Welcome to My Worlds: A Bipolar Christian Tells All

I’d be Published, But I’m too busy chasing trends (and getting dizzy)

Some of you worry about trying to set trends instead of simply writing from the heart. 

I’d like to stand up for the industry, at least the parts of it I’ve been involved in. So far I’ve never been censored in my content, and I’ve felt free to write about all sorts of things openly. I don’t feel my voice has been squelched. I’ve written for a wide variety of magazine and book publishers. Some of the things I’ve tackled include:

* Sexual abuse

* How sexual abuse affects the marriage bed

* Hypocrisy from the pulpit

* Moving from rules-based parenting to connecting-to-Jesus parenting

* Christians living more for their facades than being authentic

* Making peace with a difficult parent

My encouragement to you all is to do the hard work in finding and perfecting your voice. As you understand and know it, you will be less intimidated by rumors about the publishing industry (Oh, you can’t write that…That’s off limits, etc.) Instead, you’ll write what God has placed on your heart, trusting Him to place your words just where He wants them. If you have confidence in your voice, you’ll be less likely to be swayed by every trend,no-no, or topic-du-jour.

I fear sometimes we take someone’s strong opinion in the industry as gold, forgetting that it’s simply an opinion. And we also forget that trends are set by people who don’t necessarily listen to naysayers. I’ve written something along those lines.

Here’s an excerpt:

Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller is a trend, but before that book, (and similarly Girl Meets God), the edgy 20-something faith memoir was not cool. My biggest pet peeve, though is bandwagoning. Once someone does something innovative (which is really just an extension of the passion God has placed within them), then eighty-seven someones copy it ad infinitum.

When Donald Miller grappled in prayer about how to reach his campus, he and his friends decided to open a confession booth where THEY confessed the sins of the church. The idea was radical and an immediate hit, orchestrated by the Holy Spirit for their locale. Now, though, I am hearing about these exact confession booths springing up all over the place. I’m curious whether, in my strolls down the ICRS halls someday, if I will see confession booth kits.

I see trend as a bit elusive. People who set trends usually don’t mean to. They simply listen to the Holy Spirit, write something totally amazing and let it go on the breezes of the fickle Christian marketplace. What happens after that is up to the Lord.

Write from your passion. Be attentive to the whispers of the Holy Spirit. Be willing to walk through difficult places personally, holding the hand of Jesus, so that you have something to offer others. Beyond that, hone your craft. And let the pieces fall where they may.

Mary DeMuth (www.marydemuth.com) loves to help readers and writers turn their trials into triumphs. A nonfiction and fiction writer, Mary has two novels and three parenting books on the shelves with three more novels and a memoir slated to release in the next year through Zondervan. Because she’s passionate about mentoring writers, she recently established The Writing Spa: www.thewritingspa.com

I’d Be Published, But I’m Trying to Learn

Lisa B said…

I’d be published but … I’m too busy learning how to write instead of just writing. 

Lisa,

There is a balance between the two. You do need to study the craft by reading excellent writing books and magazines. Perusing classics or exceptionally-written modern book helps too. Listening to teachers, attending conferences, doing online courses, and putting your stuff out there for critique will help tremendously.

But truly? The secret to my publishing success lies most in volume. I’ve simply written and written and written and written. Lots of writing. Gobs of it. For years and years. To become proficient and compelling, there’s no simple formula other than to exercise your fingers across the keyboard over and over and over again.

So, yeah: learn. But practice too. Think of writing like training for a triathlon. You could read all the triathlon books in the world. You could scrounge the Internet for useful tips. You could listen to triathlon lectures forever and ever. But none of that will prepare you to finish that triathlon. You must swim, bike and run. A lot. You must do the thing you’re learning about. That’s how improvement happens:

Practice + Learning = Achievement.

So exercise those writing muscles! Set a weekly word count goal and GO FOR IT!

Mary DeMuth (www.marydemuth.com) loves to help readers and writers turn their trials into triumphs. A nonfiction and fiction writer, Mary has two novels and three parenting books on the shelves with three more novels and a memoir slated to release in the next year through Zondervan. Because she’s passionate about mentoring writers, she recently established The Writing Spa: www.thewritingspa.com

I’d Be Published, But I don’t know where to start

Sarah said…

The list is so very, very long, and you have touched on many of them, but here goes:  I’d be published but:– I have no idea where to even start querying (or WHAT to query, or WHOM to query, or… ANY OF IT)– I’m scared to death (of what, I don’t know! Rejection? Screwing up? That’s a given!)– I don’t believe I have anything better to say than anyone else.and, with myrtle, I just flat haven’t submitted anything. That makes getting published very difficult. I have issues. 

Dear Sarah-with-Ish,

Here are some good steps to get your feet wet:

   1. Buy Sally Stuart’s Christian Writer’s Market Guide if you’re writing for a Christian audience. If you’re writing for the general market, purchase the 2008 Writer’s Market. Peruse through the book, earmarking pages. Start with magazines. Choose five to query.

   2. Pick up a copy of each magazine (online, at a Christian bookstore, from a friend, from the library) and study it. What kind of tone does it have? Who is the audience? Are the articles step-by-step informative or inspirational?

   3. Brainstorm article ideas. Ask your critique group for their input. Tailor your story idea to the actual publication.

   4. Craft a query letter. Use my free query tutorial on the right hand side of this blog.

   5. Send it!

   6. Wait.

   7. If the acquisition’s editor says no, go through your market guide and find another magazine to pitch it to.

   8. Re-query.

   9. Wait.

  10. Wait for a response, and either repeat as necessary, or send in the requested manuscript.

As to fear, it’s something you’ll have to work through. Yes, it’s scary. But it’s not so scary that someone will kill you if you fail. So relax! And remember that rejection has NOTHING to do with you personally. You are not invalidated as a human being if you’re rejected. If anything, a rejection simply adds you to the writer hall of fame. It’s a badge of honor, proof that you’re trying.

Mary DeMuth (www.marydemuth.com) loves to help readers and writers turn their trials into triumphs. A nonfiction and fiction writer, Mary has two novels and three parenting books on the shelves with three more novels and a memoir slated to release in the next year through Zondervan. Because she’s passionate about mentoring writers, she recently established The Writing Spa: www.thewritingspa.com

L’d Be Published, but I haven’t submitted anything

myrtle said…

I’d be published, but…  1) I’m still practicing, establishing good writing habits and improving my technique. 2) Bottom line: I haven’t submitted anything yet. 

Myrtle,

I’m heartened to hear you’re establishing good writing habits and improving. That’s certainly the first step in getting published, and it’s essential if you’d like to stay published and continually grow as a writer throughout your life. So, kudos to you.

However, and this is a big HOWEVER: there comes a time when you have to test the waters (to use a cliche). A good critique group will help you hone the craft. Writing books and classes and conferences will help too. But nothing is more indicative if you are ready for publication than taking the risk to submit. What will happen if you do?

   1. You could get a blank, standardized rejection. If you get one, then you can finally call yourself a writer. I’ve had my share of them. A plethora, perhaps. It’s part of the journey. Don’t cry if you get one. See it as a notch on your belt toward publication.

   2. You could get a personal rejection. These are gold. On one of my later queries (after sending in several and getting lots of standard rejections that started, “Dear Writing Professional, I regret to inform you . . . “) an editor wrote, “This won’t fit our needs, but please keep submitting.” I did. And eventually had some things published in that magazine.

   3. You could get a “Please send me the manuscript” note. Hooray! Send it! See what happens. This will help you realize all that toiling over your writing has helped.

   4. You could receive a “Thanks for your manuscript, but it doesn’t fit our editorial needs at this time.” If that happens, simply recycle the query, send it again, and see if you can sell the article elsewhere. One magazine’s no may be another’s yes.

   5. You could get THE LETTER stating how brilliant you are (in no uncertain terms) and would you like them to PAY you for your story?!!

See all the possibilities! How will you ever know if you’re ready if you don’t try submitting? And how will you ever be published if you’re never published? How will you show publishing clips of your work if you’ve never been published?

Start small. Try regional magazines and newspapers. Build your portfolio and confidence all at once. What’s stopping you?

Mary DeMuth (www.marydemuth.com) loves to help readers and writers turn their trials into triumphs. A nonfiction and fiction writer, Mary has two novels and three parenting books on the shelves with three more novels and a memoir slated to release in the next year through Zondervan. Because she’s passionate about mentoring writers, she recently established The Writing Spa: www.thewritingspa.com

I’d like to welcome a guest blogger this week. Mary DeMuth: author, speaker, book mentor. Back to ranting next week. Promise.

Mary, thanks so much for the words of wisdom. Everybody, read on… 

I’d be Published BUT I don’t write

Billie said…

I would like to be published, BUT I haven’t written anything! Ok, you can stop laughing. I write…on my blog…birthday cards that end up turning into books…in journals to my kiddos. MY point is I like to write…and I can write. In fact this has become a spiritual thing for me in that I am beginning to recognize I have some God given ability and it may be wrong to not use it. That being said, I still don’t know what to write. I always have an opinion but I guess I feel like I’m not much of an expert on anything and that it’s all been said before. Ok…I feel better. Now my 1st book is complete. Sorry for all of the words. I guess I am a writer at heart after all! 

Billie,

The first thing that comes to mind is this parable from Luke 19:

12 Therefore he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 And he summoned ten of his slaves, gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be king over us!’ 15 When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he summoned these slaves to whom he had given the money. He wanted to know how much they had earned by trading. 16 So the first one came before him and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And the king said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.’ 18 Then the second one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 So the king said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Then another slave came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina that I put away for safekeeping in a piece of cloth. 21 For I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You withdraw what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 The king said to him, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! So you knew, did you, that I was a severe man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t sow? 23 Why then didn’t you put my money in the bank, so that when I returned I could have collected it with interest?’ 24 And he said to his attendants, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has ten.’ 25 But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten minas already!’ 26 ‘I tell you that everyone who has will be given more, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!’”

I totally don’t mean this to be a harsh post, warning would-be-writers of gnashing teeth and outer darkness, but I would encourage you to take seriously the gift He’s given you. You actually may be doing that. Some of us naively think that if God has given us a gift to write it automatically means publication.

Not necessarily so. God honors unpublished words. Those words you write to encourage people are His tools to touch many. Don’t despise those unpublished words. The real key is this question: Is God calling you to write for a wider audience? If not, then joyfully take your talents and sow them into your loved ones. If He is, then take seriously His call to you.

God gives us all gifts. It matters what we do with them. When we get to heaven, we’ll be asked. We’ll see how many times we buried those talents out of:

    * fear of rejection

    * worry

    * laziness

    * inferiority

    * lack of courage

    * giving up too easily

Here’s a practical step, though: Write anyway. To become a writer, write. It’s a simple thing, really. Write everything. Let your words come out of your heart, let them flow. Don’t worry about publishing them just yet. Just let them out of their prison so they can sing on the page. It could be that God is calling you to write because you have emotionally shut down, and He knows that you will be healed and released through your pen. And maybe eventually, you’ll revisit those words and tame them a bit, letting them fly into the world of publishing so that they reach a wider audience.

If God has given you the gift of writing, and that has been confirmed by others (as well as in your heart from the Lord), decide today to write. Set aside your fears. Think in terms of the Kingdom of God rather than the Kingdom of Publishing. Write, write, write.

Mary DeMuth (www.marydemuth.com) loves to help readers and writers turn their trials into triumphs. A nonfiction and fiction writer, Mary has two novels and three parenting books on the shelves with three more novels and a memoir slated to release in the next year through Zondervan. Because she’s passionate about mentoring writers, she recently established The Writing Spa: www.thewritingspa.com