Questions and Answers...

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS...

1. What are the goals of Christian Publishers--and Agents? What are they looking for?

• To make money and stay in business while fulfilling their individual company's mission;
• To publish books that have great ministry potential;
• To publish books that have a decade-long backlist potential (rare, but still a good goal);
• To discover the next great communicators of our time;
• Since “nothing is new under the sun,” to see fresh ideas that tell the “old, old story” in new and culturally relevant ways;
• To publish authors who know how to write, so people can’t wait to get to the next paragraph and chapter;
• To see proposals and sample chapters that help answer all of the questions their marketing and sales folks will ask (questions like: unique selling hook, competition, author platform, previous sales history, etc.);
• To have authors who are willing to pay the price to promote their own books on radio and TV. Because make no mistake: the author is the primary marketer of their book;
• To develop career authors, not those who are “one book wonders” (Meaning: you better have more than one pretty good idea before you approach a publisher or agent);
• Authors who have good hearts, who won’t be a “phone pest,” and who genuinely think that Christian publishers are, for the most part, doing their best (which they are).

2. What are some tips for getting started as an author?

• Put all of your best ideas in a file;
• Start with magazine articles if a book seems too daunting;
• Pull out your top three ideas and see if you can create a eight- to 12-chapter outline for each;
• Work on creative book titles and chapter titles. Run them by several people who are avid readers;
• Go on Amazon.com or Christianbooks.com to see if there is stiff competition to your idea. Write down any book that is close and how your books will be different;
• If you want to write non-fiction, buy a couple of books on how to write it. If you want to write fiction, read a couple hundred books in the category you are interested in, and read a couple of books on how to write it;
• Write an introduction and a couple of chapters. Run them by several people (no one who reports to you, and no relatives) and ask them to be ruthless;
• Re-write the chapters. Find more ruthless people who will tell you the truth. Re-write again;
• Talk to anyone and everyone you know who is connected to Christian publishing. Referrals to editors and agents are often the best way to get your material looked at;
• Plan to attend a high quality writer's conference nearby your home;
• Decide whether you want to go through the hassle of handling the business end of your books, or whether you want to use a quality Christian agent to help shepherd you through the process (see “What a Good Agent Does” below);
• Realize the psychology of book buying. People buy books for gifts, reference, entertainment or felt need. How does you idea fit in these categories?

3. I'm not sure I'm ready for the "big show" of getting my book published by a normal publisher. What are some tips for getting self-published?

• Have someone transcribe the content you’ve spoken into pages that can be edited;
• Edit or find someone who will edit ruthlessly. Don’t scrimp on doing something that is “good enough.” If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing so you and the Lord will be proud of it;
• Keep it under 50,000 to 60,000 words;
• Make sure your title is a good one. Do the market research needed so it zings. The best titles often scream the felt need and say who the market is in the title. “What to Expect While You’re Expecting,” does both. “It Had to Be a Monday” does neither.
• Find a good self-publishing house who can give you good prices. Try, www.booksjustbooks.com; or www.winepresspub.com as a start. Find the magazine "Write and Publish" at a Barnes and Noble for more information.
• Don’t go the hokey cover route. Spend some dough on a good cover;
• Make sure the title on the book spine is readable (don’t use script);
• Contact Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com yourself to sell your books on these sites. Realize you likely won’t get the book into bookstores until a real publisher decides to take it on.

4. What if I have good content but can’t write too well?

The hardest thing for some people (mainly pastors or more "speaker-type" communicators) to do is admit they have the content, but not the skill to put the content together in a way that people will read and act upon it. The best thing to do is find a professional writer who will either mentor your own writing development, or get to know you so well that he or she knows your heart and voice. It’s not a sin to be a good steward of your time and let someone else do the wordsmithing.

5. What should I expect from a good literary agent?

• Tells you the truth about your ideas and your writing;
• Helps you create a proposal that answers all of the publisher’s questions so there is no delay in the decision-making process;
• Does the work to insure your sample chapters don’t have typos and/or bad writing. Basically, they help make sure you don’t look like you can't write a book;
• Advises on whether it is better stewardship to write the book yourself or use a professional collaborator;
• Saves you months of time by sending your proposal presentation to the right editor at the right publishing houses (and knows these editors well enough to call them);
• Answers publisher questions about you as the author, or the material (basically, says the truthful things about you that you shouldn’t be saying about yourself);
• Negotiates aggressively the pertinent details of the publishing agreement, representing your interests. (Publishers have teams of lawyers and accountants protecting their interests. You should have someone knowledgeable protecting yours.);
• Makes sure the contract is letter-perfect;
• Handles any potential conflicts with you and the publisher (title or cover issues, marketing promises not kept, and a thousand other details that come up along the way);
• Helps guide your writing career to help insure you’re publishing books that are “in your gut,” “from the Lord” and “market friendly.” It’s bad stewardship to write a book that only 143 people will read (not including your mother);
• Communicates with you often; gets back with you in a reasonable amount of time when you have questions (24 hours, usually);
• Charges not more than 15% (of the author’s share for as long as the book is in print).

6. I've heard there are different types of literary agents and agencies. What type are you?

WordServe could best be described as an "editorial literary agency." We care about the content, how it's presented, if it's got "the goods," and if there is a need for the project in the market. We work hard on the front end to insure that all of the questions are answered for the publisher. Oftentimes, because of the writing and book experience of Greg Johnson and his wife Becky, chapters and manuscripts are edited before they go out the door (as part of the service of the agency). This fact, combined with negotiating and contract expertise, long-term career guidance, and a responsive and caring advocate, makes the services of WordServe different from many other agents in the industry.

Some other agents serving Christian authors also maintain legal practices, so while their editorial and career guidance abilities may be limited, they can make sure a contract is well written.

Still other agents are also writing their own books, or they edit books for a fee. Though these agents may have very good reasons for authoring and editing on the side, these additional endeavors may distract them from staying immersed in the ever-changing Christian publishing landscape. If possible, you want an agent who is singularly focused on serving his or her authors, directing their career, and selling their manuscripts.

7. Are there secular publishing houses acquiring Christian books, and do you have contact with them?

There are a few houses in New York, San Francisco, and other places who are acquiring Christian books, but their focus is often narrower than the normal CBA house. And, yes, WordServe has consistent contact with all of them.

8. Is your agency accepting new authors?

It's VERY tough these days for a new author to get published...and it won't be getting any easier as time goes on. If you haven't noticed, Christian bookstores are rarely bookstores anymore. They are gift stores that sell books. Consequently, the shelf space for books has decreased by 50 percent over the last five years. That means publishers are cutting their lists (some by half) and being selective about who and what they publish. Everyone wants to stay in business, so they have to make priority decisions.

That said, everyone--including agents--are looking for new voices who write well, are culturally relevant, and who want/have the ability to promote their work.

So, yes, we look for the new voices God is raising up for future generations of readers. (Please see the "contact us" link on how to best submit a proposal for consideration.)

9. Does your agency offer a written contract?

Because we do not collect money or sign contracts for an author, not all authors require a written agreement. If, however, a specific author wants all of the information in writing, we will offer a written author/agent contract.

10. What does your agency charge?

WordServe is a 15 percent agency that does not charge for any other services unless mutually agreed upon ahead of time.





			Our mission is to serve authors of faith in all of their creative endeavors

		QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS... 1. What are the goals of Christian Publishers--and Agents? What are they looking for? • To make money and stay in business while fulfilling their individual company's mission; • To publish books that have great ministry potential; • To publish books that have a decade-long backlist potential (rare, but still a good goal); • To discover the next great communicators of our time; • Since “nothing is new under the sun,” to see fresh ideas that tell the “old, old story” in new and culturally relevant ways; • To publish authors who know how to write, so people can’t wait to get to the next paragraph and chapter; • To see proposals and sample chapters that help answer all of the questions their marketing and sales folks will ask (questions like: unique selling hook, competition, author platform, previous sales history, etc.); • To have authors who are willing to pay the price to promote their own books on radio and TV. Because make no mistake: the author is the primary marketer of their book; • To develop career authors, not those who are “one book wonders” (Meaning: you better have more than one pretty good idea before you approach a publisher or agent); • Authors who have good hearts, who won’t be a “phone pest,” and who genuinely think that Christian publishers are, for the most part, doing their best (which they are). 2. What are some tips for getting started as an author? • Put all of your best ideas in a file; • Start with magazine articles if a book seems too daunting; • Pull out your top three ideas and see if you can create a eight- to 12-chapter outline for each; • Work on creative book titles and chapter titles. Run them by several people who are avid readers; • Go on Amazon.com or Christianbooks.com to see if there is stiff competition to your idea. Write down any book that is close and how your books will be different; • If you want to write non-fiction, buy a couple of books on how to write it. If you want to write fiction, read a couple hundred books in the category you are interested in, and read a couple of books on how to write it; • Write an introduction and a couple of chapters. Run them by several people (no one who reports to you, and no relatives) and ask them to be ruthless; • Re-write the chapters. Find more ruthless people who will tell you the truth. Re-write again; • Talk to anyone and everyone you know who is connected to Christian publishing. Referrals to editors and agents are often the best way to get your material looked at; • Plan to attend a high quality writer's conference nearby your home; • Decide whether you want to go through the hassle of handling the business end of your books, or whether you want to use a quality Christian agent to help shepherd you through the process (see “What a Good Agent Does” below); • Realize the psychology of book buying. People buy books for gifts, reference, entertainment or felt need. How does you idea fit in these categories? 3. I'm not sure I'm ready for the "big show" of getting my book published by a normal publisher. What are some tips for getting self-published? • Have someone transcribe the content you’ve spoken into pages that can be edited; • Edit or find someone who will edit ruthlessly. Don’t scrimp on doing something that is “good enough.” If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing so you and the Lord will be proud of it; • Keep it under 50,000 to 60,000 words; • Make sure your title is a good one. Do the market research needed so it zings. The best titles often scream the felt need and say who the market is in the title. “What to Expect While You’re Expecting,” does both. “It Had to Be a Monday” does neither. • Find a good self-publishing house who can give you good prices. Try, www.booksjustbooks.com; or www.winepresspub.com as a start. Find the magazine "Write and Publish" at a Barnes and Noble for more information. • Don’t go the hokey cover route. Spend some dough on a good cover; • Make sure the title on the book spine is readable (don’t use script); • Contact Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com yourself to sell your books on these sites. Realize you likely won’t get the book into bookstores until a real publisher decides to take it on. 4. What if I have good content but can’t write too well? The hardest thing for some people (mainly pastors or more "speaker-type" communicators) to do is admit they have the content, but not the skill to put the content together in a way that people will read and act upon it. The best thing to do is find a professional writer who will either mentor your own writing development, or get to know you so well that he or she knows your heart and voice. It’s not a sin to be a good steward of your time and let someone else do the wordsmithing. 5. What should I expect from a good literary agent? • Tells you the truth about your ideas and your writing; • Helps you create a proposal that answers all of the publisher’s questions so there is no delay in the decision-making process; • Does the work to insure your sample chapters don’t have typos and/or bad writing. Basically, they help make sure you don’t look like you can't write a book; • Advises on whether it is better stewardship to write the book yourself or use a professional collaborator; • Saves you months of time by sending your proposal presentation to the right editor at the right publishing houses (and knows these editors well enough to call them); • Answers publisher questions about you as the author, or the material (basically, says the truthful things about you that you shouldn’t be saying about yourself); • Negotiates aggressively the pertinent details of the publishing agreement, representing your interests. (Publishers have teams of lawyers and accountants protecting their interests. You should have someone knowledgeable protecting yours.); • Makes sure the contract is letter-perfect; • Handles any potential conflicts with you and the publisher (title or cover issues, marketing promises not kept, and a thousand other details that come up along the way); • Helps guide your writing career to help insure you’re publishing books that are “in your gut,” “from the Lord” and “market friendly.” It’s bad stewardship to write a book that only 143 people will read (not including your mother); • Communicates with you often; gets back with you in a reasonable amount of time when you have questions (24 hours, usually); • Charges not more than 15% (of the author’s share for as long as the book is in print). 6. I've heard there are different types of literary agents and agencies. What type are you? WordServe could best be described as an "editorial literary agency." We care about the content, how it's presented, if it's got "the goods," and if there is a need for the project in the market. We work hard on the front end to insure that all of the questions are answered for the publisher. Oftentimes, because of the writing and book experience of Greg Johnson and his wife Becky, chapters and manuscripts are edited before they go out the door (as part of the service of the agency). This fact, combined with negotiating and contract expertise, long-term career guidance, and a responsive and caring advocate, makes the services of WordServe different from many other agents in the industry. Some other agents serving Christian authors also maintain legal practices, so while their editorial and career guidance abilities may be limited, they can make sure a contract is well written. Still other agents are also writing their own books, or they edit books for a fee. Though these agents may have very good reasons for authoring and editing on the side, these additional endeavors may distract them from staying immersed in the ever-changing Christian publishing landscape. If possible, you want an agent who is singularly focused on serving his or her authors, directing their career, and selling their manuscripts. 7. Are there secular publishing houses acquiring Christian books, and do you have contact with them? There are a few houses in New York, San Francisco, and other places who are acquiring Christian books, but their focus is often narrower than the normal CBA house. And, yes, WordServe has consistent contact with all of them. 8. Is your agency accepting new authors? It's VERY tough these days for a new author to get published...and it won't be getting any easier as time goes on. If you haven't noticed, Christian bookstores are rarely bookstores anymore. They are gift stores that sell books. Consequently, the shelf space for books has decreased by 50 percent over the last five years. That means publishers are cutting their lists (some by half) and being selective about who and what they publish. Everyone wants to stay in business, so they have to make priority decisions. That said, everyone--including agents--are looking for new voices who write well, are culturally relevant, and who want/have the ability to promote their work. So, yes, we look for the new voices God is raising up for future generations of readers. (Please see the "contact us" link on how to best submit a proposal for consideration.) 9. Does your agency offer a written contract? Because we do not collect money or sign contracts for an author, not all authors require a written agreement. If, however, a specific author wants all of the information in writing, we will offer a written author/agent contract. 10. What does your agency charge? WordServe is a 15 percent agency that does not charge for any other services unless mutually agreed upon ahead of time.
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