Into the Fire

And maybe it never was.

I don’t know.

What I do know is that according to Chip MacGregor, prominent literary agent, if you write a book, you’re the one most responsible for marketing it. Every literary agency requires your thoughts and ideas on how you plan to market your work. Even though entire publishing staffs of professional marketers have not completely figured out how to successfully market CBA men’s fiction or some new authors, YOU must have a tangible plan for selling your wares.

What I do know is that not all publishers publish all genres or types of books. Since we primarily discuss Christian fiction here, of those who publish it, some houses only want certain kinds of fiction. Hence, if you desire publication and have a preferred house to proposition, you best know what they want and write accordingly.

A little sidestep here . . . Some established authors are asked to write a certain kind of story and willingly comply, excited by the challenge. They have learned and perfected the accepted format and structure expected by acquisitions’ teams and serve up the anticipated product. This current format and structure varies very little from CBA house to CBA house right now. We’ve discussed that in detail.

There is a dichotomy between what is spoken and/or printed on professional internet outlets and what actually takes place—or so it seems to me. There is a mission to find certain “trendy” novels which professionals have discerned are their best options for selling books and making money. Yet the rather constant advice to unpublished writers is to write the best story you can write, insinuating that it can’t possibly be ignored if the writing shines, the query and proposal knock somebody’s socks off, and you appear poised and memorable at a writer’s conference. This is the winning combination. However, the options for variance in structure and format are limited. Most of the editors all seem to edit according to a particular style, as if they all learned from the same teacher. And consequently the agents know in order to sell books and gain contracts, they need to find authors who write according to the industry standard.

How about platforms? Who in the world can you influence to buy your books? Are you an intellectual, a renowned speaker, a rock star? Just kidding. What if you’re just an ordinary person who’s been called to write? Too bad. Unless you have an off the chart marketing strategy, your ability to razzle-dazzle an agent or publisher is limited. Does this mean you won’t succeed? No. If God plans for your work to be “professionally” published, he will blaze the trail for you. But as far as the industry is concerned, they’d much rather have you be an established writer via magazines or some kind of media to where your name and abilities are recognizable when the editor brings you up before the pub board. They don’t want to be bombarded with questions like “Who is he/she?” “What has he/she done?” “What’s his/her claim to fame anyway?” and not be able to answer them with sufficient examples of your previous work.

Let me return to the annoying phrase, “Write the best story you can write.” Good grief. Does anyone set out to write the worst story they can write? Polish and spit shine that hummer. Eliminate the errors, tantalize with just the right amount of tension, conflict, action verbs, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. And eliminate everything that doesn’t stick to the story. What?? Hey, I’m writing the story, bub. I guess that makes me the determiner of what the story is about, don’t ya think? I’m just sayin’, you know? Seriously, there are some phrases in the biz that are canned and doled out like so much slop on a plate, and when it’s all said and done, sifted and shredded, they’re meaningless.

I’m getting too cynical. Not what I intended. Let me regroup. There are as many reasons for writing as there are stories. There are wonderful stories of success and contributions to the glory of God. There are also stories of dejection and rejection. There are hilltops and swamps. There are joys and sorrows in the world of writing and publishing. Straining and striving and stressing. Lobbying, lauding, and laughter.

What does God have for you in this business of writing? Is it a call on your life and come recognition or failure to be noticed, will you write on? Where is God taking you on your writing journey? Can you handle it?

Remember: to the Lord it isn’t just about writing. It’s about how you represent Him in the process, how you allow Him to work through you while you endeavor to obey His call upon your life. It isn’t just about the writing anymore—it’s about Him.

Father, thank you for the desire to write and for the stories to tell. Thank you for the passion that drives me to keep writing regardless of the particulars and circumstances. Thank you for caring about what I do and for blessing the process of writing. Thank you, Lord. Please use it for your glory—somehow, some way. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.