SEEK ASSIGNMENTS?

Q. I just sold an article to a magazine that seems like a perfect fit for me. Would it be presumptuous of me to write and tell the editor I'd be interested in getting future freelance assignments from her?

A. I have always encouraged writers to work at developing good relationships with the editors of their favorite publications. Your first goal with that publication is to show the editor that you understand their readership and their particular needs. Selling them one article is just the beginning. Rather than you approaching her after just one sale, show her that you understand her needs by continuing to submit articles and making more sales to her. If you continue to hit the mark with your submissions, she will likely recognize you as someone who could take on assignments for the magazine. Chances are you won't have to bring it up, but if the opportunity presents itself after a longer history with her, then go ahead and mention it. Since assignments bring with them a guaranteed payment, editors are reluctant to make that commitment to a writer they don't know well and trust explicitly.  

BEST TIPS FOR WRITERS

Q. Can you give me two or three of your best tips for writers?

A. The first would be to do some serious marketing research. Use the Christian Writers Market Guide to identify several potential markets for what you write; read the market guide listing for each one; copy their guidelines from their Website (or send for them); read them, using two colors of highlighters—one for statements that indicate the market is right for you, the other for statements that would disqualify your writing. If magazines, get sample copies and read them cover to cover, making notes on anything you discover. Then start submitting regularly to each magazine you determine is a fit.

For book publishers, copy the guidelines from their Website (study carefully) and order a copy of their catalog, if available. Check catalog to be sure they don't already have a book on your topic. Buy (or borrow) and read two or three books from publishers you are interested in submitting to. Prepare your book proposal exactly as they indicate in their guidelines.

The second tip would be to attend a writers' conference—at least once a year, if possible. If you are a beginning writer, you can learn more about the publishing business in those few days at a conference then you will by reading a lot of books. You will also start making those important connections with agents, editors, and other writers—plus learn so much about your area of writing from the workshops you attend. If you are more experienced, those connections to potential agents or editors will be critical to your success. Editors are much more likely to buy from writers they have met than from complete strangers. Take every opportunity to speak with editors about your writing projects. Chances are they will not buy your book on the spot, but you will be laying a foundation for future sales. Just be sure to select a conference that will best meet your needs at the moment. Some conferences offer only instruction (great for beginning writers), while others have either a limited number of agents or editors in attendance—or a large number of them. Choose wisely.

My third tip is to write! And to write a lot. All the marketing savvy or conferences attended make little difference if your writing is not good. It's easy to fall into the trap of spending too much of your time talking about writing, attending conferences or writers' groups, immersing yourself in social media, and anything else that keeps you from the computer. Time spent writing should come before any other writing-related activities. Never wait for the best time to write—or until you can get away for uninterrupted time. A writer writes—no matter what the situation.

AMBITION TO WRITE

        To sum it all up, if you want to write, if you want to create, you must be the most sublime fool that God ever turned out and sent rambling.
        You must write every single day of your life.
        You must read dreadful dumb books and glorious books, and let them wrestle in beautiful fights inside your head, vulgar one moment, brilliant the next.
        You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads.
        I wish for you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime.
        I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon you.
        May you live with hysteria, and out of it make fine stories--science fiction or otherwise.
        Which finally means, may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.    ---Ray Bradbury

NY TIMES CHRISTIAN BESTSELLERS - WK OF AUGUST 2

• THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES by Gary Chapman (Northfield/Moody) is #2 in Relationships; and #2 in Advice, How-To & Misc.
• JESUS CALLING by Sarah Young (Thomas Nelson) is #2 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• LIFE IS SHORT (NO PUN INTENDED) by Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein (Howard Books) is #4 in Family; #5 in Celebrities.
• LOVE DOES by Bob Goff (Thomas Nelson) is #5 in Relationships.
• BOUNDARIES by Henry Cloud and John Townsend (Zondervan) is #6 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• THE BEST YES by Lysa TerKeurst (Nelson Books/Thomas Nelson) is #7 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.

• GHOST BOY by Martin Pistorius with Megan Lloyd Davies (Nelson Books) is #7 in Health.
• HIDING IN THE LIGHT by Rifqa Bary (WaterBrook Press/ Doubleday Religious Publishing) is #9 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• FLIGHT TO HEAVEN by Dale Black with Ken Gire (Bethany House) is #9 in Expeditions, Disasters and Adventures.
• THE LOVE DARE by Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough (B&H Books) is #10 in Relationships; #12 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• HERE'S JOHNNY! by Ed McMahon (Thomas Nelson) is #11 in E-Book Nonfiction.
• CRAZY LOVE by Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski (David C. Cook) is #11 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• YOU AND ME FOREVER by Francis Chan and Lisa Chan (Claire Love Publishing) is #12 in Relationships.
• THE THREE HEAVENS by John Hagee (Worthy) is #13 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.

From ECPA's Rush to Press@ECPAnews.org/rush

ANGELS ON THE RISE

Angels are becoming increasingly popular in religion and spiritual publishing with a slate of angel-centric fiction and nonfiction titles releasing in the coming months.

The celestial beings, believed by many to be sent from heaven to guide and protect us, have had a lasting impact on culture through film and television, as evidenced by what is considered to be the most popular film in American cinema, “It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946). Today, however, readers are seeking both assurance that angels exist and instruction on how to reach them.

In Do You Know Your Guardian Angel? Unlock the Secrets to a Magical Life (Ryland Peters & Small, Aug.), Jacky Newcomb writes that angels are around at all times and that we can actually connect with them. The book uses illustrations to help guide readers into a relationship with their celestial messenger, which Newcomb claims can lead to empowerment, enlightenment, and inspiration.

The editors of Guideposts have compiled a collection of over 80 stories in Best Angel Stories (Conari Press, Sept.) that propose we are watched over, cared for, and loved by angels.

Coming in October from Bear & Company, Lessons From the 12 Archangels: Divine Intervention in Daily Life by Belinda J. Womack features instructions on how to open your life to the wisdom and love of angels. The book also contains guided visualizations on working with angels to access the healing power of the chakras.

Angels: The Definitive Guide to Angels From Around the World by Marie-Ange Faugerolas (Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, Nov.) contains information about “divine messengers” of every tradition. Faugerolas, who wrote The Bible of Angels (World of Angels, 2012), also directs readers to solicit help from angels through rituals, prayers, and meditations.

In February 2016, Howard will publish Proof of Angels by Ptolemy Tompkins, the co-writer of the blockbuster bestseller Proof of Heaven (Simon & Schuster, 2012). In the new book, Tompkins makes a case that angels are real, are all around us, and are interacting in our lives every day.

In the novel Brush of Wings (Howard, Apr.), Karen Kingsbury tells a story about divine intervention, second chances, and a group of friends whose lives could affect the future of the country. Brush of Wings marks the third installment to the bestselling Angels Walking series, which has sold a combined total of nearly 130k copies, according to Nielsen BookScan.

NEW AT BAKER ACADEMIC

Baker Publishing Group is pleased to announce that Louis McBride has joined the Baker Academic and Brazos Press divisions as the new publicist. McBride worked with the Baker Book House retail division for fifteen years.  Baker Academic has also recently hired Christina Jasko as a textbook specialist. Jasko served as an editorial associate for four years at Baker Academic and holds degrees from Wheaton College (BA) and University of Chicago Divinity School (MA). More

REPRINT MY BOOK?

Q. I have a nonfiction book that's just gone out of print, and I'm wondering what, if anything, I should do with it. Is it worthwhile to look for another publisher to reprint it? Should I rewrite or update it, or just send out copies of the published book to see if editors are interested?

A. Making the right choices at this point will be important in determining if your out-of-print book has any life left in it. If you have just been notified by your publisher that the book has been declared out-of-print, the first thing you will want to do is check your contract to see what steps you need to take to be sure you are getting your rights back—and when. In some cases you are required to ask for them in writing, other times it will happen automatically. With some publishers the rights revert to you immediately, some after 30 days, and some not until a year later. This information is also likely to be in the letter you receive from the publisher, but don't count on that. Start by taking any steps necessary.

The next step will be to determine whether or not you believe there is still a market for the book. Is it a topic people are still interested in? Is there any new or current changes in the church or society that make the topic relevant? Did the book get good promotion or sell a lot of copies with the first publisher? We never feel our books get enough promotion, but in some cases a book does fall between the cracks and truly deserves another chance. Be realistic in making this decision. There's no sense going to all the work of finding a new publisher if the book has little or no chance of succeeding in the marketplace.

In most cases it will be necessary or advisable to do at least some updating of the content. In some cases it may call for a fully revised edition that would be of interest even to the original readers. In other cases it is just a matter of adding any current information pertinent to your topic, or correcting any errors that appeared in the original.

When it come to submitting to publishers, most will want to see the book in manuscript form—not a copy of the original book. They will expect you to send a full proposal, the same as you would with a new project. However, as long as you send the manuscript, you can include a copy of the original book so they can see what the original publisher had done with it. In your cover letter or proposal, you will want to let the editor know what the details were of the first publishing run. Publisher? Number of books sold? Type of advertising or promotion that took place? Why you think it has more life in it? Along with your new and creative ideas for promoting a new edition. Not all publishers are open to reprinting books, so be sure to submit the new proposal to only those that are. That information is available in the Christian Writers' Market Guide or the publisher's guidelines.

AIMING HIGH

If the question is "Should one aim high?" the answer is "Yes." Not every writer has it in him to write "the great American novel." The trick is to do your best. It is an unfortunate fact of life that too many writers--like too many people in other fields--are satisfied with less than their best."
                                                                                                                                     ---Sidney Sheldon

IF A WRITER WERE FREE

If a writer were a free man and not a slave, if he could write what he chose, not what he must, if he could base his work upon his own feeling and not on convention, there would be no plot, no comedy, not tragedy, no love interest or catastrophe in the accepted style, and perhaps not a single button sewn on as the Bond Street tailors would have it. Life is not a series of giglamps symmetrically arranged, but a luminous halo, a semitransparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end. Is it not the task of the novelist to convey this varying, this unknown an uncircumscribed spirit, whatever aberration of complexity it may display, with a little mixture of the alien and external as possible?  ---Virginia Woolf

TAX QUESTION

Q. What if a publisher accepts my article, promises a certain amount in payment, but never actually pays me? Can I deduct the promised amount as a bad debt on my income tax?

A. Unfortunately, no. The only exception would be if you had listed it as income on your previous tax return.

REJECTION

  Lately I’ve been thinking about rejection—not that I’m feeling rejected—but I’ve been noticing how different people react to rejection. It seems the longer we are writers the better we tolerate it. Beginning writers often find it difficult, if not impossible, to deal with. I’ve often seen a single rejection or negative comment send a manuscript into a drawer never to be seen again.

I am reminded of an experience I had several years ago when I spoke at a large writers’ conference. A writing buddy of mine (more experienced at speaking than I was at the time) was also a speaker at that conference. After the conference, they sent each speaker a list of comments about their talk that came in on the evaluation forms. When mine arrived, I read through it and highlighted all the negative comments. A few days later my friend sent me a copy of his comments sheet. I had to laugh when I realized that on his sheet he had highlighted only the positive comments.

One thing we all eventually learn as writers and speakers is that not everyone is going to like what you write or say. One editor may reject a piece with negative feedback, and the next editor will accept it enthusiastically. My father had a plaque over his desk at work that said: “You can please some of the people some of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.” A good mantra for the writer or speaker.

NEW EDITOR AT PURPOSE

Dear Purpose writers,

Thank you for your good contributions to Purpose magazine. We depend on writers, such as yourself, to help us produce a quality periodical that inspires and encourages people to live out their Christian faith.

I want you to be aware of a change in the Purpose editor. Carol Duerksen has served as a contract editor and has done excellent work in connecting with you and editing the magazine. However, due to budget issues the editing will now be done in-house by MennoMedia staff, as it was prior to Carol’s term as contract editor.  

Beginning with the March, 2016 issue, Mary Ann Weber, a managing editor at MennoMedia, will assume the role of Purpose editor. Please send all submissions and communication about that issue, and subsequent issues, directly to Mary Ann at MaryAnnW@MennoMedia.org.

We appreciate your continued support of Purpose magazine through your story, article, puzzle, and poetry contributions. Please take a look at the upcoming themes and let me know if you are interested in submitting writing that addresses any of them.

Sincerely,

Mary Ann Weber

Managing Editor for Curriculum

MennoMedia

CHRISTIAN BESTSELLERS

ECPA member titles appearing on New York Times Bestsellers List, posted for July 26, 2015:

• THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES by Gary Chapman (Northfield/Moody) is #1 in Relationships; and #2 in Advice, How-To & Misc.
• JESUS CALLING by Sarah Young (Thomas Nelson) is #1 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• YOUR BEAUTIFUL HEART by Lauren Scruggs (Tyndale House) is #1 in Fashion.
• LIFE IS SHORT (NO PUN INTENDED) by Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein (Howard Books) is #3 in Family; #17 in Hardcover Nonfiction.
• SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME by Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #3 in Race.
• SCARY CLOSE by Donald Miller (Nelson Books/Thomas Nelson) is #3 in Relationships.
• LOVE DOES by Bob Goff (Thomas Nelson) is #6 in Relationships.
• KEEP IT SHUT by Karen Ehman (Zondervan) is #7 in Relationships.
• BOUNDARIES by Henry Cloud and John Townsend (Zondervan) is #8 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.

• GHOST BOY Martin Pistorius with Megan Lloyd Davies (Nelson Books) is #7 in Health.
• WRESTLING FOR MY LIFE by Shawn Michaels with David Thomas (Zondervan) is #8 in Sports.
• YOU AND ME FOREVER by Francis Chan and Lisa Chan (Claire Love Publishing) is #8 in Relationships.
• LOVE AND RESPECT by Emerson Eggerichs (Thomas Nelson) is #11 in Relationships.
• THE BEST YES by Lysa TerKeurst (Nelson Books/Thomas Nelson) is #11 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• FOUR BLOOD MOONS by John Hagee (Worthy Publishing) is #12 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• THE MYSTERY OF THE SHEMITAH by Jonathan Cahn (FrontLine) is #13 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• HEAVEN IS FOR REAL by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #15 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.

---

ECPA member titles on this week's Publishers Weekly Bestseller List:

• YOU AND ME FOREVER by (and read by) Francis Chan and Lisa Chan (Christianaudio) is #2 in AudioBooks.
• THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES by Gary Chapman (Northfield Publishing/Moody) is #8 in Trade Paper.
• THE FRIENDS OF JESUS by Karen Kingsbury (Howard Books) #18 in Hardcover Nonfiction.
• LIFE IS SHORT (NO PUN INTENDED) by Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein (Howard Books) is #21 in Hardcover Nonfiction.

---

NEW AT ROSE PUBLISHIING

Rose Publishing/Aspire Press announces today that Jean Christen has accepted the position of Publisher for Children’s Products, including the newly acquired Rainbow Publishers/Legacy Press line of Children’s devotions, Bible lessons, and fiction titles. She starts in this position July 14

ZONDERVAN HIRES NEW SENIOR EDITOR

Zondervan is pleased to announce that Christopher Beetham has joined Zondervan as Senior Editor of Biblical Languages, Textbooks, and Reference Tools. In this new role, Beetham will be handling the editorial responsibilities that were once assigned to long-time editor Verlyn Verbrugge, who passed away in June of this year.

TIME FOR WRITING

TIME MANAGEMENT

I’ve been thinking about time management and organization lately. Mostly because I’ve been helping an elderly friend get organized to move to a retirement center. I’m actually known for being quite organized, but helping here is a reminder that I still have much organizing of my own to do--and need to set aside time to do that. I’m sure being shot of time happens to all of us periodically. I had to laugh recently when I ran across an item in a women’s magazine that indicated that there shouldn’t be more than 7 things on your to-do list for any one day. Otherwise you would suffer from brain overload.

The root problem for most of us is that we are often reluctant to say No when being offered the opportunity to fulfill some job—especially if it’s at church or in another Christian organization. Recently I ran across a note I’d taken in a writing class. The teacher made this comment: “When someone asks me to do something, I ask them if there is anyone else who could do the job as well or better than I could. If so, tell them to ask that person. If they can’t find or recruit that other person, then come back and I will do it.”

One of the keys to not having too much to do is giving up those jobs that someone else has been called to do.

ADVERBS AGAIN

ADVERBS: The colorless verb needs to be looked to in nearly all amateur writing. It can, of course, be over-colored. J.J. Montague's burlesque of contemporary stylistic prose--"'Don't kiss me,' she insincered. 'Why not?' he curioused. 'Because--' she uneasied." --is both a warning and a guide. The conspicuous use if verbs in which adverbs are implicit is unfortunate, as in and conspicuous struggle for effect, but "she said insincerely," "he asked curiously," "she answered uneasily" makes quite as hard reading. --Edith Ronald Mirrielees

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

Go easy on the adjectives and adverbs because in most cases two adjectives for one noun compete with each other for the reader's fullest response and both tend to lose; adverbs modifying verbs tend also to dilute the impact of the verb: "'Die!' he shouted insanely." the word "die," with its exclamation point, is already too much, "shouted" is implied, and "insanely" overwhelms all three words before it. The effort collapses under its competing components.    David Madden

SPEAKING TIP OF THE DAY

Don't let any criticism defeat you. Simply use it as a 

stepping stone to a better presentation the next time

STRIVING FOR ACCURACY

Nothing is sillier than a creative writing teacher's dictum "Write about what you know." But whether you're writing about people or dragons, your personal observation of how things happen in the world--how character reveals itself--can turn a dead scene into a vital one. Preliminary good advice might be: Write as if you were a movie camera. Get exactly what is there . . . . The trick is to bring it out, get it down. Getting it down precisely is all that is meant by "the accuracy of the writer's eye." Getting down what the writer really cares about--setting down what the writer himself notices, as opposed to what any fool might notice--is all that is meant by originality of the writer's eye. Every human being has original vision. Most can't write it down without cheapening or falsifying.
--John Gardner

AND THE AUTHOR SAID . . .

“I'm not sure a bad person can write a good book. If art doesn't make us better, then what on earth is it for?” Alice Walker

10 WORST MISTAKES

Q. I'm curious. What are the ten worst mistakes a writer can make when submitting for publication?

A. An interesting question. Here's my Top 10 List: (1) Wrong subject matter. Writing on a topic for which there is no market. (2) Lack of editing. I find it helpful to edit every manuscript both on the screen and on a hard copy. If you are weak in an area like where to put commas, then study that area carefully until you can edit your own material properly. (3) The wrong tone. Determine the tone that is appropriate for the piece of writing—could be humorous, or dark, or analytical, or light-hearted—or Christian. This is especially true when writing in the Christian market. (4) Too personal—focusing on you instead of your readers. (5) Not doing your marketing research; sending to the wrong publisher. This is one of the biggest reasons for rejection. (6) Untimely; writing about a subject that is already past its prime—or will be by the time the article or the book is published. (7) Too narrow a market. The broader the interest in a topic, the more likely you are to find a publisher. If you can find only two or three potential markets for a piece,or a book, chances are against you finding the right match. (8) Writing intended to attack a person or group. It's good to have strong feeling about a topic, and clearly state your position, but don't attack the opposition. (9) Not having a Christian slant when writing for a Christian publisher. Although a particular topic (that could also be written from a general perspective) may be of interest to a Christian publisher, it has to be written from a Christian perspective. (10) Trying to write like another writer, or trying to follow in their footsteps. God has a path laid out for you—you need to follow it to your own success. 

NY TIMES CHRISTIAN BESTSELLERS - WK OF JULY 19, 2015

• THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES by Gary Chapman (Northfield/Moody) is #1 in Relationships; and #2 in Advice, How-To & Misc.
• JESUS CALLING by Sarah Young (Thomas Nelson) is #1 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• YOUR BEAUTIFUL HEART by Lauren Scruggs (Tyndale House) is #1 in Fashion.
• LIFE IS SHORT (NO PUN INTENDED) by Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein (Howard Books) is #3 in Family; #15 in Hardcover Nonfiction; #19 in E-Book Nonfiction.
• SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME by Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #3 in Race.
• SCARY CLOSE by Donald Miller (Nelson Books/Thomas Nelson) is #3 in Relationships.
• LOVE DOES by Bob Goff (Thomas Nelson) is #6 in Relationships.
• KEEP IT SHUT by Karen Ehman (Zondervan) is #7 in Relationships.
• BOUNDARIES by Henry Cloud and John Townsend (Zondervan) is #8 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.

• GHOST BOY Martin Pistorius with Megan Lloyd Davies (Nelson Books) is #7 in Health.
• WRESTLING FOR MY LIFE by Shawn Michaels with David Thomas (Zondervan) is #8 in Sports.
• YOU AND ME FOREVER by Francis Chan and Lisa Chan (Claire Love Publishing) is #8 in Relationships.
• LOVE AND RESPECT by Emerson Eggerichs (Thomas Nelson) is #11 in Relationships.
• THE BEST YES by Lysa TerKeurst (Nelson Books/Thomas Nelson) is #11 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• FOUR BLOOD MOONS by John Hagee (Worthy Publishing) is #12 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• THE MYSTERY OF THE SHEMITAH by Jonathan Cahn (FrontLine) is #13 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• HEAVEN IS FOR REAL by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #15 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.

From ECPA's Rush to Press@ECPAnews.org/rush

FAIR CONTRACT INITIATIVE

The Authors Guild released its first “detailed analysis” in its Fair Contract Initiative, an outreach effort aimed at improving the standard contract for authors. The piece, released to the Guild's membership Thursday morning, examines what the organization calls “inadequate e-book royalties” and argues that the digital royalty favors publishers far too heavily.

As part of its analysis, the Guild said that it hopes “established authors and, particularly, bestselling authors" will begin to "push back" on the reigning e-book royalty rate of 25%. The Guild is hoping this small, but powerful, group can take a stand "on behalf of all authors, as well as themselves.”

The heart of the association’s argument is that the traditional author-publisher partnership has been upended by the success of e-books. While authors had been able to earn around 50% of a book’s profits in the past, now, with e-book, publishers have been able to tip the scales to achieve a 75%-25% balance in their favor.

The Guild analysis traces the history of the e-book royalty rate, and points to the watershed moment in 2004 when Random House, which had been paying 50% of e-book revenue to authors, changed its rate “significantly.” This led to e-book royalties coalescing around the 25% level.

Acknowledging that authors and agents “ought to have pushed back” against the lower royalty, the Guild said that e-book sales were so low prior to 2009 that “it didn’t make much sense to risk the chance of any individual book deal falling apart over e-royalties.” The Guild added that when e-book sales rose, the organization wrongly assumed that authors would only sign with publishers offering an e-book royalty above 25%.

The publishers, the Guild went on, unexpectedly “dug in their heels” on the digital royalty, though, using most favored nation clauses, which state that if an e-book royalty rate is changed for one author a publisher needs to renegotiate that rate for all authors. Consolidation among publishers has also put authors a the unenviable position of having to settle for, in the Guild's wording, “take it or leave it deals.”

The Guild does acknowledge that Amazon has put pressure on publishers’ profits by pushing for deeper discounts on e-books. It is also noted that publishers’ margins on e-books shrank between it's first analysis of the digital royalty rate in 2011, and one done earlier this year. Even though publishers are not doing as well financially as they were four years ago, the Guild pointed out that authors, as a group, are faring far worse.

Publishers have given some authors a 50% royalty rate on e-books, but the Guild said these select few have been required to sign nondisclosure agreements about the terms of their deals. Now, as authors struggle with ever-diminishing profits on their work, the Guild said the time has come for publishers to change their e-book royalty rate.

ABINGDON SHUTS DOWN FICTION

Abingdon is shutting down its fiction program, according to a statement released to Publishers Weekly on Wednesday.

“Abingdon Press will cease acquisition of new fiction titles,” said Neil M, Alexander, Abingdon Press president and publisher. “All books under contract which includes new titles scheduled through 2017 will be published and actively marketed as planned.”

Although Abingdon is concluding its fiction program, the publishing house’s Christian Living program remains alive and well.

DO I ASK PERMISSION?

Q. What if I want to quote from a regular book and it is not in public domain? Do I need to get permission?

A. It depends on the length and nature of the quote. If it is a short quote that simply expands on or backs up a point you wish to make, you probably don't need to ask permission. But give credit as to the person quoted and the source of the quote. If the quote is more substantial—such as one of the major premises in that author's book—t hen you will want to ask permission.

It is important to maintain a balance concerning quotes. Don't ask for permission when not needed and don't fail to ask when you should. Usually it comes down to using your common sense and asking yourself if you would want to be asked for permission if you were the quoted author.

SPEAKING TIP OF THE DAY

Getting helpful feedback after a presentation is one 

of the best ways to improve your delivery. Ask that 

your critics be very specific in their criticism or 

suggestions for improvement.

WRITING TIP OF THE DAY

1.  Reading extensively is the best way to build your vocabulary.

CONCERNING REPRINTS

Q. When submitting reprints, is it necessary to tell the editors where the piece has appeared previously?

A. The answer to that question varies from publisher to publisher, which means it is important to check each publisher's guidelines before submitting to them. In some cases the publisher will not care where it has appeared previously. Some will want to know where it appeared originally to be sure you have the right to resell it. And there will be some who ask for a list of all the places it has appeared or that you have sold it to—probably wanting to be sure none of them were overlapping markets. 

AND THE AUTHOR SAID . . .

“This is how you do it: You sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until its done. It's that easy, and that hard.” Neil Gaiman

SUBMISSION FOLLOW-UP

Q. How long should I wait after I send a submission to a publisher before I can follow up?

A. Whether you have submitted to a periodical or to a book publisher, you always need to wait the length of time they indicate as their response time. I've seen response times vary from a few days to up to a year, so it will be important to check their guidelines or listing in the market guide to identify what that time frame is for the particular publisher. If the submission was to a magazine, then wait the indicated time, plus a couple of extra weeks for a grace period, then send an e-mail or note asking politely about the current status of your submission—giving all the details, such as title, date sent, and editor addressed to. If no response, or not a timely one, you can send them another e-mail or note indicating that you will be withdrawing the manuscript for publication and submitting it elsewhere. There is no obligation on your part to wait any longer than that. In some cases an editor never responds.

If the submission was a book proposal or manuscript, wait the indicated response time and then either send an email or letter as indicated above asking about its status, or simply contact them to let them know that if you don't hear from them during the next two weeks (or 30 days), you will be withdrawing the manuscript and submitting it elsewhere. 

WRITING TIP OF THE DAY

 Compare your published piece against your original to see what editing was done.

PHOTOGRAPH RIGHTS?

Q. If I sell an article that includes accompanying photographs, what are my rights as far as the photos are concerned? Can I re-use them with another article, as long as the new article is completely different from the original one? Or is it necessary to obtain new photos to go with every new article?

A. If the photos were sold as part of an article/photo “package” then it will depend on what rights were sold for the package. If you sold only First Rights, the photos can be resold after the original piece is published, in the same way the original article can. If you sold One-time Rights, you don't even have to wait for the first publication—since they are only buying the right to publish article and photos one time. However, if you sold All Rights to the package, the photos belong to the original publisher and you cannot use them again in the future. However, if you need those particular photos to go with another article, you can always contact the original publisher and ask if they will release the rights to those photos back to you. If they have no further use for them, they may be willing to do that.

In some cases, if the photos are particularly valuable with wide possible use in the future, a writer can sell whatever rights they need to for the article, but sell only One-time Rights to the photos—giving the writer full control over their future use. 

WRITE OR READ SAMPLES?

Q. I love to write, but have such a limited amount of time for writing, wouldn't it make sense to spend my time actually writing, instead of reading all those sample magazines?

A. Actually, what makes sense is to do both. Obviously, the more time you spend writing the more your craft will improve, but if you want to sell what you write, you must be studying the market. If you ask editors, they will tell you that at least half of manuscripts they receive are rejected because the subject is not a fit with their readers. Or they are not slanted to the specific interests of the readers. Understanding these sometime subtle differences in publications are only noticed when you read and study the target publication. If you skip this essential part of the writer's job, you are greatly jeopardizing your chances to sell on a regular basis.  

NY TIMES CHRISTIAN BEST SELLERS - WK OF JULY

• THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES by Gary Chapman (Northfield/Moody) is #1 in Relationships; and #3 in Advice, How-To & Misc.
• JESUS CALLING by Sarah Young (Thomas Nelson) is #1 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• YOUR BEAUTIFUL HEART by Lauren Scruggs (Tyndale House) is #1 in Fashion.
• LIFE IS SHORT (NO PUN INTENDED) by Jennifer Arnold and Bill Klein (Howard Books) is #3 in Family; #8 in E-Book Nonfiction; #11 in combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction; #16 in Hardcover Nonfiction.
• SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME by Ron Hall and Denver Moore with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #3 in Race.
• SCARY CLOSE by Donald Miller (Nelson Books/Thomas Nelson) is #3 in Relationships.
• LOVE DOES by Bob Goff (Thomas Nelson) is #6 in Relationships.
• KEEP IT SHUT by Karen Ehman (Zondervan) is #7 in Relationships.
• BOUNDARIES by Henry Cloud and John Townsend (Zondervan) is #8 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.

• GHOST BOY Martin Pistorius with Megan Lloyd Davies (Nelson Books) is #7 in Health.
• WRESTLING FOR MY LIFE by Shawn Michaels with David Thomas (Zondervan) is #8 in Sports.
• YOU AND ME FOREVER by Francis Chan and Lisa Chan (Claire Love Publishing) is #8 in Relationships.
• LOVE AND RESPECT by Emerson Eggerichs (Thomas Nelson) is #11 in Relationships.
• THE BEST YES by Lysa TerKeurst (Nelson Books/Thomas Nelson) is #11 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• FOUR BLOOD MOONS by John Hagee (Worthy Publishing) is #12 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• THE MYSTERY OF THE SHEMITAH by Jonathan Cahn (FrontLine) is #13 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.
• HEAVEN IS FOR REAL by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Thomas Nelson) is #15 in Religion, Spirituality & Faith.

NEW HOPE PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR

(BIRMINGHAM, Ala.) July 2, 2015—New Hope^® Publishers is honored to announce its award for Publisher of the Year presented by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA). The award for Publisher of the Year recognizes a Christian publishing house that demonstrates outstanding ministry partnerships with their authors. The AWSA is a professional support group of Christian women in both publishing and speaking. The AWSA celebrated its nominees and winners at the annual Golden Scroll Awards ceremony Sunday, June 28, 2015, in Orlando, Florida. Managing editor Joyce Dinkins was in attendance to accept the award on behalf of the New Hope^® Publisher’s team.  Dinkins also received a merit award for nonfiction editor of the year and two New Hope authors, Brenda Poinsett (He Said What?!) and Elaine Helms (Prayer Without Limits), were awarded merit awards for nonfiction. 

New Hope^® Publisher Judy Patterson responds, “We are deeply grateful to our authors who share our missional goals and whose inspired contributions are reflected in this recognition. New Hope authors are dedicated to missional living, offering words of hope to the hurting, and making an eternal impact in the world for Christ. It is a blessing to be a ministry partner with each author as we work together to accomplish His purposes.”

Dinkins adds: “God is good all the time. At this time, each member of the New Hope^® team experiences His goodness through the authors with whom we work, who acknowledge our service in Jesus’ name.”

The mission of New Hope^® Publishers is to provide books that challenge readers to understand and be radically involved in the mission of God. New Hope Publishers is the general trade publishing division forWMU^®, a missions auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention. New Hope Publishers is a member of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA).

AND THE AUTHOR SAID . . .

“I know I was writing stories when I was five. I don't know what I did before that. Just loafed, I suppose.” P.G. Wodehouse

FIRST OR ALL RIGHTS?

Q. I recently submitted an article to a magazine, offering first serial rights. They wanted to buy it, but said they would only accept all rights. However, they assured me that they would reassign those rights to me after the piece was printed. I'm OK with that, but need to know if that reassignment will now happen automatically after the piece is published, or if there is something I need to do to make it happen? Also, is the answer the same whether I was paid for the piece, or just got contributor's copies?

A. It will not happen automatically. As soon as the piece is published, you need to send a written request to get the rights to the piece back. If the publisher sent you a contract for purchasing the piece, the information concerning getting the rights back should be covered in that contract, so be sure to check the contract before you take any action. It makes no difference whether you are paid for the article or just got the copies.

ROSE PUBLISHING ACQUIRES TWO PUBLISHERS

For Immediate Release

Rose Publishing Acquires Rainbow Publishers and Legacy Press Torrance, CA (June 5, 2015)--

 Rose Publishing announced today its acquisition of Rainbow Publishers and Legacy Press. For over 30 years, Rainbow and Legacy have been award-winning industry leaders, specializing in reproducible Bible lessons, devotionals, and fiction books for children and teens. Rose Publishing will acquire over 180 children’s titles from Rainbow Publishers and Legacy Press.

 “We are excited to know a trusted company like Rose Publishing will be carrying on our vision,” says former Rainbow-Legacy CEO, Dan Miley, “Rose is already a leading publisher in reproducible Bible study material and shares our passion for creating easy-to-understand, Biblebased teaching material.” Rainbow Publishers develops age-appropriate, flexible teaching material, including the series Instant Bible Lessons, Five-Minute Sunday School Activities, and Favorite Bible Stories.

Awarded Best in Christian Education by Christian Retailing in 2011 and winner of numerous awards (Retailer’s Choice Finalist, Gold Medallion Finalist, CBA Bestseller), Rainbow Publishers produces all-in-one Bible lessons and like Rose Publishing it focuses on reproducible Bible material. Legacy Press is best known for its God And Me and Gotta Have God series of devotionals for girls and boys; both of which are national best-sellers. Its devotions, journals, and Christian fiction books, including the “Mom’s Choice” award-winner, Bill the Warthog, help kids grow in their faith. CEO and co-founder Gretchen Goldsmith expressed her enthusiasm over the new acquisition and what it means for Rose Publishing.

“Rose Publishing was started by a public school teacher and a Sunday School teacher in 1991 with a passion to make easy-to-understand Bible material,” said Ms. Goldsmith. “We’ve always admired the integrity of Rainbow’s leadership and the quality of their reproducible teaching material. We see this acquisition as a way to combine two family-owned companies who share a joint vision for quality Christian education material.”

Ms. Goldsmith added that she was eager to focus on Christian children’s titles: “Although Rose has created popular kids products before, we’ve never had a full product line devoted just to children and teens. As a Christian educator, creating products that develop and nurture a Christian foundation in the lives of children is close to my heart,” she said. “We know this line is meeting the needs of churches and parents who want practical, easy-to-use Bible curriculum. We look forward to serving children—and all who love them—as we continue to expand this product line. ”

WRITING TIP OF THE DAY

 When using italics, do not put the surrounding punctuation in italics.

DO EDITORS STEAL IDEAS?

Q. If I submit a query to a publication outlining an idea I have for article, how do I know the editor won't just steal my idea and give it to another writer to write?

A. You don't. But in all my years in this business, I have never heard of that actually happening. As long as you are capable of writing the piece, there is no reason for the editor to assign it to someone else. Besides, most editors have more than enough ideas coming in that they have no reason to steal ideas. Risk to their reputation would also be on the line.

There is one scenario that could happen along these lines. Sometimes an author will query on an important idea, but the editor (for various reasons) may think that author does not have the necessary skill to write it, or perhaps has not dug deep enough to get the whole story, so they will actually buy the idea from the original writer and assign it to someone more qualified.

It is not unusual to hear a writer complain that their ideas have been stolen, because an article on the same topic came out shortly after their query was rejected. The reality is that a lot of writers do submit articles on a similar topic. Since those topic are often tied to what is going on in the world, it is not unusual that more than one writer would have the same idea. I've been telling writers for years that when God inspires a writer to write on a certain topic, He can't trust them to actually follow through and write it, so He inspires other writers to write the same thing.