“Of special note are the chapters focused on Preparing Your Proposal; Publishing Options; Working with an Editor; and Marketing Your Work. Thoroughly ‘user friendly’ and superbly presented, ‘A Path to Publishing: What I Learned by Publishing a Nonfiction Book’ is a very strongly recommended read for any and all aspiring writers seeking to turn their manuscripts into profitably published books.”

You can read the rest of his review under his introductory note at the latest edition of the Midwest Book Review online.

The rest hang out on my hard drive. The most promising are listed on a white board next to my desk waiting for something to click. A few made it to the desks of editors as book proposals, and some of them were even greeted as good book ideas with excellent writing.

Alas, no contract, no book.

It’s quite hard to evaluate the merit of a book idea, but one thing that helps me weed them out before I bug my agent or an editor is the “better than good” standard. In other words, my book idea needs to be really exceptional if I’m going to invest the time and energy required for a book. I usually ask myself questions like these:

Am I passionate about it?

Does thinking about it keep me up at night?

Can I NOT write this book?

Those are tough questions that have killed about ten projects that were all the rage with me for a few months. When they fizzled and failed to re-fizzle themselves, I knew that I made the right call.

At this point I’m testing about two or three ideas for future books, seeking feedback from trusted friends, and experimenting with them. Once I have a better idea of what their main concepts will be, I’ll start asking the hard questions.

If I can’t answer with an unequivocal, “Yes!” then I know I won’t be able to invest the time and energy required to form the proposal, pitch the book, write it, edit it, and then market it until I drop.

This incredible expenditure of energy in publishing makes it all the more critical that authors are passionate about their book ideas. If not, then they have a long year ahead of them!

The next post in this series: In my next post I’ll talk about the ways I make sure my book ideas are unique. However, you’ll unfortunately need to wait until July 19th for that one! We’ll be away on vacation for a week, so hang in there. I promise to keep sharing the goods when I return.

They all write words on a page or on a computer.

Some have quite a few readers on their web sites.

And yet, they hesitate in calling themselves “writers.”

Why?

Because they haven’t published in magazines or they haven’t published books. They just think of themselves as word tinkers.

I used to think the same of myself before I published a book. At the time my only writing credit was an online magazine and a defunct humor magazine. Then someone said in an E-mail, “You’re a writer. Now you just need someone to pay you for it and some fame.”

It was a jarring comment. I’d built my identity as a writer around external sources of validation, namely money and popularity.

Here’s the thing, having published in several magazines, several books, and online over the past five years, I can just about guarantee you’ll never think you have enough money or popularity to call yourself a writer because there will always be someone with more money and more readers.

While there are good writers and writers who have a long way to go before they’re good, perhaps the matter of calling yourself a “writer” rests more with the individual. Do you personally believe you can call yourself a writer based on the work you do?

Forget money.

Forget fame.

Do you write seriously? Do you care about the words you put on the page? Is your writing an important part of who you are?

If you can answer yes to questions such as these, then you probably are a writer. Very few writers go on to make a lot of money or to become household names, so just focus on loving what you do, put your best into it, and savor every time a reader shares positive feedback about your work no matter how you publish it.

Writing is about crafting words for readers. Set goals for yourself, but never confuse legitimate writing with the side benefits of money and popularity.

If you drop by his blog, be sure to stick around and to have a look at some of the great posts he has been sharing on marketing, writing, and blogging.

When self-publishing it’s up to you to develop your ideas, to organize them, and to make them clear and complete for readers. This is far more difficult to do than you may think.

For my first book, Coffeehouse Theology, I developed my ideas over a series of several years and still needed significant input from my literary agent and development editor at my publisher before the book was ready for publication. In the case of  A Path to Publishing I created a detailed outline of the material several years earlier, which was relatively easy since publishing follows a series of steps that must remain in their order.

Even so, I gave several presentations on my material over the course of several years and returned to my outline to refine it, to move details around, and to fill in gaps where those in attendance had questions. In a sense, my workshops acted as my editorial development time. Without those trial runs I would have left several gaping holes in my book or left several disorganized points.

If you’re self-publishing, make sure you’re very familiar with your material and able to sort through the details and the proper order. This process will take longer than you’d expect, and unless you hire an editor to help you with the organization and development, which is something far more involved than proof-reading for clarity, your book may not connect with readers. 

Looking for a bit more about publishing right now? Check out A Path to Publishing. It’s available for $10 as an ebook and for $15 as a paperback.

Do you have your own publishing question? Drop by Lisa’s blog and post it in the comments. Between the two of us we’ll try to answer it.

Over the following week other bloggers will be posting on the book, conducting interviews, and possibly even hosting a giveaway or two.

My thanks to Lisa for her help in spreading the word. Make sure you check out her various endeavors:

http://lisadelay.com
http://lisadelay.blogspot.com
http://LifeAsPrayer.wordpress.com

http://twitter.com/lisacolondelay

Either way, it’s important to evaluate the reasons for a rejected query. If an editor has filled you in on the reasons, then you’re well on your way. If not, you’ll need to review the magazine and its guidelines as you ask some of the following questions:

Do you have the experience necessary?

Perhaps you’re overreaching into a topic or a field in which you need more experience or research before you can submit an effective query.

Have you learned the craft of writing? Are you well-read?

Some writers will need to spend more time reading up on the basic techniques of nonfiction writing, style, and grammar. I took a workshop with the former editor of Vermont Life Magazine and he just about blew my mind with his various diagrams for structuring a magazine story. Books such as On Writing Well and The Elements of Style are bestsellers for a reason!

Do you know your competition?

Did you query an editor regarding an article or book on a topic that has already been addressed by many other writers? Have you failed to address a fresh angle or to offer a unique perspective?

Do you know your audience?

Even if you have a great idea, sufficient experience, and a unique perspective, you may still fall short of writing directly to the magazine or publisher’s audience. I have run into this on many occasions in the field of religion when I took angles that were a bit too liberal, charismatic, or conservative depending on the editor’s taste. In addition, some magazines are more academic or scholarly, while others aim for general readership.

Do you know your potential publishers or agents?

Many magazine editors, publishers, and literary agents who receive queries from writers state their preferences on their web sites, list previous publications, and sometimes even share a theme or genre list. Did you miss any of that crucial information before sending in your query?

Keep Trying

Even if you’ve been rejected or ignored, keep working on your queries, articles, and book ideas. It’s a tough business, but you never know when the right situation will fall into your lap. Unless you’re trying, that will never happen to you.

Well, sort of. Don’t thank them for rejecting it. Thank the editor for reading your submission and for taking the time to e-mail you back even though he/she is probably overworked and underpaid.

If you received a reply within a few hours or days of sending your query, then treat the editor like a god.

Personal Rejections

If you didn’t get a form letter, that’s a good sign! Read what the editor tells you, take it to heart, and save that message so you can refer back to it every time you query that magazine or one like it.

Suck It Up

Writers need to develop thick skin and get used to rejection. You will never write for any sustained period of time if you don’t know how to take a textual punch. They come fast and often some days.

Saying thank you has a way of keeping yourself positive and showing the editor that you aren’t fazed by the rejection—which you shouldn’t. The next time you send a query to this editor you’ll start on much better terms than if you’d pouted or offered a rebuttal to his/her rejection.

Even if you think the editor is out to lunch, you need to move on. Whether or not you ever query this editor again, you can’t argue your way into convincing an editor to accept your work. I know, I was awesome at convincing my mom to buy me legos and ice cream, but really, it doesn’t work on editors.

Transition

You can be grateful that this rejection is not the end, but just the closing of one of many paths. There are other magazines where you can send your query or article, so get moving.

Rejection is just about the worst thing a writer can imagine besides publishing a book that is hated by readers and critics. Both possibilities sound pretty terrible, but rejection is the one thing that every writer who hopes to publish a book or article has to face from the start.

Even well-known authors with a history of successful books have to sometimes face rejection. Legendary Christian writer Frederick Buechner has published shelves worth of fiction and nonfiction, but even his latest book, The Yellow Leaves, was rejected by his life-long publisher. He had to take it elsewhere before landing a book deal.

Rejection is a real issue that every writer has to deal with in one way or another.

I had intended to write this series last week, but a few other projects and a persistent head cold pushed it back to this week. Tune in tomorrow, and I’ll discuss the nature of rejection in the business of writing.

I had every intention of wrapping up this series last week. However, we traveled to visit some family on Friday and I forgot to share my final post in this series.

In my last post I shared the down side of writing, but don’t worry. There are plenty of perks and good days as well.

A Flexible Schedule

Many writers will say they enjoy the flexible schedule of writing. Though they’ll have plenty of deadlines to meet, they can organize their schedules as they see fit. This requires planning, discipline, and boundaries (lest writing overtake one’s personal life), but it can pay off when articles can written on a beach or at a lake house. Travel or unexpected visits need not throw a project off course since writers can move their schedules in order to capitalize on opportunities.

Fellow Writers and Publishing Professionals

Fellow writers not only provide invaluable help, they also prove to be friends and colleagues who share your struggles and frustrations. They can generously help with marketing ideas and promotions, as well as with expert advice and feedback. Publishing professionals you meet along the way may connect you with key editors or opportunities. In addition, once you’ve experienced a little success, it’s always a joy to help fellow writers, who are passionate about their work, succeed.

The Creative Rush

Some morning the words fall into place, shaping excellent ideas, apt metaphors, and thrilling scenes. There is a rush that sweeps over writers when everything clicks. While hard times will come, there is nothing like nailing a story, knowing you’ve succeeded in crafting a unique piece of writing.

Helping Reading

While negative reviews and feedback will come, more often than not readers will only contact you to share how you’ve helped, inspired, or entertained them. Creating another world or clearly sharing a fresh idea that helps another person makes writing incredibly rewarding. I keep positive feedback in mind when I set out on new projects because I hope to continue helping readers with each new project.

Next Week’s Series: Why It’s OK for Writers to Fail

Interested in learning more about book publishing?
Check out my new book A Path to Publishing: What I Learned by Publishing a Nonfiction Book.

Like any other work, writing has its drawbacks and bad days. I don’t mention these aspect of the profession by way of bad-mouthing it, complaining, or fishing for sympathy. I’m much more interested in helping new writers approach this line of work with eyes wide open and to let fellow writers know they are not alone with their struggles.

Speaking of which, let’s start with the bad news about writing and publishing. Tomorrow we’ll talk about the good parts of writing, but for now, we’ll look at some of the drawbacks:

Excessive Loneliness and Introspection

Depending on your personality type, the solitude of writing can become a bit much if you don’t have enough interaction with other people. While time alone is the daily bread most writers need, they also need the feedback of others and interaction with fellow writers and some non-writers. Writing is a lonely task that can become difficult unless appropriate attention is paid to this aspect of the work.

Rejection and Critique

There are so many reasons why a submission or proposal may be rejected, but even so, writing often means not only the disappointment of rejection, but the lost investment of time in an article or book that may never be published. Even if a piece is accepted, publication is not guaranteed. Even if it is published, editors will surely critique it and may even suggest changes you may not want to make. These are typical for the profession and cannot be avoided, so prepare for it and over time you’ll learn to work with it.

Low to Zero Pay

If you’ve ever looked through Craig’s List for work as a writer, the payment offered sometimes can be insulting. In all seriousness some postings ask for hours of work and offer only $10 or $20 for the whole project. Writers at this point in time have, generally speaking, an under-valued skill set. With the exception of niche web sites such as technology and politics, there isn’t all that much money, if any, to be had with online publishing either (though there are exceptions of course).

In addition, many magazines looking to scrape by have had to drop their payments to writers, while book publishers are also under pressure to lower their advances. This means that writers need to think like entrepreneurs who cannot survive unless they also branch into more lucrative aspects of writing such as copywriting, technical writing, or advertising. Others have specialized in social media seminars, speaking on their book topics, and other business ventures to help pay the bills. Very few writers these days are able to earn a full-time living from their writing books and magazine articles.

The Difficulties of Building a Good Platform

And speaking of speaking, many writers looking to publish a nonfiction book will first need a large enough platform to guarantee book sales. Some agents say that this may soon apply to fiction writers as well. There are some easy ways to build a platform, but the most meaningful way to build a platform requires the hard work of seeking out speaking engagements, book events, and other media appearances.

If you think a rejection letter is tough to take, try calling a few libraries to ask if you can speak about your book. While some libraries have been receptive, others have acted as if I was an axe murderer asking to lop off the heads of a few kids during story hour. I understand that most organizations have limited space and capacity, and as such they cannot accommodate every writer who calls looking for an event.

However, writers need to prepare themselves for something worse than the word “No” when they call around looking for speaking events. You will sometimes be eyed with suspicion, doubt, and even annoyance. You will sometimes be told by book store owners that you’re not popular enough, that not enough people are interested in your topic, and that no one gives a damn about you or your book. That is FAR worse than reading, “I’m sorry we can’t accept your book at this time.”

I’m not bitter about these experiences, but I think writers need to speak frankly about the difficulties that come with building a good platform that reaches a lot of readers. While I love speaking to groups about my works, getting to that point will include some difficult and deflating conversations.

Doubt

Doubts haunt every writer, even those who are successful. I recently read an interview with Gregory MacGuire, the author of Wicked and several other bestselling books, and he shared that he is plagued by doubts and the fear of failure at the start of every new book project. Writers tend to fear their current work isn’t good enough, regardless of past success.

It’s Not All Bad

While some of these aspects of the writing life may sound quite bad, take heart. There is a up side to writing. We’ll discuss that tomorrow.

Writing is a tough business with tremendous rewards. It is one of the few professions in which a person can share something intensely personal, expose it to public criticism, and receive rejection over and over again.

There are enormous costs and challenges to writing, and yet many continue to dream about publishing a book some day because the rewards seem to outweigh the costs. In my own experience the rewards and goals can be difficult to quantify at times, and the challenges are sometimes larger and more complex than I could have imagined.

While it is wonderful to read the responses of readers who have been positively influenced by my writing, there are plenty of rejection letters and critiques that come along the way. That strikes me as the norm for most writers, and so it becomes a matter of managing the ups and downs of the writing life.

In addition, writing is a profession in which we can expect to make mistakes. There is a very real learning curve, and some will figure it out faster than others.

This week I want to speak frankly about my good and the bad experiences in the writing and publishing world. I hope that this series will provide a little guidance to those new to publishing, while also letting other writers know they’re not the only ones who have received crushing e-mails and plunged into the seeming depths of despair.

Tomorrow I’ll start with a post discussing the bad parts of writing and publishing.

Over the past few weeks I’ve hit a couple highs and lows, which are to be expected when writing. However, I wonder how many would-be writers or writing hopefuls know what exactly they’re in for when they seek to be published?

Next week I’m turning off the sarcasm control and speaking straight up about my experiences as a writer and what I really think. I hope to share what to expect, how to prepare a little better for the tough times, and why a writer such as myself keeps plugging away.

Without falling into ranting or complaining, I think there is a lot to be said about the lot of writers in today’s economy. In addition, for those envisioning their writing as a kind of vocation or ministry, we’ll touch on that a bit.

See you on Monday.

Never before has one book composed such a culturally bound exploration of the words and deeds of Jesus of Nazareth, or @NazarethJesus.

Though Jesus never wrote a book, he certainly communicated much to his disciples. If he had Twitter, there is no doubt that he would have used it. This book is committed to a fresh exploration of Jesus through 140-character tweets, uncovering the digital legacy in this work of ancient digital linguistic social media archeology.

Based loosely on a few events in the Gospel of Mark, The Lost Tweets of Jesus encounters the life of Jesus through a series of tweets that incarnate the Messiah into today’s technology.

This book is a free download that is perfect for study or meditation during Holy Week. If you’re interested in interviewing me regarding this stunning new release, please consult my publicity kit.

Incidentally, I have also released a free ebook of meditations on the Gospel of Mark titled: Prepare the Way of the Lord.

Today I’m wrapping up my series on writing for magazines with some final thoughts on writing a query letter to an editor…

Whether searching online or checking a version of Writer’s Market, find examples of query letters and study the art of writing a solid query. While you may think that brainstorming a good idea or writing a great article make a query letter an afterthought, think again.

You need to impress an editor, who receives hundreds of these things, with both your idea and your ability to write about it effectively for his/her audience. The competition is fierce, so make sure you stack the deck in your favor.

Don’t send the query until you’ve check it for errors or vague points. I have run through my queries with a fine-tooth comb and still find mistakes and oversights that may have hurt my chances at acceptance. In fact, wait

Having sent out my fair share of queries that evaporate into inbox oblivion, I’ve learned that shooting for the stars at the start often leads to poor results. While publishing hopefuls shouldn’t rule out pitching major stories or feature articles, there is an order to the magazine world that should be taken into account.

When aiming for print or online magazines that pay, you’ll be pleased to learn that many of them have established simple ways for writers to break in. So provided you give up on landing your first query on the front page, many magazine guidelines will tell you which departments are most open to new writers.

These may range from a series of quotes, to a short 100-200 page anecdote, to a 500-word “how-to” piece on a specific topic. By writing these short break-in pieces you’ll minimize the amount of time you have to invest in writing queries that may not sell.

Once you’ve established your reputation with an editor, showing that you can write relevant pieces for his/her audience, improves the chances of your future queries. In addition, the process of writing a short piece for a specific magazine will make it easier to write targeted pitches in the future.

After you’ve read the magazines you’re hoping to query, make a careful study of their guidelines. These are usually listed on the magazine’s web site.

This is a no-brainer in one sense, but as I write for more magazines, I’ve learned to pay attention to particular clues. Clues that I had been missing when I first started sending queries to the poor editors…

You should already have a familiarity with the magazine’s sections, but while reading the guidelines pay particular attention to how the magazine is organized. There typically will be longer feature articles and then a series of recurring, shorter articles.

Take note of which topics are typically handled by the magazine’s staff, what their current interests are, and whether or not they have a separate theme list. Stay on-topic, give the editors exactly what they want, and follow their guidelines with paranoid precision.

In addition, pay attention to any tips or clues they may provide for new writers. They just may provide you with an easy way to break in—which is what we’ll address tomorrow.

If you’ve accumulated some writing credits, you’re ready to begin planning out your queries to magazines that do pay well. Don’t forget about the non-paying, high quality magazines (for example, there’s Patrol and Next-Wave in my own Christian market). They have their place in building your marketing platform if you hope to sell books or to accumulate writing credits. However, you can now broaden your scope.

I’ve heard many editors say that you need to read their magazine before sending them a query. While that makes sense, the typical writer doesn’t have time to pour over the past twelve issues for fifteen different magazines. However, most writers should be able to read at least four or five editions (if not more) of four or five magazines, especially when some of them are available online. Choose wisely as you begin, and then add to your inventory of magazines you read regularly as you query more of them.

Still, the question remains, Why? Does it really make that big of a difference if the guidelines are listed online?

In a word, yes.

Besides simply knowing what a magazine is looking for topically, reading a magazine clues you in on the kinds of stories the magazine accepts, the angle most writers take, and the expectations of readers. For example, after reading about six issues of a regional magazine I began to think of solid story ideas that one editor purchased right away.

When you’ve read a magazine the query ideas will come faster and you’ll write better queries that appeal to editors. Perhaps you could hammer out a decent query after a few hours of staring at the guidelines, but investing a similar amount of time in reading the magazine will result in better queries that are far more likely to be accepted.

While a great idea may be picked up, chances are that a new, unproven writer will have a hard time pitching an acceptable story idea to a top magazine that pays well. Instead, start with an online publication that doesn’t pay, or at least doesn’t pay well.

This will enable you to read the magazine and to get to know the readers. In addition, the comments at the end of each article, if comments are allowed, will give you clues about the readers.

In addition, many online magazines are not dealing with limited space, so the competition isn’t quite as fierce. You should be able to accumulate a bunch of writing credits in a short period of time which will make your queries to larger magazines stronger. Make sure your pieces are on-topic and written to address the needs of the web site’s audience.

If you stick to web sites that don’t pay, you’ll still get your name out there and begin to draw an audience of readers to your work. They will at least be able to click on a link to your web site and start reading your blog. You do have a web site, right?

UPDATE: Based on the comments of one reader who has “expunged” me from a bookmark list (Boo-Hoo!), I thought I should add some qualifiers and a little clarity here:

• I’m talking about someone’s first few queries here, not a whole career. I think new writers have a lot to gain by developing their craft on some low-stakes sites before taking a crack at the big boys. Besides, an editor at a web site that pays little or no money may even write back and offer feedback on a rejected article. Most editors at magazines will delete queries they don’t like.
• And speaking of these sites, the commenter referred to them as “bottom-feeders,” but I think that’s a sweeping generalization. There are LOTS of bottom-feeder web sites that don’t pay out there. And I agree, they should be avoided. I only contribute to sites that connect me with readers, develop my skill at writing for my audience, and build my resume. I also only send articles to the non-paying sites that line up with my values.
• Lots of serious, professional writers, who know their worth and their craft, post content on sites that don’t pay. That isn’t all they do, and they often recycle previous pieces, but the occasional, carefully chosen free site can be an asset.
• Lastly, the key word in this post if “start.” Having faced a room of wide-eyed writers who fear rejection more than a nuclear holocaust, I can assure you that just getting something published anywhere regardless of pay is a huge first step. I also encourage them to quickly begin querying other magazines that do pay, but even so, these magazines will encourage them to break in with short fillers rather than long features. I mean, that’s what most editors say in Writer’s Digest, right? Just because someone starts small does not mean he/she has given up on the craft of writing or one day writing a feature piece.

All writers have made rookies mistakes when writing magazine queries and magazine articles. In fact, I still make my fair share of mistakes from missing an error in my query after reading it over 30 times or misunderstanding the niche of a magazine I queried.

It can be embarrassing to make mistakes when writing for magazines and deflating to see your hard won idea tossed into the rubbish bin. I confess I still am on a bit of a learning curve when it comes to writing for certain magazines.

However, after a few years in the world of writing and querying magazines, I’ll share a few lessons next week that should help anyone improve his/her chances of being published in a magazine. Some may seem obvious but hard to put into practice, and others may open up a world of possibilities for you.

Stay tuned for the start of this series on Monday, March 22nd.