Into the Fire

There is great reason to celebrate when a writer lands an agent, even more when that agent garners a contract for the work of said writer. First time authors who acquire a multi-book deal should feel relief, joy, and determination. Whatever these authors volunteered for their marketing plans will be exacted as the publisher extends its version of marketing the book(s).

Suddenly, the writer is a “ta da!” published author. This provides a favored status, a new respect for his/her work. Potential interviews, contests to win the new book, the traffic to the author’s previously established website and/or blog increases—all as a result of being published and promoted. And, usually, even with just one book out, these newly published authors become an authority on how to get published like they did, giving advice and instructions as to how to write that publishable novel. It’s an interesting process to watch.

The group-think efforts of today’s publishing establishments have produced unique perspectives. Rarely can several people agree on anything—just think of Jesus’ comments about agreement in prayer—so like most things that involve a consensus of opinion, there must be a substantial amount of compromise. Many times when compromise is involved, a substandard or decrease in quality occurs.

What happens behind closed doors when a book is being considered by the pub board? I’ve heard it can be brutal and contentious even within CBA circles. I have no idea. From what I’ve continually read in cyberspace, platform and marketing are important contingencies and not just for non-fiction. Apparently, the more impressive your platform—the more it’s assumed the greater your potential for an established audience. In other words, the more people who know who you are by what you’ve already accomplished, the greater reach your book will have, and that of course translates into sales. Or it’s supposed to.

So what occurs when an author’s new status results in slow sales? The projected amount of sales isn’t happening, and as much as the author’s editor loves his work: Money talks, baby. I’ll be forthcoming here. I’ve just read three novels in a row which would not have met with my approval as written if they’d been submitted to me. I’ve reviewed one of them here and will review another soon, both for CFBA, and the other novel shall remain anonymous. Two of them were shorter novels which, as you hear repeatedly, I don’t like. That’s one strike against them for me but not for many others. All of them had enough unlikable and two dimensional characters in them to work against my emotional involvement. However, even if I prefer meaningful characters in plot-driven novels, some readers do not require much from their heroes and villains. So, what I’m getting at is one of these authors is multi-published, but I can’t really recommend the novel I read. The other shorter novel is a first effort, and while it showed promise, it wasn’t much past skin deep—another “no recommendation”. The third one which I will review in October is a first time partnership effort by two men with impressive platforms and three noteworthy endorsements. Tune in to see my opinion.

And that’s the thing: it’s only my opinion. And while qualified professionals can cite more impressive statistics about all kinds of books, trends, and sales, writing styles, quality of writing, story structures and genre appeals, marketing possibilities, and you-name-it, they cannot guarantee the sales of books they produce nor can they predict either quick or lasting appeal. Their own qualifications for achieving positions in this fickle arena are admirable for sure. They have been gifted by God in their areas of expertise, but God is not impressed with any of our credentials, and all of his gifting is to be used for His divine purposes which I think we sometimes forget.

Opinions are just that. In a small way it doesn’t matter how much intelligence and knowledge you have to back up your opinion if it still comes down to your . . . well, opinion. If it can’t be established as bona fide fact, then it remains opinion—granted it’s based on skill-sets, gathered and established credibility, and all the other qualifications required to pronounce certain judgments on the topic/profession of choice. Nevertheless, in this business where others’ opinions, as in the reading public, dictate what becomes a bestseller, if your professional opinion is wrong, where does that leave your credentials? And your acquired authors?

With the exception of a few entrenched authors, most other authors seem to walk on a wire of treacherous proportions. If they fall off the taut line with a book because of low sales, they walk in fear of being dropped by their publisher and not being picked up by another because of it. There are so many novels out there to be read. It’s easy to imagine a lot of them going unnoticed on the multiple shelves with the most popular authors having earned prominent placement in the somewhat limited space in most Christian bookstores.

All of this to say: status is overrated. Sales tell the tale. Consumers are often unpredictable and misread by the industry. That’s just the way it is. Since a righteous man’s steps are ordered by the Lord, it’s best not to mount the high horse to dispense advice about a business which cannot predict what will sell and what will flop—in spite of the quality or lack thereof . . .

Father, since all praise goes to you, you’re the only One worthy of status. You are the highest, the best, the Great I AM. Hallelujah!