Archive for the ‘Hidden Hazards’ Category
What is inside comes out on the page
September 8th, 2010 by Mary DeMuth I recently went through old posts on relevantblog, trying to find the best posts. I unearthed this one written the summer of 2005 that, I believe, still speaks to us as writers and Christ followers today. I pray it’s a blessing to you.
*****
I experienced an isolated instance at ICRS that highlighted the
bleakness of the biz. I won’t go into detail, but what I came away with
was this thought: I wonder who is writing these books.
On the flip side (before I make my argument), I want to say I’ve met the most amazing people who are writers for the CBA. My very best friends in the whole world write lovely prose for CBA readers. They pray for me, love me well, and (as in the case of funny-girl Jeanne Damoff) make me laugh. Such great folks!!!
I listened to a sermon by my friend JR Vassar who is planting a church in Manhattan. He talked about good trees producing good fruit and bad trees producing rotten fruit. I wonder how many of us are good trees? From what I experienced, I could tend to despair that there are writers who put words to page whose hearts are dark, whose trees are bad to begin with.
I taught at Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference on this topic: It’s what inside that counts.
- Good writing flows from a good heart.
- Redemptive writing flows from a redeemed heart.
- Courageous writing flows from an unafraid heart.
- Humble writing flows from a broken heart.
- Authentic writing flows from a real heart.
We can’t fake it. Sure, we can try to pen important words for important audiences, but if our heart is dark, we’re guilty of lying at worst, pretending at best. I don’t want to be what Jesus accused the Pharisees of being: whitewashed tombs. I don’t want to say deep, pithy words that I don’t mean or I don’t live out. If I do that, I’m enslaving others by my self-appointed rules from the outside in.
Everything flows from our hearts. It’s not so much what we put in that defiles us as what comes out. Consider Jesus’ words: “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man” (Matthew 15:18-20).
Jesus is saying that it’s not what we appear like on the outside that defiles us. It’s not our dirty hands, in other words. It’s what’s inside. And eventually, what is inside will be known to all.
I hope and pray the CBA is not full of whitewashed tombs, writers parading around with clean hands and darkened hearts. I hope and pray it’s not all about our own ministry, our own glory, our own brand, our own corner of the Christian market share, our own niche. I pray it’s about honest pilgrims with honest hearts penning honest, life-giving words for the sake His renown, He who is the Author of all words, of all redemptive stories.
And yet, as I write this I am acutely aware of my own sins that parade themselves in front of me shouting mockery. Who am I to write anything? I am needy, terribly fragile at times, self-absorbed. I am one who loves to outwardly shun praise but inwardly relish it. My feet are clay. My heart strays. My words ring hollow. I guess the only true hope for me and other writers like me is the astounding grace of Jesus. And the strength of Him who was perfectly right with the Father. I can only run to His arms when I’m a whitewashed tomb. It’s only He who cleanses me from the inside out, Who makes my words and heart coexist in harmony.
I’m reminded of the simple words, “Behold the Man,” spoken by Pilate in John 19:5. Jesus stood, nearly naked, yet wrapped in a mocking robe and a slicing crown. His outside was not lovely, at least by human standards, but his heart was perfectly clean. He, bloodied, stood as the embodiment of authenticity. I wonder how many of us are that willing to be seen as we are. I wonder how many of us would pull the robe defensively around our souls, afraid to show what is inside? I know I’d be afraid.
So, yes, we should strive for authenticity from the inside out. Hiding emaciates our prose. I pray, especially as I write this, that we’d be ready to hear, “Behold the writer,” whispered by the scarred Savior, who bore our evasive and hidden sins on the tree. And that we could stand covered in the robe of His grace, ready to share the story with the world.
Innovate with Integrity
November 24th, 2009 by Jenni BurkeThe internet is abuzz with chatter from publishers, writers, agents, and other self-professed “word nerds” like myself… tweeting, blogging, and commenting on the rapidly expanding role of self-publishing.
Many industry insiders say that the traditional publishing model is broken. The speed of change taking place in recent years proves that even if it’s not broken, it is definitely evolving. And while those waves of change have and will continue to upset the status quo, the companies and individuals who recognize the inevitability (and potential benefits) of change will find creative ways to adapt and stay ahead of the curve. Those who do this well will keep the needs of their customers in mind and always partner innovation with integrity.
I love the concept of innovation: to create or introduce a new idea or method. Of course, those who lead in innovation will inevitably attract criticism and resistance from those who fear change or like things “the way they are”. Thomas Nelson’s CEO Michael Hyatt is highly respected in the industry for his innovative leadership style combined with integrity; that combination has led Thomas Nelson on as one of the most successful Christian publishers in the world. Hyatt has also attracted criticism from some lately for his company’s recent bold move into self-publishing.
He posted a thoughtful yet animated response to this criticism on his blog on Friday: Why Agents May Be Opposed to Self Publishing. In the post he examines the three most common arguments leveled against self-publishing by “the guild”, or those within the industry. He also points out that over half the books published in the United States are self-published and that the reason people (especially agents) lash out against the approach may be because they feel threatened by a disruption of the status quo. Interesting, no?
Hyatt concluded his post with this reality-check on the inevitability of change, challenging everyone in publishing to examine how they might be dragging their feet instead of taking steps forward:
“As a form of user-generated content, self-publishing is a disruptive force that isn’t going away. It is arguably the fastest growing segment of publishing. It will ultimately impact everyone in traditional publishing. As a result, publishers are having to change and so are authors. Maybe it’s time agents took a hard look at their own business model and asked how they can add value in the new publishing economy.”
We at D.C. Jacobson & Associates agree with Mike that the “traditional” business models need to be re-examined. Our company was, after all, founded on principles of innovation and integrity. When Don Jacobson sold his successful Multnomah Publishers to Random House in 2006 and asked himself how he could continue adding value to the industry he loved, he saw the need for a new kind of literary agency.
While our primary focus is placing excellent books with royalty publishers, our growing team of specialists is passionate about contributing to the production and promotion of life-changing messages on multiple levels. Together we offer our clients the highest quality of service in three distinct but complementary branches: Author Representation, market-informed Literary Consultation , and Publicity Campaigns & Consulting. The community at BelieversPress is a great example of vision and values, which is why we love working with them.
Some who prefer things “the way they were” have taken shots at us; maybe they’re the ones Mike Hyatt’s blog post is speaking about. We don’t listen to them; we listen to the success stories of our authors and publishers. We will continue to look ahead and innovate with integrity. As the saying goes, “keep your heart pure and drive on.”
QUESTION: What do you think about the changes you see taking place across the publishing industry?
Elements of a Successful Publishing Project
November 4th, 2009 by J A Heinlein1. You need to know Why You Want to be Published
You must ask yourself and answer the question, “…why do you want to be published?”
Some feel called to educate and inspire, while some want to “entertain” and tell a story, either fiction or non-fiction. And, the different callings and writer desires can combine to accomplish both.
What is the objective of your writing? Who will benefit?
I work with a lot of very successful professional speakers/authors, and over the years, the most common mistake has been for them to want to “rush too quickly to write and get published”… and, without having asked and answered those most fundamental of questions:
What is the reason and purpose for me to be a published author?
- it is my ministry and calling?
- to help expand my brand?
- to provide lasting value and impression?
- to create an additional income?
- to increase my speaker’s fee value?
What will the reader take away as the value from my book?
How will that help my ministry and/or business? How does this book reflect my personal mission and objectives?
And, once answered, how do I get this done?
See Also: How do you write a book or novel
2. You need to be informed
- Do your homework – “flatten” the learning curve as quickly as possible.
- Do the advance work to understand the “basics”– outline your plan for writing, marketing
Basic publishing elements
- Editing/Formatting
- Packaging: Creative Design: Cover, Layout, Illustration
- Production: print options – POD/Digital, offset, ebooks, ebook platforms
- Registrations
- Considerations of Setting-up Small Business
- Pricing, Distribution, Fulfillment
- Promotion, Sales, Market Placement
- Social Media Marketing – Online Network Management
- Online Presence, Search Engine Visibility Development
- Experience: Do’s & Don’ts
Related Links:
- Sell- Marketing yourself and your work, promotion and contests
- Writer’s Digest – 101 Best Websites for Writers
- 100 Free Tools to Write, Publish and Promote Your Own Book
- 5 Advanced Social Media Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses
3. You need a platform
“Platform is a big word in publishing. Seriously, it’s a critical component of getting a book sold. It’s so important, in fact, that many experts recommend that you start to build your platform long before you’re ready to submit your book for publication. What is an author’s platform? It’s what helps sell your book. An author’s platform is the way you reach readers. It’s a network, and it’s notoriety. It’s exposure.”
- Lolaness, Build an Author’s Platform: It’s How to Sell Your Book“10 simple steps that will take your visibility from zero to standout in a short time, while also giving you ample opportunities to flex your expertise, carve out your niche topic and connect with your audience.”
Christina Katz, Writer’s Digest – How to Build a Marketing Platform
4. You need a plan
The strategic plan is tailored and built upon the idea of developing a niche strategy focus, from the author’s identified platform and intended audience. Its goal is to direct focused efforts toward the right audience for initial sales and ongoing sell-through.
“…the publishing business is all about marketing, and it’s certainly true that books don’t sell themselves. However, there’s a caveat to the idea that anybody who can market books can start their own publishing house, and it’s that you need a business plan in place that will allow you to make a profit on the books you sell.”
-Morris Rosenthal, Self Publishing: Starting Your Own Publishing House
5. You need help
Fortunately, there is now a “one-stop resource” that you can enlist help from! – The BelieversPress Community.
“BelieversPress is a gathering of Christian authors and an elite team of Christian publishing professionals collaborating to bring the message God has placed in authors’ hearts to touch the lives of millions.”
- If you’re serious about your book, hire a book mentor to coach you and to help in coordination of the publishing process.
- Educate yourself, by engaging and asking a lot of questions, and sharing your own experiences with the group.
- Engage with and enlist help by hiring from the variety of related services of the community.
6. You need to execute your plan
The plan should identify:
- industry professionals and interest “affinity” groups
- spheres of influence, building “word of mouth” viral campaigns
- special sales markets – beyond traditional bookselling/bookseller strategies
- emerging markets to develop new market channel opportunities
- select bookstore markets and current bookseller relationships
The developed plan will detail:
- Focused Research of Audience Demographics & Psychographics,
- Indentified Branding Objectives,
- Writing Schedule,
- Production Deadlines
- Package Planning ,
- Tactics for Promotion & Marketing,
- Sales, Market Placement, and Distribution.
Summary
For independently published authors, there is a lot of advance work that must be done by the author and, their “team” can be of immeasurable value, if they are fortunate to have one as in “the BelieversPress Community.
It is the “same” work and objectives that both traditionally published authors or independently published authors must accomplish.
The traditionally published authors would seem to have an edge as a result of having a “bigger machine” backing them.
-but, based on current sales results, the real effort and scaled back resources of brand name companies are being used to mainly push the “A list” level authors.
Bottom line, whether traditionally published or independently published, authors must take a very active role in promotions of themselves and their work. Those who expect to “just write” and let others “carry the load” will likely not be successful going forward.
Yes, advance planning, and taking part in marketing and promotions can be quite an investment of personal resources…difficult, time consuming… exhausting even… but, the rewards are being able to share your unique message with others, building and enjoying enduring reader relationships, seeing your dreams and passionate objectives become a reality…
…and of course, it is nice to be able to buy groceries…
“… authors who survive will be the ones who find ways to authentically grow their platform and meaningfully reach their readership.” “Communities will decide what books are worthwhile, and communities won’t have ego-filled judgments. Publishers will always be giving their authors one thing that is hard to come by: a measure of instant credibility. (That is: Someone thought this was good enough to take a financial risk on.) In good scenarios, there is also collaboration: to make a good book a great book. But soon, communities will have as much power as publishers to decide what books deserve attention.“
- Jane Freidman, My Big Rant on Self-Publishing, Writer’s Digest
The High Price of Subsidy Publishing
October 16th, 2009 by Nick CiskeIn a recent Publishers Weekly Email Newsletter I saw an ad for a poetry chapbook. It was a ‘boom box’ ad — a big square ad right in the middle of the text — which lists for $1,000. When I clicked on the ad, I was taken to a subsidy publisher’s bookstore… and my heart fell.
The list price of this 48 page chapbook of poetry was… $15.99!
Why such a high price?
$15.99 is the retail price this subsidy publisher assigns to all books under 107 pages, regardless of what the market would charge. You see, this pricing scheme is all about protecting their profit margin on sales (and since they pay per page for POD printing, they set retail price based on page count).
The author makes about $2.50 per sale at this price, but the high price is definitely hurting sales. Much longer poetry books from major publishers sell for $10.99-$13.99. I found one similar poetry book for $16.95, but it was a hardcover!
If you’re self-publishing, you should set the retail price!
The author of this book could have set their own price for the book, for $250 more. Had they reduced the retail price to $12.99 (the lowest option) the royalty would have dropped to $1.00 per book. The author would have to sell 166 books just to pay for the privilege of changing the retail price to something better, but still above the market price for such a short book.
One of the major issues with using a subsidy publisher is the amount of control they exert over your book (even when you’re picking up the tab) — and that they charge you to set the price of your own book! Traditional publishers set the retail price of their books because they are taking all the risk. They decide if a lower price is worth the extra sales it may generate, or if the book warrants a higher price due to the value it brings. Page count is certianly part of that calculation, but definitely not the only one. At BelieversPress, you always set the retail price of your book.
But wait, what about distribution?
Now, since this ad appeared in PW, I’m assuming the author was hoping bookstores would order this book (what author doesn’t?).
In order to have this book distributed, the cost is $500 (a massive markup on their cost). But that’s just distribution — the book would be listed as non-returnable, meaning no bookstore is going to order it unless they have a confirmed order. So you have to add their bookstore returnability program at $700/year (or $1,300 for 3 years).
Assuming they went for a year to test the waters, the distribution tab is now at $1,200 on top of what they paid to have their book “published” by this company. At $2.50 per book, the author has to sell 480 books before they even start paying for the publishing costs (and 280 books per year just to pay for returnability). At $1 per book, it’s 1,200 and 700 respectively.
At BelieversPress, we’ll distribute your Christian book for a one time fee of $150 and that includes returnability!
The high price of subsidy publishing
Before you consider using a subsidy publisher to get your book published, do the math. The package prices may look great, but it’s the hidden dangers that can turn your elation at being “published” to frustration that you have a book that won’t sell.
We’re here to help
Our free Guide to Christian Publishing covers the pros and cons of the various paths to publication. Have you requested your copy yet?
If you’re considering using a subsidy publisher to publish your Christian book, please contact us first — we’d love to help you “do the math” and understand how BelieversPress really stacks up.
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