The changing publishing landscape

Early last week, Love Inspired Historical announced that their line would be closing in June of 2018 after their final contract has been fulfilled.

This rocked the publishing community that is LIH—and it’s readers. We’ve seen a lot of shaky foundations in our Christian publishing world in the last handful of months and to have one of the major publishers of such a high volume of Christian fiction decide to close one of their branches, we all felt the guillotine looming that much closer.

This has followed on the heels of Family Christian Stores shutting their doors—for good.

Harvest House closing down their fiction line, following in the steps of Abingdon Press, Moody’s River North and B&H.

We’re seeing more and more displaced editors turn to agenting and more and more of the remaining houses, trimming back on their acquiring lists and their volume/output.

It’s hard, as a newbie writer to not become discouraged and wonder if traditional publishing is in the cards for them.

And it’s hard for the published author with the contract in hand, to wonder if this is the last time this house will publish their book and when they will get the news that their house is throwing in the towel.

It’s a discouraging business when looked through the lenses of numbers, production, and opportunity. And it’s easy to get wrapped up in writing for the market, striving, crunching the numbers and wishing upon a star that you’ll get that all-elusive publishing contract and keep it.

It’s discouraging to live your dream at times, isn’t it?

Publishing is all about production and in the midst of the changing landscape, we forget and lose

sight of the fact that we’re dreaming and driving towards a dream that is too important to give up.

And we absolutely shouldn’t.

You might be shaking your head as to why I’m telling you not to give up.

And here’s why: this dream is bigger than you. It’s bigger than the changing publishing world. It’s bigger than what feels like one more damning flaming arrow against the fortress that has always been our beloved goal.

And it still should be your beloved goal.

Why?

Because God’s idea of this publishing dream for you is not defined by what publishing is or is not doing at this point. What houses are or are not publishing fiction. What genres are hot and which ones are ice cold.

What I’m saying to you might seem a stretch and like irresponsible planning, but I’m here to tell you: if you write for the market or the remaining publishing houses or any house that decides to make a go of it, you’ll write without purpose.

Because those opportunities fade. Another writer who’s better and published more than you will take the spot you’ve been aiming for and you’ll grow discouraged and beaten down.

Here’s the thing with writing for publishing: trust that God’s got this. He’s got you and your book—wherever that leads you. It doesn’t matter what the publishing world is doing around you, because when the time is right and the story is ready, you’re going to be published. I promise you that.

Here’s the thing: your dream is God breathed and God doesn’t follow the rules of publishing. He’s got His own blueprint and it’s a sight better than anything we strive to create on our own.

So that story you’re writing? Keep at it. It might not be on your specific timetable or what you thought were your specific expectations, but I promise if you surrender this story to God, it’s going to flourish. And so will you.

Take heart, dear writer. Yes, these are interesting and uncertain times, but we absolutely and irrevocably serve a certain and true God. 

CLICK TO TWEET:

It doesn't matter what happens in #publishing. If you're meant to #write this story, you should: http://bit.ly/2qqfzpr @C_Herringshaw 

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Casey Herringshaw is a homeschool graduate and has been writing since high school. She lives in colorful Colorado where she gets to live her dream stalking--er--visiting with her favorite CO authors. 

   

   

When Less Really IS More

We all know some glaringly obvious places where less is more.


Perfume....

Makeup... (although depends on who you talk to...)

Stress...

But what about our writing life?

I've been contemplating the concept lately, because it feels like I'm always feeling the pull to DO more and BE more, but as I strive to do so, it doesn't feel like I have more of anything except items on my to-do list.

We need a BIGGER platform, MORE books MORE frequently. We're told to post more, blog more, write more, network more, market more. We're given so many different social media sites to keep up with to help do all that--but it just burns us out and in the end, can be counter productive.

I've long been a avid fan of the concept of WORKING SMART.

Have you ever had a job where there is that one employee who works ALL the time? They come in early, leave late. They are constantly stressed. Everyone thinks, WOW, what a good worker are THEY. But then they leave the company due to burnout... and their replacement is hired... and comes in on time. Leaves on time. Actually takes a lunch break instead of working through it. They must be huge slackers, right? But their work is still getting done, with more accuracy than it was ever being done before.

They've embraced the concept of working smarter.

I think writers can do the same thing. It's still gonna be hard work. I'm not preaching laziness here, but more of a balanced work-life. If we take the time to step back and see what VALUE each of the things we are doing adds, if we put a little time into strategizing instead of just throwing as many darts as possible and hoping one sticks and sells books, we'll have a lot more confidence and a lot more time than we thought possible.

And as Christian authors, I want to add that this doesn't discount the leading and direction of God. God's plans trump ours EVERY day of the week. I do think God wants us to be wise stewards of the time he's given us though.

I started this post with the intent of giving you specific ways you can work smarter instead of harder.

But honestly?

The concept looks different for each of us. What is smarter for ME might not work at all for you.

The Writer's Alley chose to cut down our blogging days from 5 to 3 this month, because we felt that we would add more value if we posted less and focused more on quality verses quantity. But that might not be what YOU need to do. Maybe working smarter for your blog is planning your posts better, or cutting down to one day a week, or creating a more uniform format, or even cutting out blogging all together.

Facebook and social media is another area where we all really need to figure out how to manage better. For some people, scheduling posts to automatically post works, but that rarely if ever is a good idea for me because it doesn't fit into my "brand" if you will. I WILL say that Facebook is one place that I think we tend to over post sometimes. More posts does not mean a bigger platform, in fact it can often times weaken it.

And then there is writing time in general. I used to take every little nook and cranny time I had to write. But I became very burnt out on writing because of it. I'm finding that I can write more words--and better quality words--when I, for example, write for 4 hours at a time verse 6 stinks of one-hour-writing times. But that is me. YOU might find the opposite.

So my encouragement to you today--especially if you are time strapped and feeling overwhelmed--invest a few hours into really looking at your writing life. Pray about it. Examine what you are doing and identify what isn't working--what is taking up your time and energy and giving you little or no return (be it money, word count, platform, blog followers, etc) on your investment.

Because time and energy are just as much investments as money is. Just a different variety!

Let's chat!

What are some areas in your writing life where you need to "work smarter?" I'll be around throughout the day, and would love to help brainstorm some ideas with you!

A Writer's Silver Lining... (And mine--BONUS book cover reveal!)

It's no secret that the publishing industry is a volatile beast. Like most everything, it's in constant flux. Some houses stay hot while others close their doors. Certain genre's trend while others dwindle. Bestsellers lose their readers and some newbie breaks into the box-office. Nothing about it is simple. Not pursing publishing. Not getting a contract. And most definitely not publishing a book.

I know what the pre-pubbers are thinking... how hard could it be? So tough to be YOU. With all those book deals and five star reviews! Meanwhile I'm over here churning out gold no one will ever read!

It's impossible not to compare, but being a mother taught be something very important.

Every age has it's challenges. And on the flip side, every stage has it's unique joys.

When you bring home your first newborn you are faced with the looming unknown and lots of untried muscles. You may think you're prepared since you've read all the parenting books about feeding schedules and consistency, about how you'll avoid all those parenting pitfalls like too much sugar or TV. How you'll discipline and it'll work the first time. How you'll be calm and tender and never yell or spank. Until you discover the truth: that terrifying little angel couldn't care less about your plans. He'll sleep all day and scream all night. He'll get colic, or reflux, or violent diaper rashes. He might hate even the slightest wet diaper, only like to sleep in your arms, require constant movement, spit up most of his feeding all over your admittedly disgusting hair and down your last clean shirt. You barely have time to shower off the spit up, much less blow dry your hair since the baby HEARS everything and what had once been a relaxing indulged of blissfully hot spray and sweet smelling soaps, becomes a sprint to scrub and rinse before disaster strikes.

Then again, infant snuggles are heart-melters. There's almost nothing like that tiny peanut curled up on your chest. They're so light, and portable. Their meals are no brainers. They don't talk back. Or fast pitch a flashlight at the flatscreen TV (Ahem, fact or fiction?) And they do sleep. A LOT! It's kind of amazing how much you can do when you have 3 or 4 solid naptimes to work around, that is... IF you can muster the energy to lift your arms much less coordinate your whole body to task.

You might bring home a second baby. Now you have not one infant, but perhaps an infant and a toddler. A toddler who doesn't remember to stay quiet when the baby is sleeping. A toddler who becomes this hulking threat to that infants safety when they whip their toy across the room like a torpedo. A tot who wants mommy to hold them instead of the baby. Who now needs constant attention, and takes maybe one measly catnap. Who complains about the food you prepared or who can find the most dangerous thing in even the most baby-proofed home the moment you turn your back. How much easier was it when that baby couldn't move and get into EVERYTHING? You could plop them down under their mobile and 30 seconds, 5 minutes, an hour later, they will still be right where you left them.

But they don't tell you they love you. They don't sing silly songs and dance around the kitchen with you. They don't draw you reallllly pretty pictures of what they think you look like. :) They don't run and throw their arms around you with abandon.

Every stage has it's challenges and joys. And it's important to remember that every stage has BOTH challenges AND joys. They really are never mutually exclusive.

When I look back now I think, what on earth was so hard about taking care of ONE infant? Piece of cake! Try taking care of a whole tribe of children each at a different stage of finding your hot spots and testing every ounce of your patience and endurance. They WILL get past that phase, you tell yourself, but once they do you'll remember things you miss about that very time you couldn't wait to be over.

There are times when it's so much easier and freeing to write without deadlines and expectations. I remember those times. I was frustrated that no one had recognized my "talent" but the escape there was limitless. You pray for the day you'll be lucky enough to have deadlines because that means you'll be past all the "hard stuff." But even though there are wonderful things to experience in the editing and torturing of your lovingly-crafted words, there are also new challenges to face. More pressure. More distractions. More expectations, and not just yours.

I'd encourage you, wherever you are at, to not only power through, but to look for those silver linings that make each phase of walking out your dreams undoubtedly WORTH IT! It won't be easy, and you won't always be happy, but for everything there is a season. And before you know it, you'll be watching your babies leave the nest, get married, have babies of their own.

Maybe even book babies. And because I'm about to bring my second one home, I'll share my silver lining...

 

Wait for it...

TADA!!! The cover I LOVED! That's a win, right there! Thank you to all of you who voted, no matter which cover you chose. FROM WINTER'S ASHES is now set to release on June 7th! Hope you check it out!!!!

From Winter's Ashes:

If you can trust your enemy with your life, what’s to stop him from stealing your heart?

Hopelessly unlucky in love and a target for tragedy, Joselyn Whyte hardly leads the charmed life you’d expect of an heiress. When she becomes the mark of an arsonist, the last person she expects to ride to her rescue is her nemesis—the man who sealed her fate as a frigid and lonely “Snow Whyte.”

Firefighter Finn Carson might talk a big game, but behind the swagger and the dimples is a man tormented by a mistake that cost a life. When a force stronger than his stubbornness pulls him off the bench and into a 5-Alarm fire for a miraculous save, Finn decides the key to his redemption lies with the Ice Princess he loathes. But the price to freedom from the guilt and nightmares might be too steep if it means bartering with Joselyn’s father by posing as her boyfriend—her safety and the ruthless billionaire’s Senatorial campaign hanging on the combustible edge of a decade old grudge. 

When secrets from the past resurface, the ruse and reality collide and threaten to thaw their heated rivalry—turning hate into something that terrifies them even more than the cunning predator with a bent sense of justice.

Behind the Scenes with Love Inspired Suspense! {{GUEST POST by JESSICA R. PATCH}}

AMY here: I am so excited to have my sassy southern friend and fellow debut author Jessica R. Patch as my guest on the alley today! She is very recently published with Harlequin's Love Inspired line and I asked her to share a bit about the process of working with LI as I know so many of us have pitched or have considering submitting our stories to the popular line. And make sure you check out Jess's new book Fatal Reunion!!! It's on the top of my TBR pile! It is garnering fabulous reviews and I can not wait to dig in! Here's Jess!

First, I want to say a big thank you to the lovely, Amy Leigh Simpson for having me today. It's always so much fun to hang out with the alley cats!

I can remember when I first started writing. All those big day dreams of what it would look like to be a published author. Then I started reading industry blogs and I realized it wasn't quite as I'd envisioned it. You mean my words might get cut? Scenes red-inked? Titles changed? Gasp! But I'm glad I read them because it prepared me. It will prepare you!

My agent had been pitching my manuscripts since 2011. In Winter of 2014, she asked me if I would be interested in writing for the Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense line. They were looking (and are) for new authors and she thought I'd be a good fit. I told her I would. I'd read many of the books, but I wasn't familiar with the formula. Yes, there is one. I checked out the guidelines and cooked up a story. I wrote the book. Sent it to my agent and in October, I received a revision letter from my editor, Shana Asaro (who is just fabulous).You can read more about my journey HERE. Tip: Always be willing to make the revisions. They want to see them. They know what they're talking about and it can land you a contract. I did what was asked of me and in January of 2015, I sold the book! Now what?

First, I had a phone call to meet my editor. Two hours later, I knew we definitely were paired up for a reason. We have a lot of the same tastes in books, heroes, heroines, and TV shows like Gilmore Girls and One Tree Hill.

Next, I received my first set of revisions, all about the content, and was asked when I could get these turned in. I set the date and  read through the track changes, making the necessary fixes.

Once that was finished it wasn't long and I received what's called an AFS. Art Fact Sheet. It's an online form Harlequin uses to help them with cover art and how to place your book in the catalog etc... It's a lot of questions about my main characters from personality to physical traits. I also include three key scenes and include pictures found on the internet to give them an idea for the cover.Since I already use Pinterest in this way, it was super helpful getting the information they needed quickly! I happen to enjoy the process, minus that short synopsis (not the blurb). But I get it done!

 

Then comes the title. I'm asked for title ideas and given some direction as far as the hooks they want to use. Then one is chosen. My tentative title for what is now Fatal Reunion was Price of Betrayal! Tip: Don't get hung up on your titles. Nine times out of ten they're going to change!

 

In between this and my second round of edits (line), I write my Dear Reader letter, Dedication, and choose my scripture for the book. I also get to see the mock-up for my cover!

 

It all takes about nine months or so for the process. It's been a great experience and I love writing for LIS. I walked away from 2015 with 4 contracts. Fatal Reunion hit shelves in January. Protective Duty releases in June, Veiled Threat and Final Verdict are slated for January 2017 then later in that year.

 

I share all this to give you a little look inside the publishing process with LIS, and to encourage you to never to give up on your dreams, but also let God develop and mold those dreams the way He wants. Writing for Harlequin didn't cross my mind until my agent brought it up. Always be willing to be re-routed. This has been an amazing journey so far. I can't complain about a single thing! Trust God. Believe. Keep writing!

 

Do you have any other questions about the publishing process? 

 

Purchase Fatal Reunion: Amazon Harlequin B&N

 

 

Overview

WRONGLY ACCUSED

When her beloved grandmother is almost killed during a home invasion, Piper Kennedy isn't surprised that she's a suspect—especially since Luke Ransom is on the case. The handsome detective she once loved thinks she knows more than she's telling about the attack. And given her crooked past and the heartbreaking way she'd been forced to betray Luke years ago, Piper understands why he doesn't trust her. But when attempts are made on her life, Luke insists on keeping her safe and finding out who wants her dead. And Piper and Luke soon realize a remorseless criminal will do anything to keep them from the truth…or an unexpected second shot at a future.

 

About Jessica

Jessica R. Patch lives in the mid-south where she pens inspirational contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. When she's not hunched over her laptop or going on adventurous trips in the name of research with willing friends, you can find her watching way too much Netflix with her family and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she'll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter at www.jessicarpatch.com. 

 

Should Indie Publishing Be For You?

The average writer is no longer required to only do one form of publishing these days. When I started to investigate the literary world ten years ago, publishing houses just a few years before had started taking queries exclusively from agents and to publish your book without a publishing house was a frowned-upon shortcut for those who didn’t want to do the work on their book to make it publishable. 

Getting an agent to represent you was difficult as there were only a handful in the industry, but publishing houses wouldn’t look at your work without an agents and agents wanted you to come to them with a contract in hand.

Now, there are more agents than editors—all of them with projects they want to pitch to the handful of remaining houses, hoping their well-known or debut author will strike the fancy of the over-worked editor on the other side of the desk.

In consequence, agents are finding it increasingly more difficult to land their talented authors and those that are landed are getting smaller deals or having to settle (which isn’t always settling depending on the author’s attitude) for a smaller house.

Publishing is far from what it used to be. Even as a reader, you can’t help noticing this fact.

So where does this leave the writer who is struggling to get picked up, is consistently being told that their product is good and there is interest, but no publishing house is up for actually buying it? Are you settling to indie publish or are you giving yourself a leg up in a vastly changing industry?

First: It depends on the type of writer you are. Are you a go-getter? Are you fascinated by the publishing process and like having the control in your hands over the cover design, interior layout, editorial, content, price and release dates, just to name a few? Then indie publishing could quite possibly be for you.

Second: Indie publishing should not be your choice just because you haven’t been able to sell in a larger market. While it is often the #1 reason writers investigate this avenue, it shouldn’t be your only reason. Why? Because in our impatience to have a book published, oftentimes we can overlook the major flaws that have caused us to be rejected.  Which leads to my third point.

Third: Find out why you’ve been rejected as best you can. Is it because the publisher doesn’t think your topic will sell right now or is a structure/voice/grammar/ability to write issue? To succeed at indie publishing, you’re still going to have to do the work, which means you better have a darn good product to release. Readers aren’t going to care if you’re publishing with a Big Five house or your own press; you write a poor story, that baby ain’t going anywhere.

Fourth: Be prepared to do the work. There aren’t any shortcuts about this: indie publishing is hard work. But then again, so is traditional publishing. There should be much wisdom taken into the decision to self-publish. If this is for you, I absolutely encourage you to get out there and get it done and I’ll be the first in line to buy your well-done product.

Self-publishing is all about the research. Research is King in this industry and knowing what you’re getting into beforehand, as best you can, is definitely Queen. Do your homework, ask those who have gone before you and succeeded and failed. On both sides of the fence. In doing this, you’ll be best prepared to make the right publishing decision for you.

Question: would you ever indie publish your books? What do you see are the pros and cons? And if you are a published indie author, what do you love or hate about the process?

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Casey Herringshaw is a homeschool graduate and has been writing since high school. She is a country girl now living in a metropolis of Denver, Colorado, employed as an administrative assistant at Wordserve Literary.

Numbers and Writing: Just what do they MEAN?

Numbers are one of the not-often-talked-about topics in the writing industry. Everyone is curious about them and occasionally someone gets up the guts to actually ASK about them, but the answer, 99 times out of 100, is "It depends."

The sad truth is... it really DOES depend.

What constitutes if a book has done well? What are GOOD sales numbers... and what are bad?

Chances are, if you're a published author and have good numbers, you KNOW they are good without having a yard stick to measure. You've earned out your advance. Your publisher is asking for what other stuff you have in your magic hard-drive box of goodies. Your agent is sending you congrats letters. You might not know HOW good unless you are hitting every bestseller list, but you know that you haven't stunk it up.

And chances are, as that same published author, you know when your numbers are BAD. Your publisher isn't returning your calls. You dread that royalty statement you receive a few times a year. Your agent is giving you grim prospects about getting another book deal. This is no bueno.

It's that place in the middle that makes many scratch their head, and as an unpublished author, until you actually see YOUR numbers.... it's really hard to figure out what to strive for.

Then, if you're like me and take a dip into the indie-publishing world, you get a WHOLE other dimension of publishing and numbers. How much do people usually spend on publishing? How do you figure out how much you've made? What is a SUCCESSFUL indie? Can you actually make enough from publishing to be a job? Is that POSSIBLE?

Lots of questions.

Lots of "it depends."

And then Pepper and I were chatting the other day about this crazy thing called RANKINGS on Amazon and other sites... what do THEY mean? What is a GOOD ranking vs a bad one? How do you interpret them?

I thought I'd do a few weeks on addressing on a very basic level some "number" topics in publishing. There are others who know a LOT more than me, and I'll be quoting some of them! And remember, things change daily. So that's another problem with the numbers discussion. I can say something today, and tomorrow it could change drastically.

But for THIS blog post, I'll leave you with this overarching concept that I believe is SUPER important:


Numbers are important. Whether you view your writing as a ministry or a business or both.

In Matthew 25:14 - 28, Jesus tells the parable of the "talents." A man gave his servants silver based on their abilities.

The man who received five bags invested wisely and earned five more.
The man who received two bags went to work and earned two more.
The man who received one bag decided numbers weren't important. He buried his silver and ignored it, not even bothering to put it in a bank to get interest.

The rich guy came back and asked for an accounting... and was NOT thrilled with the dude that had played it safe and not risked anything.

I truly believe God calls us to be wise stewards of the gifts, talents, AND funds that He's given us.

BUT... don't let numbers rule you. Don't let them become an obsession. Don't worry over them and fret over them.

Let them be the reminder that they serve: That your talents should not be buried in the sand to rot. God has gifted and equipped you uniquely and demands that you look to HIM and work for HIS kingdom. This involves risk, putting yourself out there for rejection, even putting your money where your mouth is sometimes and investing in it.

So whether he's given you five bags of talent, two, or one, use them for Jesus. Grow them. Multiply them. Be good stewards of them. Just don't waste them, and don't bury them.

And be ready to give Him YOUR numbers when you're done :-)

4 Ways to Identify Your Place in Publishing

If you're an unpublished author, one question you will need to answer in proposals or in appointments is "Where do you fit in the publishing landscape?"

Publishing is changing almost on a daily basis...still you have to know the answer to this question whether you're talking to an agent, editor, or readers. So how do you begin? Here's how I start:

1. Write. You have to write a chunk of a book or two or three before you know what your style is. What kind of characters do you write? Is there a tone to your writing? Are your stories light and funny? Heavy and serious? Single point of view or a story with multiple characters sharing the limelight? If you can't answer some of these questions, then you're going to have a hard time identifying where your books fit.
2. Read voraciously. What kind of books are you drawn to? Who are the authors you constantly read the moment a new book is released? Review your bookshelves. Look for patterns. What made a book a keeper versus one you passed on? Etc. Do  you want to write books with similar themes, time periods, etc.
3. Analyze your favorite novels. There are probably elements in those novels that draw you back time and again. Read a few of them intentionally. What about the pacing works? What about the characters? Which genre are they in? These are the elements that you might want to pull into your novels. If you do, these books and authors are now comparables that you can give to an agent or editor to show that you know the market and you are aware where you books fit.
4. Weave these elements into your books and be able to articulate the similarities and differences. If there's a best-seller, how are your books similar yet distinctive? Analyze and understand the differences and similarities and you'll be far ahead of most unpublished authors.

What would you add to these ways to find your place in publishing?
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Cara Putman is the award-winning author of 20 books. You can connect with her online at her website, facebook, twitter, and more.

Guest Post: Lacy Williams, Editor at Redbud Press on Boutique Publishing

I had the chance to spotlight some new presses in Christian fiction at Library Journal and these new options caught my attention. It is no secret publishing is undergoing rapid-fire change, both in the CBA and ABA industries. Lacy Williams is here today to offer a spotlight on boutique publishing, one recent trend.


 1) How did the idea arise to start a new publishing company?

My two business partners and I were on our way home from a writers’ retreat and started talking about authors who had told us they wanted to publish more books but were nervous about self-publishing. (There were a lot of them). The business aspects of being an independent publisher can be daunting—not only are you in charge of writing the book, but also marketing and all the business stuff. 

We wanted to give authors like that another opportunity to reach their readers. I had experience with the business and marketing side of being an independent author and we all three bring different industry connections and talents in the editorial process. 

Ultimately, we felt God was opening doors for us, and after a lot of prayer, we just went for it!

2) What does Redbud offer that is an asset to the publishing marketplace?

Most legacy publishers put out one trade-length book per author per year. As a reader, I know if my favorite author had five books out this year, I would buy all of them! Redbud Press wants to bring more books from readers’ favorite authors into the marketplace. We have different marketing strategies from the large legacy publishers and different pricing strategies too, because of our digital-first model. 

3) Your website says Redbud is a boutique publisher. Can you explain what that means?

Think about retail stores. You have the big-box, sell-everything discount stores, and you have boutique stores that have a single focus. Women’s clothing. Baby clothes. Accessories-only. 

Redbud Press isn’t trying to sell everything to everyone. Our target reader is the mom who loves romance and wants a good book to curl up with after the kids are in bed and she has her hour of freedom. We are a boutique publisher because we have that single focus.

4) Can you explain to us about the digital first model? Do you think this option is a good one for new authors? Established authors? 

Our books will be published in ebook form and print-on-demand (paperback). 

I think authors need to educate themselves to find the right publishing path. Legacy publishers are changing. Advances and print runs are getting smaller for the midlist author (and some of those contracts can have terrible terms). How can an author survive when their income is disappearing? Maybe a better question is how can an author achieve the most exposure? If that is partnering with a legacy publisher (and the author has the talent and connections to get in to that market!), great. If the author can publish with a small press or do it themselves to increase their exposure, great.

What I’m finding is there’s no longer a one-size-fits-all publishing path for any author. 

5) How is the digital first model changing the face of publishing? 

I don’t think the digital first model is what is changing the face of publishing. Legacy publishers are facing all kinds of difficult things. Mergers. Lines closing. Editor turnover. A changing market that wants lower-priced ebooks. Competition from successful self-published authors. 

The entire market is changing and the best we can do as authors is discover the best way for us to reach readers and make a living at it.

6) Under this model, how does marketing work?

I couldn’t say for every publisher, but at Redbud Press we aren’t spending big bucks on buying ads. We’re taking more of a grassroots approach. Building our email newsletter list. Asking our readers to be involved in spreading the word about our books. And utilizing connections with online retailers to find new readers.

7) What trends are you seeing in digital publishing? 

Contemporary romance is hot right now. Amish continues to be popular. And series sells.

8) Can you share with us as readers and writers what the imprints you have are and how they are distinctive?

Our HOMETOWN ROMANCE imprint is comprised of frontlist books (never-before-published) that have a small-town feel (or community feel even if they are set in a big city). They are all inspirational romances of between 45,000 and 65,000 words. We have authors like Kathleen Y’Barbo, Rene Gutteridge & Cheryl McKay (co-authoring), Gayle Roper and Camy Tang writing for this line. 

Our TIMELESS imprint brings new life to authors’ backlist books that have gone out of print. We are in the process of signing some contracts for this line, so I can’t mention names, but I think readers will be excited to see these books again (or for the first time). In addition to straight romance, these books can be women’s fiction or romantic suspense as long as they have a strong romance thread.

9) What does a typical day look like for an editor at a small press?

Every day is different. I may be negotiating contracts, working on line edits for a manuscript, creating cover art, or balancing the checkbook. I also have small children at home so life is an adventure every day. 

10) What are some distinctive releases upcoming this Spring for Redbud? 

Out in March, Saving Justice by debut author Susan Crawford tells the story of entrepreneur Nash McGuire returning to the poverty-stricken neighborhood where he grew up. He finds his life overtaken by schoolteacher Kinley Reid and one of her at-risk students, and must decide between risking his heart or walking away.

Available at:

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T3P5KLM/

iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/saving-justice/id963928909?mt=11

B&N  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/saving-justice-susan-crawford/1121151072?ean=2940151755290&isbn=2940151755290

Also out in March, Secondhand Cowboy by yours truly is the story of a former rodeo cowboy Callum Stewart who comes back to the one place he promised to avoid forever: his hometown. When Callum needs help, it’s his high school girlfriend who steps in—and claims his heart all over again.

Available at: 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00THMNCW0/

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/secondhand-cowboy/id966668034?mt=11

Also upcoming:

The Art of Falling and Kiss the Cowboy by Julie Jarnagin (exclusive pre-order at iBooks)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/kiss-the-cowboy/id968053478?mt=11

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-art-of-falling/id968051307?mt=11

And we’d like to let your readers know that we’re offering two novellas free if they sign up for our newsletter list: Kissed by a Cowboy by yours truly and Out of the Flames by Cheryl Wyatt. Readers can sign up at http://www.redbudpress.com/news

Thank you for hosting me! Readers can find our entire author list and other information at our website www.redbudpress.com .

What to Expect When You're Expecting (a book...)

CONCEPTION:

You look at your computer and wink. You wanna? Yeah, I wanna.

This fabulous chemistry of emotions and passion collide, and many moments (months, years) later, you sit back, breathless, barely able to conjure up a coherent thought.

A few weeks later, you pee on a stick, er, open up a file, and see the sign.

The End.

You did it. A book has been conceived.

FIRST TRIMESTER:

You read your book. It's awfulness makes you want to throw up.

You edit. You edit some more.

Then you ask someone else to read it, and they mark it up with a red pen.

You edit even more.

You venture into a bookstore, just to spy the spot in which your book would be placed alphabetically. Ahhh, such a nice spot.

You go home and edit even more. Read some how-to books, and edit even more.

SECOND TRIMESTER:

You're feeling better about your book now. It's taking a much nicer form. You even print it out and maybe even have it binded at Staples so you can have a picture of what it "might" look like someday.


You query agents. You go to writer's conferences. You get some rejections, some requests. It's a time of waiting, but it'll be worth it in the end.

You start a blog. You network with other writers. Now is the time to set the framework for when your book is out. Now is when you have "time" to do that stuff, people say. Later, you'll be so busy it'll be hard to keep up. You just can't imagine that though. I mean, this is good stuff. The journey is SO MUCH FUN!

THIRD TRIMESTER:

This journey is HARD!


You signed with an agent, which is cool, but now they have a billion things they want you to do. A major publishing house has your manuscript going to pub board, and you're about ready to bite your nails clear off until you hear something.

Or maybe the above didn't happen. Maybe you've decided traditional publishing is for the birds and you're going to do it INDIE Style, NO epidural (or pain meds... or publisher...) to help you along.

Krista - about ready to pop with Annabelle!

You're brainstorming other projects, because who wants a one-time-wonder, right?

And marketing? Really? You're responsible for getting your book sold TOO? How do you do that when you don't even have a published book?

And yeah, you started that blog. Five people visit a week. That's a platform right? What? You need more than that? How do I do that when my baby isn't here yet? Isn't that the point of the stinkin' blog anyway, to sell books? It's too hard. You try to get your significant other to do something to help, cook dinner or something to give you time to get all this done, but they just call it a "hobby" and want you to stop belly-aching.

DELIVERY

WOOT! The pains have BEGUN!


Pub board offered you a contract. Signed, sealed, and announced on Facebook!

Or you've officially started the process to Indie publish (inducing labor I guess??) 

Now the work really begins.

More edits. REALLY PAINFUL edits. And more than one, they just keep coming!

That marketing that was hard before... well, it's breathing down your neck now.  Oh why didn't you work harder on that stupid blog following thing earlier? Everyone warned you, now here you are, spamming everyone's Facebook page, trying to get them to remember you so someone will buy this book you're about ready to have.

The only thing worse than having an ugly book is having one that no one buys.

Interview questions.

Setting up blog tours.

Planning launch parties.

It all has to be done RIGHT NOW and your mind is swirling.

Finally... the time comes.

It's almost there... hehehooooooo..... here comes the author copies!

And then....

A book is born. Published. Available to the public in all its glory.

You smile. Relief.

Of course....

Then the crying, er, book selling comes. And eventually the book grows up and many years later graduates and moves out of the house (goes out of print--lingers in the millions on the Amazon selling ranking) but by then, you've given birth to many other books, hopefully!

In fact, hopefully you're like the Duggers and have a LOT of them.

And you smile. Because you remember the joy of conception, the pain and work that it took to get to the point of delivery. You enjoyed every moment, ever good review, every reader letter letting you know what the book meant to you. In hindsight, it all went pretty well! Oh, and then you take it upon yourself to give those complaining pregnant writer's all the advice that your many published books affords you to give!

Discussion:

Where are you at in your writing journey? What advice do you have for those in the spot right behind you? Is there anything you would have done differently if you could go back?

(This post is an updated repeat from right before I published my first book.... I thought it super appropriate since NEXT MONTH I'll be releasing my second! Oh.... this third trimester pain....)

*** pictures from freedigitalphotos.net ... except of course for the one of my large, prego self! ***

The Not-For-Sale Story

Casey's post on Friday (click here to read it) was pretty timely as I have been contemplating a post on working your way out of such burnout.

In the same vein of honesty as our dear Case, I will admit that it wasn't very long ago when the

on freedigitalphotos.net by pakorn

rejections and silence overwhelmed me so much that I pulled away from all my "writerly" habits. I didn't want to write, or catch up on social media, or read one more blog, or try and hone my craft. The often spoken advice "to write every day", stabbed a very sharp guilt dagger in my side and had me wonder if I should really identify myself as a writer at all.

After a lot of reflection, I realized that it wasn't writing that had me burned out, but my perspective. With my eyes focused on progressing forward in the industry, my heart was shrinking back as I had walked away from my love---to write.

Let's face it, writing and publishing are connected, BUT... the writing is not dependent on the publishing. Actually, it's the other way around.

Getting these mixed up had me resent my writing when my pursuit became a bit sluggish. It's like turning against my own heart when I let outward circumstance frustrate me. How can I cast off my love because my journey was not loving me back? Would I turn against God's gift because his creation had not provided the satisfaction I desire?

on freedigitalphotos.net by jesadaphorn

So what's my resolution? First, I had to ask myself what do I long for when I am burned out.
Hmmm...lately, it's not necessarily publication. It goes deeper.
I want to rekindle that flame.

WRITE FOR THE LOVE OF WRITING! 

There are great suggestions out there, but the one I just recently took up, is to write a story without any expectation to sell it. Write a story in my heart and not worry about hook, grammar, industry do's and don'ts. Create without ulterior motives. Create for my heart's sake and nothing else.
 Time is always a constraint, but after writing five novels, having two in the works, and no contracts yet, I'll make the time.
And the great thing is, the time is not a stressor because there is no impending pitch, proposal, or contest deadline for this story ahead.
But the time is essential, because it gives me room to breathe and remember why I began writing in the first place.

Do you write without publishing in mind? Do you have a story you know might never sell? Are you going to write it anyway?

Remember, don't leave behind your love...and if it's way back there, turn around, rekindle the love, and give yourself time to create again!

*********************************************************************************

Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous, mothering days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across historical cultures and social boundaries. Angie is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

The Future of Hope-Filled Fiction, Part I

Big house mergers such as Penguin and Random House.

"Realignment" of Christian fiction houses (i.e. B&H).

E-book only originals.

These are just a few of the factors changing the face of Christian fiction in the past year.

Blogs such as Books and Such (the agency who represents Krista and Karen) and Chip MacGregor's blog (he represents Amy), as well as the magazines Publisher's Weekly and Library Journal (and their websites) are great places to go to find our more about what's going on.

Library Journal devoted space in its recent November 1st issue to the changing face of Christian fiction and I was thrilled to be asked to contribute an article on 2014 trends in Christian fiction.

I interviewed associate publishers, acquisitions editors, public relations directors, and a few authors to learn more about what we can expect for the upcoming year.

As a writer, I was encouraged and excited about what's upcoming. We're always hearing about what a challenging time it is to be an unpublished author, but we are writing in a time when Christian fiction is changing and morphing into something new and different.

Yet still it is retaining that HOPE-FILLED quality that makes it distinctive.

Here are some upcoming releases I'm excited about because I think they represent some new directions in Christian fiction:

1) The Fight by Luke Wordley:

Wordley is a self-published author whose book will be rereleased by Tyndale. In a female-saturated genre, it is refreshing to see more books geared toward a male audience. It deals with the theme of anger in men. The Wish by Jake Smith  is also a novel men as well as women might enjoy with its baseball theme and an issue-oriented theme (bone marrow transplant).

Significance: It is encouraging, although it is still rare, to see more self-published authors being discovered. Also, it is fantastic to see more books being geared toward the male readership, who are more likely than the average population to read ebooks.

2) Auschwitz Escape by Joel Rosenberg:

Rosenberg's latest is a significant departure from recent hits. A New York Times bestselling author, his themes are as fresh as today's headlines and noted for eerily accurate prophetic detail. This is also a great example of how a "genre jump" can fit well into an author's brand. His books are about unpacking world events heading toward the end days. Rosenberg's books have featured the nation of Israel and the prophetic significance of the Jewish people. So with a Holocaust novel he has jumped from contemporary to historical, yet written a book that fits perfectly into his unique brand.

Significance: Not only is this is new novel from a well-known name, but it demonstrates making a genre shift while still maintaining a unique brand.

3) The Wedding Planners of Butternut Creek by Jane Myers Perrine:

E-readers have allowed a more mainstream audience to pick up Christian fiction. With the vast number of free books available through Amazon, B&N, and Christian Book Distributors many new readers are discovering the Christian fiction genre. The morals and values are very appealing to these readers who desire a less heavy-handed (as they view it) approach to theology. Perrine's series, compared to Jan Karon's Mitford series, have humor, take place in a charming small town and feature a sweet church-centered romance.

Significance: More cross-over novels are releasing and are easier to find in this electronic heavy market. These books can be "shelved" in various places to cater to those who might never find their way to a traditional bookstore. Can your book be marketed into this market?

4) The Hatmaker's Heart by Carla Stewart:

Downton Fever has been hitting the U.S. shores with a vengaence. A number of novels releasing in 2014 will have 1920s settings. I've pegged Carla's in particular because: a) serious big time cover love, 2) focus on costumes has always been a part of the Christian market but the new focus on elegant eras such as the 1920s and the Regency era bring out the beauty of wonderful clothes. I'm noticing costumes on book covers seem to becoming more and more lavish and I love it!

Signficance: Downton Abbey has given the always-popular costume drama an extra surge and there is a particular draw towards eras with fabulous clothing.

5) A Season of Change by Lynette Sowell:

Amish and the circus? This is not your mother's Amish, the variety has increased in recent years. Readers typically pick up these novels looking for tales of simpler times and peaceful settings. Sowell's novel also takes place in the community of Pinecraft, where some electricity is used. Readers don't expect an Amish story to take place on the beach.

Significance: Amish fiction seems to be here to stay but it is undergoing its own evolution. Cross-genres such as mystery are becoming more popular. Some Amish books now contain significant departures from what we expect and even show characters leaving the Amish. The Amish angle just isn't unique enough, readers need to find ways to add twists to the typical Amish story.

6) Never to Live by Just B. Jordan:

The first significant fact about this book is that its author is only 17 years old. Its a psychological mind-bending fantasy. Jordan represents a growing market among teenagers in particular. Large numbers of young adults attend seminars such as One Year Adventure Novel (hosted by Jeff Gerke) to learn to grow in their craft. Because a vast majority of these writers are pursuing the speculative genre, fantasy may play a stronger role as these teenagers become adult published authors.

Significance: Everyone loves the fairy-tale stories of self-published authors who become discovered or young talents, Jordan fits the bill. Speculative fiction is also very popular not only among young adults who read but also those who write and as such we need to pay attention to this genre.



Do you have any books you are anxious to read that are releasing in 2014? What makes these books unique? I'll return in a few weeks with more thoughts on trends based on my research.







Julia Reffner loves to write when she can find an empty spot and five minutes of silence. She writes and reviews for Library Journal, a trade publication with over 60,000 subscribers. She is a wife, homeschool mama to two littles and lover of all things book-related.

The 20-step Process to Publication

Sometimes we complicate things a wee bit too much, so I thought we'd get back to basics today. Here is my 20 step program for writing and publishing a novel. Easy, right?



How To Write and Publish a Novel

1. Think of a fun, hooky story idea, and complete your research.
2. Create some quirky, realistic characters
3. Outline (or if you are a SOTP writer like me, start writing...)
4. For those who outlined... start writing. For those pantsters... keep writing.
5. Finish your perfect first draft!! (Pansters will get to this point sooner...)
6. Call your mother (or whoever your cheerleader is) and let them tell you how wonderful your book is and how it will probably be the next bestseller and promise to buy them a car out of your seven-figure advance.
7. Read your first draft and realize what a pile of crap it is. (Panster's drafts will be much more crappy though...)
8. Cry.
9. Get over yourself and sit down to edit.
10. Finish editing and pat yourself on the back.
11. Repeat steps 6 - 10 until you really hate your novel because you've read it so much.
12. Let a paid-editor/crit partner/crit group read your book and splatter it with red ink.
13. Repeat steps 8 - 10.
14. Go eat some chocolate.
15. Submit some agent queries.
16. Get rejected a billion times, edit some more, repeat steps 1 - 15 on more books
17. Finally snatch an agent.
18. Lose all your fingernails because you bite them while waiting for answers from publishers.
19. Resort to biting your toenails when an editor takes your manuscript to pub committee.
20. Throw a big party because, WOOHOO, you've got a contract, baby! 

(Please note, the time frame for this process varies depending on the author/agent/publisher/book)

A New Genre Emerging: New Adult

Photo by imagerymajestic
freedigitalphotos.net

You may have heard this news, but I was shocked - and intrigued -  by the news of a new genre emerging:

New Adult

What is the difference between New Adult (NA) and Young Adult (YA)? I wondered that too. So I did a little research and discovered some interesting things.

NA books features protagonists age 18-25, the age in-between adolescence and adulthood. It is the time time when a person leaves the security of home and deals with making decisions and "growing up". The themes and issues of NA books are more mature, such as identity, abuse, bullying, sexuality, etc. These kinds of themes, when coupled with new life experiences such as starting college, first jobs, new friendships after college, engagement, wedding planning, etc, make life an difficult path to traverse.

YA books features adolescents...teenagers. It is the crazy teens years, with all it's drama and angst and adventure. It is a time of firsts...first boyfriend, first kiss, driving, getting on the cheerleading squad, first job, etc. It is the coming of age.

Where YA appeals to younger readers, NA is marketed to the 18-30 crowd. It is more PG-13 than PG...and depending on the sub-genre, it could lean toward an R rating.

Did I say sub-genre? Yes, indeed! NA books can be found in romance, fantasy, paranormal, dystopia, science fiction, even horror.

In my research, I didn't really find this particular genre in the Christian market. I am sure there are books out there that fit into this genre, but it is just not labeled as such. It's still pretty new and not all publishers even consider NA a valid genre.

It really came into play when some independent writers made it big selling their NA books as ebooks. Big name publishers then picked them up and offered them HUGE contracts. These books struck chord with readers and publishers are beginnining to take notice.

Now whether the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) will follow suit, I don't know.  Maybe they already have and I just cannot find the information. But it seems that there would be a place for the NA genre within the smaller confines for the CBA world. The landscape of publishing is ever changing, ever growing. It's an exciting time, for sure!

What do you think? Have you heard of this genre? Does it sound appealing to you?

Tweetables:

Heard about the emerging new genre? New Adult is here at The Writer's Alley! Click to Tweet

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This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is a minister's wife and mother to three giant sons and one gorgeou