Are you afraid of what others think of you? If you say no, then you’ve never worn the author’s hat and been in the position of seeking endorsements for your next novel. I’ll be frank—this is probably my least favorite part of the whole novel-writing business (because yes, I’m a weenie when it comes to what others think). Sending one’s novel manuscript to several authors (some well known) and requesting an endorsement for promotional purposes is an intimidating process. “What is a novel endorsement?” someone may ask. Frankly, it’s simply something nice someone has said about your book. Publishers often use these blurbs inside the front cover or even on the back cover. Nope, I didn’t pay or bribe anyone for these, and I gave each author an easy exit if he or she decided, for whatever reason, not to endorse the book. No one bowed out of the process.…
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. . . And a Chat about Discouragement Questions. Were you born with them the same way I was? Why does such and such happen? Why is life seemingly so much tougher for me than for ______ ? Why is life so hard? Recently I grappled with more questions when my publisher’s publicist e-mailed me. Due to circumstances beyond his control, the release of The Tenth Plague has been moved from the end of this September to January 15, 2013. Pardon Me While I Vent I could be very discouraged by this news. Why? The process of getting this second novel to any semblance of the printed page for readers has been one of the most frustrating and time-consuming trials in recent memory. I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice it to say, I’ve faced seemingly endless delays, constant rejection, false hopes, discouragement, lack of affirmation, the death of…
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Note: Previously published as a guest post at Thoughts of a Sojourner My Unconventional Path to Publication My boss sank into a chair across from my desk, hung his head, and delivered news no employee wants to hear. “We’re making cutbacks here at the college, and I’m afraid”—he took a deep breath and let it out—”your position is being eliminated.” A two-by-four to the side of the head couldn’t have jolted me more. What!? They’re cutting my job? It was January 13, 2006, and I was sitting in my office (see photo) at Northland Baptist Bible College (now Northland International University), where I’d been serving as an editor since 1995. With a BA in print journalism, I was in charge of editing and writing content for all sorts of campus publications: promotional brochures, a magazine, the academic catalog, the yearbook, even the website. And now, in five months, I’d no longer…
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See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, and Part 9. #10: If a publisher accepts my novel, they’ll just make a few changes and print it. Acceptance of a novel for publication means a publisher is happy with the heart—the essence—of the overall story and believes that publication of said story shows strong potential for bringing in a good financial return. But that doesn’t mean the novel is perfect. Not by a long stretch. Rare is a manuscript that doesn’t need some level of work. That’s what the revision stage is for. Revisions? Say what? The newbie says in a timid voice, “But I thought . . . well . . . I guess I thought the publisher would . . . well, you know . . . just have the manuscript proofread and then print it.” Uh no. Before publication, manuscripts can go through quite a bit of…
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