This question comes from Angela Shupe:

Hi Mary. I have a question for you. I’m a freelance writer and a few years ago, I attended a writing conference. At the conference, I participated in a fiction workshop where I presented/workshopped a short story. At the moment, I’m workshopping another story in a short story writing class online through a professional writing association.

I’ve researched short story markets and it seems the largest market for short fiction is literary journals. Looking through them, it seems that a lot of the fiction is very, very dark. I understand and agree that fiction needs to be realistic, but it seems that the more dark and depraved a story is, the more well-received it is in the journals. Do you have any suggestions for where to market short fiction that isn’t so dark?

I’d really appreciate your insight and thoughts. Thanks!

While it is true that dark sells in terms of short stories (and novels too), the question you ask is really this: Should I write what I am not passionate about?

And the answer is no.

Don’t write for the market, or the market will dictate your career. While it’s good to study the market and see how your passions and the market intersect, it’s not wise to change yourself for the sake of making a sale. If you write from your heart, from the wellspring of passion, your piece will garner attention.

Example from my own life. My first agent contacted me and told me that a publisher was longing for a legal thriller. They had a slot to fill, so could I write for that slot?

I tried.

I’m no lawyer.

Except for The Firm, I hadn’t read a legal thriller.

So I wrote most of that book, entitled Statute of Limitations. We pitched it. They declined. And I never finished it. Why? Because I had no passion for it, and it didn’t flow from what was inside me.

Write from your heart. Write boldly in that place that is wholly you. In doing that, you’ll bless your reader and save yourself a lot of heartache in the process.

If anyone has a question for me, or a comment about this answer, please holler in the comment section.

When I first started to write for publication, God plopped an amazing mentor into my life, Sandra Glahn, who helped champion me to the writing community. She helped me craft my first true query letter. She introduced me to other writers. She shepherded me through the publishing process.

My first agent opened the doorway to nonfiction for me, something I never thought I’d write, but I’m so glad I did. I found my nonfiction voice.

My second agent (Don’t think I’m fickle, please…both my first agent and second left agenting so I had to find another…Hmmmm, I wonder if I made them quit?) championed my fiction to NavPress, wholly believing in my passion to write lifechanging stories. She was tenacious. She taught me to always look forward, to not dwell on the publishing past, but to keep a forward momentum.

My current agent has instinctive radar and knows when I’m in the doldrums. She calls me and reminds me why I’m in this business. She cheerleads. She prays. She finds homes for my pieces.

My current editor just left the room (I’m at Thomas Nelson for a sales meeting), and he said, “I’m your champion. I will go to bat for you on this book.” Such important, needed words.

Wherever you are in your writing journey, remember you can’t do this alone. Nor should you want to. This is a crazy life, and we need champions–other folks that recognize the gift we have and advocate on our behalf. Why? Because it’s tiring to always be tooting your own publishing horn. God strategically places champions in our lives and along the way to remind us not to quit.

If you’re struggling in your writing career, ask God to send you champion.

Dear Mary,

I have an amazing, outstanding story. And I know that once it’s in book form, it will sell millions. Would you please consider writing the book for free? I will let you share in the royalties when it hits the big time.

Sincerely,

Lori with the Story

I used to spend a lot of effort replying to these folks with long tutorials about the publishing process, but now I simply don’t have time. So I have a form response that ends with my write-for-hire rate (It’s high). Oddly, no one has emailed back!

My point: There’s no such thing as something for nothing in this business. Writers can’t afford to write other people’s books for free. We simply don’t have time. We have families to support, bills to pay—just like you. We need to make an income at what we do. Plus, it’s up to future writers to learn enough about the publishing industry that they wouldn’t write an email like this in the first place.

The truth: Writing costs you something. You’ll either spend time or money to realize your dream.

If you’re not willing to walk through the years-long process of becoming a stellar writer, then you won’t be traditionally published.

If you’d like to be published in this manner but you don’t want to improve your skills, then you’ll need to hire someone who has the ability to write professionally.

I don’t mean to sound curmudgeonly. I spend a lot of time mentoring writers (in various ways, various forms, sometimes for free, sometimes for hire). I love giving back. What is truly exciting is when I meet a writer who gets it, who understands the journey will be long, who is interested in learning, who takes criticism, who starts small, who makes a supreme effort to understand the publishing industry. These are the folks I enjoy mentoring. They understand the precious nature of putting words on a page.

Which is why I respond briskly (yet kindly) to folks who ask for something precious for free.

This is what my desk looks like when I write nonfiction:

Yep, that’s my life with nonfiction. Research. Disarray. Outlines. Confusion. Chaos. Sometimes clear thoughts. Prayers. Sporadic ounces of genius (emphasis on sporadic), lost of musing and talking and mulling.

It’s an entirely different creative process than fiction. For fiction, I get some characters messing with my head, talking to me (yep, I’m crazy), and a general (emphasis on general) idea of the story. Then I sit down and write that puppy. No research. No outlines. No nothing.

But with the responsibility of nonfiction, I have to understand and research. I have to wrap my mind around a concept and think of ways to freshly communicate that to readers. Not an easy thing.

What about you? What does your desk look like when you write fiction? Nonfiction? And how does your brain process everything?

This question comes from Brenda:

Hi Mary!

My question is, besides blogging, how can a very new writer start writing for publication? Meaning do you just write articles about any and everything and then find magazines, etc. to query and try to get them published? Or do you find/research magazines, blogs, etc. and then write articles for them?

Thank you!
Brenda

Brenda, that’s an excellent question. Typically the procedure is to know a publication so well that you dream up an article idea for that publication, then query about it. For instance, if you have read Better Homes and Gardens for years, then discovered a way to create a small children’s garden out of pallets, then you’d write a query and send it to the managing editor there. Because you know the magazine so well, you have a much better chance of scoring a hit. I do have a free query tutorial here if you’re interested.

However, if you’re writing about a broad topic (let’s say motherhood of toddlers), then it’s permissible to write a great parenting article, then shop it to bloggers or online entities as is. I’ve had writers approach me with their posts, and occasionally I publish them.

It’s all about getting writing credits in credible magazines and publications, whether online or print. You have to be willing to get paid nothing, or a little bit, to get your feet in the door.

But on the whole, I’d say you will have better success by becoming a student of a few publications (online or paper) and then pitch very specifically to them. The editors will be thankful that you researched them well. They’re always looking for great content that will bless their readers.

If anyone has a question for me, or a comment about this answer, please holler in the comment section.

After asking advice from other writers, I realized that to take my career to the next level, I needed to find the money to go to a national conference. My whole writing life changed the day I stepped onto the redwood-laden grounds of Mount Hermon. Truly.

I would not be where I am today without Mount Hermon.

There, I met my first literary agent, who ushered me into book publishing. I met some of my very best friends in the whole wide world. I made friends with several people in the industry, relationships that have blossomed over the years. (I’ve even written for some of them, collaborated with others, and formed deep connections with many.)

Why Mount Hermon? Here are ten compelling reasons why you should prayerfully consider attending:

1. Liz Curtis Higgs, one of the best speakers I’ve heard, is the keynote queen. I cannot wait to hear her. She’ll have you crying one minute, busting stitches in hilarity the next.
2. Many of the major publishers will be represented at this conference. While you  normally can’t query a publisher without an agent, that process is changed at Mount Hermon. You can meet directly with them. Publishers include: Thomas Nelson, Baker/Revell, Standard Publishing, Harvest House Publishers, Hensley Publishing, WaterBrook/Multnomah Publishing Group, Beacon Hill Press, Zondervan, Regal, and AMG International.
3. There will be several literary agents at Mount Hermon, looking for new clients. Agents include Karen Ball, Diana Flegal, Janet Kobobel Grant, Joel Kneedler, Steve Laube, Wendy Lawton, Barbara Scott, and Les Stobbe. Each of these agents is a catch. They’re the real deal, and they work hard for their clients.
4. The gateway to book publication is having publishing credits in well known magazines. So it’s really great to have these publications represented: Christianity Today, Guideposts, Focus on the Family, Daysrping cards, Advanced Christian Writer, The Christian Communicator, Gospel Roads, and The Upper Room.
5. With your registration, you get free access to folks who are professional writers who will critique your work. This is invaluable and is worth the price of admission. You cannot grow in your craft if you don’t have professionals take an unbiased look at your work. The critique is open for business every day so you can walk in and show your staggering work of genius.
6. There are mentoring tracks as well, where you get intensive assistance and help on your WIP (work in progress.) You can even come early for the Head Start Mentoring Clinic. I’m leading a head start group and a conference group, both in fiction. I’d LOVE to see you in my group!
7. You can choose from some highly informative tracks. Here’s a listing.  I’d encourage you to take a track that will truly benefit you, one that you don’t yet have mastery of yet.
8. The surroundings are breathtaking. The air smells of evergreen. The trees tower higher than you expect. The spring blooms shock you with their vibrancy. There are several trails if you need to get away and recharge.
9. The food is A. Maz. Ing. You won’t find better camp food. It’s balanced, fresh, creative, and plentiful.
10. The people rock. You will meet new friends you’ll make FOR LIFE. I am not exaggerating. I trace many of my most significant friendships back to Mount Hermon.

Besides all this, I’m just selfish and I’d like to meet you. So please prayerfully consider registering today.

I happen to believe every company should have a culture like Author Media. (Side Note: Thomas Umstattd and the talented folks at A.M. have no idea I’m writing this post.) Here’s what distinguishes them. How does your company/business compare?

• They weren’t afraid to start small. They understand that importance of being faithful in little things. And yet they aren’t afraid to grow.

• They teach well. Thomas has the distinct ability to be an Einstein for kids. What I mean by that is that he understands Search Engine Optimization, Web 2.0, WordPress, social media, and about anything all those entities encompass, yet he’s able (as are his associates) to articulate them in a way that the rest of us can understand. And the information Author Media gives is never given in an exasperated or condescending tone.

• They are goal oriented, not simply for themselves, but for you, the consumer.For instance, their website goals for you are:
  1. To help you develop the best possible presence on the web
  2. To give you confidence as you enter the world of online promotion.
• But, they also trust your intelligence. They want to help you become adept at updating your own site. They aren’t afraid to work themselves out of a job. This comes straight from their site: “We want you to own your website. This means you feel comfortable updating your website, yourself. Of course, you can pay us to update it for you, but we get excited when clients discover the joy of controlling their own website. Not only will your site will be easy to update, but your Website Package will come with free one-on-one training to teach you how to use and update your site.”

• They base their practices on research and what actually works. Since they try new things, they learn what works best for their clients. They also have a culture of something I like to call “everlearning.” They stay in touch with what’s new.
  

• They believe in the concept of team. I love interacting with the folks there, and I know each one will treat me with professionalism and respect. I can tell they have a strong culture of service and integrity.
  

• They are innovative and aren’t afraid to try something new. I think I might be their experimental client, as we’ve tried a lot of cool things. Not all have worked, but we’ve learned a lot. I’m so thankful I have never received a “Um, we can’t do that here.” They always make a way to try something new, even if it means further research and risking failure.
  

• They coach folks who are freaked out about social media. This means they understand the needs of their unique niche of clients. Thomas has spent time at conferences coaching those who didn’t know how to navigate social media. Seeing that need, he and his team chose to offer that service.

• They respond quickly to their clients. I am sometimes a needy client (I hope I’m getting better), but they’ve always responded in a timely way with an answer that made sense.
  

• Their packages are affordable, and they offer a free consultation. I recently had a friend go through the initial consultation and learned a lot. Just having a consultation may be what you need for the next step in your web presence.
  

• They work with people they’ve learned to understand: authors. We authors are a strange breed, so this is no small accomplishment. (This is very important to me. I actually met Thomas at a writing conference. He spends several trips a year in the writing conference circuit. He knows us. He gets us. He understands our needs.) Any company that truly understands its clients is a profound blessing.

• They have great clients who love to promote them. (Like me!) And Rachelle Gardner! I love to refer people to Author Media because I know they’ll be treated with respect and fairness.

Question:

So how does your business stack up? Have I missed anything? I so enjoy interacting with great companies, and it’s been a pleasure to promote Author Media whenever I have the chance. If you happen to need a website or social media coaching, consider Author Media.

I’m going to start with a common question I get asked: What is the difference between traditional publishing and self publishing?

You can choose two ways to get your book published:

1. Traditionally published (Simon & Schuster, Random House, etc.)
2. Self published (you pay a company like xlibris to print your book)

In traditional publishing (how I was first published), you first need to find a literary agent. In order to secure one (can take years!), you must write a nonfiction proposal (not the whole book) and three sample chapters. I sell a product here that helps someone write a proposal. It’s over 100 long and has several proposal examples. Folks who have used my template have been able to secure agents (not always, but some of them have). If you write fiction, you need to write the whole novel and a proposal. Here’s the link for my fiction proposal tutorial.

How to find an agent is typically to go to a writer’s conference to meet with agents there and pitch your idea. You still have to have a proposal though. If an agent signs you (big if), then he/she pitches your book to several publishing houses. If a publishing house is interested, they will take it to the publication board and present the project. Most of the time, these are rejected. But if they’re not, then the publisher sends the agent a contract (agent gets 15%) and the agent sends it to the author.

You sign the contract, then typically receive an advance on royalties (either 33%, or 50% or the advance they’ve promised. You get the rest when you deliver the manuscript, and in the case of 33%, when the actual book publishes). Then you write the book and hand it in on time. From that point it takes a year before it is on the shelves, having gone through several editorial processes, marketing stuff, cover art, etc. The positive of this is that you get paid to write, and the book is distributed for you to practically every bookstore and online outlet. The negative is that it’s very hard to get traditionally published and it takes a very long time.

In self publishing, you have to pay to have the book published. The positive is that it doesn’t take very long to get it published. The negative is that self published books rarely sell more than 500 copies because they aren’t distributed through normal, proper channels (usually, I’m oversimplifying). And now with epublishing (click here for 7 steps to upload your ebook) and print on demand (Click here for a tutorial, read from the bottom up to get the whole process), you can publish books with very little money up front, if any.

In self publishing, you obviously have to have written the entire book. A typical nonfiction book is about 50-60,000 words. You can send in the manuscript unedited and have it printed as is, but it will be full of mistakes. It’s better to either

1. Write the book and hire a professional editor to edit the book or
2. Hire a collaborative (also sometimes referred to as a ghost writer) to write the book for you. We have both services here at Write Uncaged. Click here to see our mentoring services.

I hope this explanation helps you figure out your next steps in the publication journey.

Now for your turn: Please ask any question in the comments section below. Be sure to include your website link. I look forward to answering your questions: