Summer Series: Interviews. Stan Guthrie

Stan Guthrie is an author, has worked at Christianity Today, writes articles and edits.

Tell us about your journey toward publication. How did Missions in the Third Millenium come about?

I was a journalist for about nine years with two missions publications: World Pulse and Evangelical Missions Quarterly, so I had been interacting with the people and the issues in the movement for some time. We were part of Wheaton College's Billy Graham Center, and a missions professor asked a couple of us to come to a class discussion of missions trends. So I sat down for a half an hour or so and wrote down the trends I saw and we presented them in class. The presentation was well received, and I later realized that we needed a book on the topic.

Several leaders I respected pooh-poohed the idea, but many others encouraged me, so I went ahead. As someone who had written mainly articles, the prospect of writing a book both daunted and excited me, and I decided to go ahead and write Missions in the Third Millennium: 21 Key Trends for the 21st Century.

It has been appreciated and is in its second edition and is a standard missions text in quite a few schools. I needed an agent to find a publisher; this decision saved a lot of frustration and time for a first-time author.

Recently, you’ve felt the downturn of print media. How are you doing in the aftermath? What lessons have you learned in this interim period?

I've learned it is vital to have a good network and to have a variety of skills and experiences to draw upon. I am constructing a freelance portfolio with writing, editing, public speaking, teaching, radio or podcasting, agenting, and so on.

I've learned that God put me here for a reason and that I can still trust him even though I don't have all the answers. I have experienced both encouragements and disappointments as I try to discern the Lord's leading. I am trying hard to see this as an opportunity to think strategically about my career and not simply a time to panic and grab whatever might be available. It's kind of fun to start over and think about how to build your own career and figure out a way to work for yourself.

But financial realities mean that my wife is looking for a full-time job, so our family life will definitely change. As we move ahead and see what doors are open, it helps to have a great spouse and a great church. We have been touched by the kindness of many.

If you were entering into the mass media field today, what would you do differently?

I'd know technology better than I do and be more open to working in nontraditional areas of journalism. I'd also earn a doctorate so I could teach anywhere.

Tell us why you’re passionate about missions.

I love God and I love people and want to bring them together. The Lord is amazingly beautiful and good and lost people need to find their lives in him. There are so many good things we Christians can do, but it is easy to forget our responsibility to be his witnesses around the world. Missions reminds us that we have a job to do. I received my vision for missions while a student at the University of Florida with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

What do you believe God has uniquely gifted you to write?

The next book! Seriously, I believe God has called and equipped me to be a persuader, someone who urges and encourages others to deeper, more thoughtful faith and action.

I've had special effectiveness writing about missions, about faith issues, and about disability. While I can't do a lot of things well, I've always been a clear and forceful writer, so I look at this as God's gift. I expect that as I continue to grow intellectually and spiritually, I will continue to find new things to write. My latest book, about Jesus, will be published by Baker next year. I cannot imagine writing it even five years ago. God brought me to the place I am now so that I would have something to say and to share with others. He combines our experiences and gifts with our opportunities and passions to produce what people need.

Pitch to me: Pastor's Wives

Steena Holmes said: Hi Mary. I've learnt a lot from your blog, thanks for everything you post on here.

My comments and deletions are in red, additions in green.

Being unforgettable is a hard life to live, but pastors' (possessive) wives do it every day. Sure, they are upfront and presentable on Sunday's (This is not possessive; it's plural), and during the ladies meetings and any other time they have to fill in someone else's (This is possessive) shoes, but every other time they are invinsible (This is mispelled, invincible). (Not sure I'm getting what you're saying here. Not all pastor's wives act this way or do this. Avoid generalizations). As Christians we assume that the mandate for us is different than for our pastors. While it's ok (either OK or okay) for us to place God first, then our marriage (assuming we are married) and then us, we expect our pastors to place the church first, then God, and everything else in between with his family being last. While anecdotal, you need to back this up with real statistics. Some pastors aren't this way, and this would be an offensive thing to read for a pastor like that. Try to avoid making oversweeping generalizations.

From a pastor's wife perspective, I'd like to write a quirky, humurous (mispelled: humorous) but truthful 'story' on what it means for (wrong word here. I think you mean "to") be married to the pastor - who is then married to the church. What do you think?

First, in a pitch, you need to have a title. And a hook. And an audience. All in about fifty words. Who is the audience for this book? Would non-pastor's wives pick it up? Why would they? What about this book makes it unique? What does it teach the reader that she hasn't already known? And what about stereotypes? None of the churches I've been in have these stereotypical pastor's wives.

Also, if you're going to pitch something, or write it out in a query, it must be perfect. No mispellings. No grammatical errors. Run a spell check before you send anything out, and have another set of eyes look at it. Unfortunately, and I know it's not your intention, this pitch comes across as unready. An editor or agent would immediately pass it over because of the errors.

Free Critique Per Week: Who is He?

This comes from Steena Holmes:

I know how important it is to grab the reader and I want to make sure this does it.

Footsteps pounded down the alley forcing him run harder, searching for a place to hide. Five meters ahead lay a large green garbage bin that overflowed with refuse long forgotten. Squeezed between the wall and the bin, he fought back the need to gag and held his breath. Several more footsteps joined in with the first solitary step that he heard. Daring to peek around the corner of the garbage bin, what he saw caused terror to seep through his very being.

There before him stood three vicious looking bikers. One carried a baseball bat; the others looked like they lifted trees for a hobby. He quickly looked around to see if there was any other way of escape. He was determined to become invisible. Having those three thugs find him was definitely not on his ‘to do’ list for the day.

The day was supposed to have been filled with picking up donations for the charitable organization he ran, and having lunch with his fellow colleagues. This morning, armed with a mug of strong black coffee, he settled in for the drive to the city. He forgot the directions to the warehouse back at home, and found himself driving mindlessly around hoping to see a familiar landmark. Instead what he found caused him to run in desperation.

My deletions and comments are in red. Additions in green.

Footsteps pounded down the alley forcing him run harder, searching for a place to hide. Five meters ahead (Is he in the USA or Europe? If USA, he'd use yards.) lay a large green garbage bin that overflowed with refuse long forgotten. (If someone's running and looking for a hiding place, he'd not take note of "refuse long forgotten." Too poetic for a suspenseful scene.) Squeezed between the wall and the bin, he fought back the need to gag and held (awk. because you have "to" here which seems to indicate a series, to gag, to hold) his breath. Several more footsteps joined in with the first solitary step that (You can often get away with deleting "that"). he heard. Daring to peek around the corner of the garbage bin, what he saw caused terror to seep through his very being. (If this is the beginning of a book, you'll want to name "he"; otherwise, the reader will feel extremely distant from your protagonist.)

There before him stood Three vicious looking bikers stood before him. One carried a baseball bat; the others looked like they lifted trees for a hobby. He quickly looked around to see if there was any other find a new escape route way of escape, determining to . He was determined to become invisible. Having those three thugs find him was definitely not on his ‘to do’ list for the day.

The day was supposed to have been filled with picking up donations for the charitable organization he ran, and having lunch with his fellow colleagues. (This sentence needs to be reworked without was, ran, and monotony. How about: This morning, the day held promise--picking up donation for his charity and having lunch at Maggio's.) This morning, armed with a mug of strong black coffee, he settled in for the drive to the city. He forgot the directions to the warehouse back at home, and found himself driving mindlessly around hoping to see a familiar landmark. Instead what he found caused him to run in desperation.(This flashback slows the action waaaay down. Instead play the whole thing out in real time. Start his day, then plunge him into the action.)

Summer Series: Interviews. Randy Ingermanson

Thus begins a new summer series for the next few weeks on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. I also need some more Pitch to Me projects and Free Critique Per Week items. Feel free to send them my way.

We're kicking off the interview series with a bang. Randy Ingermanson writes one of the best blogs out there about fiction in the world. Enjoy!

1. Who has been the most influential person in your writing? Why?

Good question. I'd say the best writing teacher I've had was Sol Stein, who used to run a small writing group in Laguna Beach years ago. I wasn't in his group very long, but I learned to think like Sol.

The writers who've influenced me most have been:

* Ken Follett--who showed what you can do when you put your reader
right inside a character's skin.
* J.R.R. Tolkien--who showed what you can when you're not limited by reality.
* Chaim Potok--who showed that fiction about religious people can be
done in a way that neither puts down the religious nor preaches to
the nonreligious.

2. You've spoken/written a lot about Total World Domination. Define that. How close are you?

Total World Domination means being able to write full time. Here is an ugly truth: Writing doesn't pay well. Here is another ugly truth: You need money to live. Here is another ugly truth: Time is money. Here is the last ugly truth: Writing takes time.

So when I talk about wanting to achieve Total World Domination, I mean that I want to find a way to earn me a decent living, leaving me enough time so I can write. This doesn't necessarily mean that my writing by itself must earn me that living. It probably won't. But something needs to pay my bills, and since I am the sole support of my family, Total World Domination is not going to happen unless I take action and make it happen.

Accordingly, several years ago I took a step back from writing and put together a 7-step plan to reach a self-sustaining revenue stream that will support my writing habit and free up my time to write. Part of this involves creating passive income. Part of this means paying down debt to reduce living expenses. I am nearly done with step 5. When I finish it, I will move on remarkably) to step 6 which will create a new marketing platform for my books.

I know this sounds a little fuzzy. I prefer to leave it that way, because the things that will work for me are not the things that will necessarily work for someone else. What every writer needs, though, is their own personalized strategic plan for achieving Total World Domination. For some writers, that just means having a working spouse to support them. That is a perfectly wonderful path to Total World Domination. But for others, it needs to be a bit more complicated. Shoot for the least-complicated plan that will actually work.

The alternative is to live forever fist to mouth, desperately trying to find time to write a little, and never having the time, energy, and money to do what you really want to do. I tried that for several years and found it both exhausting and depressing.


3. Knowing what you know now about the publishing journey, what would you tell newbie you now that you're wise?

Three things:
* Study your craft
* Study how the publishing industry works
* Make a set of strategic goals for your career and create a
strategic plan to get there

4. Can you give us a formula for success? (Since you're a physicist, this shouldn't be too hard.)

E = m c-squared.

That worked for Einstein.

For the rest of us, I think you really need to get control of your time, your energy, and your money. If those are out of control, your whole life will be out of control, and then success will be a matter of luck. If those are in control, then success will be a matter of whether you actually have talent. The fact is that you probably do have talent (otherwise, why would you want to be a writer?)

Pardon me for a moment--I feel a rant coming on . . . I've talked to a fair number of Christian writers who believe that Jesus will be their marketing director. All they have to do is write, and Jesus will turn them into stars. I am a huge, huge fan of Jesus, and he is definitely on my team. I talk to him every morning. But Jesus is not going to do your marketing for you. He does not type your manuscripts, go to writing conferences, meet with agents, or change your cat's diapers. You do. Why do (a few) writers believe that the only thing Jesus is good at is marketing??? That feels horribly sacrilegious to me. Yes, Jesus will be there with you when you
market your work, but he is not going to write your press releases or put together your web site or blog for you. It's your job to do that. Never, never, never sigh wistfully and say that it's OK with you if Jesus doesn't make you a star, because you're just writing for him. If you're writing for him, then act like it's important to you and do the marketing, because that ain't his job, it's yours. OK, that's the end of my rant. If the rant fits, wear it.


5. What three things about writing does every writer need to know?

1) For fiction, the only important thing is to give your reader a
powerful emotional experience.

2) For nonfiction writers, your goal is not to inform, your goal is
to entertain.

3) Most writers are bad at math, so if they ask for three things and
you give them only two, they probably won't notice.

--
Randy Ingermanson
Publisher, Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com/blog

Summer Series: Interviews. Rachelle Gardner

Today we have Rachelle Gardner, literary agent, answering some of my good & goofy questions.

You can meet Rachelle here and here and twitter her at twitter.com/RachelleGardner.


1. What one piece of advice would you give to an aspiring writer who is actively pursuing an agent?

Make sure that your work is absolutely as good as it can be prior to seeking representation. It's best to get another set of eyes on it, preferably someone objective who will give you helpful input. If you're writing fiction, make sure you have a completed novel, edited and ready for prime time. If you're writing non-fiction, don't query until you have a completed, professional book proposal and 2 to 3 sample chapters available.

2. What’s been the most surprising thing for you as you’ve agented?

I hate to say it, but I'm surprised by the number of people who query with work that is not close to publishable level. Writing is an art and a craft, and it takes years of practice to do it well. But somehow, many people don't know this, and it shows in the queries I receive. I realize it's very difficult to get good feedback, and writers often simply don't know whether their work is publishable because they don't have anyone to tell them. But I still find it surprising how many people send work that isn't anywhere near ready.

3. Describe your ideal client.

That's a tough one because I truly enjoy working with all kinds of people. Some writers need more frequent interaction and input, and some don't; I'm okay with both styles. Some want to discuss and strategize their long-term career plans, and I love doing that; but some don't need that. Ideally, a client communicates well with me and is not afraid to ask as many questions as they want, because I don't read minds and I don't always know what's on each of my clients' minds! Perhaps the most valuable trait of the ideal client (besides writing great books) is having realistic expectations of the publishing process, and the patience and persistence to see it through.

4. Tell us about your own journey of publication.

I'd been working in publishing for a few years when I had my first child and left my in-house job to freelance as an editor and consultant. That's when I got my first job as a collaborative writer (ghostwriter). I worked with a prominent yoga-therapist and a physician from UCLA, and wrote a book called Yoga Rx which teaches about using yoga to heal all kinds of injuries and illnesses. It was a long and difficult process, but the book has been in print seven years now and has done very well. I went on to ghostwrite seven more books, including The Secrets Women Keep by Dr. Jill Hubbard (a psychologist you can hear on the New Life Live radio program with Stephen Arterburn), and Holy Yoga (a Christian yoga book) by Brooke Boon. I'm currently working on book proposals for a couple of books that hopefully will the first published under my own name.

5. Create a soundtrack that typifies your life as an agent (5 songs). :-) Why those songs?

Okay, I'll give you some favorites from my iPod.

(1) "How Great is Our God" by Chris Tomlin. My life and my work are all because of God -- his love, his grace, his mercy. I do everything in his strength! I dedicated my career as an agent to him from the first day, and pray for his guidance and blessing constantly. Our God is awesome and I praise him!

(2) "Time of My Life" by David Cook. I'm a huge D.C. fan! This song says, "I'll taste every moment, live it out loud, I know this is the time..." I'm having the time of my life being an agent, and I know this is what God had planned for me. We don't have any time except NOW, so I'm trying to live it to the fullest.

(3) "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera. Starting as an agent during the most challenging time in the history of publishing, I really need a fighting spirit to keep going! This isn't an easy job, and it can be tempting to give up. But the challenge, like the song says, "...makes me that much stronger, makes me work a little bit harder, makes me that much wiser..." I thank God for making me a fighter.

(4) "Snowed Under" by Keane. (This could also be "Avalanche" by David Cook.) Pretty self-explanatory, I guess! I've had a lot of jobs in my life, but I find this one to be the most all-consuming. I usually feel pretty snowed under, and rather than hoping it will someday be different, I'm learning to live with it.

(5) "My Life Would Suck Without You" by Kelly Clarkson. I apologize to those who don't like the wording of this title. But to all the writers out there... YOU are why I chose to be an agent. You're the reason I love books and publishing! I'm a lifelong lover of the written word, and I can't imagine my life without it. So... write on!

Here are three of the books Rachelle has written:

Yoga Rx:

Secrets Women Keep:

Holy Yoga:

Summer Series: Interviews. Michael Hyatt

Today we have a really amazing treat. The CEO of Thomas Nelson, Michael Hyatt, answers my questions. You can find him here. Or twitter him here.

Tell us your journey of publication. (I happen to know you’re writing a book right now. How did that come to be? What else have you written?)

My first book was The Millennium Bug (Regnery Press, 1998). It almost didn’t get published. I was turned down by 30 publishers. Then Regnery called me a month before publication and said there wasn’t enough demand to warrant printing the book. I was able to talk them into printing 2,500 copies. The publicist they assigned me wouldn’t return my phone calls. When I complained to the publisher, they assigned another publicist who agreed to try and get me on a few radio shows.

That worked—big time. Six weeks after publication, the book hit the New York Times business bestsellers list, where it stayed for seven months. Since that time, I have written three more books. I am currently writing a new business book called The How of Wow. It will be published by SimpleTruths this fall.

Also, I started blogging in 1998—before anyone called it blogging. I just noticed that if I changed on the content on my home page, I got more traffic. I blogged on and off until 2003, when I decided to get serious. Now, I typically blog four to five times a week (sometimes more, sometimes less).

What kind of career journey have you taken? What brought you to Thomas Nelson?

I started working in the publishing industry in 1978, when I was a senior at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Word Publishing was also headquartered in Waco, and I started there as a salesman. I intended to go to seminary and become a pastor. However, I fell in love with the book business and never left.

I worked at Word for six years and then moved to Nashville to join Thomas Nelson. I stayed two years and decided to launch out on my own with Robert Wolgemuth, who was my boss at Thomas Nelson. We started Wolgemuth & Hyatt Publishers in 1986, which we sold to Word in 1991. The two of us then became literary agents. We represented several high profile Christian authors, including Gary Smalley and Joni Eareckson-Tada.

I sold my half of the business to Robert in 1998 and rejoined Thomas Nelson as the Associate Publisher of the Nelson Books division, one of about 13 divisions at the time. I became the publisher of that same division in July 2000 and a group publisher (over several divisions) in 2002. I was become the President of the entire company in 2003 and the CEO in 2005.

If you were a struggling writer, setting out today to get published, what would seasoned you tell newbie you?

Don’t give up. Be persistent and, whatever you do, keep writing. It takes a while to find your voice. In the meantime, you can build a platform. Between blogging, social media, self-publishing, it’s never been easier to get get your message out. It’s also never been easier to build a platform. I’m not saying it’s easy; just easier. We now have tools and options at our disposal that were not possible even five years ago.

How do you create/establish balance between your career and your family life?

I haven’t always done this well. It’s still a struggle. I think it starts by being intentional about your life, deciding what your priorities are, developing a plan, and then having people who love you hold your accountable. I have written about this in a post on my blog called, “Creating a Life Plan”

Describe the perfect project—in other words, what kind of proposal gets acquisition’s editors excited?

The best proposals have three components: First, they have a compelling premise that can be stated in 60 seconds or less. We often refer to this as “an elevator pitch,” something you could repeat to someone in the time you have with them on a short elevator ride. Second, they have a distinct voice. The author writes well and is able to “turn a phrase” or “paint a picture.” Third, they have an identifiable market. The author knows precisely who the market is (hint: it’s not “everybody”) and how to get to it. Fourth, they are written by an author with a platform. This doesn’t have to be a traditional platform—television, radio, magazine column—but it helps if they have online readers, followers, “friends,” etc.

What’s the best piece of writing-journey advice you’ve heard?

Write every day. The more you write, the easier it gets. There are still days when I struggle, but it is easier than ever to get it out of my head and onto the page. I try not to over-think it. I just get in the zone and WRITE. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s any shortcut to this.

Aside from family members and Jesus, who is your hero? Why?

I don’t just have one hero; I have many. In fact, I have examples in every area of life. One of my business heroes is Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple. I think he is a good example of someone who is committed to creating wow products that blow people away. He is not content to be “pretty good.” He is not even content to be better than his competitors. He has an entirely different standard. He also demonstrates the courage to be the best. That inspires me.

Please give five tips that’ll help today’s writer become remarkable to publishers.

1. Read widely. You can’t be a good writer—or find your own voice—without reading a lot of other people’s work.

2. Attend a writer’s conference. I went to one two months ago as a speaker but also an attendee. The protracted focus on honing my craft was invaluable.

3. Write daily. I’ve already covered this, but practice makes perfect.

4. Engage in social media. It will help you improve your writing and develop your tribe. You need both to be successful.

5. Embrace criticism. Especially at the beginning. You can learn the hard way or you can learn the easy way. The easy way is to go to school on other people’s experience.

From me to me

Dear Naïve Me,

You’re going to work harder at this thing you’re passionate about than you initially thought. Set some boundaries. Keep sabbath as sacred. Trust God for projects. Don’t give into despair. Cultivate hope when things feel hopeless. Seek God’s face in every way.

Decide now about your professional parameters with folks of the opposite sex. Don’t shun, of course, but also create suitable, confident lines.

Don’t assume everyone in the business is following Jesus closely. Assuming will lead to heartache. Take folks at face value.

Keep a teachable, humble, bent-knee heart alive. When you feel you’ve been unjustly treated, seek to have the discipline of silence, just as Jesus had before His accusers. Trust that God holds your reputation. He sees. Place your reputation in His capable hands. There will be folks who don’t like you, even hate you, for your ideas, your words, your position. Don’t let the
naysayers muddy your mission. Listen to critique, but also know when to shrug off attack. Remember the verse: "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way” Luke 6:26. And remember this too: Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12).

Trust in God, not the dollar.

Hope in Him, not contracts.

Keep your head on straight, your heart tender, your skin thick. Have dirty hands, messing in the lives of others who need a touch from Jesus, but keep your heart clean of the sin of pride. He is God. You are not. And any fame you receive is simply to make God famous.

Love,
Older, Wiser Me
Mary E. DeMuth

Dear Me: Julie Dearyan

Dear Young and Naive Me,

I know right now you are stuffing your rejections in your Hope Chest and calling the chest, your "hopeless" chest.

Know two things.

1. You are writing enough to actually send things out even if they are rejected--this means you are writing more than the average person who "wants to write". This in itself is good.

2. Rejection is simply redirection. It's a good thing and will guide your career (I know you are laughing hysterically right now but hear me out) rejection will eventually help you.(Okay, you can get up off the floor now)

Believe it or not, writing is not hopeless. Yes, it will take longer than you cnimagine to get published but after awhile, it will happen.

Just remember, in the end, getting your name on a book might be fun but that doesn't validate your existence. Right now you know why you are writing--because you have to write. You will go through a time in a few years where you might get off track a bit but God will help you get back where you need to be. Stay focused on why you write and for Whom you write and you'll be okay.

Keep writing because you love to do it. Don't stop! And guess what, I already know for sure you won't.

Yours!

An Older and Not Really That Much Wiser But I'm Trying Me
Julie Dearyan

__._,_.___

Letter to me, Continued

Dear Younger Me,

Don't be too ambitious to make your mark on the world. Embrace the waiting seasons as God's refining times. He is only trying to extract from you that which the enemy wants to use against you.

Humble yourself during the character cleansing seasons and in due time, Jesus will lift you up and bless you before a watching world.

Learn your craft, embrace the process, and understand your personal mission. Don't run after every publishing opportunity out there; be true to how the Lord has designed you.

Don't feel the need to qualify your level of achievement. You are where you are. So be there. No need to overstate it. No need to look down because of it. Never commit the sin of comparison because it only produces bad fruit.

Love your process. Embrace your story. Trust in the Lord. And remember, He's the One you serve. Never forget to remember that it's His Kingdom you are building, not your own.

Celebrate the small victories though they're always coupled with other battles. Don't be afraid to stand alone. Guard tenaciously your quiet times, family times, exercise times, and personal times. Somehow, some way, you'll still get everything done.

Be at peace every single day because the Lord has, and will continue to be, good to you.

Your Pal,

The older and somewhat wiser Susie Larson

Upcoming conference in Dallas area!

Christian Writer's Conference
Saturday, July 25th, 2009
9:30 am ˆ 3:30 pm
Advanced and Beginner Tracks

"What I learned on the Way to the Publisher" - Dr. Gene Getz
" Fleshing Out Fabulous Fiction" - Mary DeMuth
" Organizing and Developing Your Non-Fiction Book" - Jody Capehart and Karol Ladd
" The Secret to Great Writing" - Helen Hosier
" Expand Your Message" - Kerby Anderson
" Brand Power" - Allison Bottke
" Speaking of Books-10 Speaking Tips that Boost Book Sales" - Kali Schnieders
" Writing Skills - Panel Discussion - Answers from the Experts
and much more...

Chamberlain's Steak and Chop House
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Including Fabulous Luncheon and Materials
Early Bird Special $50.
by July 19th, $60. after July 19

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Register Online: www.RoaringLambsMinistries.org or
Mail Check to: Roaring Lambs
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Letters to me, continued

Dear Me,

You want to what? Are you nuts?

Signed,

Me

Seriously, I don't think I'd advise myself to do anything different than I have. I've grown closer to the Lord through the frustrations of this business. I've learned my craft through hard work so I'd offer Him my best and not my leftovers. I've learned to trust Him with the more, both with the results of my work and my life.

God led my journey so well and linked me with my bffs (my CPs) that Ihonestly wouldn't trade or change a thing. In fact, if anyone had told me it would take so long to get good enough to be published, and then it would still take more time, I probably never would have started, so
that's why I wouldn't tell myself to do anything different.

I'm really glad you raised this question, Mary, because it made me realize how very thankful and blessed I am for and IN the journey.

Ane Mulligan

anemulligan.blogspot.com

This Week: A Special Treat: Letters from Old Us to Young Us

This week we'll be breaking up the flow a bit to feature letters--where writers who are now established write letters of advice to their younger, naive selves. Today's letter features Stacey Shannon.

Dear Past Stacey,

First, I will tell you that you are better than you think you are. You have the education you need to pursue freelance as a career. Do not doubt yourself so much. Just trust that God will open the right doors in the right time.

Second, I will tell you not to take things too personally. There are just some people who will never be pleased with what you do no matter how great of a job you do. You must learn to accept this. Not everyone in the world has to like you, and it's quite all right if they don't.

Finally, don't stress so much. There will be an ebb and flow. Learn to appreciate the busy times and enjoy the slow times. Don't feel guilty for being able to take afternoon off here and there when the workload is lighter.

Above all, hang in there and keep going. You have been blessed with a wonderful support system. Thank God daily you are able to follow your dreams.

Sincerely,

Future Stacey

Stacey A. Shannon, M.A.

http://www.writtencreations.com

Pitch to me: The Kid's Column

Dear Mary,
I recently found your blog and so much appreciate your comments to those who have sent in their pitch for their book. I am working on a book as well and here is my pitch:

Mary here: My comments and deletions are in red. Additions in green.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that there are approximately 148.8 million parents. (Whatever you do, when you're talking to an editor, don't start with Census Bureau stuff. Get right to the point.) Almost one-third of U.S. parents have a surprisingly low-level knowledge of typical infant development, according to research from the University of Rochester, and even fewer know how to guide their children once they enter into elementary school. (This is good information, but it should go in a proposal. To see proposal format, you can go here to purchase a tutorial.)

“The Kid’s Column ~ A Mom’s Discoveries of How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Child,” is a book which consists of columns I wrote for a La Jolla, CA newspaper distributed to the city of La Jolla, California which has a population of 43,000 (In a pitch, make it short and succinct. This information comes out later, after the editor expresses interest. Get to the point. Who is the audience? Why is this book unique? And for a compilation of columns you have to ask yourself what the hook is? How do you tie it all together?). The column includes topics such as: “Standing up Against Bullying Among Our Children,” “The Vaccination Choice,” “Reasons for Moms to Work Full Time,” “How Much is Too Much for Our Kids?” and “Santa is Real and Other Lies We Tell Our Children,” among many other topics of parenting. (A pitch is typically about 50 words. So you'll need to edit out all this superfluous information. What is the crux of this book? Why should people buy it? Why would they need this book? These are the kinds of questions to answer).

The columns are geared toward parents who have children in elementary and middle school. Kids this age (Be careful about making sweeping generalizations about such a wide swath of kids. There are three demographics here. Elementary, Tweeners, and Teens. All three have different needs and struggles. Plus you are not gearing your book to them. They aren't your audience. The audience is parents of school-aged children.) are finding their way in life and books are not as clear as how to direct parents on how to raise a well adjusted child (Here we get the essence of the book. It's a book about how parents can raise a well-adjusted child. That should be the first thing you share.). The articles (I would not use the word "articles." It will make editors scared a bit. They get a lot of column compilations, and usually steer clear of them unless there is some sort of overarching theme. I wonder if you even need to mention that the chapters emerged from you column.) are packed with quotes from other parents and professionals who are experts in the field as well as examples from my own family experiences. The book would be a quick and easy read, including chapters written in a little more than a thousand words allowing parents to read the articles at their leisure, during small available moments in a their busy day. This last part should be reserved for the proposal. If I were to rewrite your pitch, it would go something like this:

How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Child is a book for parents who long to see their children released into the world as healthy, happy, mature adults. Chock full of expert advice, relatable stories, and hard-won wisdom, this book appeals to parents of school-aged children. An accessible and easy-to-digest book, How To Raise a Well-Adjusted Child is the perfect complement for those living life in the trenches of parenthood.
_______

The book title is still a “working title.” Thanks so much for your time and any feedback!
Most Sincerely,
--
~ sharon smith
http://sharonmsmith.blogspot.com/

Free Critique per Week: IronMakeover

IronMakeover: As an Overweight Mom I Battled Fear, the Clock and Expectations to Become an Ironman Triathlete… Come Along for the Ride.

** This paragraph opens my running background section.


My feet are ugly. I grew up running our neighborhood barefoot, loving the cool slap of the evening sidewalk under my skin and swearing I ran faster in the moonlight. My bare feet took me anywhere: walking across gravel, no problem; riding a bike barefoot, easy as pie; across the hot summer blacktop, fine but dirty.

Here's my critique. Additions in green. Deletions and comments in red.

My feet are ugly (Wonderful first sentence). I grew up running our neighborhood barefoot, loving the cool slap of the evening sidewalk under my skin and swearing I ran faster in the moonlight.(Although I'm not against run on sentences for effect, the last part of this made me stumble. The fix? Maybe ending the first sentence with "skin." Then: If anyone asked me, I'd swear to this truth: I run fastest in the moonlight.) My bare feet took me anywhere--(An em dash make more sense here) walking across gravel, no problem; riding a bike barefoot, easy as pie; across the hot summer blacktop, fine but dirty. I love the voicing here, love the visuals you bring in such a short amount of space. You're off to a terrific start!

My memoir's video trailer is live!

I’m excited to announce the release of my memoir’s book trailer today. Zondervan did an amazing job with it, in conjunction with LifeFocus TV.

Thin Places was excruciating to write, delving into sexual abuse, illicit drug use by parents, neglect. But all that with the backdrop of the sovereignty and beauty of God. The video captures a hint, or foretaste of the book. It releases in January.

Please be praying that the Lord would use this story of a changed life (mine) to touch many.

Here’s the link to the trailer.

Let me know what you think!

TWC: The Cost

Today's post comes from author Virelle Kidder who writes about the cost of our writing journey.

"What it Costs to be a Writer"

After publishing for about ten years, I received two devastating rejections in one spring. The editor of my favorite magazine said, "Too journalistic. I'm sorry." The other responded, "This wasn't what we thought you’d write."

I wanted to quit. Just give up the whole thing. Alone with God in the wee hours of the morning, I wept and prayed with my Bible and journal open. God gave me a reason to keep going that unleashed my writing life.

I wrote down what writing had actually cost me. A lot.

It cost time, and lots of it. An article took weeks. And a book? Months, even years.

It cost self-discipline, which translated as a second cup of coffee at the computer instead of the newspaper.

It cost time with friends, very hard for this sanguine. Most of my hobbies, like quilting and crafts, went out the window, too.

Why on earth did I ever want to write? The list depressed me. Maybe I should just give up. So I asked God, "Do you want me to stop writing, Lord? I could make more money selling real estate, You know."

He reminded me how much I had already been paid.

Had I forgotten the pastor from Australia who sent my articles to remote churches in the outback? How about others printed in Uganda, Portugal, Poland, Germany, and the Caribbean islands? Written words take wing around the world. Some might pay for that privilege. Did I not value the ministry of words?

Writing for Christian markets forced me to study the Scriptures regularly. Was that not priceless?

How about the joy of obedience? Would I dump my calling over two rejections? I sat ashamed and silent, looking at the Bible on my lap.

Where did this little verse in Colossians come from? "Complete the work you have received in the Lord." (Col. 4:17)

That's it? Just get the job done? Write for His lambs, write for a hurting world, write for those thirsty for encouragement. Would that be enough? The Lord whispered.

I guessed I could do that. In fact, I couldn't imagine doing anything else. So what if my work flopped once in awhile? So what if I'm not a huge best seller? If God is pleased with me, I'll keep going writing the best I possibly can until He yells, "Enough!" Then I’ll stop.

Incidentally, both rejected pieces sold the next month.

Marketing Worries?

I wrote a post today about marketing that pretty much highlights my heart in the matter. I'm curious what you think. Read it here.

AFP: Susan Meissner on Giving it to God

Today's amazing post comes from an amazing novelist, Susan Meissner. You will love her words because she has such a beautiful heart!

****

Before I came home from the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, I was sensing a tremendous urging to lay down (again!) my writing career at the feet of my Father God. I have done this before, back before I was published, when I very much wanted to be published and it seemed like I never would be. I simply had to release my hold on the agenda I had for how
I wanted my writing career to unfold. And I had to be honestly okay with nothing changing. God did some nice things for me, maybe in response to that act of surrender, maybe not. Sometimes He blesses us by doing nothing different.

Now that I have some books out in the marketplace, I struggle with the same frustrations as I did before: doubt, envy, disappointment, and more of the same. And so up in the mountains, I again unburdened myself of my weighty expectations for my career as a writer. Not an easy task. We are daily advised to own our career paths, to be aggressive and pro-active. Laying down something so important to me was hard. But here's the thing. I am still ferocious about my goal to be a skilled writer who makes a difference.

That's the part of this equation I can control and must. What happens - or doesn't happen - with the public pages of my efforts lies outside my control. Envy, doubt, disappointment won't change what lies outside, they will only change me. For the worse. So I have begun anew to concentrate on being the best writer I possibly can be. That goal itself can certainly take every spare minute I have.

And hey, five years down the road, I would REALLY like to

1. Be that writer who has consistently honed the craft.

2. Not need to lay down again the burden of unmet expectations, because for the last five years, I would've not grabbed them back up again!

This is of course, not a prescription for anyone else, but if peaceful surrender is something God is wanting to teach you, then I am happy to share the Rx with you. :-)


Susan Meissner

www.susanmeissner.com