Steve Laube: Eclectic Experience in the Marketplace of Books

by Elizabeth Griffin

Steve Laube is well-known by regular attendees at the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal. A literary agent and president of the Steve Laube Agency, he’s been in the book industry for over 37 years, first as a bookstore manager, then with Bethany House Publishers, and now as an agent. He and his agency have represented more than 1,500 new books. In addition, he is the publisher at Enclave Publishing and serves as president and owner of The Christian Writers Institute and author of The Christian Writers Market Guide and Book Proposal Tips and Tricks.

Of all the roles he plays, Steve loves being an agent most because it involves all the fun of publishing with none of the meetings. Like a parent, he loves working with all of the authors he represents equally and says they are each wonderful in and of themselves. Each project moves along at its own pace, with some taking months to develop a strong proposal and others only days.

Steve will be looking for the following at this year’s Renewal:

• Fiction – women’s fiction, romance, thriller, suspense, romantic suspense, literary, military, historical (all eras), contemporary, science-fiction, fantasy, supernatural, YA … in other words, every genre published in the industry.
• Nonfiction – Christian Living, biography, apologetics, theology, Bible study, reference, health, finance, self-help, psychology, grief, suffering, marriage, family, women’s, men’s, philosophy, church life, devotional, inspirational, social issues, politics, parenting, music, and art.

According to Steve, “The subjects are vast and the opportunities endless.”

On a more personal level, Steve has been married for 36 years. He and his wife have three married daughters and one grandson. He lives in Arizona, but enjoys visiting Seattle because his 93-year-old mother lives here. He reads about 100 novels a year for relaxation after work and teaches the Bible in an expositional style each Sunday.

Steve will teach these workshops at the Renewal:

Landmines in Your Book Contract – A look at some of the more egregious things that can be found in your book contract. Contracts are a legally binding agreement. What is signed must be followed. Unfortunately, there are certain clauses that can bite authors if they are unaware of their implications. Using real examples from real contracts, this class will take a close look at clauses being placed in front of authors today. This is a rather advanced topic. Be prepared to wear your lawyer hat!

The Complete Book Process: From Idea to Print – What is the route a book takes while in-house?  How the writer can help or hinder? Discover what happens along the entire process inside a publishing company. From book proposal evaluation to pub board decision making to editorial responsibilities to cover design issues and more, this information is applicable whether one is working with a traditional publisher or is publishing independently.

Writing the Nonfiction Book – There are common elements in nonfiction books that contribute to their success. This class will explore them and help apply the elements to your work. Issues of craft, presentation of ideas, and connecting with the reader will be discussed.

Check out all the workshops being offered this year.To request an appointment with Steve, register soon for the Renewal.

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In addition to writing and editing a monthly lifestyle newspaper for 10 years, Elizabeth Griffin has published more than 500 articles in newspapers, anthologies, and magazines, along with the books Fragile X, Fragile Hope: Finding Joy in Parenting a Child with Special Needs and Margot’s Story. Elizabeth’s favorite subject matter is true stories of redemption. She loves to speak truth into the lives of others and has been a Bible teacher for 16 years. Her recent adventures include directing communications for an international missions group and public relations for Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission, and blogging at Follow the Dots.

Jennifer Slattery: A Way with Words

By Elizabeth Griffin

From the moment she could speak, Jennifer Slattery loved words. In fact, her mother used to beg her to be silent—just for five minutes. But Jennifer couldn’t do it. Even when disciplined by teachers for talking in class or embarrassed in Bible studies for dominating the discussion, her natural propensity for self-expression would not be dampened.

As an adult, Jennifer’s wellspring of words has become a source of healing to many women. She began Wholly Loved Ministries to teach women the truth about who they are as daughters of the King. Through stories and humor she shows women how to tune out the lies promoted on social media and modern culture, and to tune into the truth of God’s Word and their identity in Christ.

In addition to speaking fluently, Jennifer also has a freely flowing pen, and she has published five Romance novels with New Hope Publishers. She is a regular contributor to Crosswalk.com, Internet Cafe Devotions, and Christians Read. As managing editor of Guiding Light Women’s Fiction, an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, she loves working with writers to help them strengthen their manuscripts and grow in their gifting.

“If you have a passion to write, God lit that spark within you, and he knows exactly what lies ahead,” Jennifer says. “In fact, he’s fully committed to perfecting all that concerns you. If we belong to Christ, we’re chosen and called to greatness. God has entrusted us with the most precious, most powerful words known to man—the gospel. At this moment, God is equipping, molding, stretching, and guiding us so he can use us to create ripples of love, peace, joy, and hope. The question is, are we complying?”

At the May 5–6 Northwest Christian Writers Renewal, Jennifer will entertain proposals for Guiding Light Women’s Fiction. Because we’re so close to the conference, she will schedule her own appointments. You may e-mail her to request a 15-minute slot, or you can use the sign-up form at the Editor/Agent Appointment Desk.

In looking for women’s fiction, Jennifer is especially interested in manuscripts that can cross over into the general market. Though the publisher will continue to release novels with strong Christian elements, for this imprint they’re looking for stories that don’t necessarily use Scripture or refer to God but that reveal truth in more of a parable fashion, such as showing the consequences of sinful behavior. She is not interested in seeing nonfiction, children’s, YA, or overtly religious women’s fiction.

Another way you can take advantage of Jennifer’s insights in writing and promotion is by attending her workshops:

Creating Characters That Grab Your Reader – Some characters entertain us; others grab hold of us and don’t let go. A well-crafted character grabs the reader at their deepest heart level, causing them to see themselves in the character’s struggles and victories. In this discussion on abstract and concrete goals, inner lies, black moments, and character arcs, writers will learn how to take their readers from merely enjoying their stories to living them. (Emerging-writer level)

Developing and Expanding Your Reach: Ways to Build Your Author Platform – This class touches on numerous ways authors can begin to build their platform from article writing to guest blogging, speaking, and more. It discusses how a writer can go from having zero publishing credits to getting asked to write for publication. It also addresses the importance of presenting one’s best work, developing a strong critique partnership team, tweaking old articles and posts to make them fresh, and using self-publishing and compilations to gain readerships. (All levels)

At the conference, let Jennifer’s God-given gift for self-expression inspire you to develop your own way with words.

Sign up now for the 2017 Northwest Christian Writers Renewal.

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Elizabeth Griffin has worked as a writer and editor for a monthly lifestyle newspaper for the past decade. She has published more than 500 articles in newspapers, anthologies, and magazines, in addition to the books Fragile X, Fragile Hope: Finding Joy in Parenting a Child with Special Needs and Margot’s Story. Elizabeth’s favorite subject matter is true stories about inspirational people. She loves to speak truth into the lives of others and has been a Bible teacher for 15 years. Her current passions are writing for an international network of church planters and her blog Follow the Dots.

Sarah Joy Freese and Her Ninja Editing Skills

By Diana Savage, director of the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal conference

Before becoming an agent with WordServe Literary, Sarah Joy Freese served as senior editor with Anaiah Press. One author was so happy with Sarah Joy’s assistance, in the book’s acknowledgements, she praised her editor’s “ninja editing skills.”

Another author called it a privilege to work with Sarah Joy and said that when she followed her editor’s advice, “I was able to mold a story into a work that I fell in love with all over again.” During the process, however, the author felt overwhelmed by the task of revision.

Sarah Joy encouraged her. “Don’t try to fix everything at once,” she said. “Go through each issue and focus on that issue.”

It worked. “Just to see each one of those edits get done stoked the kindling of the I-can-do-this feeling,” the woman reported.

In her capacity now as literary agent, Sarah Joy continues to offer the same kind of topnotch guidance and representation. She loves reading through queries, attending writing conferences to meet new excellent writers, and working with her authors on various proposals to make their manuscripts even stronger.

At the 2016 Northwest Christian Writers Renewal, Sarah Joy will offer insights concerning the editor/author relationship in her workshop:

How Agents Select Authors – Have you ever wondered exactly what an agent looks for when she considers your writing? Despite the changing tides of publishing, securing an agent is still an important part in the traditional publishing process. This session will discuss exactly what an agent is looking for in both fiction and nonfiction and will offer you tips for how best to capture the eye of an agent. Even if your book is not ready to see the light of day, much less an agent’s “desk” (read: email inbox), the more connections you have with an agent, the more he or she will remember you when the time comes for your work to be sent out.

Sarah Joy advises authors to be willing to be flexible during every part of the publishing experience. “Be patient when you are waiting,” she says, “work hard when you receive your edits, and work hard on social networking. Become an author an editor wants to work with.”

She received her bachelor’s degree in English and communications from Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She also has an MA (emphasis in creative writing) and an MLIS degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Sarah Joy is married and enjoys life with her husband, sons, and two birds, Brewster and Beamer. When she’s not working, she enjoys crocheting, watching NCIS and Grey’s Anatomy, and playing Euchre.

To hear Sarah Joy’s expertise and/or to request an appointment with her or with one of our six other editorial reps at this year’s conference, sign up for the Renewal today.

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Diana Savage, a graduate of Northwest University and Bakke Graduate University, sold her first article when she was still in college, and she’s been writing ever since. Now the principal at Savage Creative Services, LLC, she also directs the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal conference. She is the author of 52 Heart Lifters for Difficult Times and coauthor of the inspirational suspense novel Pseudonym.

Porters Bring Bold Vision to Conference

By Diana Savage, director of the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal conference

Preparing to pitch your proposal for the first time at a conference can be daunting. And if you knew that an editor at this year’s Northwest Christian Writers Renewal was a frequent guest on radio and TV programs and contributed to national magazines—accomplishments that describe Karen Porter of Bold Vision Books—you might be especially nervous. But the title of one of Karen’s books, I’ll Bring the Chocolate, just might take the edge off your nervousness. After all, can someone who loves chocolate be all that intimidating?

One event planner reports that Karen “is a people person, plain and simple. After you meet her, you will quickly discover that her joy is not only genuine, it is absolutely contagious!”

Meanwhile Karen’s husband, George Porter, co-owner of Bold Vision and a science teacher for more than 23 years, brings the scientific world to life in his writing, Bible teaching, and presentations to help his audiences embrace the God who made us all.

Together they make an unbeatable husband-and-wife publishing combination.

At this year’s conference, Karen will present two workshops:

1) How to Tell It Funny – Discover how to add wit, humor, and winsomeness to your writing and speaking. No one can make you funny, but you can learn to lighten up, and this workshop will help you discover the methods that will add a new dimension to your communication.

2) Marketing for Writers and Speakers – Marketing techniques and methods have changed drastically with the emergence of the Internet. The information and advice you’ve read might already be out of date. Marketing expert Karen Porter will help you define your personal style and brand. From tag lines and mission statements to web presence in blogs, Twitter, and Facebook, you will learn how to market your message, your speaking ministry, and your book. Karen will help you build a toolbox of practical, useful, doable methods. You will leave this session with a personal plan.

George will present a workshop on how to Maximize Your Book Table. Did you know you can have a back-of-the-room book table even if you don’t have a book yet? In this workshop, George will show you how to pick out and buy products. He’ll give you display hints, bundling ideas, info on credit cards, and much more, all based on his experience in managing an extensive book table with good organization and time-saving tricks of the trade.

Both George and Karen serve as acquisitions editors for Bold Vision Books. Here are proposals they’ll be looking for at the Renewal:

• Well-crafted nonfiction manuscripts with a timeless message told in a fresh, new way, using story techniques and strong Scripture backing
• YA fiction (no fantasy) for young teens
• For their Nuts ‘N’ Bolts line: ideas for craft books for the arts and business; “how to” materials, such as teaching, writing, speaking, painting, acting, business principles, productivity, or time management

Karen serves on the Board of Directors and national teaching staff of CLASSEMINARS, Inc., providing training of Christian leaders and speakers. She also serves as president of the board of AWSA (Advanced Writers Speakers Association) and on the Board of Directors of First Place 4 Health, as well as being an advisory director for Fruitful Word Ministries. Her seventh book is Speak Like Jesus: How the Speaking Techniques Jesus Used Can Change Your Presentations.

George is a graduate of Texas A&M University and has done graduate work in physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, and cell biology at Baylor College of Medicine. He served as a combat medic and paratrooper in Vietnam and as a bacteriologist in the Surgical Research Unit at Brooke Army Medical Center in projects involving the treatment of burn patients. As a teacher in both public and private schools, George served as curriculum team leader and on campus site-based committees. He judged Science Olympiads, implemented pilot curriculum on drug awareness in cooperation with Baylor College of Medicine, and coached tennis teams.

To hear the Porters speak or to request appointments with them or with one of the other five editorial representatives at the conference this year, register today.

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Diana Savage, a graduate of Northwest University and Bakke Graduate University, sold her first article when she was still in college, and she’s been writing ever since. Now the principal at Savage Creative Services, LLC, she also directs the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal conference. She is the author of 52 Heart Lifters for Difficult Times and coauthor of the inspirational suspense novel Pseudonym.

Don Milam’s Nontraditional Path to Becoming an Editor

By Diana Savage, director of the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal

Don Milam didn’t take a boring route on his way to becoming Acquisitions Consultant with Whitaker House Publishers.

After he graduated from Prairie Bible College in Alberta, Canada, Don and his bride joined the staff of Philadelphia Teen Challenge, working in the inner city with drug addicts. After two years, they exchanged the streets of Philadelphia for the streets of Maputo, Mozambique (East Africa), where they opened a drug rehabilitation center at the request of the Portuguese Department of Health. In 1975, Communists took control of the country. Don was arrested and spent ten months in prison.

Following his release, he pastored for ten years in Pennsylvania. For eighteen years he was head of Author Development at Destiny Image Publishers, and then he joined Whitaker House.

Scott Spiewak of Fresh Impact Public Relations Group says, “Don is an expert in the field of publishing and has a knack for finding great authors.”

Don will be looking for great authors at the 2016 Northwest Christian Writers Renewal this May 13–14. He will also teach two workshops:

1) 10 Ways to Become a Better Writer – If you want to be a complete writer, you need a strategy. Out of his experience as author and acquisitions editor, Don Milam will share an abundance of tips that you can use to devise your own personalized strategy for becoming a successful writer.

2) Successful Writing Results from Creative Thought + Dynamic Experience – Writing doesn’t begin with the words someone types on a computer. That output is simply a visible manifestation of a mixture of ideas, thoughts, revelations, imaginations, intuitions, and feelings, combined with a person’s experiences. Too often a book suffers a premature birth because the author didn’t experience the truth or fully engage the thought before sending off the manuscript. Let Don guide you into learning to think in a way that will help ensure the permanence of your writing.

As an author himself (The Lost Passions of Jesus and The Ancient Language of Eden), Don has a heart for conferees who want to discuss their book projects with him. He is interested in seeing nonfiction proposals on Christian living and growth, spirituality, marriage, parenting, counseling, relationships, and leadership.

To hear Don speak or to request an appointment with him or with one of the other six editorial representatives at this year’s Renewal, register today!

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Diana Savage, a graduate of Northwest University and Bakke Graduate University, sold her first article when she was still in college, and she’s been writing ever since. Now the principal at Savage Creative Services, LLC, she also directs the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal conference. She is the author of 52 Heart Lifters for Difficult Times and coauthor of the inspirational suspense novel Pseudonym.

Learn from Stephanie Rische How to Write Memoirs and Pitch Professionally

By Diana Savage, director of the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal conference

Stephanie Rische isn’t just senior editor of nonfiction books at Tyndale House Publishers. She’s also an author. Her latest book is the memoir I Was Blind (Dating), but Now I See.

Memoir writing can be tricky, especially when it comes to using the names of real people. For instance, Stephanie has four friends named Sarah, so in the book, she renamed three of them out of concern that readers “would need their Social Security numbers to keep them all straight.”

She adds, “I also changed a few details to protect the privacy of my blind dates, although I have done so with a mixed conscience, because in a few instances, these guys should not be at large on the dating field. Please date at your own discretion.”

At the 2016 Northwest Christian Writers Renewal, Stephanie will share her editing and memoir-writing expertise with conferees:

Telling the Story of Your Life: Memoir Writing – Have people urged you to write a book about a certain part of your past? Do you wonder if a particular era of your life should be put to paper before you die? In the past decade, memoir writing has soared in popularity, with many critics calling it the most relevant genre of our day. But where do you begin? How do you know what to include and what to leave out? How can you get beyond your feelings of vulnerability? And perhaps most significantly, should you wait until your mother dies before you write it? Drawing from her 13 years of experience editing memoirs at Tyndale House Publishers, as well as writing and publishing her own, Stephanie offers practical tips and tools to help you write a memoir of your own.

Stephanie will also be leading the Renewal’s Friday morning opening session with her address, “How to Make an Irresistible Pitch to Editors & Agents.” All conferees who wish to meet with an editorial representative are required to attend.

Stephanie comes to us highly recommended. Author Nancy Ortberg—a teaching pastor for eight years at Willow Creek Community Church—commends her for having “the courage to let us in to the parts of her world that most of us work hard to keep hidden.”

Popular blogger/author Sophie Hudson—AKA “BooMama”—calls Stephanie’s writing “funny, tender, and insightful.”

If you want to learn the finer points of writing memoirs and pitching proposals from someone with experience and transparency—and if you want to request an appointment with Stephanie or one of the other six editorial reps—register for the Renewal today!

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Diana Savage, a graduate of Northwest University and Bakke Graduate University, sold her first article when she was still in college, and she’s been writing ever since. Now the principal at Savage Creative Services, LLC, she also directs the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal conference. She is the author of 52 Heart Lifters for Difficult Times and the coauthor of the inspirational suspense novel Pseudonym.

Llamas Jumpstarted Mindy Peltier’s Writing Career

By Diana Savage, director of the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal

When Mindy Peltier was sixteen, she got a job as reporter for the local newspaper. Her first assignment was to interview a farming couple whose livestock included two llamas.

“Two llamas and two friendly neighbors? How hard can this be?” she thought, even though she’d never actually written a journalism article before. She conducted the interview to the best of her ability and even risked getting spit upon when she snapped photos of the cantankerous creatures.

A few days after her editor published the story, a big-city daily picked up the article and reprinted it. That was when Mindy realized her writing career was off to a great start, thanks to a pair of exotic animals.

A quarter of a century later, she had what many writers long for—the perfect writing alcove in her dream home. She was mother of six children and happily married to Scott. She wanted to stay put for the rest of her life.

Then Scott’s employers announced they were moving him and his family to Seattle. “I cried for a week,” Mindy recalls. After she got settled in her new home, she discovered that only four blocks away was where the Northwest Christian Writers Association met for monthly meetings.

“It was a powerful lesson that when the Lord says ‘no,’ it often means, ‘I have something better for you’,” she says.

In addition to being passionate about writing, Mindy also wants to conquer the digital world and encourage writers to overcome their fears of technology and social media. She teaches at area conferences about blogging and also directed NCWA’s WriteTech Conference in January.

At the 2015 Northwest Christian Writers Renewal, Mindy will co-lead three interactive sessions of a WriteCoach Lab especially designed for those who have questions about basic technology:

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Tech Essentials (Friday, May 15, with Dennis Brooke) – Ever wonder how to make those graphic “thingies” you’re supposed to include in blog posts? Stumped trying to build an email list? Wish you knew how to use hashtags, make captions, or manage friends/followers? Nervous about uploading photos to “the cloud”? Recently changed from PC to Apple—or vice versa—and feel lost? At this BYOD Tech Essentials Lab, no question is too basic for experts Mindy Peltier and Dennis Brooke. And if they don’t know the answer, they’ll demonstrate how to search the Internet for solutions. Bring your own laptop, netbook, tablet, smartphone, etc., to gain the most from these sessions.

Mindy has served as NCWA’s secretary and resource coordinator and is now the president. She’s done a great job in all of these roles. She also assisted the former conference director, Judy Bodmer, in putting on the Renewal.

Now that Judy has stepped down due to health reasons and I’m the new director, I’ve discovered what an incredible assistant conference director Mindy is. She brings all the knowledge she gained when helping Judy, and she adds new ideas and creativity each time we talk. She spends many hours a week creating solutions so that everyone who attends the conference will have the most fun, productive, and memorable time possible.

Sometimes a teacher’s skill is reason enough to attend a class or workshop. At other times the main draw is the instructor’s care and concern for students.

With Mindy, you get both—in big doses.

So, to get your technology questions answered—or simply to interact with someone who cares deeply about helping writers succeed—sign up today for the 2015 Northwest Christian Writers Renewal.

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Diana Savage, a graduate of Northwest University and Bakke Graduate University, sold her first article when she was still in college, and she’s been writing ever since. Now the principal at Savage Creative Services, LLC, she is also director of the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal conference. Her latest book is 52 Heart Lifters for Difficult Times.

Editor Kim Bangs Recommends Pushing Boundaries

By Diana Savage, director of the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal conference

Kim Bangs tells writers, “Refuse to be overwhelmed or stopped.”

Now a senior acquisitions editor with Bethany House and Chosen Books, divisions of Baker Publishing Group, Kim believes that each of us was born as a creative soul, but life soon regulated the flow of creativity. “If we aren’t watchful,” she says, “the flow can be turned off completely.”

She views writers conferences as wonderful venues for reinvigorating our creativity. “I recommend approaching a conference much like you did kindergarten,” she says. “You were a bit fearful, yet excited about the possibilities. You went to play and learn all at the same time. You had choices to make. Is it the monkey bars, swings, the slide, or the merry-go-round? (Totally dating myself here.) You went with wide-eyed wonder, and you lived out every experience with enthusiasm.”

Kim urges writers to approaches conferences in the same way. “Push your boundaries. Do things differently. Participate in classes and workshops—no wallflowers. Meet new people. Offer encouragement. Don’t let an unexpected path or answer deter you.”

On Friday, May 15, at the 2015 Northwest Christian Writers Renewal, Kim will meet with writers in group appointments. If you would like to show her your work, please follow the guidelines concerning what she would like to see and what she’s not looking at right now.

The following day, March 16, Kim will present two workshops:

1) The Power of Your Premise: One of the most necessary, challenging, difficult, and shortest items on your proposal is the premise statement (or the hook of the book). Kim will discuss why a premise statement is such a critical element and how you can write it so that those who read your proposal (agents, editors and pub boards) “get it” and give your proposal a deeper look.

2) The Power of Your Proposal: Come join the fun adventure as seen through the eyes of a seasoned acquisitions editor who has reviewed literally thousands of proposals. The wacky, the way out, the wonderful—the “why on earth do acquisition folk make us do all of this?” By workshop’s end, you will have an understanding of the power of a proposal, the knowledge to produce one that stands out from the rest, and a glimpse into the world of acquisitions.

Kim has served in the Christian publishing industry for more than twenty-five years, beginning in the children’s curriculum department at Gospel Light and later as Publishing Director for Regal (the book division of Gospel Light). In 2012 Kim was awarded Editor of the Year by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. In July 2014, after Regal Books was sold to the Baker Publishing Group, Kim joined the Baker team.

She believes that the teaching writers receive in workshops is valuable. But the feedback they get and the conversations they participate in can either move them farther along the writing journey or can stop them in their tracks.

“The perspective is yours,” she says.

To broaden your perspective, sign up today for the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal.

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Diana Savage, a graduate of Northwest University and Bakke Graduate University, sold her first article when she was still in college, and she’s been writing ever since. Now the principal at Savage Creative Services, LLC, she is also director of the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal conference. Her latest book is 52 Heart Lifters for Difficult Times.

Editor Kathleen Kerr Has a Passion for Finding New Voices

Each year, NCWA member Kirk Kraft posts interviews with the agents and editors that will be speaking at the Northwest Christian Writer’s Renewal.

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Kathleen Kerr is an Associate Senior Editor at Harvest House Publishers and has a passion for finding new voices. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and daughter, where she can often be found hiking, writing, and creating chaos in the kitchen. www.quillsandquiche.blogspot.com

Books on writing she recommends: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, and How Not to Write a Novel by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman. (Kathleen offers a note “they’re both a bit irreverent.” )

What’s been the most rewarding experience in your publishing career?

As an editor I think of myself like a stage manager in a play: If I do my job right, no one knows I’m there. I love helping authors refine their words while staying true to their voice. I love teaching as I edit. My most rewarding experience? When the second manuscript comes in even better than the first.

Harvest House Editor loves helping authors refine words while staying true to their voice.

What keeps you engaged with a story? What does “story” mean to you in the context of a published work?

I regularly hear comments like, “This novel will teach readers to trust God in hard times” or “This book will give kids the courage to stand up to bullies.” Authors (and publishers) often embrace the mistaken idea that readers need to be improved. Nonsense. They need to be enthralled.

Editor Kathleen Kerr says readers need to be enthralled, not improved, by a novel.

As a reader, I’m engaged by the same things that keep anyone engaged: a page-turning plot, characters to whom I can relate, humor, suspense, maybe a little unrequited love. What makes me throw down a book in despair? Moralizing and preaching. A Christian novel should be different, of course. It should point a reader to the greater Story. But in pointing your reader there, don’t try to teach a lesson along the way. Just tell a good tale.

Christian novels shouldn’t moralize and preach, but point readers to greater Story.

What is the most frequent mistake you see new writers make in their submissions?

A couple mistakes to cover here, simply based on their frequency:

• Don’t inflate your platform. If you don’t have one, be honest and say that. Tell me how you’ll work to build your platform instead of telling me about the women in your Bible study who really liked your book idea. I’ll be more impressed by honesty than by self-inflation.
• Give me realistic comp titles. I want to know which current books in the marketplace are similar to yours for the purpose of estimating sales. Don’t simply list bestselling books on the same subject. While we hope that the book will be a runaway bestseller, we can’t budget for that. (For example, almost every children’s book proposal I get lists the Chronicles of Narnia as a comp title. Let me break the hard news to you right now: It is unlikely that you have written the next classic children’s book that will be beloved by countless generations and sell millions of copies. Possible. But unlikely.)
• Please, please, please never tell me that God wrote the book or gave you the title. People who say this always write bad books.

Could you describe the “It” factor you look for in a manuscript?

Of course I can’t describe it. It’s just like falling in love—you know it when it happens. But I can describe a few factors I watch for.

• A unique voice. I can often tell what books a new writer is reading by whose voice she’s imitating.
• Humor. Is someone going around to conferences and telling Christian writers they can’t be funny? Every time I tell an author I like a joke in her book she responds, “Oh, I was so worried you were going to take that out!” No way. Make me laugh on the first page and I am putty in your hands.
• Strong writing. A good platform and a cool hook will get your book on the shelf, but strong writing will keep it there.
• Properly formatted citations. I know, I know. Citations are boring. I get that. But not putting in the work is just lazy.

Ebooks, POD and e-readers continue to alter the publishing manuscript. What challenges do you face by these changes and what’s your outlook for the future?

Challenges? Come on—let’s call them opportunities! We’ve got new ways to reach new readers, and that means we get to think way outside our normal parameters. Ebook novellas to hook readers into a series? You got it. Enhanced ebooks to help kids explore a book’s fantasy world? Rock on. Interactive books where you can connect with a beloved author or play some kind of role in the story? Apps related to a nonfiction series? All good things. I think this is an incredibly exciting time to work in publishing—a time when everything’s changing and we get to do some exploring.

What’s your favorite book of all time? Why?

I’ve been trying to narrow this down for about six minutes and I just can’t. So here, briefly, are my top four:

• Catherine, Called Birdy, by Karen Cushman. I have loved this book since I was ten years old, and true love lasts a lifetime.
• Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card. This is a magnificent work of literature—and at the same time it’s a novel that grabs your brain with both hands and won’t let go.
• A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson. This book is like science for English majors. If you tell anecdotes you learned from it you will become popular at parties. (Seriously. This is how I make friends.)
• The Far Pavilions, by M.M. Kaye. You know how at the beginning of The Princess Bride the grandfather says the book has “fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles…”? The Far Pavilions has all those things, too. It’s the kind of epic you can get absolutely lost in. Have I been known to miss important appointments because I lost track of time while rereading this? Yes. Yes, I have.

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Kirk Kraft has been gripped by the “Writing Monster” for many years. A husband and father of four, he’s instilled a love of reading in all his children while chasing his dream of publishing. His favorite genre for both writing and reading is epic fantasy. He has been a member of NCWA since 2008.

Editor Jamie West Helps Christian Fiction Writers Achieve Their Dreams

Each year, NCWA member Kirk Kraft posts interviews with the agents and editors that will be speaking at the Northwest Christian Writer’s Renewal.

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Jamie West, editor with Pelican Book Group,  lives in the Midwest with her husband of 35 years, three dogs, and three cats.  She enjoys reading, traveling, archaeology, and quilting. A worship leader at church, she does children’s sermons every month, and sings with the Praise Team.Six years ago, she was led of God to answer an ad for a job at a secular publishing company. When they sold their inspirational Christian division, she went with the new company, which became Pelican Ventures Book Group. 

What’s been the most satisfying part of your editing career?

Helping Christian fiction writers achieve their dreams and mine. I get a kick out of editing. I actually enjoy the process. I like going through a manuscript line-by-line, reading an author’s work and “hearing” their characters speak, getting to know them for myself.  The fact that the manuscripts glorify the word of God, sometimes just a little, sometimes a lot, is just icing on the cake.  These writers are my people, we understand God exists, that we are called for a purpose, and that in our world, what happens in the manuscripts is not only possible, but that God permeates it all. 

I love it when writers push an edge – we have some fantastic writers and they cover suspense, mystery, science-fiction, fantasy, thrillers, day-to-day life, broken homes, being alone, young adult – the whole human experience. Our authors transport me, as a reader, to other worlds, and I love it.  Authors give me so much, a job I love, and characters who resonate long after the last word is read.

What are the primary reasons manuscripts fail to grab & hold your interest?

Flat characters. Solid characterization can carry an otherwise ordinary plot and make it something special and unique.  You can have the most imaginative plot in the universe, but if your reader cannot connect with the protagonist, or another character, the book will be one of those “over-the-couch” books – you know, tossed over the couch halfway through reading and lost to the dust bunnies until it’s time to vacuum.

What one piece of advice would you offer an aspiring writer?

Write.  And when you’re done, write more.  And when you are done, write some more.  Keep writing, because as you write, you will learn.  And submit your work, too.  We had a writer…she would write, and I would reject.  But she kept writing, and each time she wrote a new manuscript, she’d improve, because of course, she kept practicing writing.  And finally, she submitted a manuscript (I think it was her fifth one), and it was great.  I edited it, and she learned from those edits.  She went back to the rejected manuscripts, cleaned them up with what she’d learned, and re-submitted.  We published them, too.  She’s one of our bestsellers now. 

What do you consider the biggest publishing myth?

That once a relatively unknown person writes their first book, they’ll make millions of dollars.  That rarely happens. 

Could you describe a typical today in your editing life?

Oh…yes. It’s rather ordinary, really.  I usually start with breakfast, let the dogs out, let the cats out, talk to my husband of 35 years, grab some iced tea (in summer) or hot tea (in winter). My Dad made this beautiful wooden tea tray for me so I use it daily.  I then go to my computer to check email, blogs, and social media. Some is work related, some is family/friend related, but I check it all, and then respond as needed, including phone calls. Then I let the dogs in and perhaps a cat or two, also.  I usually start with 2nd edits on books in the queue to be published. Once I finish those, I start reading the new manuscripts in my inbox. 

At 11 AM, I break to talk to my boss, CEO, Nicola Martinez, and for our daily prayer session.  Yes, we pray over our authors and the company every day, unless we have other obligations such as doctor’s appointments or errands that must be done. We also discuss manuscripts, Christian theology, what’s in our Production queue, developing book covers/trailers, and other issues.

After lunch with my husband, I check the emails, blogs, and social media again, and then I start reading again. Afternoons, in between reading, I usually do whatever chores need doing around the house, or help my husband do stuff outside if we have planned tasks (we built a house a few years ago, and are still doing landscaping and adding little touches here and there, cabinets, new garden beds, and such).  And with all this, I’m constantly letting one of the three dogs or one of the three cats in and out.

I make dinner most nights, unless I con my husband into it, and then he settles down to watch TV or work on his computer, and I head back to my computer.  But first, the two younger cats need their cuddle time, so I generally just read a new manuscript while they wind around my neck, stretch across my lap, or swat me for not petting them long enough. Eventually, they get bored with my inattention, and leave.  Then I go back to the manuscript.

About an hour before bedtime, I hit all the email, blogs and social media again, to make sure I’ve not missed anything. That’s a perfect editing day.  Naturally, other things happen, and quite often, at least 1-2 days a week, nothing goes as planned, and I have to deal with other things.  I’d say I spend a solid 6-8 hours a day working, about 3-4 days a week.  The other days are taken up with other things, including church on Sundays.

What are you currently reading?

I just finished an adorable Young Adult novel for our new Watershed line.  I’m also midway through a historical romance right now.  We’ve contracted the first one, and I’m pretty sure we’ll be contracting the second, too.

In West’s Renewal workshop, she’ll explore how to develop the romantic relationship, write good dialogue, build strong characters, and infuse the spiritual essence of God into an Inspirational romance.  Workshop attendees need to bring a hard copy/paper print-out of the first five pages of their manuscript and a set of four highlighters in blue, pink, yellow, and green.

When you register for the conference, you may sign up for a group  editorial appointment with West on Friday.

                    

Pelican publishes under three imprints. Click on each icon to browse by Imprint to research books they’ve published. White Rose Publishing is Romance, Harbourlight Books is all fiction genres, Watershed is Young Adult.  To find Pelican’s specific manuscript needs, read here.

To prepare your pitch for West read “Do You Have Perfect Pitch?” and ‘The Wild Pitch.”

Editor Jamie West loves it when writers push an edge @NWCWriters

Writing Christian romance? Editor Jamie West of Pelican seeking manuscripts @NWCWriters

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Kirk Kraft has been gripped by the “Writing Monster” for many years. A husband and father of four, he’s instilled a love of reading in all his children while chasing his dream of publishing. His favorite genre for both writing and reading is epic fantasy. He has been a member of NCWA since 2008.