Bad News/Good News
September 16, 2008
“I’ve had a hard life,” the eager new writer says. “It’s an amazing story and everybody says I need to write a book. I know it would be an encouragement to everybody who reads it.”
It’s the thought process every knowledgeable writing instructor dreads.
On one hand, the instructor knows that the story most likely is amazing. It probably would be an encouragement to many others who are going through a similar hardship. But the sad truth is, unless the author is a celebrity or has a huge platform, most editors aren’t interested in publishing personal stories as books.
And writing instructors are often the ones who have to break the bad news. It’s not something we want to do. We know the writer most likely came to the conference or sent the email expecting it to be the beginning of her publishing destiny. We know she’ll be disappointed. We will, too.
Does that mean her life doesn’t count or that Christian publishers don’t care about what she’s been through? No. It just means that even though Christian publishers want to point readers to Christ, they must make a profit in order to do it. And in most cases of personal stories, they just aren’t able to sell enough of those books to make a profit.
So what’s a writer to do? What if you do have an amazing story that would be an encouragement to others? The good news is, you have options.
Self publish your book. If your primary goal is to document your story for your family and friends, self-publishing is a viable option. Whether you choose print on demand or regular press technique, self publishing can create a lasting document of your story, allowing you to leave your message for those who come behind you.
Are you a speaker who frequently addresses large audiences? Self publishing might also be considered if you’re associated with a large organization that has a built-in audience…and the means for delivering your message. And even if you don’t address large audiences, if you simply want to make your story available to those who hear you speak, self-publishing may be the way to go.
But if you decide to go the self-publishing route, you must choose your publisher carefully. There are great publishers out there who produce high quality books that look as good—if not better—than many traditionally published books. But there are also publishers who create sloppy products that label your book unprofessional. And depending on the publisher, self-published books can have a harder time getting distribution in brick-and-mortar bookstores.
So do your research! Don’t take anything at face value. A wise writer will do internet searches for warnings or complaints, will have all contracts evaluated, and will personally contact authors who’ve published with the house. Don’t go through the publisher or ask for references—that may not give you a true picture. Instead, find the names of authors, visit their websites, and contact them directly, preferably long after publication. There are many sites that report warning about publishers. One is located here and has links to many more warnings. http://anotherealm.com/prededitors/pubwarn.htm
Self-publishing can be a wonderful way to get your story out, but you have to choose wisely and be sure you know you’re dealing with a reputable company.
Fictionalize your story. Did you know you could create a novel using the lessons and scenes you experienced in your struggle? You can use fiction writing techniques to create compelling characters who travel your emotional journey. Readers often connect with well-written fictional characters as easily as—and sometimes better than—they connect with real people. It’s all in the writing and delivery of the story. And a well-written novel that taps into your experiences and emotion has a much better chance of publication than the actual story of your life.
Although my Bitsy books aren’t based on horrible experiences of life, I do use a lot of real life events in my children’s mysteries. Many of the scenes, conflicts, and emotions Bitsy and her friends and family go through are taken directly from my own life. But you need to realize that if you translate your experiences for fiction, you don’t have to stick to the truth. As I tell students when I teach writer’s workshops in schools, take your story or event and make it bigger, funnier, meaner, sadder, happier, or scarier. Take clips from your entire life and compact them into a short time span. The lessons are still there, the testimony can still affect others, but rather than presented as truth, it’s delivered through the vehicle of fiction.
And sometimes that’s the vehicle that increases your chance of publication and allows you to share the lessons of life with others.
So there’s the bad news and the good news about publishing the story of your life. Yes, as writers, our stories can make a difference for those who read them. But we need to be aware of the options in sharing our message.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meet My New Best Friend, Babbie Mason!
What a joy it was to meet and share the platform with Babbie Mason this past weekend at the North Carolina Baptist Women’s Prayer and Evangelism Conference at Ridgecrest, NC. If you’ve never had the opportunity to hear her, she’s an awesome worship leader and speaker. I hope you’ll check out her website (www.babbie.com) and grab some great CDs. It’s the next best thing to being there!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And the Winner Is…
Susan Dollyhigh! Congratulations, Susan—you’re the winner of Kathi Macias’ awesome new book, Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World! Just email me your address, and Kathi will get it right out to you!
And Kathi, thank you again for blessing us with this nice little surprise! ;-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It’s the Week for Opportunities
Yep, it’s that time again! I hope you find the following opportunities to be just the nudge you need!
1. Get Published Now! at Glorieta Christian Writer’s Conference http://www.classervices.com/CS_Glorieta_Conf.html , Glorieta, NM, October 22-26. Sign up for the Get Published Now class and you’ll leave as a published writer! I’ll see you there! http://www.classervices.com/CS_Glorieta_GPNGuidlines.htm
2. Christian Author’s Guild Writer’s Conference, Woodstock, GA September 25-26. I’ll see you there! http://www.christianauthorsguild.org/10.html
3. “23 Places to Find Freelance Writing Jobs and Freelance Blogging Jobs” http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2007/11/13/23-places-to-find-freelance-writing-jobs-and-freelance-blogging-jobs/
4. Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards Competition http://www.writersdigest.com/poetryawards
5. The Ultimate Series—They are looking for stories on gardening, golf, weddings, honeymoons, and lots of other titles. http://www.ultimatehcibooks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=5&Itemid=53
6. Ever considered becoming a speaker? The CLASServices Seminar in Atlanta September 29-October 1. Scholarship available!!! Call the office for details: 800-433-6633. http://www.classervices.com/CS_Conferences_Seminars.html
7. Upstate SC American Christian Writers Workshop and Contest. Contest deadline extended to September 22! Contact Elva Martin elvamartinministries@charter.net
8. Mount Hermon/Zondervan Novel Contest for Unpublished Authors. http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Product/Book/08+Fiction+Contest.htm?QueryStringSite=Zondervan
9. Spread the Word Conference 2008, October 10-11 in Atlanta. Book promotion conference. http://www.expertsinfocus.com/conference//Index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That completes our time together this week. I hope you found something of worth here at The Christian Writer’s Den. After all, that’s my goal!
I leave you with these words, taken from Proverbs, the Book of Wisdom:
Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. Proverbs 1:5
I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
“I’ve had a hard life,” the eager new writer says. “It’s an amazing story and everybody says I need to write a book. I know it would be an encouragement to everybody who reads it.”
It’s the thought process every knowledgeable writing instructor dreads.
On one hand, the instructor knows that the story most likely is amazing. It probably would be an encouragement to many others who are going through a similar hardship. But the sad truth is, unless the author is a celebrity or has a huge platform, most editors aren’t interested in publishing personal stories as books.
And writing instructors are often the ones who have to break the bad news. It’s not something we want to do. We know the writer most likely came to the conference or sent the email expecting it to be the beginning of her publishing destiny. We know she’ll be disappointed. We will, too.
Does that mean her life doesn’t count or that Christian publishers don’t care about what she’s been through? No. It just means that even though Christian publishers want to point readers to Christ, they must make a profit in order to do it. And in most cases of personal stories, they just aren’t able to sell enough of those books to make a profit.
So what’s a writer to do? What if you do have an amazing story that would be an encouragement to others? The good news is, you have options.
Self publish your book. If your primary goal is to document your story for your family and friends, self-publishing is a viable option. Whether you choose print on demand or regular press technique, self publishing can create a lasting document of your story, allowing you to leave your message for those who come behind you.
Are you a speaker who frequently addresses large audiences? Self publishing might also be considered if you’re associated with a large organization that has a built-in audience…and the means for delivering your message. And even if you don’t address large audiences, if you simply want to make your story available to those who hear you speak, self-publishing may be the way to go.
But if you decide to go the self-publishing route, you must choose your publisher carefully. There are great publishers out there who produce high quality books that look as good—if not better—than many traditionally published books. But there are also publishers who create sloppy products that label your book unprofessional. And depending on the publisher, self-published books can have a harder time getting distribution in brick-and-mortar bookstores.
So do your research! Don’t take anything at face value. A wise writer will do internet searches for warnings or complaints, will have all contracts evaluated, and will personally contact authors who’ve published with the house. Don’t go through the publisher or ask for references—that may not give you a true picture. Instead, find the names of authors, visit their websites, and contact them directly, preferably long after publication. There are many sites that report warning about publishers. One is located here and has links to many more warnings. http://anotherealm.com/prededitors/pubwarn.htm
Self-publishing can be a wonderful way to get your story out, but you have to choose wisely and be sure you know you’re dealing with a reputable company.
Fictionalize your story. Did you know you could create a novel using the lessons and scenes you experienced in your struggle? You can use fiction writing techniques to create compelling characters who travel your emotional journey. Readers often connect with well-written fictional characters as easily as—and sometimes better than—they connect with real people. It’s all in the writing and delivery of the story. And a well-written novel that taps into your experiences and emotion has a much better chance of publication than the actual story of your life.
Although my Bitsy books aren’t based on horrible experiences of life, I do use a lot of real life events in my children’s mysteries. Many of the scenes, conflicts, and emotions Bitsy and her friends and family go through are taken directly from my own life. But you need to realize that if you translate your experiences for fiction, you don’t have to stick to the truth. As I tell students when I teach writer’s workshops in schools, take your story or event and make it bigger, funnier, meaner, sadder, happier, or scarier. Take clips from your entire life and compact them into a short time span. The lessons are still there, the testimony can still affect others, but rather than presented as truth, it’s delivered through the vehicle of fiction.
And sometimes that’s the vehicle that increases your chance of publication and allows you to share the lessons of life with others.
So there’s the bad news and the good news about publishing the story of your life. Yes, as writers, our stories can make a difference for those who read them. But we need to be aware of the options in sharing our message.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meet My New Best Friend, Babbie Mason!
What a joy it was to meet and share the platform with Babbie Mason this past weekend at the North Carolina Baptist Women’s Prayer and Evangelism Conference at Ridgecrest, NC. If you’ve never had the opportunity to hear her, she’s an awesome worship leader and speaker. I hope you’ll check out her website (www.babbie.com) and grab some great CDs. It’s the next best thing to being there!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And the Winner Is…
Susan Dollyhigh! Congratulations, Susan—you’re the winner of Kathi Macias’ awesome new book, Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World! Just email me your address, and Kathi will get it right out to you!
And Kathi, thank you again for blessing us with this nice little surprise! ;-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It’s the Week for Opportunities
Yep, it’s that time again! I hope you find the following opportunities to be just the nudge you need!
1. Get Published Now! at Glorieta Christian Writer’s Conference http://www.classervices.com/CS_Glorieta_Conf.html , Glorieta, NM, October 22-26. Sign up for the Get Published Now class and you’ll leave as a published writer! I’ll see you there! http://www.classervices.com/CS_Glorieta_GPNGuidlines.htm
2. Christian Author’s Guild Writer’s Conference, Woodstock, GA September 25-26. I’ll see you there! http://www.christianauthorsguild.org/10.html
3. “23 Places to Find Freelance Writing Jobs and Freelance Blogging Jobs” http://www.freelancewritinggigs.com/2007/11/13/23-places-to-find-freelance-writing-jobs-and-freelance-blogging-jobs/
4. Writer’s Digest Poetry Awards Competition http://www.writersdigest.com/poetryawards
5. The Ultimate Series—They are looking for stories on gardening, golf, weddings, honeymoons, and lots of other titles. http://www.ultimatehcibooks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=5&Itemid=53
6. Ever considered becoming a speaker? The CLASServices Seminar in Atlanta September 29-October 1. Scholarship available!!! Call the office for details: 800-433-6633. http://www.classervices.com/CS_Conferences_Seminars.html
7. Upstate SC American Christian Writers Workshop and Contest. Contest deadline extended to September 22! Contact Elva Martin elvamartinministries@charter.net
8. Mount Hermon/Zondervan Novel Contest for Unpublished Authors. http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Product/Book/08+Fiction+Contest.htm?QueryStringSite=Zondervan
9. Spread the Word Conference 2008, October 10-11 in Atlanta. Book promotion conference. http://www.expertsinfocus.com/conference//Index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That completes our time together this week. I hope you found something of worth here at The Christian Writer’s Den. After all, that’s my goal!
I leave you with these words, taken from Proverbs, the Book of Wisdom:
Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. Proverbs 1:5
I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
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