In a comment to yesterday's post (Throwback Thursday), my author friend Brenda S. Anderson remarked about another good writer that didn't sell well in Christian fiction (Mark Mynheir). For those of us who author novels and admire others who do the same, we of course, like all readers, have our favorites, and when we read their books, we appreciate, admire, and/or are inspired by their words and stories. We voice our opinions, some of us write sterling reviews, we promote them, and we watch in astonished disappointment when their work seems to fade away.
In recent years much of the marketing has fallen upon the authors themselves. It's expected when authors extend an "application" or "audition" to an agent or publisher that they include their marketing plan for the book(s). I've done extensive posts on this topic over the years, and I don't need to reiterate my opinion of this other than to say I don't think most publishing houses have a clue how to market fiction other than for their top selling clientele whose established name basically markets itself as their audiences anxiously await their new book.
I can tell you straight up I cannot, nor do I want to, market my own work. The pressing question publishing professionals love to press is "If not you, who?" In other words, guilt tripping. Don't you believe in your work? Yes. Well, then. Well, then, what? Sell, sell, sell? No. Solicitation is not my specialty.
Most authors have a distinct audience. Some have a specialized audience. Others have a well-rounded general audience. When you narrow that description down to a Christian audience, it can get very specialized – to the point of realizing when your work isn't going to sit well with legalistic readers who prefer genuine escapes from all that's wrong in the world – and that some publishers seek to placate that specific audience.
So. Why is it that some very good writers of Christian fiction are excluded from making the big bucks? Is it marketing? Is it a narrowed audience? Are some of them published by the "wrong" houses? That is to say, are those who tend to read the work from those houses not geared to reading the types of novels produced by these good writers? What is the reason?
Any thoughts/opinions?
Lord, only you know the real reasons for the different paths of your people. As your people, more than anything we want to obey your directions for our lives and seek forgiveness for our waywardness when we stray. Please help us to do what you have for us to do and be content and blessed to be in your perfect, tailored, designed will. We're desperate for you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Into the Fire 
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