A coda to yesterday's post… I recently had an academic send me his novel proposal. It came completely cold (that is, we'd never met nor spoken), but on the first page he said in the "competitive works" section that the only thing he could really compare his novel to was THE LORD OF THE RINGS. He seemed like a sharp enough guy, so I wrote back and gave him some feedback. I mentioned that listing one of the ten bestselling fiction series of all time is probably not the best way to do comparable titles.

His response: "Well, THE LORD OF THE RINGS is really the ONLY fiction series that compares to mine. And actually mine is better, but I felt I HAD to include something as a comparison."

Uh-huh. There's certainly no lack of confidence in this guy. I turned it down, since he's not really interested in listening or learning. And because I'm not really taking on new novelists right now. And because, let's face it, he's a horse's ass. A statement like that will get him laughed out of an editor's office. They'll reject him based on hubris alone. (As one editor once said to me when rejecting a proposal, "We love the manuscript, Chip, but I'm afraid the author's ego won't fit into our warehouse.")

>So I noticed one of the popular writing websites was doing a feature where they ask people to send in the best first line of a book they've read, and two people sent in first lines they'd written themselves. That's right — better than Dickens, better than Austen, even better than Edward Bulwer-Lytton's "It was a dark and stormy night." Clearly there's no shortage of confidence among newbie writers!

>Forget the doom and gloom. The 2009 overall sales numbers have now been crunched, and overall book sales were only down 3% from the previous year — that's in a year that had the worst economy since the Great Depression. People are still reading (and buying) books!

>The six largest publishers in the US are negotiating with Apple to create a new (read: "profitable") model for releasing e-books. They're tired of Amazon paying them next-to-nothing for e-rights, and they plan to work with Apple to establish a new business model on the device that Apple is expected to unveil next week. That's good news for authors, who are simply not making any money on all those $9.99 ebooks selling to Kindle owners. 

>The head of Author Solutions (the company that is teaming with other publishing houses to help them sell self-publishing to author wannabes) has created a message on YouTube, inviting the leadership of the writing organizations that are critical to a discussion. CEO Kevin Weiss called for Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, and the Science Fiction Writers Association to dialogue about the role of self-publishing in a changing publishing environment. If you don't know, those organizations tossed out publishers who were now offering self-publishing options — the most notable case being RWA ditching Harlequin, who has been the major sponsor of the organization. It's an interesting debate, and Weiss' message is worth a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnmoWq0m5bY

>The 17th Annual Heartsong Bookclub Awards are out, in which readers vote on their favorite novels of the year. The top five authors this year are Janice Hanna Thompson, Susan Page Davis, Vickie McDonough, Mary Conneally, and Janet Lee Barton. Congrats to all! And, um, I'll point out that four of those five are represented by MacGregor Literary. 

>Thomas Nelson's blogger site www.booksneeze.com is proving to be wildly successful with authors. They offer bloggers a chance to receive books for free if they'll agree to review the titles, and early returns show nearly 8000 bloggers have already signed up.  

>The Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) is not only without a president, but they've just put their headquarters up for sale. Hard times for the organization that brought Christian publishing out of the dark ages. 

>Barnes & Noble has its NOOK, now Borders is going to offer their own devise, the ALEX READER from Spring Design. Word is that Borders, who has been trying to manage their huge debt, is facing serious financial problems. Pray they survive — if only to give B&N some competition. 

>Someone wrote to ask me what I think is the best writers' conference. My response: The Calvin Festival of Faith and Writing. It's coming up April 15 to 17 in Grand Rapids, and this year's speakers include National Book Award finalists John Edgar Wideman, Kevin Young, Sara Zarr, and Gene Yuen Yang, Newberry Award winners Avi and Kate DeCamillo, Pulitzer Prize nominees Richard Rodriguez and Lawrence Dorr, Coretta Scott King Honor winners E.B. Lewis and Sharon Flake, acclaimed filmmaker Laura Waters Hinson, bestselling authors Joshilyn Jackson and Wally Lamb, noted Christian writers Lisa Samson and Eugene Peterson, and the fascinating Parker Palmer and Sarah Miles. There will be notable poets, screenwriters, playwrites, children's book authors, graphic novelists, nonfiction writers, and… well, everything. A fabulous conference. You can find out more at http://www.calvin.edu/academic/engl/festival/

>Speaking of bestselling author Lisa Samson, she is starting a tea shop in Lexington called "Cuppa" that is going to offer a great experience to people who want to sit down and have a nice cup of tea (at the right temperature, steeped for the right amount of time, in the right atmosphere). She's asking people to donate nice teacups, and will have a book that allows the donor to tell the story of each cup. If you've got a teacup you'd like to donate, you can reach Lisa at lisa (at) lisasamson (dot) com. I know she'd love to hear from people with great teacups and great stories! 

>If you're a fan of Lisa, and would like to learn from her, she is teaming up with Susan Meissner to offer a couple writing retreat weekends in 2010. May 7-8 they're going to be in Orlando, offering a weekend entitled "Adding Depth to your Fiction." The two will repeat the experience July 23-24 in Grand Rapids. You can find out more by emailing the person coordinating their writing retreats — Tiffany Colter at tiffcolter (at) gmail (dot) com. 

>And I am teaming up with bestselling novelist Susan May Warren to teach a couple of fiction writing seminars. Writing Bestselling Fiction will be held in Atlanta on Feb 26-27, then again in Portland on April 23-24. Participants will bring their novel and we'll work through what really constitutes a bestselling novel. We'd love to have you join us. The cost is $349, and we can only take a dozen people. Find out more at www.themasterseminars.com

>I had more winning proposals in yesterday's email in-box: "I want top be published what steps do I need to take?" Another was, "Are you looking for a great novel based in truth and my fantasy's?" (I checked to make sure I had these two exactly right.) These were both was tempting, but somehow I was able to resist their siren song… [NOTE TO AUTHORS WHO SENT THOSE EMAILS: "Siren song" is a literary allusion. Ask your mom to explain it to you.]

Denise wrote to ask, "What's the most important thing I need to know about publishing?"

Well, this morning I opened up my email today, and received a message that began: "If you could give me ten minutes of your undivided attention, the information you're about to view will CHANGE YOUR ENTIRE LIFE." 

Well. I certainly could use my entire life changed. (For example, I'd like to be able to dunk a basketball.) But it turns out the author isn't going to make me taller or more athletic, nor is she going to help me glow in the dark or see God. She just wants me to look at her manuscript. And, unfortunately, it's not for a book. It's a play. And, um… we don't handle plays. And it's a "gospel play," though I don't know if that's really a genre. AND the writer is not only looking for an agent, but for "investors."

People wonder why agents and editors sometimes get cynical about projects in their mailbox? This is why. It's like the people who write to tell me about their poetry. I don't represent poetry. There's no way for an agent to make a living selling poetry. Even if I LOVE your poetry, I won't represent it. 

So while the details of my answer to Denise's question might change from day to day, the basic answer remains the same: Learn the industry. Every few days I get a proposal from someone that has been sent to a bunch of agents. We'll all be listed in the "to" line, sort of the publishing equivalent of asking for a date to the prom by posting an ad on Craig's List. A ten-minute search on the topic "how to prepare a query letter" would have helped this person understand that it's bad form to cc every literary agent in America. (Unfortunately, it seems whenever I've tried to educate writers about this practice, they're always cranky. I wrote to someone recently and said, "This is the wrong way to go about getting published. Spend a few hours researching how to do this before you send something out." The response: "And you call yourself a Christian!")

Sandi wants to know, "Do you read the comments people make after your blog posts?" 

Absolutely. I try to read all of them, and I try to respond back to the person, though I'll admit I don't get to everyone. On my last post (which had to do with a list of great books writers should read), the comments were wonderful. Insightful, strong suggestions for other books, good notes about the books I had listed. I find this to be a conversation, and I learn from others.

It's funny, but I've noticed we've been getting strange spamming stuff as comments in older posts lately. I got this sentence last week: "It's not so simply to make a the best already written essays, preferably if you are busy. I consult you to notice buy essays and to be free from query that your work will be done by custom writing service" (no, there was no punctuation on the end of that crappy sentence). Um… I don't even know what that means, though I suspect the author is trying to sell college essays. But who buys from a person who can't even write a coherent marketing sentence? Yikes.

On a favorite topic, Lisa wrote this: "Are you worried about the direction of religious fiction?"

Concerned? No. I'm excited about the direction of Christian fiction. Lisa, you may want to explore the new directions of religious fiction. Start with some authors like Charles Martin, or Lisa Samson. Take a look at Claudia Burney, or read Susan Meissner. Pick up some books from Elizabeth Musser and Penelope Wilcock. You'll discover contemporary stories that deal with the bigger questions of life, not simplistic views with a slapped-on Bible verse. There are all sorts of new directions CBA fiction is heading — thrillers, romance, historical novels, literary fiction, you name it. 

Some of the discussion regarding recent CBA fiction is that it's moved away from its roots. I don't agree with that — I think it has expanded, which is exactly what happens to a mov
ement as it grows and develops. That's not a bad thing. I could argue that, at one time, CBA fiction offered a santized and unrealistic perspective of art. I'm not opposed to doing nice, sweet books (in fact, I represent some of those very titles). But think of it this way: If I were a songwriter, would I always have to write a song that had words praising God? Couldn't I write about love or friends or struggles or the beauty of the Oregon coast? If I were a painter, should I feel constrained to only do religious art — Christ on the cross, the Last Supper, the glory of His return? If I were an actor, is it imperative I only take roles that allow me to be a good guy, a redemptive character? No. This is art, and we're allowed some significant leeway in our artistic calling.

Frankly, I think a lot of the talk about fiction needing to be clean and holy is overblown. Some of the best novels I've ever read have characters struggling with their choices, not always acting redemptively, sometimes making bad decisions. It's the struggle with those choices that offers depth and insight and value to my reading. (And, to be fair, sometimes I read merely to be entertained, so I want action and fun and interesting characters — and I don't see much in the Bible that condemns that desire.)

In all honesty, I feel there is a certain theological perspective, and accompanying behavioral mores, that are sometimes promoted as "good fiction" in CBA, while things many evangelicals are not comfortable with are being discarded as worldly and evil. And I find that a shallow perspective of literature. Art is about letting go, reaching out, and stretching boundaries. The current fear much of the culture has toward rigid evangelicalism is that it's turning into modern day phariseeism — i.e., "If you do THIS, you're a Christian; if you do THAT you're not. If you believe THIS, you're a Christian; if you can't check the correct boxes on our theological chart, you're not a Christian." That's not how I view the faith. I especially don't want my faith evaluated by a list of behavior I don't do. (Maturity isn't found simply in refusing certain things, but in actively doing good.) What's odd is that some people are raising this about fiction at a time when the church is growing in new directions, embracing grace, and understanding that the world needs more than behavioral platitudes and bumper-sticker thinking. So here I am (a Talbot Seminary grad and an ordained pastor), struggling with the direction of modern American evangelicalism and the desire to limit artistic expression. I'm pretty conservative in my theology, but I see the art of writing as stretching beyond the safe boundaries of an ultra-conservative American church.

So let's end with something much more fun. My son sent me this link, which is a hoot:  http://www.11points.com/News-Politics/11_Most_Painfully_Obvious_Newspaper_Articles_Ever

Take a look at the sort of insightful writing you can find in America's newspapers! (My favorites: "Homicide Victims Rarely Talk to Police" and "Death is Nation's Top Killer.") Take a peek and share a laugh with me. 

Jeff Herman just sent me a copy of his JEFF HERMAN'S GUIDE TO BOOK PUBLISHERS, EDITORS, AND LITERARY AGENTS 2010, which is published by Sourcebooks. Many people who read this blog have heard me sing the praises of Chuck Sambuchino's GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS, which is published by Writers Digest Books. It's a book I highly recommend. But Mr. Herman also has a good resource, and I'd be doing him an injustice if I didn't mention it to prospective authors. 

His book includes a section on publishing conglomerates, one on independent US presses, another on Canadian publishers, and a big section on literary agents that is comprehensive and very nicely done. Jeff always asks some offbeat questions, so in addition to the usual stuff ("do you charge fees?" and "what books have you represented in the past year?" and "why did you become a literary agent?"), he asks things like "what are your favorite movies?" and "what do you tell entities from other planets about your job?" and "how wold you describe the editor from hell?" (Really. He asked me all of those questions, plus other interesting ones.) 

After covering all those organizations and businesses, Mr Herman offers a series of helpful articles on writing and publishing. This year's edition has information on "how literary agents work" and "writing the perfect query letter" and "secrets of ghostwriting and collaborating success." It's got info on self-publishing, time management, proposals, rejection, and lots of material on various publishing contracts (including book contracts, agency agreements, collaboration agreements). AND this year's edition has a whole section on independent editors — not only listing them, but offering a couple articles on book doctors and the scams you can run into when trying to work with a freelance editor. Finally, the book offers the most comprehensive collection of writing websites I've ever seen, plus another 18 pages of other good resource suggestions. The whole thing is huge — 1094 pages. But it only costs $29.99 in the US, which I think is a great value for the sheer volume of information you receive.

Frankly, this year's version is great. A big step up from the past (and I liked the past versions). I highly recommend authors have a copy on their office shelves. Jeff Herman has done a great service to every writer who wants to make a living in this business.

Listen to me: I have barked at people recently for sending me bad stuff. But it's not that the writing is bad — it's that the author didn't spend twenty minutes getting to know my industry before writing to me. You may be interested in cooking, but you don't go into a restaurant and start telling the chef what to do unless you're an expert. You may want to get your song performed, but you don't start out by informing the musicians how to hold their instruments unless you have done some study and really know your stuff. Yet every week I get proposals from writers who have written words onto a page, but not taken the time to find out anything about the publishing business. (I usually write them back and tell them to invest a half hour studying the publishing industry before sending out their crud to agents.) Well, this book can help you understand the industry. I think it's a bargain, and a great investment. If you're interested in a career in writing, pick yourself up a copy. 

I'm going to add a coda to what Sandra wrote… One reader wrote to us and argued, "You CAN do something about it. How would you feel if those of us who read this blog would just dump it in our slush pile and get around to it in a couple years? Do unto others, my dear. I just dumped chipmacgregor.com into my slush pile."

Um… here's my response: That's a stupid comment. It suggests we OWE the writer something. You're a writer, I'm an agent, and therefore I owe you a reading. That's just not true. This is a business, and I'll read the writers I think have a potential to do a good job, sell books, and make money. This is not a free editorial service or career guidance office. So put away the thoughts of entitlement and grow up already.

Look, if you read this blog regularly, you probably profit from it. I offer three decades of experience, and I give it away for free on my blog. But do you notice I've never monetized this site? I don't make any money from it. I'm full up with authors, so I don't use it as a recruitment tool. I use this blog to give back to people, since experienced folks invested in me when I was starting. That doesn't make me a hero, but neither does it make me a villain just because I don't give someone what they want.

So…you may want us to read faster, or to get to your proposal in the slush pile, but your wanting it doesn't make it my priority. We're doing the best we can to discover great writers and help them become successful in the industry, and we've got a long track record of succeeding at that task. This blog is a way to try and share some of the experience, for free, with writers. If that's not good enough for the writer of that email… um… I guess you can toss us into your slush pile. I won't lose any sleep.

Oh — and we DO have a reader, by the way, who helps us work through the slush pile. Amanda is my assistant, and she's GREAT at spotting talent!

An interesting piece in today's WALL STREET JOURNAL. If you don't get the printed version, you can read it online, though you may have to register to finish the article.  It's worth it.

Given our consistent position on the importance of marketing, and the last post by our guest, Laura Adams of Storyteller Public Relations, this seemed especially relevant:

"These days, you need to deliver not just the manuscript but the
audience," says Mr. [Jim] Levine [of Levine Greenberg Literary Agency]. "More and more, the mantra in publishing is
'Ask not what your publisher can do for you, ask what you can do for
your publisher.'"

And, personally, given a recent decision I've made regarding my own slush pile (aka query backlog), I was especially struck by the following paragraphs:

The agent says she receives 30 unsolicited e-mails a day from
writers and people she doesn't know who are pushing unknown writers,
and she hits "delete" without opening. These days, she is taking on few
"baby writers," she says, adding that risks she would have taken five
years ago she won't today. "I'll take very few shots on a new voice.
It's tough out there right now," she says.

Book publishers say it is now too expensive to pay employees to read
slush that rarely is worthy of publication. At Simon & Schuster, an
automated telephone greeting instructs aspiring writers: "Simon &
Schuster requires submissions to come to us via a literary agent due to
the large volume of submissions we receive each day. Agents are listed
in 'Literary Marketplace,' a reference work published by R.R. Bowker
that can be found in most libraries." Company spokesman Adam Rothberg
says the death of the publisher's slush pile accelerated after the
terror attacks of 9/11 by fear of anthrax in the mail room.

There was a brief mention in the article about the loss of agents. Add to this that editorial positions
have been downsized and publishing spots have narrowed and you'll see an equation which results in very full in-boxes all over. More work for fewer people with less opportunity for success.

I'm not complaining. It's just the way it is. And I think writers would even agree that digging through the slush pile is just not the most efficient place to look for such success.

We receive the majority of submissions via email, so obviously anthrax isn't a threat. Still, I have consistently begun hitting "delete" when I receive unfamiliar emails. It's not that I don't want to discover the likes of Stephenie Meyer or Judith Guest. We all love a good Cinderella story; the Susan Boyles of the world.

It's just that we don't have a staff of wannabes droning around in the basement culling possibilities from the randomly sent queries we receive. We do have an assistant, Amanda, who has a good eye and helps wade through the submissions we receive from folks WHO FOLLOW OUR SUBMISSION PROCESS. And even then, no promises. I know it stinks and isn't "fair". Sorry. Again, it's just the way it is.

For the last couple years I've retained most of unread queries in a "maybe" file thinking I'd have lull time at some point and could get back through them. All the while,  my "slush pile" has continued to grow, and I have continued going to bed at night feeling behinder and behinder.

I've recently given myself a swift kick in my own behinder, and come to the realization that there is no coming lull. And since I don't have a query fairy who works through the night while I toss and turn, I've decided it's time to burn my slush pile.

I simply feel the need to clear the decks and create more mental space to pursue
success with the authors I already represent and those I'll likely meet
at conferences and via referral in the future.

So, if you've not heard from me to this point in regard to a query you sent sometime in the last two years, the likelihood is that you won't.  Sorry. If I've missed a gem, that's on me. And, if you've found representation or publication after having queried – but not heard from – me, please feel free to let me know –  if that is important to you. I will be nothing but excited for you, and would like to know about your success. 

And if any reading editor might be willing to share a slush pile tale, let me know if you'd like to contribute your thoughts about the process as a guest blogger. 

Sandra

Since Chip is still sunning himself in Hawaii, he asked me to drop by for a guest blog. I'm a longtime publicist in New York. Unlike your agent and your editor, you often can’t choose your publicist. You end up crossing your fingers like a blind date, eHarmony-kind-of-way, hoping that the first date isn’t awkward and the relationship can last…at least until your book pubs. But it doesn’t have to be that way! After having worked inside three different NYC publishing departments, here are my tips for working best with your publisher’s publicist.

Know Your Publicist

This is a bit of a ‘duh’ point, but—know your publicist. Know how they work. Know how they structure a campaign. Know their goals. Know their game plan. Know what they want from you, and know when they want it.

As a writer, you are looking at the culmination of years of writing, editing, revising and cover meetings, and seeing as how the final realization is just months away, emotions are running high and it’s SO EASY for miscommunication to happen. Every publicist runs their campaign differently, so it’s important to know how your publicist works.  Good publicists will lay this all out for you in the first meeting. But if they don’t…or you’re still unclear on certain points, ask them. Here is what’s important:

-Timeline: It’s helpful to know the structure of your publicity campaign. I think it helps manage expectations and nerves.

• 4 to 6 months before publication: This is when the press release and other written material for a press kit are created. This is also when long lead media (ie. magazines, national TV, national radio, some major newspapers) will be sent a mailing and pitched for coverage.

•4 to 2 months before publication: Don’t get nervous if things quiet down, as this tends to be a lull in most campaigns. 

•4 to 8 weeks before publication: This is when things start to rev up, and outreach to short lead media (newspapers, radio, blogs, websites, local TV) begins. Again, this is a general timeline and can change from book to book.

-Contacts: Any personal contact that you have with media is very important. Ask your publicist when (and how) they’d like your media contacts for their outreach.

-Communication: You and your publicist should establish a preferred method to stay in contact. Phone calls or emails? Spontaneous emails or weekly updates? Establishing this right away can greatly decrease the potential for miscommunication and/or annoyance on both you and your publicist’s behalf.

Know Your Niche

A little over a year ago I worked on a cookbook about the “slow food” movement.  Having worked on cookbooks before, I knew which producers at the Today Show would be interested, and I knew which food editors at the New York Times and USA Today covered food and cookbooks. I knew food media. But what I didn’t have was a niche list of media… the specific blogs, websites and publications solely devoted to covering the topic of slow food.  

While my author had been ensconced in this very specific world for years, I had been assigned the book 2 months ago. There’s no way I could know what she knew, and it was honestly a waste of everyone’s time for me to try.  Your publicist can (and should) become an expert on you and your book, what they don’t always have the time for is to become an expert on your niche.

Fortunately for me, I had a fantastic author who understood this and gave me a list of the top blogs and websites that were most influential in the slow food world.  She didn’t have contacts for these blogs, but it didn’t matter because finding the right contact is what I do best. I find the contacts.  I craft the pitch. I know how to get people talking about your book. I just need to know where.

Stay Media-Savvy

Finally, when as an author you suggest,  “I think my book would be perfect for Oprah,” don’t be offended if the publicist seems to swiftly move on to the next topic.

I promise, the next time I hear Oprah’s producers asking for experts on Medieval religious philosophy, I’ll let you know. In the mean time, we’re more effective by focusing our efforts on media that already have an open ear to your message. 

Most publicists will welcome the media pitches you have for your book—just as long as they’re researched. Instead of telling your publicist who you think should cover topics relating to you book, tell them who actually is.  You might think that Vogue should cover your book about the best hiking trails in America, but if NPR just ran a story on the benefits of outdoor exercise as compared to gym workouts, chances are NPR would be much more receptive—and likely—to run a story on hiking.  

The best kind of help is to find actual articles and real interviews (current ones, mind you) to send your publicist. These are the kind of tips that your publicist can use to craft their kick-butt pitches ab
out you and your book.

Your publicist’s job is to stay savvy on the current conversations of various media outlets. And if they have you as an extra set of eyes and ears, you’re going to greatly increase your chances of landing relevant, timely coverage.

Laura Adams has worked on a number of bestselling books during stints at three New York publishing houses in including Grand Central Publishing, Abrams, and Penguin Books. She recently launched Storyteller Public Relations (www.storytellerPR.com) in Arizona, where she currently resides.  

So I'm writing this from Kauai, where it's 80 and gorgeous — a perfect day. (I mention that only because the bulk of the US is experiencing the worst winter in years. Everybody has snow and ice, and they're all miserable. Except me — 'cuz I'm in Hawaii, where it's beautiful.) 

1. Someone wrote to ask, "How do you brainstorm titles?" 

At most publishing houses, they create a "titling committee" — which is often an ad-hoc group of fairly creative types who come together to bat around ideas. Everybody in the room is familiar with the material, so they know what the book is basically about. They start talking about ideas — what are the themes in the book? The images? The lessons? The principal stories? The character traits? The action? The setting? Anything that would help define this book is quickly noted. One person writes those down — often on a whiteboard, so that everybody can see the words. The next step is to begin writing down words that play off that list. All bad ideas are welcome. People will say words that seem appropriate, they'll look for familiar phrases, they'll open a thesaurus in order to find similar or more vibrant words. And all those ideas (the bad and the good) are captured. The goal isn't just to come up with one title, but to come up with several potential ideas (especially ideas that can be used as jumping off points for other ideas). 

For example, I once wrote a book about "why people call psychic hotlines." We couldn't come up with a title that worked, so a group of us sat in a room to brainstorm. We had words like "psychic" and "money" and "grifters" on our list. We wrote down things people say about psychics: "He knew everything about me" and "I can't believe she read my mind." Pretty soon we were creating a list of great words that came up in our discussion: frauds, magic, the future, the X-files, deception. the discussion turned to the way we talk about the stupid TV commercials you used to see, with the Jamaican woman promising to give you insight. Eventually someone used the term we've all heard when discussing emotional manipulaton: mind games. Perfect! We had our title. And that same process gets repeated at publishing houses all over the country. 

2. A nonfiction writer wrote me to ask, "What's the best advice you can give me in order to help me get my book published?" 

That one is easy. The BEST advice? Become a better writer. Often times at conferences I get the feeling there are some people wandering around, hoping someone shares the "secret" to getting published. But it's not really a secret. Every publisher is looking for a great idea, great writing, and a great platform. You may or may not have a great idea in your head. And you may be a well-known celebrity or a complete unknown. But if you can't write, you're going to find this business awfully tough. Because in the normal course of things, publishers aren't buying ideas. (Occasionally, but not normally.) Nor are they going to do a book with you just because you're famous. (Again, it happens occasionally, but not normally. And they're always crappy books anyway.) So the single best thing you can do in order to improve your chance of getting published is to become a great writer. 

Study the craft. Write a lot. Take classes. Attend workshops. Do your exercises. Work with a mentor. Get a group of stud critiquers to help you improve. Make friends with an editor and ask him or her to hack away. Do anything you can to improve your writing…and you'll find you stand a much better chance of getting published. 

3. A novelist asked, "If a new author is committed to a long-term career, but is not yet trying to pay the bills with her writing, does it makes sense to buy copies from a friendly book store (at, say, $1.50 above invoice price) and get the credit toward earning out?" 

My advice: Be careful trying to be too crafty with book purchases. One big-name author (and his agent, who apparently masterminded the whole thing) got into hot water a few years ago for buying cases of his book through a certain bookstore. He did this in order to manipulate public opinion by purchasing enough quantities to get his book onto the best seller list. (And it worked.) They got caught when people noticed there were a ton of orders coming from one store, and figured out what was going on. What you're basically saying is that you're willing to pay more than you need in order to make the book appear to sell more. If you get caught, people are going to wonder if you're honest. Is it worth it?

Aloha! 

I've had a couple dozen people write and ask me about my role and how I got into agenting, so let me start the new year by posting an interview I did a while back with Jeff Rivera at his magazine…

How long have you been an agent, and how did you get your start?

I used to make my living as a collaborative writer, and about 20 years ago I decided I needed to educate myself regarding the industry. So I became the writer at conferences who could talk to authors about contracts and negotiations; about what makes a good proposal; about who is buying what. Soon I had authors asking me to look over contracts, then to help them shape proposals, then with talking to the right people. Eventually I figured out I was working as an agent without actually getting paid for it. I spent three years as the Senior Editor for Harvest House Publishers, then Alive Communications came calling and asked if I was interested in becoming an agent. It took me a nanosecond to say "yes!" I joined them, and spent several years working as a literary agent at Alive (which at the time was the 800-pound gorilla of Christian agents). Eventually became a publisher at Time-Warner. Got into the business early, when there were only about a dozen of us who were qualified literary agents focusing on Christian books. That gave me my start working with a big agency. 

What makes your agency different from any other agency?

There are several things that make me a bit unique, I guess. First, I made my living as a free-lance writer for several years, so earning money as a writer isn't just a vague notion with me — it's a real-world experience. Second, I'm a multi-published author. The idea of putting together a good proposal and buttressing that with strong writing is something I've done for myself as well as others. Third, I have a strong track record — I've done deals with every major publisher, and books I've represented have been on all the major bestseller lists (even hitting #1 on the New York Times bestseller list). Fourth, while every agent seems to parrot an answer about doing "career development," my business sense tells me that most of them can't define what that is. While I was working on my doctorate at the University of Oregon, I had a position as an Assistant Director of the Career Planning and Placement Office, specializing in working with students graduating in the Arts. So I have actual training in helping artists put together a workable career plan. 

What are you looking for specifically? 

It may seem funny, but that's actually a hard question to answer, since I"m not the type who is usually looking for a particular type of project. I mean, right now I'm not shopping for the next Amish novelist, or for someone to do a Christian exploration of Obama. Instead, I'm usually looking for great writing with a strong voice. So my answer is probably "better voice." I see too many things that aren't bad — they're just not outstanding. They don't have a particular voice that stands out and demands to be read. There's a lot of flatness in writing (conferences have a tendency to foster that, by telling prospective authors there is a "right" way to do things), and I'm always interested in the clear, quirky, outstanding voice coming out on the page. 

What are you tired of receiving? 

You'll hate my answer. I'm tired of seeing overly positive pitch letters for novels that aren't very unique, or for nonfiction books by people with no expertise or platform. The vast majority of novels I see are similar, with little to make them stand out. And most NF proposals I see are done by people who have nothing behind them — it's not that the idea is bad, but that there's no vehicle for moving copies, which means the publishers are going to turn it down. And when these come across my desk, they always seem to be introduced by a letter that promises more than it actually delivers. 

How can an author get your attention?

By showing me a big idea, expressed through great writing, supported by a strong platform. And no, that ain't easy. I'd encourage authors to spend the time working on their craft in order to make sure they are great writers. Because here's a secret: Most people reading this aren't great writers yet. I know this because most of the projects crossing my desk aren't great. There are few great writers, and all the great writers I know are published. Therefore, if YOU become a great writer, I'm fairly certain you'll get published as well. So I'd encourage writers to focus on finding their voice, and making sure it's strong, and having a great message to share through that voice. The fact is, voice in writing will always get my attention in a good way. 

How does an author you represent stay in touch without driving you insane?

This isn't usually a big issue for me. I represent a relatively small num
ber of authors, I pick carefully who I'm going to represent, and they become friends. (And no, I'm not sugaring this up for you. It's true — feel free to ask the authors I represent.) Nobody really hates hearing from friends. So I don't get too worried about authors I represent driving me insane. 

What do you wish more writers understood that they don't seem to understand now? 

Just because I work in publishing, and represent authors, and am a Christian, I don't "owe" you anything. If you send me an email and I've never heard of you, there's nothing written that says I owe you consideration, or a rejection, or even a response. I certainly don't "owe" you career advice. I receive a couple hundred emails a day, and while my goal is to represent Christ to people as much as I can, I don't believe there's anything in Scripture that says I somehow owe everyone ten minutes to talk about their book idea. This is a tough business, so while I always aim to be polite (and sometimes I fail), some writers don't seem to understand my role. 

Let's say you're a baker. You're in an industrial kitchen, mixing and testing and baking bread. Do you mind having a tour group come through sometime, to ask you questions about baking? Nope — happy to help others. But if you had a steady stream of people wandering through your kitchen each day, some of whom are rude, some wanting to make suggestions for improving the quality of the bread, and some acting as though you OWED them an answer to all their questions… well, you get to the point where you decide your first job is to make the bread, not to answer every question that comes from a visitor. (If you were a tour guide, you might feel differently. I'm not a tour guide to publishing. I'm an agent. In fact, the only way I make money is by selling my author's manuscript. I don't charge the author a fee, so if I can't sell projects, I can't make a living. So guided tours are a courtesy extended to people because I believe in the process of helping others. But it's not my main job.) Does that help you understand? 

I know, having said this, someone is bound to complain. "Chip doesn't care about authors!" That's rot, of course. But I'd love it if writers, especially newer writers, took the time to educate themselves about the role of an agent, and saw this as my business, rather than as my ministry. 

I took a week off to rest and relax, and now I'd like to tackle a bunch of short questions in 2010. So whatever your question is about writing and publishing, send it to me or post it in the comments section, and I'll get to it in the next few weeks.