Into the Fire

To continue my interview with my friend and editor Mick Silva . . .

14.Accepting that “There’s nothing new under the sun”, professionals often say they can’t explain what they’re looking for when they desire a “fresh voice” but they’ll recognize it when they see/find it. Your concept?

“Fresh voice” is like seeing a “natural” athlete or a “born” actor. They stand out because they’re not trying to. They’ve perfected their abilities to the point of play. The greats don’t even know what it’s like not to be completely defined by what they do. It’s when you’ve disappeared and all that’s left is the work, the result. A fresh voice is someone who’s fully awake and like Neo at the end of The Matrix, he doesn’t even need to fight anymore.

15.A point of great contention for me and others is the dictum of “the rules of writing”. While valuable in learning basic skills, the emphasis on the rules often precedes formulaic writing. Your opinion?

I agree. Rules are for beginners. Kids need boundaries. Maybe disciplines is a better word. It’s a good discipline to stick to one verb tense. But it doesn’t serve if your character needs to switch tense midstream. I can’t imagine that particular situation but the point is when you’re at the level of play, you won’t be bothered by people harping on the rules. You’ll naturally do what’s required.

16.A recent admission by a professional of many years claimed that the one person/group that must be impressed on the pub board in order to get a project accepted is the sales person/team. Considering that a large percentage of books don’t earn back their advances, what does that say about the process of selecting books to publish?

I don’t think all pub boards are the same. Some don’t even have sales people in them. Most big publishers do, but I doubt if most are completely dependent on the sales teams’ opinion. But to the point, I’m not sure a sales director would be doing his/her job if they didn’t object to most books and make low estimates of a book’s potential. They’re basically paid to sell the most books possible, and how many books are really that exceptional? I do agree that God must lead the execs who make decisions, and it doesn’t seem that always happens, but the frustration of many a writer has led to some pretty great books.

17.Coca Cola or Pepsi or neither?

That depends. Is it happy hour?

18.Being a Christian, a husband, a father of two little girls, what do you hope to teach your daughters above all else?

To love as they’ve been loved and to make that their work in life.

19.You and your wife Sheri have known each other for many years and just celebrated your 10^th wedding anniversary. How does Sheri feel about your new circumstance/opportunity?

She’s very excited. We’re both looking forward to the new adventure. There’s a lot to do now, so it’s fun to be busy with it all. But of course, there are times when it’s challenging too.

20.Why an editor?

I love editing. I originally thought I’d like to make films. Christian propaganda films, mainly. As a kid, I wanted to be the first one to make a high-quality, successful Christian film. So when I learned no one was handing out money for that, I tried screenwriting. But I didn’t like LA. So I figured I’d start in books. And then it just became easier to learn the business of publishing before pursuing publishing on my own. Now that I’m convinced editing is necessary to write, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

21.What three things would your closest friends say to identify you as a person?

Ha! You’d have to ask them. I’m sure I’d guess wrong.

22.What are the most important factors you’re now considering in your professional life?

Hmm. Where does God want me to be and how can I best use what he’s given me? Or as my dad puts it, How can I join him in what he’s already doing?

23.Being completely candid with pre-published authors, what would you want them to know?

Don’t complain. Take every opportunity and make it matter. Don’t shun the challenges. Push yourself and write every day if it kills you. You will improve, but only after writing a million crappy words will your writing be worth anything. And even then it won’t be worth much. So hitch your wagon to the thing that means the most. And be grateful for everything.

24.Marketing can be the bane of many authors while some take right to it. The only proven method of marketing that works is word of mouth—but that can take a long time. Since today’s new (and veteran) authors will most likely be asked to do some or most of their marketing, what do you suggest for those who can’t seem to come up with anything to impress anyone?

Be who you are and augment your best qualities. I’m going to ask my friends your question about what they’d say about me. That will help me know what makes me stand out better. Beyond that, take yourself out of the picture. Use the natural attraction and power of the message God’s given you to do the work of getting people interested. Don’t self-promote; promote the incredible opportunities you’ve gotten to share what God’s given you. Show people how extraordinary it is that we’re here, now, and we get to talk about these things together because he’s designed this moment from the beginning.

25.Finally, Mick, is there any point you want to make that I failed to address?

I think I’ve used up my 15 minutes. Thanks, Nicole, for this chance to think and share. I’m looking forward to seeing where God leads you next too!

http://mywritersgroup.typepad.com/

Father, you know how deeply I care for Mick. I pray your multiple blessings upon his next steps, that you would go before him and make his paths straight. Watch over him, Lord, and keep him safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.