ACFW Foundation Silent Auction -- Last Day to Bid!

Have you been trying to get your manuscript in front of an agent or editor? 

Wonder why the story isn't working? 

Then check out these silent auction items (and remember all proceeds go to the ACFW Foundation for scholarships to next year's conference).

The ACFW Foundation 2015 Online Silent Auction has been extended an additional day. It will now end Tuesday (today), April 07, 2015 at 09:00 PM EDT. 

Most of the items are selling greatly below value. Anyone can bid, not just ACFW members.

Michelle Grajkowsky, 3 Seas Literary

Chip Macgregor: proposal & 3 chapter review plus skype 

Sarah Freese: WordServe agent

Linda Glaz: Hartline Literary Agency  

Michael Hauge: 1 hour consultation

Raela Schoenherr: Bethany House editor 

PUBLISHED AUTHOR COACHING and CRITIQUES 

Stacy Adams Hawkins

Susan Meissner

Elizabeth Goddard

Kathleen Fuller

Lauraine Snelling: critique & Call

MaryLu Tydall: 3 chapter critique

Colleen Coble

Lynette Eason

And don't forget that if you're planning to come to conference, you can bid on a conference registration. Then your registration fee goes entirely to the Foundation!

THE NON-WRITER ITEMS INCLUDE:

Cozy Mystery Magazine  book basket

Karla Akins Book Basket

Tosca Lee mini-library

Diana Wallis Taylor ~ Shadows on the Mountain

Kathryn Springer ~ The Dandelion Field

Kristin Billerbeck ~ What a Girl Needs

Dianna T. Benson ~ The Hidden Son

Lacy Williams autographed book bundle

Be sure to check out the Inkie's donation!

Inkwell Inspirations ~ Writer Rest and Resource Gift Basket

 

Lessons from the Editor's Desk - Editors Are People Too

by Dina Sleiman

Okay, so the title is a little silly, yet oddly easy to forget. As I’ve mentioned in the last two posts in this series, I am a part-time, often volunteer editor for WhiteFire Publishing. So I assume you knew I was just a regular person, but the same holds true for all editors. Here are some things to keep in mind in that vein, and I would venture to say that most of this is true of agents as well

Editors Want to Have a Good Conference Experience. While editors come in a variety of personality types, they want to have a pleasant conference experience just like you. They might be shy and new to the conference and just as nervous about who to sit with at lunch as you are. Or they might be a fun-loving individual looking for someone to bounce their jokes off of. If you treat them like a person, ask them about their families and pets, their interests, you might just gain an actual friend who happens to be influential in the publishing industry. And just like any other people, you will probably connect easily with some of them, and not so easily with others. That’s okay. Chances are, the ones who like you will also like your writing style.

Editors Want to Have Good Meetings with Conferees. Generally, editors don’t like being pressured, being given sob stories, or being told that God has mandated them to publish your book. They don’t like being chased or handed manuscripts under bathroom stalls. Beyond that, it’s a good idea to do some research on the editor and learn what they do and don’t like. Personally, I have a pet peeve about conferees who don’t answer my questions but instead push on with their sales pitch. For example, I want to know how long a writer has been writing, what professional associations they have, and if they know the industry lingo, and I hate it when writers ignore my questions. On the other hand, I find nervous conferees kind of endearing. I think most editors like it when conferees are a nice balance of prepared yet casual. They enjoy a relaxed meeting. They like to have a conversation and not just listen to a speech. They like to see that you are excited about your project and that you’ve done your work to be ready for publication.

Editors Talk to Other Editors. Going to writers conferences and meeting with editors is an awesome idea…unless you have a pushy, annoying, or otherwise abrasive personality. In which case, you might want to think twice. Editors talk to other editors, and you don’t want to get a bad reputation in the industry. If you discover that you’ve committed a serious faux pas (I‘m not talking about passing manuscripts under stalls or using the wrong font here, we’re used to that stuff), it might be wise to make a sincere and heartfelt apology.

Editors Have Preferences about Submissions. For starters, most of them only want submissions from agents these days. If they do take submissions, shockingly (sarcasm) they put their guidelines right on their website, and they expect you to follow them. What if they just say something general like “a query letter” or “a proposal”? That should indicate two things to you, 1) They aren’t terribly particular, but 2) they do expect you to do your own homework and to provide these documents to a general industry standard. Don’t know what that is? I repeat—do your homework.

Editors Represent Companies. Editors might seem like all-powerful gods to authors, but they have to answer to their employers just like anyone else, and they also have to win the approval of their publication committee. If they choose your book and it does poorly, it could negatively impact them as well. They have an obligation to represent their company’s lines and needs, and part of your (or your agent’s) homework is to make sure you are sending your work to the right companies. Most companies have certain “slots” to fill in their publication lines. For example, two American set historical romances, one historical romance set in England, three suspense novels, and five contemporary women’s novels. And to continue the example, eight of those slots for the year might already be filled by their current authors. You might have an awesome book that the editor loves, but whether or not you get a contract will still be largely based on the company’s specific needs of that moment, which is one of the many reasons you must keep trying and not be easily discouraged. Editors want to please their employers and keep their jobs just like anyone else, which is why being stubborn or pushy about a book that doesn’t fit their line will only cause you to be on their bad list.

Editors Have Personal Taste. In addition to representing their companies, editors also have their own taste. You might find that within a given publishing house one editor prefers plot driven fiction, another deep characters, and a third is a sucker for a great voice. That’s part of why you can’t take rejection too personally, and you must keep trying and trying. It’s entirely possible that you might send an editor an awesome novel, but they have read two similar bad ones recently that negatively color their perception. Or worse yet, they might have just read an off the charts awesome book in your genre, and therefore yours seems lackluster in comparison. It happens, and there’s nothing you can do about it but keep trying.

Editors Care about People They Know. And so I pretty much bring us back to the first point. Let me be clear. I’m not talking about nepotism. But…I think it is simple human nature that editors will give more time and attention to submissions by people that they know and like. They’ll feel more confident about publishing a book by someone they trust. It’s easy for me to send a simple, “no thank you” to people I haven’t met, whereas someone I know in person is more likely to get suggestions for improvement with an invitation to resubmit. At the end of the day, publishers are only going to publish books they love and feel confident about. But…given two books of equal merit, do you think an editor will push for the one by a friend or a stranger???

Yep, editors are people too. Don’t tick them off. Don’t annoy them. But if you can invest time into getting to know them and becoming their friends, it just might bode well for your future.

Have you ever met with an editor? Can you share any funny stories, cautionary tales, or suggestions?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dina Sleiman writes lyrical stories that dance with light. Most of the time you will find this Virginia Beach resident reading, biking, dancing, or hanging out with her husband and three children, preferably at the oceanfront. Check out her novels Dance from Deep Within, Dance of the Dandelion, and Love in Three-Quarter time. And please join her as she discovers the unforced rhythms of grace. For more info visit her at http://dinasleiman.com/

Piecing Together a New Fiction Line

by Jennifer AlLee

As you may have noticed, the world of books is in the midst of a shake up. Some publishers are folding, some are being bought and folded into bigger houses. And the new frontier of e-books has everyone scratching their heads. In the current climate, it's rare for a publisher to decide to expand. But that's exactly what Abingdon Press (my publisher - GRIN) is doing.

This is from the official press release...

Beginning October 2012, Christian publisher Abingdon Press will launch a new series, Quilts of Love, as part of their growing fiction line. Based on the idea that behind every heirloom quilt is a story of how it came to be, the Quilts of Love series will focus on the romance and adventures of the women who quilted a part of their family history.  

Senior Acquisitions Editor Ramona Richards believes there is a strong connection between storytelling and quilts. “More than a creative art, quilts have been passed from one generation to another as precious heirlooms. They tell our family history, and they have bought communities together.” As a reflection of Abingdon’s diverse fiction line, the Quilts of Love series will feature contemporary and historical romances as well as women’s fiction and the occasional light mystery.

Abingdon Press will release one book per month through March 2014 beginning with Carolyn Zane’s Storm’s Signal (October 2012). Richards says, “Each book in the series tells the story of one quilt, one family, and one unforgettable love.”

You've probably guessed that I have the honor of being one of the authors involved in this line. My book will be the second release (November 2012) and is also the Christmas title: A Wild Goose Chase Christmas. Whether or not you're a quilter, I believe you'll enjoy this fun, romantic story. Here's a little taste...

Izzy Fontaine’s life takes an unexpected turn when a senior citizen arrives at her front door with an heirloom quilt from her deceased grandmother. Grandma Isabella wanted Izzy to have the Wild Goose Chase quilt because she believed it would lead her grandaughter to a great treasure. The news sends Izzy’s family into a tizzy as they question its monetary value and whether anyone but Izzy is entitled to it. Complicating matters, local museum director Max Logan claims Isabella promised him the quilt. Max seems sincere, and his smile is nearly enough to charm the quilt (and anything else he wants) out of her, but Izzy has to be certain. What is it about this quilt that makes everyone want it? Is she on a wild goose chase of her own, or a journey that will her to the treasure Gran intended?

The Quilts of Love line has something for everybody... contemporary stories, historicals, deep emotional plot lines, and light-hearted romps. I hope you'll enjoy it. And thanks for giving me a few minutes of your day to share the news.

JENNIFER ALLEE believes the most important thing a woman can do is find her identity in God – a theme that carries throughout her novels. A professional writer for over twenty years, she's done extensive freelance work for Concordia Publishing House, including skits, Bible activity pages, and over 100 contributions to their popular My Devotions series. Her first novel, The Love of His Brother, was released by Five Star Publishers in November 2007. Her latest novel, The Pastor’s Wife, was released by Abingdon Press in February 2010. Her next two novels are The Mother Road (April 2012) and A Wild Goose Chase Christmas (November 2012), both from Abingdon Press. She's a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Christian Authors Network, and the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.

Visit Jennifer's website at http://jenniferalleesite.blogspot.com/

From the Other Side of the Desk

 by Dina Sleiman

In the past few weeks something new and exciting has happened in my career. I’ve become an acquisitions editor for WhiteFire Publishing, the small press that recently contracted my medieval novel. If you don’t know what an acquisitions editor does, in layman’s terms, I help pick the books we publish.

On one hand, I was surprised to realize that after spending so many years figuring out how to write books, I actually knew exactly what I was looking for. How to spot the duds, the not-ready-yets, the don’t-fit-our-lines, and even the true gems. I realized I can detect plot holes, pacing issues, point of view problems, and even restructuring needs. On the other hand, I’ve learned so much about life on the editor’s side of the desk in just a few short weeks. Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes and all that.

I’m not quite sure I’ve gone a whole mile yet ;) But I’ve certainly discovered enough to fill a blog post. So I’m going to tell you what it’s like to be an editor. What they’re looking for. What makes them happy. What makes them sad. What makes them gag. And I think most of this information applies to agents as well.

1)      Editors are cheering for you. They want to find good books. Every time they open a file their fingers are crossed, and they hope against hope that this will be “the one.” Even if the query letter is not perfect, they think maybe you just didn’t spend enough time on it. They peruse your proposal hoping to find something to get excited about. And even if it’s not perfect, if there’s some potential in the proposal, they peek at the writing sample dreaming that it will wow them. Unfortunately, it rarely does. So after the mediocre query, the so so proposal, and the lackluster first page or two, they give up, hoping the next one will be better.

2)      Editors are looking for something special. As you may have noticed in point number one, editors are looking for some aspect of your book that will wow them. A great voice. An exciting premise. A cool plot twist. An unusual character. An amazing bio. Something—anything—that will stand out from the crowd. You probably have five minutes to catch an editors initial interest. If you do catch it, you might have 20-30 minutes to convince them they should read the full manuscript. If they request the entire book, they are definitely on your side hoping it will work. At this point you’ve proved your book is at the least a diamond in the rough. If it seems easy enough to polish, they will likely recommend it for publication.

3)      Editors are looking for something that will fit. While editors want something special and unique to stand out about your book and catch their interest, they also want something that will connect to their company’s goals and their existing titles. For example, WhiteFire’s current books are historical, romantic, spiritual, artistic, adventurous, edgy, and exotic. So we’re looking to branch out with books that overlap our existing line in certain areas and that will appeal to our customers in some way.

4)      Editors are looking for people to say yes to. Often editors say no to good books because they can only say yes a limited number of times. They might like your book, but like another book even more. Or they might need a different book to fill a certain slot in their line. I know that next year WhiteFire will be looking to expand in certain directions. So we will be especially looking out for those books. The following year our needs might change.

5)      Editors are looking for books they like. Editors are people. Readers. Booklovers, not so different from you. If they don’t like a book, they’re not going to get excited about it. They’re not going to want to work with it for a year or more. They’re not going to try to convince a committee to purchase it. So in addition to learning about the company, learn what the specific editors enjoy and chose.

6)      Editors will not dig out the gem in your book. Sometimes an editor will look at a proposal and say, “Hmm, there might be something here.” But if your writing doesn’t quickly and clearly demonstrate that you know your business and have the skill to properly execute your idea, then forget it. While an editor might be willing to chisel off a few rough edges, polish up your gem, and put it in a pretty setting, they are not in the business of starting with a lump of coal and trying to find diamonds. You have to prove to them that you’ve done the work and the gem does indeed exist.

7)      Editors get annoyed. When people waste an editors (and especially agents for this one) time with proposals that aren’t professional, books that don’t fit their guidelines, amateur writing, sloppy manuscripts, etc…guess what—editors get annoyed. Don’t annoy them.

8)      Editors are nice to people they know and like. Now please don’t take this the wrong way. I’m not talking about nepotism here. No editor is going to publish your book just because they know you and like you. But the simple fact of life is that people go out of their way for people they like. So an editor will give more time to a proposal from a writer that they like. They’ll search a little harder for that gem. If they think it might be there somewhere, they’re more likely to offer advice and ask for a revised version. Or to ask you to write something different that will fit their current needs.

I think there’s a common thread to all these points. Editors are real live people. So go to conferences. Meet them. Find out what they’re looking for, what their interests are. Do they have any pets? Treat them with respect, but get to know them as real people. If you don’t connect, that’s okay, find one you do connect with. The acquisitions process isn’t as cryptic as you might think.

Editors buy quality books they enjoy and can sell from people they want to work with.

Pretty simple.

Do you have any questions about the editing or acquisitions process? Have you had any positive or negative experiences we might learn from? If you had the opportunity to be an acquisitions editor, what would you look for in a book?

 Dina Sleiman writes lyrical stories that dance with light. Most of the time you will find this Virginia Beach resident reading, biking, dancing, or hanging out with her husband and three children, preferably at the oceanfront. Since finishing her Professional Writing MA in 1994, she has enjoyed many opportunities to teach literature, writing, and the arts. She was the Overall Winner in the 2009 Touched by Love contest for unpublished authors. Her first novel, Dance of the Dandelion, will release with Whitefire Publishing in 2011. She has recently become an acquisitions editor for WhiteFire as well. Join her as she discovers the unforced rhythms of grace. For more info visit her at http://dinasleiman.com/

A New Kind of Publishing

by Grace Bridges

Splashdown Books

Hello from New Zealand!

A short while ago Gina and I got talking, and I mentioned that my books aren't CBA. "We promote some ABA authors too," she said, and I had to break the news that I'm not ABA either, but one of a new and possibly strange breed known by its proponents as independent publishing. So she's asked me to come and explain a bit about what that is and how it works.


view from Grace's office window



Technology is racing onwards at explosive speeds, as my colleague P.A. Baines wrote here on Monday. And that technology is in the process of turning the publishing world upside down. No longer is there only one way to get published: the search for an agent and publisher, paved with rejections and often ending in failure.

E-readers such as the Kindle, Nook and iPad, along with many smartphones, allow for the storage of huge numbers of books within one small device. Each type of machine typically has its own file format, though some can read multiple formats including PDF. Creating these files requires only average technical skills, and no ISBN is required – so anyone can publish a book, and there doesn't have to be a print version.

Self-publishers aside, there are a lot of small independent publishers doing just that. The key to success is having titles available in all the different formats so that any given buyer can get the file type necessary for their e-reading device.

But that's only a small part of the independent publishing model.

Heard of POD?

Print on Demand (POD) has unfortunately often been associated with vanity publishing, when in fact it is nothing more than a method for printing and ordering that is both economically sound and environmentally friendly. The publisher uploads the cover and text as files to a printer, who makes the information available to distributors – such as Ingrams – and retailers, such as Amazon, B&N, and the Book Depository, to name just a few.

You know the really amazing part?

NO stock is printed.

As orders come in from the retailer via the distributor to the printer, only then is a book printed. A single copy at a time. Digital printing presses have become so efficient that the unit cost per book, singly produced, is now no different than for traditional print runs that go into the thousands and end up being destroyed if they don't all sell.

I had it in my mind for some time to set up such an operation – all by myself, yes sir. Jeff Gerke of Marcher Lord Press got started before me and is doing a magnificent job with this same type of publishing model. I share his appreciation for speculative fiction: science fiction, fantasy, and supernatural. And that's what I publish. With time, other team members have come on board to assist with editing, design, and even soundtracks (!) so that I'm not doing everything alone these days.

Publishing is an exhaustive passion, consistently taking more time than expected. I've sat proofreading in the wee small hours, I've wrestled with last-minute cover tweaks, and wrangled with authors and editors. But each time a project is wrapped up and a brand-new author's dream comes true – that's a feeling like nothing in the world.

You can check out our titles at http://www.splashdownbooks.com/ – and if you want to know more about my writing, there's a summary page at http://gracebridges.blogspot.com/p/grace-author.html which lists my short story publications (most available online), my ongoing superhero serial, and my books so far.

Ever bought a POD book? If so, which one? What POD book are you looking forward to buying next? If you buy e-books, what's your favorite e-reader and why?
~*~

 
 
Grace Bridges is a sci-fi author (Faith Awakened, 2007, and Legendary Space Pilgrims, 2010) and owner of Splashdown Books, an independent publisher of inspirational sci-fi and fantasy at http://www.splashdownbooks.com/. She's a Kiwi of Irish descent living in beautiful New Zealand, and a chocaholic cat-lovin' Trekkie, Jesus freak, repeat globetrotter, hack web designer, and all-round DIY gal who also takes care of the Lost Genre Guild blog.

www.gracebridges.blogspot.comFAITH AWAKENED
www.gracebridges.com/facebook
www.gracebridges.com/twitter


 

Have you ever wondered... if your life is designed? Coincidences, déjà vu, fate, God... what does it all mean? Have you ever wished you could go back and do things differently? Maybe you can. Maybe you did already. If you could design your own virtual world to live in, what would it look like? Is God a computer programmer? And can he take you to heaven... before you die?
 
Buy a copy today at Amazon or Book Depository!
 
"Just how badly would we wreck things if global society is governed as though humans were the highest power? Can technology apprehend the Divine? Bridges is a literary artist, who paints her dystopian future setting with a vibrant narrative-style brush. FAITH AWAKENED is a Biblical Sci-Fi classic, and I look forward to viewing more of Grace Bridges' futuristic works in my mind's eye." --Frank Creed, author of FLASHPOINT

Free Harlequin Steeple Hill Downloads

To celebrate 60 years, Harlequin is inviting you to download 16 full ebooks, absolutely free. Total value $60 US. Choose from tender romances, heartwarming stories, suspenseful adventures, tales of passion and more.

http://www.harlequincelebrates.com/index.php

Inkwell Inspirations has not pre-read the books offered, so please download at your discretion.