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What Have You Outgrown?
You can hardly swing a computer keyboard around (well, okay, I don’t recommend swinging a computer keyboard around, but anyway…) without seeing a chance to take a workshop on how to utilize social media. Taking a workshop on social media is a great idea. I’m a huge advocate of using social media for fun, to connect, and, while you’re at it, to let people know you’re a …
I Just Deleted Your Proposal without Reading It
A caveat: I realize those of you who read our blog on a regular basis likely don’t need the following information. You guys do it right. But if nothing else, now you have a place to direct all those folks who ask you, “How do I put together a professional proposal?” Okay, on with the blog. A month or so ago I sat down to tackle a gargantuan number of proposals that had been awaiting review. I …
One Thing
Most successful authors are known for one thing, not a variety of things. Even if they publish many books, their name is identified with one thing. The one thing isn’t necessarily one book, but it might be. Catherine Marshall, author of the classic novel Christy, actually published over two-dozen books. But she is remembered by most for one thing. Stephen King, author of many bestsellers has an …
A $100,000 Threshold for a Worthy Book?
Recently Brad Martin, the President and CEO of Penguin Random House Canada, was quoted as saying the following: “I’m not interested in a book that is going to generate less than $100,000 in revenue unless the editor or publisher [division] has a compelling vision for the book and/or the author…If the person that’s championing that book in the acquisitions meeting doesn’t have a compelling view of …
Fun Fridays – July 17, 2015
A televised talent show in Germany…for contestants ages 8 to 14 years old. The Voice Kids (Germany). It is always inspiring to find amazing talent. (The young girl’s name is Solomia Lukyanets.)
Fiction: Contemporary or Historical?
Recently I noted an article in a prestigious publishing journal that says readers are looking for more fiction. I hope the article is right! To narrow this down, we can look to historical versus contemporary, since many authors write both. To clarify, for the purposes of this blog, I am limiting my discussion to traditional CBA trade book fare of strong stories heavy on romance. I am not …
Please…Preach to the Choir
How often have you heard a writer say, “My book isn’t for church people. I mean, I don’t want to preach to the choir, I want to reach those searching for Christ.” Not for nothing, but friends, who do you think is in the choir? Sure, some of the people sitting in the pews of any given church are life-long believers who know all they need to know about God and living a life of faith. I mean, …
2015 A.D. (Amazon Domination)
July 16, 1995 – Amazon.com began operation. To get there, you clicked on a computer icon, heard the weird dialup modem sounds, the hissing, and you were on your way to the World Wide Web. Type in www.amazon.com and there it was. It will never catch on. People need to hold something in their hands before they buy it. According to several sources, the first book ever sold on Amazon was this: Fluid …
Christian Fiction is Not Dead
Last week’s news of Abingdon Press deciding to no longer acquire new Christian fiction has created another clamor of claims regarding the demise of Christian fiction. The articles, emails, and comments range from glee (“it needs to die”) to consternation (“woe is me of ever getting a book deal”). Fewer Publishers There is no question that there has been considerable shrinkage in the …