Chip MacGregor .com

Some perspective as we head toward Christmas...

It seems like everybody has been touched by this lousy economy. I read a report yesterday that explained why this is by far the worst economic climate of our lifetimes. Not only is unemployment at more than 8%, but the world of work has changed considerably. Over the past decade, there were many more people who were working at home, working part time, telecommuting, and cobbling together a living. If you include all those people (who weren't "laid off," they simply no longer have freelance jobs available to them), the unemployment rate is something closer to 15% -- the worst since the Great Depression. We've certainly seen that in publishing. Every house has cut staff, most have trimmed the number of books they'll release. Borders is on the ropes, some publishers look like they may be in trouble, and even Scholastic (who made a fortune introducing the world to Harry Potter) appears to have some serious issues. There's carnage everywhere in publishing. And even though we know that books are recession-resistant, overall sales have been down. 

What does a writer do in this sort of economy? I'd like to make a handful of suggestions to you. 

First, while things in the world economy may be dire, a depression isn't just about the world. It's about your individual projects. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to suggest you take break from the unrelenting bad news heard on the mainstream media. And even the sidestream media. I mean it -- turn off the TV, don't listen to talk radio, and stop checking FoxNews.com. It's the Christmas season, so give up broadcast media for a while. Consider yourself on a "news fast." You might think it's silly, but if you try it, you'll soon realize the benefit of not having fear-mongers and outraged talk show hosts fill your head with bad news. Decide you're going to take from now until Martin Luther King's birthday and stay away from the news. See if your attitude doesn't improve. (And let me tell you how this works for me: While many agents are spending time whining about the lousy publishing economy, I just keep working on the projects my authors represent. And I find them selling. Maybe not as many as two years ago, and maybe not for as much as they'd have sold for one year ago, but I"m still doing deals for people. Even in this bad economy, there are book deals to be made. I've found this to be true with other agent friends of mine -- we just keep working.) So turn off the Chicken Little, World-Is-Coming-To-An-End types, assume somebody will tell you if something important happens, and focus on your writing. 

Second, I want you to consider recent sales. Because the contracts I negotiate for my authors generally have confidentiality clauses, I'm not going to reveal the particulars, but I can tell you this much: the majority of deals I've done in the past five months have been exclusive. In other words, the project was created with one particular publisher in mind. There was forethought put into what the project would be, and who it would be aimed at. The author really focused on the needs of a particular house, created it especially for that publisher, and we sold it to them. Of the last ten deals I did, eight of them were designed with ONE publisher in mind. Let me offer one example, since it shows some insight into the way this works... Gina Holmes runs the popular "Novel Journey" website. She has worked on that for years, meeting people, making connections, slowly building up a name that people in the industry would recognize. When she began writing, she didn't have one particular house in mind, but she knew she had a strong story that would work in the market. Over time, we began to target one publisher that would be a nice match for her story. 

I spoke to the editor in charge of fiction there, so she'd know Gina was working on a book for her. The two spoke, the editor offered ideas for helping improve the story. Over time, Gina created exactly the novel that publisher wanted. And because Gina wasn't in a hurry, she was able to create a much stronger book. In the end, they made Gina a great offer -- much better than she'd have received if she had simply banged something out. There's not any one factor in this, but several ingredients that came together -- Gina's platform, her story, her writing ability, the relationship with the publisher, the allotment of time to let the story build, the feeling of partnership that developed (since we all prefer to do business with people know and trust). In a lousy economy, that's how publishing still works. So think about creating a book that is ideal for one house. (And this would be a great place to mention that Gina's novel, CROSSING OCEANS, is releasing next summer. It's going to be great!) 

Third, even if there's financial discouragement around you, commit to write every day. It's what you are gifted at, and what you are called to do. Why give up your best gift and your calling at a time when things are tight? Fix a time in your schedule, sit down at the same place each day, and bang out those thousand words (or those five thousand, depending on how fast you work). Continuing to write is probably your best therapy when the rest of the world looks like it's falling apart. Besides, in a world that's struggling, there is still a need for books that will change us, inspire us, encourage us, spur us to action, offer us an entertaining escape, or cause us to live more effectively. 

Fourth, if you really are worried about your writing career in this lousy world economy, do something for someone else each day. I mean it. When you do something tangible for someone else, when you encourage them or make a point of complimenting or thanking them, it changes your attitude about the world we live in. In her wonderful book Making a LIterary Life, Carolyn See says the two essential elements in a writers life are to write a thousand words a day and to send someone a charming note each day. That's great advice. So if you're concerned about the world and the economy, then take eight minutes every day and send a thank you note to that editor who talked with you at the conference, or write a note of encouragement to that author whose book you liked, or tell your publicist how much you appreciate her. Sure, it's a great way to network. But that's not the reason to do it -- you do it because it's one of the few things you can do as a writer that will get you out of your own world and into the world of someone else. Aren't you always encouraged when, out of the blue, you get one of those nice "thank you" notes for something you did that you considered a small token? Hey, we've had some very tough things happen lately. A couple authors I represent are married to people who have lost their jobs. A couple folks have faced serious health issues. A couple authors lost a parent or father-in-law. Several are facing a serious financial crunch. One good buddy, a wonderful guy who is doing a series of books with Bethany House Publishers, lost his twelve-year-old son unexpectedly just a few months ago. He and his family are facing their first Christmas after a huge loss. People need encouragement, and that's one tangible thing you can provide.

Fifth (and get ready because I'm about to sound like Pastor Chippy), examine your faith in God. Our treasure isn't in this world. Our trust really isn't in our stock portfolio or our 401k's. Our trust is in God, and He wasn't surprised when this depression began. He isn't sitting in heaven, slapping HIs forehead in surprise and saying, "I sure didn't see THAT coming." The fact is, I don't care if you're one of those people who reads this blog for the publishing advice and doesn't really believe in God. I have full confidence that God is still in charge, and still paying attention to this world, even if it looks like it's all falling apart. He still cares about you, and will still take care of you, even in difficult circumstances. So learn to trust God, however you perceive Him to be. If you're finding it hard, commit to reading your bible a bit each day in order to build your faith, and take the time to talk with someone about your concerns. We're all in this crazy business together, and at heart, we all love it. Publishing can be fickle, and certainly has the ability to ruin a promising day, but the fact is, we all know that words still matter, and if God really exists, that means He is in charge of publishing just like He's in charge of everything else. End of sermon.

I hope you have a merry Christmas. If you've got a question for an agent, send it in, because next week we're going to do a series called ASK AN AGENT. You can ask anything you've always wanted to ask an agent, and I'll try to answer it briefly but completely.  

Questions about the Publishing World

A bunch of quick questions and answers on the world of publishing today...

Mike wrote to ask, "Would you recommend an aspiring writer attend a seminar like 'Story' by Robert McKee?"

Absolutely. I think attending a good writing seminar or conference is one of the best investments a newer writer can make.

Tim wants to know, "What do you make of Kirkus Reviews closing down?'

Hate to see it. If you haven't heard, Nielsen Business, the owner, is not only shutting down Kirkus Reviews, but selling off Adweek, Billboard, and The Hollywood Reporter. Kirkus has been around since the Great Depression, and while it had a reputation for savaging a lot of books, it was also an influential source for writers and publishers. But reviews have moved to the web, so that's the place to go if you want info on books these days. 

Wanda asked this: "Are digital books going to ruin the book publishing business?"

Nope. They're just the latest form of books. I would note that this week some of the big publishers (Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Thomas Nelson) announced they would delay some of their e-books until after the hardcover has had its own sales season. Some reviewers saw that as a mistake, as though publishers were caving into author and agent demands. Baloney. They're doing it to try and bring perspective back to the industry. Amazon does everything in secret, demands exclusivity, and has been no friend to authors with its financial demands. Everyone is waiting to see what happens when Apple releases their e-reader next year, since word is they're going to be much more publisher-friendly. 

Marvin asked, "What is the best website you read?"

There are several, and I've mentioned them in the past (Mike Hyatt, Rachelle Gardner, NovelJourney, Writers Digest, Absolute Write, Publishers Marketplace, etc). But let me steer you in another direction... If you come to this site and you've got a church background, by all means check out Stuff Christians Like. It's one of the ten-most-read religious websites in the country, and it's a hoot. The author, Jon Acuff, has a book coming out with Zondervan next spring, and people have already ordered thousands of copies... for a book that is five months away from being printed. Amazing stuff. Funny and insightful, and the author is being asked to speak at conferences everywhere. Check it out at www.stuffchristianslike.net

Amy wants to know, "Is the market glutted with YA fantasy right now?"

There's certainly a lot, and most of it fueled by TWILIGHT (for a market that, in my view, was begun by the success of the Harry Potter books). So, yeah, there's a lot of YA fantasy right now. A glut? Depends on your perspective. As long as it keeps selling, there's not a glut. 

Timothy asked, "Does the movement of traditional publishers into self-publishing mean that the publishers are all destitute?"

No. But this economy sucks, and books, which traditionally have been recession-resistant, have been hit hard. Publishers are in business to make money, and the technology and distribution of books has changed significantly in recent years. So some of them (notably Thomas Nelson and Harlequin) have announced they're opening up a self-publishing division. (And, in case you're wondering, MacGregor Literary is in business to make money as well. If I saw an idea that could produce good income, and I thought it fit with my skills and the vision of my company, I'd have to explore it as well.) Correction: Michael Hyatt, the president at Thomas Nelson, wrote to say they are NOT delaying the release of e-books.

And some notes from the world of publishing...

--I think it's cool that David C Cook Publishing is starting a debt-relief plan to help out small Christian retailers. You don't see THAT sort of ministry-minded thinking in this business very often, so it should not be overlooked. 

--The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow is number 6 on the Kindle bestsellers list... which is amazing since the book was one of the first novels ever released by Abingdon Press, the book publishing arm of the United Methodist Church. Library Journal just named this novel from Joyce Magnin as one of the top five Christian books of the year, so Abingdon is giving it away FOR FREE. If you've got a Kindle, drop by Amazon.com and download it. (If you don't own a Kindle, they've even got a free software download that will let you put it on your computer. How sweet is that?!)

--And as long as I'm bragging about the authors I represent, I want to add that Ann Tatlock's The Returning also made the LIbrary Journal list. So TWO of the top FIVE Christian novels this past year are books we represented. Time to celebrate! 

--Wayne Pollard is a cartoonist who creates a funny world where people discuss books over their coffee cups. If you're unfamiliar, check it out at: http://boscafelife.wordpress.com/

Got a question about writing and publishing? Send it in and we'll offer you an answer. 

Rants and Raves

Rave: I just got back from our first-even "Fiction Marketing Seminar." We held it in Dallas with a half-dozen novelists, and we had a GREAT time. Everyone found it helpful, and our brainstorming with authors about how they can help promote their own novels more effectively was the highlight of the weekend. Thanks for participating everyone! (And if you're interested in attending, we're doing the Fiction Marketing Seminar again in Indy in just a couple weeks -- December 4-5.) 

Rant: You know, that last blog post of mine was awful. I was busy at the conference, looked at my emails late at night, and decided to simply re-post something I'd written recently. In retrospect, that was a bad decision. Michael Hyatt, the President of Thomas Nelson, had written a blog post about "why agents may be opposed to self-publishing," and I wanted to quickly get something up in response. In doing so, I failed to adequately touch on his points. Worse, my words suggested Mike was purposefully not telling the truth about the way his business is run. That's a huge disservice to Mike, a man I like and respect. Nor did it really add anything to the conversation. So... Mike, I apologize for that. I was wrong. The next time I'm in Nashville, I'll buy you a fish taco. 

Rave: Mr. Hyatt spent a lot of time responding to comments on his blog, http://michaelhyatt.com , and I recommend you read not only his blog but the discussion in the "comments" section. There are good points made from all sides. It's worth a look. I'm not enthusiastic at the way literary agents are referenced in this particular post, but Thomas Nelson has a track record of working with agents, so I'm taking Mike's notes in the comments section to heart. 

Rant: Just so we're clear, this particular agent isn't opposed to self-publishing. (In fact, I've self-published books.) I didn't much like the image Mike used at the top of his blog (a bunch of supposed agents pointing fingers and screaming), but I don't really care if Thomas Nelson gets into the self-pubbing business or not. I think the industry is changing, and we're going to see more of these types of difficult decisions. I'm still of the opinion that (1) most self-publishing exist to take money from uninformed wannabe writers, (2) as a novelist it is EXTREMELY rare to find any success at all with a self-pubbed book, so therefore (3) the people who will have success with a self-published book are nonfiction writers with a mechanism for selling their books.

Rave: I'd also like to point people to Rachelle Gardner's excellent blog, http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/, where she spoke to the issue with a lot of passion. I think she said it best when she noted that self-publishing "is an alternative to regular, royalty-paying, commercial publishing, not a stepping stone to it." Good stuff, Rachelle! 

Rant: I have now heard from more than 100 Ted Dekker fans, who have convinced me that I'm wrong -- there are PLENTY of readers who found deep spiritual truths in his novels. Okay, I was wrong. I should have kept in mind that one diner likes chocolate, another vanilla. My bad. (For those not in the know, this got started when bestselling novelist Ted Dekker blogged about a list of words he'd discovered on a publisher's website that were not to be used by Christian romance writers.) AND I need to add that there were certainly a couple words on that list Ted mentioned that did, in fact, concern me... "priest," for one. 

Rave: I had a great conversation with Ted Dekker about all this, and he was very gracious. He has taken steps to try and let people know he wasn't trying to demean all romantic novelists. The two of us decided that we are still friends, and still don't want a Celebrity Death Match (which is a good thing, since Ted is younger than me). 

Rant: Now Harlequin is jumping into the self-publishing game. They made a big, splashy announcement about "Harlequin Horizons," which is a new vanity press they set up for those who want to do their own romance novels. Mystery Writers of America and Romance Writers of America immediately called them out, since the marketing language certainly makes it seem as though an author paying for the privilege of self-publishing a book with that imprint is given the impression that they are part of the Harlequin family, and therefore a Harlequin author (specifically, they referred to this as a "gateway for aspiring authors"). Again, I don't care if a publisher wants to try new ideas in order to make extra income in a lousy economy. But they have to be careful to not over-promise. There's no way Barnes & Noble, Borders, or Books-a-Million starts stocking self-published books. Perhaps Harlequin, like Thomas Nelson, promises they're going to be reviewing the self-pubbed titles for possible publication down the road. But be aware, fiction writers... it is a rare thing indeed to self-publish your novel and have anyone buy it. 

Rave: This has nothing to do with publishing, but for the first time in my life (and I'm 51) the Oregon Ducks will play the Oregon State Beavers for the Pac 10 Championship and the right to go to the Rose Bowl. Life is sweet here in Oregon. And... GO DUCKS!

More on the Wonderful World of Publishing

I'm getting a ton of emails from people regarding the Ted Dekker stuff (if you missed it, read my last blog post). It's funny how people respond in a disagreement -- they tend to move completely to one side ("I love Ted's books -- I can't believe you're attacking him!") or the other ("Amen! Stick it to him!") and focus on emotion rather than the issues. I've heard from numerous Ted Dekker fans, basically accusing me on attacking their hero, and a few have asked if we've got some sort of personal feud going. 

Nope. Sorry. Ted and I are acquaintances (I'd say we're friends, but that may be stretching it a little bit -- however, we're certainly friendly when we see each other). There's a lot of mutual respect between Ted and me. He's a fine writer who tells a great story and has built a remarkably successful career. I particularly appreciate the fact that Ted has helped take CBA fiction in new directions. I just didn't happen to agree with what he said about romance novelists in general, and Love Inspired authors in particular. Since he felt he could post on the topic, I felt I could respond. But I assure you, there's no bad blood between us. So relax, people. The two of us aren't going to be having a Celebrity Death Match or anything.

Yes, I think his writing has gotten awfully dark recently. And no, I don't believe his books are moving readers toward a deeper spirituality (no matter how many irate college students write to tell me so). But that's not a personal attack, it's just this one agent's opinion. Ted could just as easily write and say, "Chip has represented a bunch of romance novelists, health books, and business/finance stuff, so HE'S not helping American Christians deepen their spiritual lives either!" And I'd plead guilty, I suppose, even though I'm very proud of the authors I represent. (And no, he won't do that. Trust me. Ted isn't taking this as personally as some of his followers.) But that DOES bring up the notion of followers, and it's a topic I've wanted to write about for some time...

Take a look at the comments after Ted's post. "Amen!" "You de man!" "This is brilliant!" Then, after he apologized to the Love Inspired authors, he got a fresh batch of "Fantastic!" "Brilliant stuff!" and "What a wonderful human being you are." It makes you wonder how saying one thing, then apologizing for it, can solicit the same attaboy responses. I have great respect for Mike Hyatt, the Prez at Thomas Nelson, and I read his wonderful blog faithfully, but I can't help but smile at the list of folks who regularly go on and comment "Mike -- you're the most amazing man in publishing!" I mean, sometimes he writes about fish tacos, and they'll still call him a genius. (And, to be fair, I sometimes have people comment on my own blog in ways that make me think, "You know... I really wasn't THAT brilliant.") My point is just that people seem to become fans of certain individuals, and it might blind them a bit. I know I could have a reasoned dialogue with Ted (or Mike) about a disagreement... I'm not sure I feel the same way about some of the followers.

Here's why this is important to me: I worry about people getting so wrapped up in a personality they lose perspective. I had two kids graduate from Seattle Pacific University, and I noticed when on campus there were students who seemed to think this guy who pastors a mega-church in the area walks on water. Honestly, the students acted like mindless drones -- "Pastor is above reproach..." You could NOT criticize him or they'd start attacking. I found the whole thing sort of scary. I had a chance to talk with that pastor a couple times, and found him to be an arrogant blowhard with a need to continually remind us what a tough and virile superman he is. He said at least two things to me that were obvious exaggerations, but the sycophants around him kept laughing and offering verbal slaps on the back. He was anti-education, borrowed his view on women from Neanderthals, and basically gave me the impression he had zero accountability in his life. In short, the guy was a putz. But no matter how much you explain that to his followers, they think he's Mr. Wonderful. And I fear going there. I fear ever having people act that way toward me, since I'll be the first to tell you that I do NOT know everything, do NOT always set a good example, and do NOT want the responsibility of being the last word on everything in publishing. 

Just thought I'd mention that, as we talk about the decisions and directions of publishing today. On to more interesting stuff: Thomas Nelson has jumped into the low-price fiction wars (or maybe they decided to help smaller booksellers jump into that war) by offering four backlist titles at only $2.99. [Earlier versions of this post said "frontlist" titles. My mistake.] Yeah, that won't leave any money at all for the writer, but what a great way to get some market attention and build a readership. Love this idea. ("Mike Hyatt is a genius!")  :o)

If you're looking for an agent, WEbook, which was launched a little more than a year ago as a collaborative site for writers, has added a new service that links authors and agents. The agents make themselves available for authors to send them materials, authors learn to shape the proposals according to editorial guidelines, and everybody gets a chance to network. Publishers Marketplace reported that eight literary agencies have signed on, and one has already signed a new client. If you're in the market, you might want to check out the site. 

If you're interested in making a living at writing, make sure to read this great post on the realities of the writers life: http://www.genreality.net/more-on-the-reality-of-a-times-bestseller

The fact is, making a living at the arts has never been easy. My wife is a quilt artist, I have a daughter who is a dancer, a brother who is a trombone player, a brother and a sister who were both dancers, a mother-in-law who is a painter, and I used to make my living performing. None of us have found it an easy road. Making a living at the arts (ANY art) is a tough road to travel. 

Last thing: On Friday and Saturday, I'm going to be in Dallas for the first Fiction Marketing Seminar. Jim Rubart (a longtime marketing consultant) and I are teaching a small group of novelists who want to know how they can take charge of marketing their own novels. We're going to do this again in Indianapolis December 4 and 5. There's still space, if you'd like to join us. This seminar is aimed at helping novelists create their own marketing plans -- something that's become essential in today's publishing economy. If you want to find out more, check it out at:

www.themasterseminars.com

-Chip

The Good, the Bad, and the Faux Deep

The Big News in publishing today is that they've refined the Google Book Settlement. (If you're unaware, Google is going to digitize nearly every out-of-print book and make it available for sale -- that's huge news to anyone involved in the publishing industry.) They still plan on setting up a Book Rights Registry to make sure some of the money goes to the rights holder of those oop books, but they couldn't get all those pesky foreign governments to work with them (the nerve!). So now the settlement will basically be limited to books published in English -- that is, books from the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. So the pool of books, while still huge, has been limited considerably. The other big changes include: an oversight board to look out for orphaned books (where it's not clear who the owner is), a reworking of the financials, and a clause that allows someone other than Google to control the whole mess. Is this done yet? Not sure... but it certainly looks like we're moving toward some sort of digital book registry, so that every book ever published in the English language will be available to you in a digital format. And yes, I still think this is a good thing, if you consider the big picture.

Over in the world of Christian publishing, novelist Ted Dekker made a big splash, showing incredibly poor judgment in deciding to slam the biggest segment of publishing, apparently because it doesn't make him happy. He took aim at Christian romance publishers in general, and Harlequin's Love Inspired in particular, poking fun at their rules and offering a big list of words they can't use. (You can read the whole diatribe at http://www.teddekker.com/2009/11/07/whats-wrong-with-this-picture/ ). He then turned it into a crusade, suggesting all right-thinking religious writers "call out" the terrible issue of...um, not being able to use the word "hooters" in fiction, I guess. 

Um... Ted. These are novels. The readers buying these books want clean, safe, romantic titles. They won't be buying YOUR books, which are none of the above. Instead, they'll look for a good story, with no bad words or obvious sexual sidelines. What's wrong with that? When did we decide banning certain books was a good idea? And there are a LOT of these readers -- something we can safely state, since in a terrible publishing year, Harlequin actually GREW. In fact, they posted the biggest gains of any publisher over the past twelve months. So maybe they're on to something. If that list of words they don't want you to use (which, taken out of context, is admittedly pretty funny) gets you all hot and bothered, don't buy them. Buy something else -- a Stephen King novel, maybe. Or something racier, if that's what gets your motor running. But your argument suggests that there are good Christian novels (the ones you like) and bad Christian novels (the ones romance readers like), and that we apparently need to stand up and demand... what? That they stop doing the books you don't like?

This is a straw man argument. It's easy for speculative readers to attack romance novels, just as it's easy for academic writers to attack the writers of popular reference. You start shouting, claim the other side is stupid, and give evidence of a couple dopey things they've done. In Ted's case, he wrapped it all up in a veneer of spirituality, asking the "What Would Jesus Do" question. It's what is called a "deep vs shallow" argument, and it goes like this: "What I write is deep... what you write is shallow."

My response: Bull. (And yes, I'd have used a stronger word, but I don't want to lose all those romance readers.) Ted's novels aren't deep -- they're chases and thrillers that tell a good story and, occasionally, offer a spiritual thread. But they're very dark (and, frankly, getting darker all the time). None of them cause you to think deeply about your faith, nor do I know anyone who has come to a deeper walk with God because of reading them. (I suppose it could have happened, but I don't know of anyone who would make that claim.) Different readers want different types of stories. If some people are offended by certain words or situations, isn't it legitimate to write a book for them? In my view, a writer can create a "real" book without using words that might offend a select audience. In fact, we do it ALL THE TIME. Ted's books don't have the F word -- why? Because it would turn off his readership, to say nothing of the retailers. So this is just an argument of degree. I guess, if you read Ted's post, this means I'm voting "A" -- that I call him out for a biased, shallow argument, and tell him the only thing I'm appalled at is his arrogance. 

On a happier note, check out  http://www.ajc.com/news/blogger-raises-30k-in-193483.html . 

Jon Acuff, the genius behind the popular Stuff Christians Like website, told his readers he'd like to help the Samaritan's Purse organization raise $30,000 to build an orphanage in Vietnam. (This came about because Jon's six-year-old daughter read a story about starving children in that country and she wanted to help.) So Jon challenged his readers to make a donation -- and something that would have taken the organization months to accomplish was done in 18 hours. That's right -- he raised $30,000 in 18 hours, just by asking his friends on his website. In fact, the money came in so fast that Jon decided to try and double it -- and raised $60,000 so Samaritan's Purse could build TWO orphanages. Shows you something about the power of the internet to build a community of like-minded people, doesn't it? Amazing stuff. Check out Jon's website at www.stuffchristianslike.net .

 And, by the way, Jon's book, Stuff Christians Like, comes out with Zondervan next March. 

This, That, and the Other Funny Thing

There's a ton of information to report in publishing these days, so let me catch you up...

First, it looks like the Google settlement could be tossed out. Too many arguments among the various parties. If you're an author, and you spent all that time filling out those arcane rights sheets so that you could get paid... sorry! 

Second, Bill Anderson suddenly resigned as the Prez of CBA. It happened after a stormy board meeting. He's been president since the mid-80's, and was a gracious man with a positive attitude. (Bill was always nice to me, even though I sometimes said some things on my blog that made him mad. In my view, I was just reporting the truth -- that CBA is in a world of hurt.) We had our differences (I thought the organization was slow to let charismatics and Catholics really be a part of the organization, and I still think they've done a terrible job involving African-Americans, meaning the core of CBA is still middle-class white conservative evangelical... but they'd argue that's just demographics). Still, the industry came a long way with Bill at the helm. I think he'll be missed, and it'll be interesting to see what direction the organization goes now.  

Third, self-publisher Lulu announced they're now doing e-books, and paying ten bucks on a $13.99 e-book. Wow. If you can actually SELL your books, that's a nice deal.  

Fourth, in case you haven't heard, Wal-Mart, Target, and Amazon are in a price war. Honest. They're each trying to drive the others out of business by charging less for hardcover novels. (I don't think I've heard the words "price war" since Shell and Texaco had one back in the 1960's. Imagine... paying 29 cents a gallon for gas.) And yes, that's just another nail in the coffin for good bookstores everywhere.  

Fifth, in response, Thomas Nelson has talked of staging a rollout with new books (that means having them available only in bookstores first, and in Wal-Mart and on Amazon later) and having a minimum advertised price (a concept that is much debated -- some don't think it's legal, others question if it's enforceable). This will be fascinating to watch -- but it's nice to see a publisher side with actual bookstores instead of the big retailers. 

Sixth, in honor of Dan Brown's newest book release, British newspaper The Telegraph put together a list of what they considered to be the 20 worst Dan Brown sentences. You can find it here: http://tinyurl.com/r6tye2.  Thought you'd enjoy marvelling at how such a lousy writer can sell so many copies of his books.

Seventh, I've had a couple people write to ask, "Are there any humor writers who also write about the church?"

There are a few. Jon Acuff, who runs the fabulous website Stuff Christians Like. Perhaps the funniest thing on religion in America you can find (and currently one of the most-read religious websites in the world). You can find him at http://stuffchristianslike.net/ 

Others would include Mark Twain (his "The Diaries of Adam and Eve" has some touchy humor about the church, but some is laugh-out-loud funny -- if you're interested in this topic, check out McCullough and Baetzhold's The Bible and Mark Twain), Dave Meurer (a very funny storyteller with a nice voice in his writing), Dave Barry (you may not know this, but his father was a Presbyterian minister, and his writings on religion are generally insightful, over-the-top, and hilarious), and Garrison Keillor (his faith stories are warm and funny). Two similar writers are Michael Lindvall's The Good News from North Haven and Haven Kimmel's A Girl Named Zippy.

I suppose we could talk about  Anita Renfroe (humor for women that's actually funny, whereas many of the women trying to be funny in CBA are simply boring...so it's time we all admit that Barbara Johnson is not funny) and Phil Callaway (he's a funny guy, but he always pulls his punches so as not to offend) and Becky Freeman Johnson (some of her tales of life with family are a riot).  If you like funny stories about those of us who grew up in church, read Todd and Jedd Hafer (Snickers from the Front Pew and Mischief from the Back Pew) and Charles Marshall (I'm Not Crazy But I Might Be a Carrier). Finally, Patricia Klein's Growing Up Born Again is a great book from twenty years ago, and if you haven't seen Joel Fitzpatrick's A Field Guide to Evangelicals and their Habitat, by all means pick yourself up a copy. If you have any ability to laugh at yourself (something MANY Christians are unable to do, seeing how they're serious people who need to set the world straight on this whole end-of-the-world scenario), you'll find page after page of laugh-out-loud humor.

That should get you started...

Questions about the Industry

And it's back to questions from writers...

Stan wrote and said, "I've heard that about three or four CBA houses have sold in the past two years. What does this signal for the future? Is it the ABA getting greedy? Is the CBA selling out?" 

 I think this signals that the general market has recognized the value of Christian books, Christian writers, and Christian readers. And, yes, it probably means that more CBA houses will be sold (or come under the influence of) large general-market houses. As to the question "are they greedy?" -- good grief, they're running a for-profit enterprise. If "greedy" means "are they focused on making a profit," of course they're greedy. But I'd argue that CBA houses, for all the carefully-couched terms about having "ministry" and "doing the Lord's work," are also focused on making a profit -- that's how they stay in business. So maybe we should view this as a greater partnership, rather than a sell-out. 

Sure, there are some questions to face down the road -- who will do commentaries and reference tools that aren't necessarily commercial but still have value to believers? What happens when a company faces a decision to publish a book at odds with believers? How will Christians respond when a company publishes some heretical tome? But, for those not in the know, those very questions are faced by some of us every day. Time Warner Book Group (the company I worked for as a publisher) was a marvelous company that did many wonderful books. We probably also published some books Christians would find offensive. But you know what? I was not responsible for every decision in the company. I was responsible to do good books with solid Christian content that would sell in the marketplace. I'm comfortable with the role I played, and I believed in the company. My guess is that people working for other houses feel the same way. 

Stephanie asked, "How do you handle it when you have a change of editors (and editor styles) in mid-contract?"

This business is all about relationships. Editors move around quite a bit in the publishing world -- even more than in most industries (the reasons can be discussed in another post). So authors can expect this to happen to them occasionally. How to respond? Be polite, be positive, try to establish a new relationship with the new editor. Say hello. Send Starbucks. Show him or her that you're easy-going. Keep a positive attitude. Don't give the editor any reason to lose enthusiasm for your book, because every new person in a role is looking for projects that will succeed and make them look good. Make sense?

Ronnie wants to know, "What can we do as writers to stay current on this type of news?"

You mean besides "read my blog"? For CBA news, read Christian Retailing, Outreach magazine, World, Christianity Today (the magazine as well as their many excellent websites), maybe the CBA retailer's magazine if you can locate it. For ABA news, read Publisher's Weekly, subscribe to Publisher's Lunch, and keep tabs on book news. Go to the books shows to see what's happening with titles and covers and topics. Have conversations with other authors and editors. 

And Steve asked, "What been the biggest change you've seen in the years you've been agenting religious books? If you could pick a trend (besides e-books!), that has been significant, what would it be?"

I'm tempted to talk about the growth of Christian fiction, but I've been saying for quite some time that the biggest trend in Christian publishing has been the distribution -- AWAY from independent Christian bookstore/gift centers and TOWARD general market bookstores. That has both an up and a down side, of course, but it's simply the marketplace at work. Christian readers would prefer to spend $12 for a book at Wal-Mart (and don't underestimate Wal-Mart in the Christian retailing market) than $20 for a book at Betty's Angel Book Shoppe. That has caused Christian independents to go under by the dozens, and it is rapidly forcing a reshaping of CBA as we know it. 

Along with that has been the sale of various CBA publishers. Time Warner had its stock price stuck at $17 for three years, so in an effort to get some things moving (and to hold off Carl Icahn), the board decided to get out of the book business. They sold the Time Warner Book Group to Hachette Livre, a French publishing conglomerate that owns Hodder in England, Car & Driver  and Elle magazines in this country, and numerous publishing ventures around the world. On the heels of that came the sale of Thomas Nelson -- interestingly enough, moving from a publicly held company to a private one. It was a significant change for them, and they went through a couple years of tweaking to get things right. (They also bought out Integrity Publishing.) Then Simon and Schuster, which is seemingly always for sale by Viacom, and who had not had a Christian imprint, decided they needed CBA exposure. So they purchased Howard Publishing, lock, stock, and barrel. It was an interesting move, since S&S had been going after "name" CBA authors but with no place for them to call home. Harper Collins was already in the business, since they own Zondervan (as well as HarperOne), and Random House has their Waterbrook imprint, and they bought out Multnomah. Wiley has a religious imprint at Jossey-Bass. Viking is still in process of figuring out how Christian books fit in their model. My point is just to say that Christians have firmly established themselves as a market, that every major publisher is going after that market, and that the market itself has grown and changed in recent years, most notably in the areas of distribution and sales.

One more thing: The fastest growing segment of Christianity is charismatic, and we have probably neglected to mention that some small charismatic houses (Strang, Destiny Image, Harrison House, etc) have recently sold a ton of books -- so certainly somebody is buying their materials, whether they are in big ponds or small, and whether they are in general markets or not. I mention this because I've had questions about the "big" vs "small" publishing houses. 

Don't believe the people who say "big publishers are jerks who don't care about the little guy." I worked for a big publisher, and while I may be a world class jerk, there are still plenty of not-so-giant authors who would say I cared about them and worked hard to help them succeed. The stereotype of big business isn't always true, so don't accept that criticism as gospel -- particularly from people who may not know what they're talking about. Also, I don't see anything in Scripture that calls us to a ministry of "size." We're in love with size in America because we believe bigger is better, but God calls one guy to pastor ten thousand and another to pastor ten. There's nothing I can find in His Word that says "the guy who pastors ten thousand is therefore better, more spiritual, and higher on the kingdom ladder" (or whatever it is we're all placed on when God sorts things out). If you're called to write, then write your best. For some it will mean big dollars and a huge audience. For others, not-so-big dollars and a smaller readership. Some of the best books of all time haven't ever made a bestseller list or even been read by that many people. We're called to obedience, not noteriety. We're called to significance, not success.

Finally, Ben aksed, "You often talk about publishing news in your blog. Why is it important for authors to be aware of this sort of news?"

To impress girls at author signings and cocktail parties, of course. And, I suppose, to make wise decisions in your writing career (should you find that important). 

So ... Self-Publishing is the New Black?

Sandra here.

Who doesn't see much point of getting into topics just to stir debate. Not afraid of conflict. I just don't see the point of adding another voice to what is destined to become an overcrowded, noisy room.

Okay. So, Thomas Nelson is starting a new self-publishing line. That's interesting. A sign of the times, perhaps. Something to watch and a new topic to discuss at writing conferences, debate on blogs, squawk about with retailers. We'll see. I have my opinions about it, but frankly, it's not my business. Literally. It's not my decision to make. Last time I checked, I didn't own Thomas Nelson.

I respect Michael Hyatt and the other fine folks at Thomas Nelson. And I'm positive they (and their shareholders and/or corporate suits) all put much thought and consideration into this decision. My guess is that they're expecting flack and have steeled themselves (and have pre-written press releases waiting) in preparation for it.

However. Ahem ... pitching this new venture as a "farm team" to authors? Excuse me?

That is a giant, sticky, wad of hooey, man.

Look. I know the lines between what once worked and what will work in the future are blurring and that we all need to do what we can to A) keep publishing viable and relevant and B) figure out a way to keep the pipeline of books strong so we can keep spreading the word and doing what we love. 

Call me cynical, but I'm thinking the motivation behind this decision might have something to do with the fact that opportunities to profit from books are growing slimmer by the second. Or is that just coincidence?

Thing is, there really is nothing new under the sun.

Back in the late eighties when I worked in the marketing department of a major CBA publisher, it was standard fare to gasp when authors held out for larger advances or asked that the publisher spend a few dollars on advertising, tours, publicity. "Greedy authors. Don't they understand Christian publishing is a ministry?"

Then the wall fell. Big hair started giving way to grunge. And agents began coming onto the Christian publishing scene (another gasp).  Soon after, the veil of ministry this and other Christian publishers were hiding behind was pulled away and Christian authors were suddenly encouraged to get over it and begin thinking of writing as a business. Hmmm...

At its core, publishing is a business whose end product happens to be the packaging of free expression and creative thought.

It is a capitalistic, money making venture. With some exceptions (Gideon comes to mind) it always has been. Still is. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Thomas Nelson's attempt to legitimize their venture into self-publishing by pitching it as place for them to cultivate and find professional authors is, at best, a stretch. Do they really need to start their own self-publishing venture to do this when there are others who this exact thing already, and do it well?  Go ahead and do it -- just call it what it is.

I don't follow baseball, but (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) aren't farm teams peopled by amateurs looking to work their way up the ranks to the pros? And aren't they typically supported (at least minimally) by the parent clubs or ticket sales? I'll admit I'm not exactly sure how farm teams pay for the gas to get from game to game, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't come out of the pockets of players. And are they expected to invest their own money in order to dress just like the big boys so fans and spectators can't tell the difference? I don't think so.

Seems to me that calling this self-publishing venture a "farm team" is an attempt to hide behind a curtain again, and mask the reality that this is a business venture and a way to mitigate risk. Trouble with that is those of us who have been around awhile can see that there's money behind that curtain.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Sandra

Answering Some Personal Questions

Recently Ben Denny, who runs The Agent Canon, called to ask me some questions about publishing and agenting. I thought you'd find some of it interesting, so I'm going to share some of the questions and answers in today's blog. It began with, "What can you tell me about your history with books and words?"

I've been in the writing world for more than 30 years, having started as a magazine editor back in college in Portland, Oregon. I worked in magazines, then in newspapers, but have spent most of the past 20 years in book publishing. I made my living as an author and freelance writer/editor for several years, and have 20-some books with my name, another bunch for which I was the collaborative writer, and another dozen where I was the ghostwriter. I worked as an editor for Vision House, moved up to being a Senior Editor at Harvest House, was eventually an Associate Publisher for Time-Warner Book Group. Twelve or thirteen years ago I started working with authors, helping them get their proposals in shape and shopping them to publishers. I worked as a literary agent at a large agency for several years, became the senior agent, then started my own literary agency a little more than three years ago. 

"What sort of success have you had with the books you represented?"

I've represented a multitude of books that have hit the bestseller lists. Titles I've worked with have hit the lists at the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Denver Post, LA Times, Barnes & Noble, and the Amazon Top 100. And, of course, I've had a bunch of books hit the CBA bestseller list as well. "Let's Roll," a book I represented that was written by Lisa Beamer, widow of Sept 11 hero Todd Beamer, hit #1 on the NYT list and became the bestselling nonfiction book of 2003. "Quaker Summer," a book by LIsa Samson, and "The Shape of Mercy," written by Susan Meissner, were both chosen by Publishers Weekly as one of the top 100 titles of 2007 and 2008, respectively. Last year "Through the Storm," a book by Britney Spears' mother Lynne, hit #5 on the NYT list. This year I've had a bunch of books hit the lists, including Irene Hannon's "Against All Odds," which debuted on the CBA bestseller list, then stayed there for four months. In the past year I've done deals with Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Wiley & Sons, Hachette (formerly Time-Warner Book Group), Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, and numerous other companies. I have a pretty good reputation with publishers, I guess, and the Publishers Weekly "Dealmakers" list says I am one of the busiest literary agents in the country. Um... actually, right now it says I am the busiest agent in the country. Not just in CBA, either. I'm sorry if that sounds like I'm blowing my own horn. You asked. The fact is, I represent great writers, and that's been the one thing that has helped me be successful. 

There are hundreds of literary agents. What sets you apart?

Two things probably make me a bit unique... First, I have made my living as a writer, editor, publisher, and agent. So I know what it's like to be a writer trying to finish a project, and I know what it's like to be a publisher trying to sell that project. That's fairly rare for an agent. Second, I did my doctoral work at the University of Oregon, and while there I had a Graduate Teaching Fellowship to serve as an Associate Director at the Career Planning and Placement office. Since my undergraduate degree was in theater, my focus at the career office was in helping those with a career interest in the arts. That's proven tremendously helpful in talking with authors about their careers. My experience is that most agents talk about "career planning," but when it comes right down to it, many don't know what that is, therefore offer little practical help. So I do very focused work with the authors I represent on creating a career plan for their writing. 

"Does your agency work only in the religious market?"

No. My first year, I did about half my business in the CBA market. The next year that figure was a bit higher, but it fluctuates between 35 and 70 per cent, depending on the year. I don't just represent religious books -- I represent authors who happen to be Christian. That means I work with a variety of manuscripts, as well as a wide variety of publishers. So I'd say the theme in my career has been to represent books that are redemptive in some way, though they're certainly not all clean, Christian titles. There are some things I refuse to represent (porn, lunatic spirituality, the name-it-and-claim-it crowd), but I prefer to focus on the things I DO rather than the things I DON'T DO. 

"What is the big difference between CBA and the general market?" 

Both are huge markets -- an author can be successful selling only in the CBA, for example. And they certainly overlap. But there are several differences in terms of audience. The CBA market has a large fiction audience, but they want certain things in their stories -- a redemptive theme, cleaned up language, no explicit sexual scenes, etc. Those types of expectations are not much different from any other audience -- they all have certain requirements. My wife is a quilter, and she's looking for certain things in quilting books -- fresh ideas, clear instruction, advanced designs, to-the-point writing. I'm a big creative nonfiction reader, and I have certain expectations in the books I buy -- I want big stories, and great writing, words that make me think, and insightful connections to the culture at large. To succeed in the world of Christian publishing, you need to keep the readership in mind. 

"Are you finding it tough to be successful in this shaky economy?"

This lousy economy is shaking everyone. Publishers are moving slowly, retailers are trimming both staff and book purchases. That's true in CBA as well as in the general market. Membership in CBA has been in steep decline in recent years, as the distribution patterns of bookselling are reshaped. Religious bookstores are no different from any other bookstores -- consumers have figured out how to shop online, or order at Borders, and stores have had to take a "speciality" mindset in order to survive. But we're a culture that loves specialization, so those who focus on good selection, knowledgeable staff, and great customer service will do better than those who try to maintain the old model. As for Christian publishers, the industry has changed significantly, and we've seen that in the shift from CBA as an organization to ECPA, as well as in the broader choices those publishers are offering, and the marketing techniques they're relying on. So... is it tough to make a living in publishing these days? You bet. But... when has it ever been EASY to make a living in the arts?

"What writers should we be watching for?"

That depends on what you like to read. I represent a lot of good writers. Lisa Samson has been writing some of the best redemptive novels for several years now -- she's finally being discovered by the marketplace. Susan Meissner's latest novel has raised her to a new level, and she's bound to be discovered by new readers. Mindy Starns Clark has developed a big following because of the intricacy with which she researches and writes her novels. Claudia Mair Burney and Kimberly Stuart are fabulous writers who haven't received the attention they deserve. Ginger Garrett and Mark Bertrand are two young writers who are going to be well received. Jenny B Jones makes me laugh out loud, and Rachel Hauck tells a great story. An as-yet-unpublished Gina Holmes is doing her first novel with Tyndale and it's going to knock your socks off. And on the more popular level, a cop novelist by the name of Mark Mynheir is creating excellent books. 

In terms of nonfiction, one obvious up-and-comer is Shane Stanford, who has a very bright future. And two hilarious writers who will be discovered in the next year are Jon Acuff, author of the www.stuffchristiianslike.blogspot.com

And one writer who keeps turning out wonderfully thoughtful books is Keri Wyatt Kent, who I always expect to be discovered and looked at as the next big thing. Another is Karen Zacharias, and author who, like Keri Kent, has a journalism background, and who seems to find ways to tell stories that are important. 

Let's see... If I were to choose some of the new writers just coming onto the scene, I'd have to point out Rob Stennett -- his first novel was inventive and hilarious, his second was just selected by Library Journal as one of the top ten books of the first half of 2009. (And here let me note how hard it is to do this... I have yet to mention authors like Irene Hannon and Susan Page Davis -- good writers who have a strong following. Yikes -- what a tough question this turned out to be!)

"Has all the advice you've given on your blog about query letters improved your slush pile? And did you start doing this to get clients?"

Yeah, I think my blogs have helped some writers improve. But I realized a long time ago that I'm not going to be the agent for everyone, so the fact that I can offer some advice and help writers without feeling like I'm going to represent them has been freeing. I feel I have something to say to writers, so this is my way of trying to share some wisdom and experience with people interested in the world of words. And this would be a good place to add that I'm not alone at this -- I work with Sandra Bishop, who made her living as a freelance writer for fifteen years, is very savvy, and is way smarter than me. If our blogs have helped people, that's the goal. If it's gained us a few good clients, that's great too. 

"But hasn't all this blogging just made your slush pile bigger?"

I work to make the blog relevant and helpful to writers. The pros of the blog -- It gives me a voice in the industry, I guess. It's nice PR for my agency. And it's proven helpful to some people, so it's my way of giving back to an industry I love. The cons: I get tired of doing it at times. And I tend to get some of the same questions over and over ("do you represent both Christian and non-Christian books?" "What should I put in my proposal?"). But overall I've enjoyed the writing outlet, and I was built with a heart for sharing information -- sort of a natural mentor, I guess. As for it making my slush pile bigger -- no doubt about that. Comes with the territory. 

"What do you consider your biggest success (as well as your biggest failure)?"

No question on the success... On the morning of Sept 11, 2001, I was in an airplane, flying at 35,000 feet, when the pilot came over the intercom and made this mysterious announcement about there having been "terrorist attacks against the United States" and that "all planes had been ordered out of US airspace." I was on my way to New York, but landed in Omaha (just ahead of President Bush, who was flown there on Air Force One to be protected at Strategic Air Command headquarters). I drove all the way home that day in a big Hertz rental with a group of people I didn't know. A couple days later, I watched the President speak to the nation and introduce the woman standing next to the First Lady -- Lisa Beamer. I thought she was poised, gracious, and demonstrated great faith in the midst of crisis. I turned to my wife that moment and said, "You know, she could do a great book." I knew she was going to be surrounded by sharks who would want to cash in and won't know what they're doing. So, believe it or not, my wife and I prayed that night that I'd be able to meet Lisa Beamer and help her do a book. A few weeks later, when I finally made the trip that had been disrupted, I was having breakfast with a woman who was commiserating with me over the difficulty we'd had meeting the first time. When LIsa's name came up in conversation, that woman said to me, "She's certainly been through a difficult time...would you like to meet her? My sister is in a small group with her at a church in New Jersey." No kidding. A couple weeks later I flew to Newark, met with Lisa, mapped out the book, brought in  a great writer (IKenny Abraham), and they crafted a book that not only hit #1 on the New York Times list, but was the biggest selling nonfiction book of 2003. A great success, and a book I'm proud to have represented. (In fact, it's been so successful that I notice others trying to take credit for it. My boss at the time, Rick Christian of Alive Communications, shared a laugh with me recently when we saw an announcement from some agent-wannabe claiming to have been one of the agents on it. It's funny how people love to attach themselves to success.)

As for the biggest disaster... that would probably have been when I LEFT agenting. I had a great career, was the senior literary agent with Alive Communications, a company that has done all sorts of things to change the business of Christian publishing for the better. But Time-Warner Book Group came calling, said they were looking for an Associate Publisher, wanted to reshape the way business was done, etc. I left a successful career as an agent, moved across the country, and took a job I thought would offer all sorts of potential to do big things. Unfortunately, I quickly became a corporate suit. My time was spent sitting on the strategic planning committee, arguing with people, and filling out P&L forms. Don't get me wrong, many of the people there were great (my boss even let me stay at his house while I was making the transition of getting our home sold and the kids out of school in Colorado). But I didn't ever feel it was a fit, I ended up axing the entire editorial team, and somewhere between the company being sold to Hachette and the talk about "creative differences," it was made clear to me that they could do without my services. I was 48 years old and had just bought an expensive home in Nashville. Ugh. It was a humbling time. Still, that led to me making some decisions about what I wanted to do with my life, then starting my own literary agency. I now represent GREAT authors, have a wonderful business partner in Sandra Bishop, and am doing something that I'm good at and find fulfilling. So I suppose I need to thank my old boss for pushing me out the door, but the person I REALLY need to thank is Rick Christian, who not only taught me everything I know, but was understanding and gracious about me starting a company that competes with his own. Life has successes and disasters, and it's how we respond to them that shapes us into the people we are. 

Got a question about writing or publishing? Send me an email and I'll try to offer some wisdom. 

Get on Board the Google Settlement

I've seen all sorts of angst over the Google settlement. The sheer complexity of the document (I've been told it runs 334 legal pages) has sent authors running for cover. Many find it too difficult to grasp, or are simply indifferent to the whole affair. But I'm telling you, we need to embrace the settlement. There's huge potential for authors, publishers, and readers. 

In case you're not aware, Google was getting ready to scan millions of copyrighted books and make them available to readers -- without offering any compensation to authors (or publishers, for that matter). Think about that for a minute... A vast power grab for content, without any consideration for the creators or the owners of all that intellectual property. So the Author's Guild sued, and the plan had to change. I wasn't a fan of the settlement originally, figuring we've already got the best copyright laws in the history of the world. My first thought was that we should let individuals sue, but that would have taken years to sort out. So I've come to be a fan of the settlement. In fact, I think the whole thing offers enormous possibilities. In our digital age, we have to figure out who owns what, and how we're going to protect that ownership. The Google settlement does that. 

Here's why: The settlement (assuming it gets approved by the Department of Justice in October) vindicates our copyright laws. It tells everyone in an age of easy downloading and copying that a work can't be reproduced without the copyright holder's consent. That may seem obvious to you, but Google had already abrogated that basic premise by scanning thousands of books. In effect their actions were arguing that all our old copyright laws don't matter in this digital age. Authors would have lost control over any book that went out of print. That thinking got squashed by the courts. 

With the settlement comes a verification of our basic publishing system. Plus the bonus of the Book Rights Registry, which will offer authors a way to pump new life into old books by making them available to everyone in the world via the internet. A portion of each book will be displayed, the text can be searched, and the entire book can be purchased and downloaded. You'll have access to every book, not just the ones your library carries, or the titles for sale at your local Barnes & Noble or the old ones you can dig up at Powells. Frankly, this a book marketer's dream. Every out of print book has been given new life.

Compare what's happening in book publishing to what happened in the newspaper business. When the internet came along, people started getting their news online rather than on the driveway in the morning. In response, newspapers decided to GIVE AWAY THEIR CONTENT ONLINE. The problem was that they seemingly had no plan for how to get compensation for all that content. In essence they drove readers to the internet, and now those papers are all going out of business. Newspapers are in such terrible shape some large cities no longer have a daily paper -- something that would have been unthinkable just 20 years ago. The music industry went through a terrible time when it saw Napster and other music-sharing sites giving away its valuable product. If you're going to be in business, at some point you have to make money on your core product. 

But book people (yes, even those hidebound publishers who you think never want to change) understood the importance of preserving the value of their product. Authors grasped the fact that protecting copyright holders meant there was a way to monetize content. So they came up with this plan, which is far better than the plan music people had, or the non-plan newspaper people had. The Google settlement gives authors and publishers a huge marketing boost by making all those out-of-print books available for sale, and offers a way to receive compensation for all that content. And, of course, the people who figure out how to market and use the new Book Rights Registry best will be making the most money. 

Get on board. This is a huge victory for authors and readers, so we should celebrate. 

More changes in the industry: We keep seeing changes in the world of agenting. A bunch of agents have left the business recently, and this week came the sad news that Beth Jusino was leaving Alive Communications in order to work for a non-profit organization. I mention this because Beth is a good friend and a fine agent, and she'll be missed in the industry. Stepping into her shoes is Andrea Christian, who used to be my assistant when I worked at Alive. (Welcome back!) Andrea has a great eye for writing, and will do well. At ICRS, I had a publisher say to me there were about 20 literary agents doing roughly 90% of the business. That's pretty much how I see things playing out in this lousy economy, and Andrea has the ability to be one of those 20.