Chip MacGregor .com

Questions on Proposals and the Industry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resources for Writers

I've got a bunch of notes and questions regarding writer resources, so let me try to get to several of them today...

On MONEY: Patricia wrote to say, "Thanks for your recent blog post about earning money. So if a book doesn't 'earn out' its advance, is the balance applied against the next book?"

It is if your contract is cross-collateralized -- that is, if all your various book advances are "basketed" into one deal. If not -- if each book is on a separate contract -- then no, your advance cannot be applied to your next book. 

On REMAINDERS: DeeAnn wrote me to ask, "What does it mean to 'remainder' a book?"

That's when the publisher sells the remaining copies of your book to a book wholesaler for less than the cost of printing. It commonly happens when your book is going out of print, or when they're down to the last 1000 copies or so, and the publisher wants to be rid of them. The books might have cost $2 to print, but they'll sell them for $1 apiece to somebody who will buy the entire remaining stock, just to get them out of the warehouse.   

On SELF-PUBLISHING: Gene wants to note, "The latest issue of Writers Digest is filled with ads for self-publishing. I'm on my second agent, still trying to get  published, but it takes SOOOO long. How can you convince me not to go to lulu.com and have my book for sale on Amazon tomorrow morning? When will the traditionalists speed up the process?"

You're right -- there are a ton of self-publishing companies. Some are good, some are not. Be careful. The problem with self-publishing is not the speed, it's the sales. If you write a book, you have to make sure the book is good (and if publishers are all turning you down, there could be a message there, Gene). You also want to ensure the cover is good, the editing is good, the title is good, and that you know how to sell it. The biggest problem with self-pubbing is that usually the author doesn't know how to market and sell his own book. Listing it on Amazon isn't really a marketing strategy -- there are two million books on Amazon. If you can't market and sell your self-pubbed book, don't go that route -- you'll lose a lot of money. As for the speed of traditional publishing, it's not the production side that is slow -- it's the retail side. It's March as I write this, and right now book sales people are walking into bookstores to show everyone the coming Christmas titles. The catalogs they're using were put together a couple months ago, so they could be used as sales tools, so that stores could order the books and get them in time for Christmas, AND the marketing people can begin their push before the book actually arrive. All that takes time. Publishing is a slow business.

On PROPOSALS: Martha wrote, "I've been told it's customary for a nonfiction proposal to include two sample chapters. So why has a publisher asked me to send all the material I have finished? I've sent 9 of the 12 chapters and have still not heard a decision."

It's true that a standard nonfiction proposal generally included a thorough description of the project, table of contents, author bio, and two sample chapters. But standards can change. In these competitive times, we're often seeing publishers ask for more of the writing. They want to see if you have enough to say, if your message can carry a manuscript, and if you're close to being done. The fact that a publisher has asked to see more of your work is a good sign, Martha. There's certainly a risk that you could complete the work and the publisher still says no -- but that's true with any book. In fact, if you're so close to being done, I'd probably encourage you to finish the book so that you have the added selling point of being able to tell publishers, "The manuscript is complete."

On CONFERENCES: Lee Ann wrote and asked, "What are the best Christian writers' conferences?"

Christian writers these days have a plethora of great conferences they can attend, and I'm a big fan of them. I think conferences are a great place to network with other writers, hear from experts, and get face-to-face with editors and agents. My favorite conference is probably the one put on by the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). It floats, but this September will be in Minneapolis. The Write-to-Publish conference at Wheaton College is a good choice -- it takes place the first week of June (and though the ads say I'll be there, I had to cancel due to my daughter's college graduation). Other good options include the Blue Ridge Writers' Conference in Asheville, NC, and the Colorado Christian Writers Conference up in scenic Estes Park -- both of these take place in May, and both offer excellent speakers in beautiful settings. There are a bunch of other big ones with good opportunities to learn and network -- Florida, Philadelphia, Oregon, Glorieta (NM). Jerry Jenkins' Christian Writers Guild puts on a conference that I'm told is very strong (though pricey), but I've never attended. The Mount Hermon conference in California is coming up in a week, and, though expensive, is one of the good ones. Reg Forder's American Christian Writers organization puts on smaller one-day conferences in cities around the nation, and many colleges will have excellent writing conferences in the summer (I'm speaking at the Harriette Austin Writer's Conference at the University of Georgia this summer, for example).  There are also many excellent general conferences not focused on CBA, and a couple of speciality conferences to consider. Next month Calvin College will be hosting their bi-annual Festival of Faith and Writing, and ACT ONE out in Hollywood offers a special conference for Christian screenwriters. Finally, there are retreats and smaller gatherings going on all the time. There's really no reason for a writer to not find a conference where he or she can learn, network, and get inspired.

On NON-CONFERENCE RESOURCES: Bev wrote to ask, "Aside from a writing conference, what sort of other resources can you recommend to those of us who want to learn more about writing and marketing?'

I encourage you to check out Randy Ingermanson's material at www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com. He has some great things to say about writing articles to promote your books, and offers a teleseminar on how to promote your writing through speaking. And a newer site to visit is www.wannabepublished.blogspot.com, created by my friend Mary DeMuth. Some good stuff for those looking to break into the business. If you're looking to network with other writers, novelists should connect with the afore-mentioned ACFW, and many writers would appreciate a yahoo group called "The Writers View." You'll probably want to be reading Publisher's Weekly to find out about the industry, and the web-based Publisher's Lunch and Publisher's Marketplace are two sources I cannot live without. If you really want to stay on top of the CBA market, you should be looking at Christian Retailing magazine and buying a copy of Sally Stuart's excellent book with Random House, Christian Writers Market Guide. Finally, consider Writer's Digest Magazine, and especially their annual Writers Market, which tells you everything you probably need to know about book publishers. Hope this helps.

An Editor Drops By

Becky Germany is a Senior Editor at Barbour Publishing, and a familiar face at writing conferences. I recently asked her a couple questions about the industry...

In many ways, Barbour has become a leader in Christian fiction -- doing novellas, establishing a book club, focusing on mass market. Where does all the creative thinking come from?

Becky: We're the leading CBA publisher of fiction categorized as romance. We rank fourth in the number of units produced in fiction in CBA. We started publishing fiction as romance flip books way back in 1983 with authors like Colleen Reece, Irene Brand, and Elaine Schultze. I wasn't at Barbour then, so I"m not sure how it was decided to settle upon romance, but it's been our strength ever since. The Heartsong Presents book club began in 1992, the year before I joined the company, and out of that has come a number of stars -- Tracie Peterson, Wanda Brunstetter, Lauraine Snelling, Colleen Coble, Cathy Marie Hake, and more (forgive me for not trying to name them all, Chip). Our fiction series have helped us remain open to working with unpublished authors and developing them into strong writers.

Another Barbour strength has been doing series and repackaging previously published material (including Grace Livingston Hill) to extend the breadth and life of the product. Our novella collections were born when we decided we could create new short stories specifically for collections under topics of our choice. So the creative thinking seems to extend from Barbour's roots, and builds on what we do best. Our team members are, for the most part, people who have been with Barbour many years and who know the company's success model. We've learned to work within our strengths and to keep our product subjects broad, in order to appeal to the widest audience.

What are some of the things that have worked (and not worked) in fiction for you?

When we decided to start doing full-length fiction for the trade, we looked at an area which, at the time, didn't seem to be well tapped -- suspense with broad appeal to include male readers. We left our core readership of women hooked on romance and tried to reach a niche market -- and failed. Even with strong authors like Alton Gansky, Nancy Moser, Hannah Alexander, etc., the market didn't respond to this fiction approach from Barbour. When we swung back to romance, the sales placements and numbers went up significantly. We learned our lesson: For Barbour, having the plot focus on romance is key. Wanda Brunstetter's Amish settings blended with romance have struck a chord with our readers and generated great sales. We also find that traditional American history settings appeal to our readers. Romance has many sub-categories, and we've found that things like chick-lit and suspense really aren't working for us.

What does the future hold? Are there some new things brewing at Barbour you can tell me about?

Well, we just launched our newest book club, containing cozy romantic mysteries. We sort of created a genre combining our romance strength with cozy mysteries. Light, humorous mysteries fit well with our readership, and the added romance is icing on the cake.

We've also increased our focus on building author names. In the early days of Barbour, the majority of our authors were either dead or writing for a set series where the author's name wasn't key to sales. Now Barbour recognizes the need to focus on author names when selling full-length fiction. We've recently signed six authors to multi-book, exclusive contracts, and we're putting a lot of effort into marketing them.

It sounds like there's a lot of interesting stuff happening with your company. So...now that you've got all these readers excited about working with you, what advice would you like to offer them? When they see you at a conference, what should they be thinking?

Just today I was reminded of my frustration involving acquisitions at conferences. I received a book proposal that claims I requested it at a writers' conference 6 months ago. It's been so long that I have no idea what sparked my interest in it to begin with. I would really encourage authors who attend conferences to have, at the very least, the full summary and three chapters polished and ready to hand over at the conference. If the editor requests your proposal, send that as soon as you get home. Then have your full manuscript ready for the editor's review no farther out than one month from the conference. Editors work with a heap of authors, and you have to do all in your power to keep yourself at the top of the review pile if you're going to get noticed.

Thanks for coming and joining us, Becky. I appreciate you taking the time. And now that you have your guard down... what's the dumbest thing you've ever seen at a conference?

My most embarrassing moment came at a writers' conference. I went to this small gathering up in Pennsylvania. I got there just as it was starting, and we were all gathered for dinner. I got sick. I guess I'd been under a lot of stress, and a migraine hit me hard. I left the table, but only got as far as the cafeteria waste can before losing my dinner. What a way to introduce myself to the group! (An agent, Joyce Hart, took care of me like a mom all weekend. I'll always be grateful to her for that.) I've never been back to that conference.

I'd like everyone to notice that it was an AGENT taking care of Becky. Another helpful, selfless literary agent, putting herself in harm's way, thinking only of the needs of others, as usual. What an inspiration.

Oh, brother.

A Visit with an Editor

A couple months ago, my buddy Andy Meisenheimer stopped in to talk about one of his pet peeves: the overuse of novelists turning all thoughts into italics in their manuscripts. Andy is an editor at Zondervan, and his post caused much debate and hand-wringing with some writers. Never being one to avoid a good controversy, I asked him if he'd come back.

Chip: So your last visit to my site created a stir, Andy. You ready to face this again?

Andy: Yeah, my last guest blog might have come across as Andy's Vindictive Rant About Certain Arbitrary Rules of Style. People assuring me they'd never, ever, use thought italics, and people offering condolences to the poor writers who have to obey my every whim (and Mike Snyder, constantly calling to let me know his progress in eliminating thought italics from his current manuscript). Instead of a discourse, it became an ultimatum. Instead of "okay" and "better," it became "wrong" and "right."

My intention for that post, and any time I speak up about words, is to encourage writers toward better writing. They aren't rants about my personal hot-button issues. They aren't indirect ways of editing my current authors (please, Mike -- stop calling). If your editors says to take out all semicolons, I encourage you to say, "Puh-leeze. You got somethin' to back that up? The market isn't buying books with semicolons?"

Chip: So would you say an editor's job is to continue the conventions? Or to help an author break them successfully?

Andy: An editor's job is to help the author discern what's working. A good editor must appeal only to conventions of the craft and the effect upon the intended reader to justify editorial comment. And convention and effect are fluid things, open to change and dialogue and debate. Not that they are subjective; there are conventions, and there are effects upon readers, and their equivocation does not make all opinions valid.

In other words, subjectivity is not always the culprit. Think of it like furniture. My wife and I can go shopping for a chair, and we'll look at one chair. I might like it; Mandy might hate it. That's fine. That's liking and disliking; it's subjective. (Though at the point at which it messes with current fashions -- basically, how people have been taught to respond to something -- we can call that "effect upon the intended reader," and subjectivity takes a back seat.)

But is it a good chair? Will it hold up? That depends on the skills of the craftsman, but it's not subjective. It's based on a lot of factors, most of which you could learn through a school or apprenticeship, but the proof will be in the pudding. Sit on it, rock back and forth, jump on it, have your dog bite it, and suddenly you'll see if the chair is good or not.

Chip: I guess that makes you a powerful person in the life of a writer!

Andy: Well, that's a weird way of putting it. Like saying my wife is a powerful person in the life of her husband. True, but weird.

Still, the most fun part of being an editor -- and, I like to think, about being edited -- is inspiring writers to achieve more. The pushing-forward part of editing, instead of the pulling-back part. Instead of, "You're doing this wrong," it's "You could do this even more right." It's the part that says, "This is a moment -- take advantage of it!" and "You should try writing your next novel in second person, future tense, in reverse chronology!"

Chip: Do you ever find yourself intruding on someone's manuscript?

Andy: Sure. I'm no saint. I've got hot buttons. And I probably justify some of them with highfalutin arguments. But I stop myself often and ask the question: Is this just me, or is this on behalf of the reader? To the best of my ability, I want my authors to feel freedom to do what needs to be done to get the story told, and the freedom to ask, "You got somethin' to back that up?"

Chip: Interesting stuff! So to sum up, you believe all authors should write their novels in second person, future tense, with reverse chronology. Got it. ("Hey," I'm thinking to myself, "this Andy guy is an interesting character...but since I'm thinking this to myself, I'll be sure to put it in italics...")

Andy, Editor at Zondervan, Stops By...

Things to Unlearn.

Italicized thoughts.

I don’t know if I’ve been around long enough to be a curmudgeon. There’s got to be an age cutoff, or something. I would eschew the term Luddite, for obvious reasons, though I have yet to create a Facebook page or post home videos to YouTube or upgrade to Vista or the iPhone. I do have a wireless Media Center Extender so I can watch recorded TV that I have stored on my external firewire drive through Media Center (with dual tuner). I’ve only met one other person who does that. So perhaps I’m just really really progressive, and forward-thinking. Yeah, that’s it.

But I do have enough things on my list to call this post the beginning of a series. A series called “Things to Unlearn.” And in this series, I will be making the case for a change in the status quo when it comes to telling stories in books. Chances are you just learned at a writer’s conference from some published writer to do exactly the thing that I’m telling you never to do again. Sometimes it happens.

And so my first curmudgeon’s rant—I mean, discourse on the bleeding edge of the craft of writing for postmodern times—is this: Please stop using italics for interior monologue.

I’ve heard that the Chicago Manual of Style used to recommend italics for interior monologue. Currently, in the fifteenth edition, the options given are quotes, or no quotes. (I looked at the fourteenth, and it lists all three possibilities. So it is a distinct change to no longer include italics.)

That might be the only evidence I need, but even if CMS gave unction to italicized thoughts, I would disagree. As readers become more and more sensitive to authorial intervention, italics seems another way of saying, “Look here, see what I’m doing?” It distinguishes the narration from the interior monologue, distancing the reader from the character and creating a false dichotomy.

When it comes to the point-of-view character, there is no need for italicized thoughts. That’s the beauty of the limited third-person or the first-person POV: the character’s voice is integral to the narration. A switch from third-person narration to first-person monologue can be done skillfully and easily, without confusing the reader, and without needing to distance the reader through a this-is-narration, this-is-interior-monologue indicator like italics.

In the rare case of the more omniscient third-person narrator, I would even advocate the much-malaised thought attribution in order to work around the italics problem, if absolutely necessary. Though, still better to use paragraph breaks or just ease into the thoughts by going from third person to first person.

There’s only one instance in which italics are appropriate, in my opinion, and that’s when a voice is speaking inside the character’s head. You know, the voice that tells you, Great job, Meisenheimer, could this sound any more arrogant? Because to the point-of-view character, this is a voice, unheard, but with the possibility of being an independent entity, although, of course, in my case, I sure hope not. It represents an actual dialogue within the character’s head, and a distinct voice separate, we assume, from the narrator’s thoughts. Though, I admit, there’s a good possibility this could be done without the use of italics. And if a writer figures out how to do that, then even better, I say.

ANDY MEISENHEIMER is married to Mandy and proud father of Ralph Edward. His best friends: Duncan, part Jack Russell and all bark, and Barnabas, a chubby and aloof shar-peagle. By day, he is an acquisitions editor at Zondervan. By night, he is an avid recorded TV watcher, novel reader, Wii player, and diaper changer. Likes: Phish, About Schmidt, the Enderverse, Berry Punch. Dislikes: Serial killer novels, Celebrity news, Biopics, Soda pop.
http://thesearebooks.blogspot.com

Wisdom from a Fellow Agent

Steve Laube (pronounced "Lobby') is a longtime friend of mine. We first got acquainted years ago, when we were both working as editors and we spoke at some of the same conferences. I always found Steve to be wise and articulate (whereas I'm known more as "wise-guy" and "intemperate"). Once I became an agent, I used to pitch him projects at Bethany House, and our friendship continued. Then Steve succumbed to the dark side and became an agent in his own right, and the two of us started our own little chat group -- a couple of literary agents, dishing the dirt on projects and trying to one-up each other. He's still a friend, we still chat, and I still value what he has to say.

Some people will think I'm crazy, turning my bl0g over to a competitor -- but I always appreciate my conversations with Steve, so I thought the readers of this blog would enjoy hearing what an experienced friend has to say on the topics of the day.

Steve, it's great to have you join us. Let's start by talking about CBA -- what are the trends you're seeing in fiction?

"This is always a challenge. Three years ago I couldn't sell a bestselling historical author anywhere. Today everyone wants historicals. Who knows about tomorrow? Publishers and authors alike tend to 'chase the ball' in an effort to match the perceived interests in the market. Unfortunately everyone sort of gets the same idea at the same time. For example, there was a sudden flood of chick-lit after Kristin Billerbeck's first novel was such a success. But here we are, a few years later, and very few publishers are willing to even consider a new 'lit' project.

"We get the same problem with science-fiction and fantasy (which are two distinct genres, contrary to common verbiage). I championed that category when I was at Bethany House and we launched Karen Hancock, Randy Ingermanson, John Olson, and Kathy Tyers. Unfortunately the market was soft and the category sort of frittered away to where the 2007 Christy Awards didn't even have the category designated for an award. However at the same time we have observed the wild success of  CBA YA fantasy novels from both Donita K. Paul and Bryan Davis. That success has opened a small window of opportunity in this category for adults too. Only a couple publishers are looking, and I can state that they will probably only release one or two authors, and wait for the market to vote. If the numbers are not strong? The cycle will begin all over again.

"So my advice is to stop chasing the market. Don't suddenly decide that you must write an Amish novel just because they are popular today. Don't write a Da Vinci Code knock-off just because it was cool to write a story with a 'lost manuscript.' Writers have no idea how many similar proposals we see that simply echo the current bestseller list. At all costs avoid the cliche'd approach to storytelling, i.e., the need to toss in a tornado to create suspense, or an assault on a woman to engender sympathy, or a myriad of other themes and triggers that are overused. Take your writing to a level that causes agents and editors to gasp at its creativity and brilliance. This can't be done by brainstorming one afternoon. It's why many bestselling books take years to develop and write."

Amen! So my Amish chick-lit about a girl caught in a tornado while searching for some lost Amish recipes won't fly?

"And now you've got me preaching. let me move to another subject before a blow a gasket."

Deal. What are you seeing with writing and publishing in non-fiction?

"There is a similar problem of chasing the market. The difference is that publishers aren't as concerned with 'story' or 'craft' with non-fiction. Instead it is the author's platform or past sales performance that has become the new threshold.

"In the past an author could create a great idea, get published, and consequently be able to build a platform. This still happens (see Donald Miller and Blue Like Jazz), but it is not the norm. Instead the author must work hard, sometimes for years, to create visibility and a media-ready personae, and then create the great book. I have a client, Jill Rigby, who did this the right way. She spent years developing a ministry in her state for teaching manners to kids. She developed a public school curriculum and became an expert in her field. After ten years she thought it time to try and write a book for parents that would run parallel to her ministry. We worked together, found a publisher (Howard), and her book, Raising Respectful Children in a Disrespectful World came out last year and has enjoyed considerable success -- so much so that her publisher signed her to do two more books.

"Unfortunately the majority of people have neither the inclination nor the skill set to develop this type of market visibility. They have an experience to share or a topic they have taught or a modest-sized ministry, and think that publishers are going to want to publish because the book is too important to ignore.

"I know Chip has told the hard news in earlier postings, but let me reiterate some of that so he isn't the only voice you hear on this topic. I know of more than one publisher who won't even consider looking at a proposal unless the author's previous books have sold 50,000 copies or more -- or if this is a first-time author, the projections are at a minimum of 30,000 in its first year. Those are some huge numbers. I was rejected by one publisher who said, after reviewing a project whose author has a national TV show in over 100 major cities and a dozen foreign countries and over 3 million books in print over the last 20 years, "His last book only sold 25,000 copies -- he isn't big enough for us."

Ouch.

"How's that for a slap of cold water on a chilly morning?"

So what's a writer to do?

"Again, write the absolute best book you can, and then write it better. If you are starting out, ply your talent in the magazine world. Get used to creating snappy ideas that editors love. I have a client who spent 10 years developing a reputation as a top-drawer article writer. The author was eventually asked to write scripts for a radio program. Then she was asked to record scripts of her own for that program. Next thing you know we were able to leverage those scripts into a book contract. She didn't start out with the book; she started out by becoming a great writer and making contacts in the industry. Now her dream has come true for publishing a book.

"At the same time, work on becoming an expert in your field. Speaking, writing articles, blogging, etc. Give us a reason to pay attention to what you have to say. The market beast is cold-hearted, vicious, and unyielding in its demand for big ideas."

I know you've worked as a bookseller, editor, and agent. You've seen the industry grow and change. What do you think the future holds for Christian publishing?

"I've been in this industry for 26 years. I've watched it grow, and personally felt its growing pains. But I believe the industry is healthy, and becoming smarter. One can walk around the convention floor at the annual International Christian Retailing Show (ICRS) in July and either feel despair or feel inspired. I must admit that after 26 consecutive annual conventions, I still get a thrill when walking the sales floor. It is a picture of 'God on the Move.' Nowhere else can one see so much incredible talent in one place, and all with the same goal: to help change the world. I remember one New York general market editor who recently came to the show for the first time. She said, 'I had no idea that I would see such a high level of quality in design and production, and such great content.'

"There are some who see the glass as half empty. They say that Christian bookstores are in trouble and this means the demise of the industry. All I can say is that CBA is a reflection of the market at large. The ABA independent booksellers are struggling just as much as CBA independent booksellers. The chains in both markets are cutting a wider swath. Is this good or bad? Hard to say, but there are more books being sold than ever before, so with that measure it is a good thing.

"It is a privilege to be part of this marvelous industry, and to contribute to the writing and publishing of books that have such an extraordinary impact. I've been asked, 'What do you do for a living?' I answer, 'I read.' When they ask, 'What do you do for fun?' I answer, 'I read.' It can't get much better than that!"

You still go to conferences and get hounded by authors who want to show you their latest book ideas. What other advice would you have for authors wanting to move forward in their careers?

"The best advice I've heard is to view the conference as a learning experience, not a 'selling' experience. So often writers are crushed or disappointed because the conference did not meet expectations. The publishing world is one that will break your heart. Therefore the best thing to do is to learn as much as possible about it. Then you can navigate the labyrinth with a little more confidence. I have clients who first heard me at a conference as many as ten years ago. They spent intervening years studying and learning and writing. Now their material is ready for prime time.

"Use a conference as a way to meet with other writers and make them part of your extended network and support. Editors and agents are always on the hunt for the 'next best,' and someday yours may be the exact project we are looking for."

Great advice, Steve. Thanks for joining me on the blog and sharing your wisdom.

"My pleasure."

-chip

Authors, Markets, and What to Read Next

We've had a bunch of questions submitted lately about authors and the market. So, even though I'm sick with the flu and feeling lousy, I'll soldier on. ("What a trooper the man is! What dedication! What sacrifice!")

Jim wrote to ask, "What novelists would you suggest I read to get more acquainted with fiction in the Christian market?" He then asked me to stay away from the top names (Kingsbury, Dekker, Peretti, Jenkins), since he feels bestseller status allows those authors to pretty much do anything they want.

Some suggestions: Read Quaker Summer and Tiger Lillie by Lisa Samson. The former is a great look at modern Christianity, wrapped in the warm confines of a "Christian women's novel." The latter was a seminal book for Christian fiction. You can also try Serenity Bay or A Season of Grace from Bette Nordberg. For more along these lines, try a novel from Siri Mitchell or Mary DeMuth or Susan Meissner's Seahorse in the Thames. Or, to get in touch with women's novels, I'd encourage you to check out something from Bev Lewis, Cindy Woodsmall, or Francine Rivers. Ginger Garrett's Chosen is a wonderful read. And if you really want to see where that market is going, check out Kimberly Stuart's Bottom Line or Rene Gutteridge. (I represent some of these people, so I"m biased.)

For men's books, definitely pick up one of Brandt Dodson's Colton Parker books. James Scott Bell is another good choice, as is Randy Singer and Tim Downs. Charles Martin is one of the best novelists in the country, in my view. So is Penelope Wilcock, and you should try her Hawk and the Dove trilogy. Someone who hasn't been discovered yet is Elizabeth Musser, but her Swan House is a fine read. Another good writer who flies under the radar is Chris Well -- try Deliver Us From Evelyn. Wow. Too many names right off the top of my head -- I've probably left some out, but this should get you started. Feel free to post suggestions in the "comments" section of this blog.

Ashley wrote and said, "I've noticed that Charles Martin and Lisa Samson are considered 'literary novelists.' In your view, what qualifies someone as a 'literary' novelist?"

The term "literary fiction" came into vogue about 25 or 30 years ago, as a way to distinguish what academics and editors considered "serious" books from the more popular "commercial" books. The advent of paperback novels turned everyone into readers, and people wanted the sort of things they could see on television: action, big story, easy-to-understand characters, and the whole thing wrapping up nicely in a few hours. That's commercial. So while there's no agreed-upon definition of literary fiction, it usually includes an emphasis on great style, deeper character, and some sort of exploration of the choices people make when faced with the big questions of life (without there being a lot of teaching or pedantry). So think serious-minded stories offered by writers with some sense of moral conviction.

And if you're interested, humorist David Lubar has suggested that literary fiction is best summed up by "crumbs-in-the-butter" stories -- i.e., two people are having tea somewhere, when one notices there are crumbs in the butter, leading her to realize this is a metaphor for life. (He also suggests that having a butterfly die halfway around the world in the next chapter helps, so long as we're all left clueless about the ending.)

Tiffany wrote to ask, "Do you think we're going to see less Christian content in novels, and more redemptive books that don't have clear Christian content? The reason I'm asking is because I'm a charismatic, evangelical, Bible-thumping believer, but I tend to focus on books that are redemptive but not preachy."

I'm not a charismatic. I'm not a Bible thumper. I doubt I qualify as an evangelical. But I suppose I'm as good as any person to answer this question, since I work in the industry and help produce books that reach both believers and non-believers... I think we're seeing more "generally redemptive" novels, though with the growth of religious fiction in the past couple of years, you'd be hard-pressed to say we're not still seeing a lot of clearly Christian books. Maintream bookstores have discovered that Christians like (and buy) fiction. Has that led some authors to tone down the religious rhetoric in their novels? Sure it has. But I don't think we're seeing people water down their faith. In fact, I'd argue that my experience at Time-Warner proved to me that publishers and readers are willing to accept clear faith content, so long as it's well done. Like with most things in life, people want clarity.

And Ben writes, "If a manuscript doesn't fall exactly in a standard CBA novel category, but comes close and may provide a bridge between genres, does the book stand a chance? I ask because I'm writing a novel set in 16th Century Japan, but it's more of a male action-adventure, and the market for swordplay and history in CBA seems mostly channelled through romance novels."

I'd say you've got an uphill climb trying to sell a historical novel aimed at a male readership to a CBA house. There's certainly an audience for it in the general market (think of the Patrick O'Brian or Bernard Cornwell series), but CBA's male readership seems mostly focused on contemporary stories.

More Wisdom from a Fiction Publisher

So long as I'm talking with fiction types, I figured I should contact the guy who bought my first book (lo, these many years ago). Dave Horton is one of the good guys in the industry, and a longtime voice for quality Christian fiction. He has successfully discovered and published numerous authors, and now he's going to be stepping into a new role at Bethany House Publishers. We exchanged emails recently to talk about the industry and the changes going on...

Dave, what do you see that is working (and not working) in fiction for Bethany House?

"I'm often asked why historical fiction works so well at BHP. Part of the reason for its ongoing demand is that so many reader got into the habit when Christian fiction offered little else. And habits, once formed, aren't easily broken. In addition, while other publishers have been in and out of historial fiction, we've never waved inour commitment to it. Retailers and readers know who to call (and what to expect) when they want historicals.

"Even though historical fiction has succeeded marvelously at Bethany House for nearly three decades, we're experiencing sales success with contemporary titles, too. In fact, the latter group figures among our bestsellers every year. There are growing numbers of readers who didn't come of age in the glory years of Janette Oke and Bode Thoene, or who simply have other preferences, and we're working hard to offer them options. Do those options work as well as historical fiction for us? Not all, but some certainly do. Actually, it's probably an unfair comparison, even in the general market. Historical fiction is a broad category, and we often try to compare it to categories that are quite narrow by definition. In any case, we're making some encouraging headway in suspense, women's fiction, books geared for men, and others, and we are committed to maintaining breadth in our fiction line."

You've been in the industry since, um, the Harding Administration, I think. What changes do you see going on in Christian fiction these days? And is there anything about the future you can tell us about?

"Yeah,  me and Warren G go way back. One change I've noticed is that the Christian fiction 'box' has expanded a great deal, especially in the past ten years. Make no mistake about it, we're not generally 'outside the box' yet, but in terms of genres (or sub-genres), time periods, settings, character types, subject matter in general, and writing quality, things have changed considerably. Christian fiction is harder to define (or completely dismiss), its realitic intended audience is broader, and the number of writers being published successfully has increased dramatically. Recent encouraging signs: Fantasy fiction has a small but growing audience, historical fiction no longer has to be deadly serious, and wildly imaginative work is making inroads where once it was completely marginalized.

"Another change I've seen over the last few years is an increasingly cinematic orientation in the author community. Movies are more talked about than books, or so it seems. There is a big push to write 'cinematically,' and the cultural validation that presumably comes with having a novel adapted for the big screen or DVD  seems more and more to be the brass ring. But we may be losing sight of the fact that the novel is its own art form. It's not a movie. It need not -- in fact, cannot -- replicate a movie. Of course, novels can be adapted into movies, but a screenplay is never the same as a novel. Among the so-called 'faith- based' movies, the screen adaptations seem significantly inferior to the novels, in terms of the faith element, as well as in terms of the story itself. Hopefully the situation will improve, but writing a novel with a movie in mind, or writing a novel based on a movie concept, doesn't seem to me to be the best way to serve readers.

"We seem to go through phases of expansion and consolidation in publishing. Success in ficton (or with a particular genre) incites others to jump on the bandwagon. There is an ensuing flurry of publishing activity, followed by a few successes and more failures. Changes are made. Companies are sold. Editors are laid off or reassigned. Authors are displaced. Novels are orphaned and fade into oblivion.

"Nobody is perfectly able to forecase the future, and who can blame someone for wanting to pursue a publishing model that seems successful? But the ramifications for authors of this 'now-we're-in/now-we're-out' industry see-saw are particularly difficult. I worry that writing careers may get off on the wrong track, or get sidetracked altogether, because some publishing executives mistakenly think fiction publishing is easy money. "

Though it has had a track record of big success, your own company, Bethany House, was sold a couple years ago to the Baker Group. Can you tell us what is happening with your role during all these changes?

"You've probably heard that Gary and Carol Johnson will be transitioning to part-time roles here at Bethany House in March '08. I've been asked to step into Carol's current role (Vice President, Fiction Editiorial) at that time. Following in her footsteps would seem daunting to anyone, I'm sure, but it helps a great deal that I've worked with our gifted, experienced editorial staff for nearly a decade already. Given the strong foundation Carol and Gary have established here, I thnk we have a lot to which we can look forward. "

My thanks to Dave for stopping in to join us. Interesting stuff on the "cinematization" if fiction, as well as his thoughts on career-building for authors. Let me know what you think.

Chip

And Some Other Novel Journey-ites

The response to the interview with Gina Holmes of the popular Novel Journey website has been fabulous -- it's nice to bring on somebody smart once in a while, just to balance out the usual stuff. So with that in mind, I went to some of Gina's sidekicks at their site (www.noveljourney.blogspot.com) to ask some follow-up questions...

First, I asked Ane Mulligan,"As you look at the authors and books that have come in to Novel Journey over the past couple of years, what have been the biggest changes you've seen?"

Ane: "In the CBA, more and more authors are writing about real life and not avoiding the taboo subjects. No question in my mind -- that's the biggest change. Real Christians, including people in ministry and in pastors' families, tell lies, get pregnant outside of marriage, struggle with addictions -- in other words, they SIN. One of the reasons we as Christians write is to touch lives. And I believe that readers let down their guard when they think they are being entertained. So by offering a good story, by using the senses, by relying on strong craft, a good writer draws the reader into the book. Then, when they least expect it, the reader is confronted by truth. A good story touches, teaches, and transforms people."

I then tracked down Jessica Dotta, who formerly worked as a marketing account manager before becoming a fiction publicist, and is another one of the people who help create the site. My question to her: "What marketing and promotional trends are you seeing with fiction?"

Jessica: "The internet continues to be an amazing portal for authors to gain exposure. And not just with readers who happen to pass by a particular site, but with industry professionals. Unlike other forms of media, there's a pretty good chance authors can have direct contact with the editor or the producer, as well as the target audience. That's a huge advantage to a writer."

I then asked if she had anything specific that she could point to regarding internet marketing:

"I keep my eye on book trailers because they reveal a lot of information. Studies have shown that most people only retain about 20% of what they see, 30% of what they hear, but 70% of what they hear and see. So I think one of the directions we're going is to see more faces and more voices pushing books on the internet. But they've got to be promoting the book specifically -- If you're doing an online book trailer, beware of words just flashing across the screen with a music score behind it. In my opinion, that lessens the impact because it's too similar to the way we perceive background noise -- we filter out the message. Bland instrumental music doesn't add the 'hearing' aspect you're looking for. It's got to be more interactive."

There's an interesting idea. I've long wondered why Christian publishers don't mimic ABA houses by creating short radio spots that feature a quick set-up or a five-second scene from the novel, then push the title and author. General market publishers have been doing that for years -- a deep voice will begin by saying, "He lurked in the shadows for years, thinking about killing...and now, he's about to take action. KILLER, the new novel of suspense by Melvin P. Hickenlooper, at bookstores now." It costs almost nothing to produce -- one voice in a studio for ten minutes and another twenty minutes to add the right music. You can use the same ad over and over again. And radio ads are cheap -- pennies compared to television or print ads. A publisher could even do this locally, to try and build up some hometown or regional success for an author. But I can't remember ever hearing of a CBA house doing this.

It's just one idea, of course. I'm trying to get authors to thnk out of the box a bit, so that they don't assume the only fiction marketing that works is a full-page ad in USA Today. I still think a novelist needs to consider doing more writing -- creating articles or doing interviews that reflect the "news" factor in their novels. And too many novelists have given up on speaking because they think it's the domain of nonfiction types. The fact is, everybody running a radio or television talk show is attempting to feed a monster -- there are houses of programming that have to be filled up, and they have to be filled every day. If you have something to say, can say it well, and have a unique approach, you should explore how speaking can help market your novels. Randy Ingermanson over at Mad Genius Writer has blogged on these same ideas -- using writing and speaking to promote your fiction. Check out his thoughts at advancedfictionwriting.com.

I've got a backlog of questions about books and publishing -- I'll get to them right away. Promise! My thanks to the NJ ladies for helping me this week.

chip

The Experts at Novel Journey

Since I've been talking to people in the industry about the state of fiction, I thought I should ask a few questions of Gina Holmes and her crew at the popular ficiton website "Novel Journey." NJ is a great spot to find author interviews, book reviews, writing wisdom, and everything else helpful to fiction writers. This past week they've had an interview with bestselling author Francine Rivers, a report on the Southern Book Festival, a conversation with African-American novelist Stephanie Perry Moore, an interesting reflection from unpublished writer Janet Rubin, and a podcast with Nicholas Sparks. THAT'S moving around. You can find them at www.noveljourney.blogspot.com, and I highly recommend their site.

The founder/creator/mom of the site is Gina Holmes, who agreed to escape her own blogging empire in order to come talk with me...

Gina, what writing trends are you seeing in fiction at Novel Journey?

"We're seeing more fantasy, less science fiction, chick-lit is moving into sub-genres like Camy Tang's Asian chick-lit,  and we have mom lit, hen lit, and historicals are coming back into favor. Above all, more and more readers are being turned on by what we'd consider 'literary' writing -- A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Memory Keeper's Daughter, etc.

"In CBA, more literary writers (like Charles Martin and Lisa Samson) are the names we hear most discussed as writers 'you just have to read.' And for good reason -- you JUST HAVE TO read them. Novelists are taking chances, and the payoff has been big. It's nice to see publishers get ahead of the curve instead of chasing what hit the NYT bestseller list last month. Robert Liparulo's Comes a Horseman and TL Hines' Waking Lazarus were different from what CBA houses traditionally have published, and they were very well received. So are M.L. Tyndall's pirate romances, Tosca Lee's Demon: A Memoir, and everything that Claudia Mair Burney writes.

"In the ABA, unusual stories like The Lovely Bones, Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas novels, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, The Time Traveler's Wife -- these are what have been getting the most buzz. All of these novels have been out for a while, but we're pleased to see the trend continue. Another thing we're thrilled about is the improved quality of CBA deput novels. Liparulo's novel was amazing. So was Claudia Mair Burney's first novel, Murder, Mayhem, and a Fine Man."

What marketing or promotional trends are you seeing in fiction?

"Blogging is still the hottest thing around. The power of the internet is huge and everyone's scrambling to figure out how to best capitalize on it. Most writers now keep blogs, and blog tours have become a staple in marketing plans. Newsletters are big right now, with writers trying to capture as many names and emails of potential readers as possible by offering contests to get people to sign up. Some are offering everything from IPods to autographed books.

"For a while we were seeing big names with big platforms writing not-to-great books, but now we're seeing people with strong platforms actually writing good books -- Jars of Clay's Matt Bronleewe's Illuminated is one example. But things have definitely changed. Cross country book-signing tours are less popular as the web has proven more effective at reaching people without the fast food and traffic. And costly magazine ads and expensive book launch parties are less popular as publishers look for ways to get more bang for their buck."

Your site has become an influencer in fiction. What would you like writers to know regarding how they can best influence the influencers?

"One of the most valuable things we've learned by running Novel Journey is how best to approach media. And I think the first lesson is simple: Write a great book. We LOVE to push talented writers. If Charles Martin has a new book coming out, I want to personally review it because I know it's going to be good. Even if we're booked solid for months, if Lisa Samson comes to us and says, 'I've got a novel coming out, can you fit in some space for me?' our answer will be, 'Heck yeah!' Our goal is to promote great writing, great writers, and great books. So we'll bend over backwards to fit her in.

"The second lesson is probably don't approach us like you're doing us a favor. Listen, we know it goes both ways. We know an author is essentially doing us a favor by answering our questions. We know by having Nicholas Sparks and Dean Koontz do interviews on our website, they're helping our platform more than their own. They don't needs us -- they've already arrived. Both authors recently gave us interviews (Koontz's interview hasn't been published yet as of this writing), and by participating they were doing us a favor. But did they approach it that way? Nope. They thanked us. That's how you do it.

"Third, make me look good. You want to be featured on Novel Journey or some other popular website? Great. We want to have you. But it's much less likely to happen if you send me an interview that showed up on blogs everywhere two months ago, or you send me an article that's nothing more than an infomercial for your book. Don't make it about you. Make it about my readership. How can you serve them? Trust me, this will serve you. I've noticed that the best writers tend to give the best interviews. They tend to do everything above and beyond. Dean Koontz's interview is amazing -- he didn't give sound-bite answers. He gave thoughtful, helpful, entertaining answers. Our best interviewees are always among the best writers. So make me look good, and it will make you look even better.

"Fourth, make my job easier. This goes for all media, not just websites. You want to be featured in a local magazine? (Don't we all?) If we're both novelists hoping to get into The Roanoker, and I send them my press release hoping they'll write a story about me, but you actually write the article, make it relevant to their audience, and include photos, who do you think will get featured? Editors and media types are busy people. Make our jobs easier and we'll use you again and again. You'll become our go-to guy.

"Fifth, don't be a diva. Don't send me an interview and ask me to edit it twelve times before it goes up, or chew me out because it went up a few days later than I said it would. Sometimes we have to make decisions you know nothing about. Just follow up, thank me for my time and all I'm doing to help you, politely ask when I think your interview will get posted. The media don't owe you a spot -- it's a privilege to have people feature you, not an entitlement. Afterward, a thank-you card, an email, or an autographed copy of your book goes a long way.

"Sixth, don't be penny wise and pound foolish. I once had a first-time author tell me that she hoped I would buy her book and write a review of it. Excuse me? BUY her book? I already run a website that generates no revenue, take my time to feature authors so that readers will buy their books, and that earns the author income...and she wants me to spend my own money and buy a copy at retail price so that I can help her do that? Does that seem like a good deal for me? Nope, it's not. I get more free books than I could ever read. Sometimes I review one. That's the way it works.

"Finally, be gracious. I wrote a review of a novel I was lukewarm about -- I thought the author had grand potential, but didn't quite pull it off in that book. I said so. She came back with a glowingly warm thank you note. She called me insightful and correct, and thanked me for helping her grow. Wow. You think I'm not a big fan now? You think I won't want to do everything I can to promote her in the future? Follow her example. Don't argue with the reviewers -- thank them. They're probably right, and like a good critique you might learn something from them. But even if they're dead wrong, showing kindness to them might just help them be kinder to you in the future."

Hey, thanks for all the wisdom, Gina!

My pleasure, Chip. We'll see you at Novel Journey.