offensive to some in the Muslim community. In fact, they were afraid of a possible terrorist threat from extremist nutjob Muslims. The book contains no sex scenes or patently offensive themes to Muslims. Apparently for all their talk about having open minds and inter-cultural discourse, the folks at Random House will cave to religious extremists who email threats to them. Asra Nomani wrote an editorial in the Wall Street Journal about this, noting that this is "a window into how quickly fear stunts intelligent discourse about the Muslim world."

And Kudos to a Friend: As long as I'm mentioning other agents, I'd like to add a note of congratulations to Deidre Knight, a longtime agenting friend in Atlanta, for being given a Golden Apple Award. Deidre, who is well known in CBA circles for being the agent behind 90 Minutes In Heaven, was named "Agent of the Year" by the New York chapter of the Romance Writers of America.

Lots more questions to answer in my next post. Keep those cards and letters coming, friends!

Online Rights and Other Things We're Seeing Now...

Dana wrote to ask, "Was ICRS really as bad as everyone is making it out to be? Were numbers down all that much? I recieve emails from CBA (the sponsoring organization), and they shared some pretty good news to their membership."

You know, I don't take any pleasure in predicting the demise of CBA. I've been a member for years, am supportive of its goals, and have established some wonderful memories at the annual book show. But no matter how you spin it, the numbers are terrible. Ten years ago the convention drew just under 15,000 participants. This year the number was half that. And the number of "industry professionals" who attended the show was half the number of what it was ten years ago. The floor space is obviously shrinking (and word is many publishers may pull out or significantly reduce their floor space even more next year). So, yes, it's a significant downward trend. No matter how they try to spin it, the show is in deep trouble (in my humble opinion).

Sheri asked, "From walking the floor at ICRS, can you tell us about some of the book trends you're seeing?"

We've continued to see growth in fiction, and particularly in fiction sub-categories. (So while we used to just see "romance," we're now seeing "historical romance," "contemporary romance," "romantic suspense," "romance with characters named Fiona," etc.) We're also seeing more emergent writers. More reformed writers. More spriritual journey writers. More charismatic writers. More writers with professional platforms (MD's writing on health, or investment guys writing on finances, for example). More "social justice" and "green" books. More audio titles. A continuing movement toward celebrity. The beginnings of narrative nonfiction titles. Fewer books from pastors. Few homeschooling books. Very few education titles. Few men's books. Few humor writers. Few Bible studies. Almost no CBA gift books. More small presses starting up (hoo-ray!). And a handful of companies (Moody is one, Cook is another) who have completely re-made themselves.

Barb wrote to ask, "You mentioned a Kindle... can you describe that for me?"

Yikes! Everybody should know about the Amazon Kindle and the Sony E-reader. Think of them as an electronic book -- about the size of a hardcover book, and the text of your favorite book can be sent to it through the air. You can then call up the book on the screen (they both have good screens) and read it the way you would a regular book. You toggle the side of the Kindle to "turn the page." A Kindle will hold about 200 books in its memory, and if you ever lose a book somehow, Amazon will re-send it to you for free. (And, to correct errors I've made in the past, Amazon no longer sells all their e-books for $9.99 -- some are more expensive. AND you can now email yourself Word documents, so you can read your friend's work in progress on your Kindle.) They cost $349 and rely on cell phone technology, so you don't have to be in a wifi hotspot. Oh, and you can get the NY Times or Wall Street Journal sent to you every morning on your Kindle. The Sony product is a bit less money, has more bells and whistles, but somehow doesn't have the same pinache (and yet it's the Sony that publishers are purchasing for their editors). We're not at a place where everyone has an electronic reader yet (they don't do graphics, and that's a drawback), but this is the wave of the future.

Tracy wanted to know about the  movement toward selling electronic books: "I'm not sure I understand something... There is no paper involved, no ink, no binding, no shipping. In addition, marketing will be less about store displays and more about internet ads and pop-ups that piggyback on similar audiences, so this should lower the cost of moving books. But they're paying less money? If authors are squeezed by lower margins, won't that descrease the number of writers? What do you predict will happen -- higher prices? fewer authors? greater sales?" 

There's a debate going on between publishers and agents about the royalties that should be paid to authors on e-books. I'm of the opinion the royalty should be higher, since there are no hard costs (sure, there is editing and interior design, AND the publisher has to set up a delivery system to send the books...but it still is cheaper than ink/paper/binding). However, some publishers want to view e-rights as a subsidiary right, so they could conceivably sell it cheaply to Amazon and split all proceeds 50/50 with the author. So, unlike regular print royalties that have been agreed upon by nearly everyone, you can find one publisher paying 15% of net for e-rights, another paying 15% of retail, another paying 50% of whatever they receive. Right now it's all over the map... but right now the money doesn't amount to much. Give it a few years. Once our kids all have Kindles, and are all downloading their books, this will generate real money -- and by then, we'll have it figured out.

So YES, I predict higher prices for e-books. But NO, I don't predict fewer authors -- the potential for people to do e-books should increase opportunities for writers, not decrease them. And I'd certainly hope it leads to greater sales, as the Electronic Generation begins reading books and not just Facebook.

Cheryl wrote and asked, "Can authors include previously published stories from magazines and web sites in a book they are submitting to a publisher? In other words, can they use previously published stories in a new book?"

That will depend on the contract you signed for your article, Cheryl. If you give a magazine one-time rights, as soon as the next issue of the magazine comes out, you are normally free to re-sell your original article to someone else (though you'll probably want to tweak it). But if you did an article for an e-zine and sold it to them on a work-for-hire basis, you may have signed over all rights to that story. Check your contract. With most ephemeral or periodical literature, ownership remains with the author, so in those cases you would indeed be free to re-use your piece in a new book.

Ashley asked, "What makes an agent (like, say, Chip MacGregor) who is so passionate about books decide to be an agent instead of writing books?"

I'm good at being an agent. I like the work. It feels like a better fit for me than being a full-time author. The fact is, I love books and words, and this job allows me to work with them. Can't imagine having any more fun than this. But I have, in fact, written books. (Make sure to check out "The Y2K Family Survival Guide" and other great titles!)

By the way, there are two websites you really must visit... First, check out the new ezine ChristianFictionOnline to see some great stories and advice on writing fiction for the CBA market. Second, make sure to stop by www.StuffChristiansLike.net -- a hilarious sendup of the church, written by a guy who has spent his life as one of us. The BEST new site I've seen in years.