I download this list every year and read it with increasing wonder at the speed of our cultural changes.

The college graduating class of 2014 was born in 1992. Think about that for a second. If you are a writer, you can no longer assume that your audience will understand your cultural references. In a mere six years, today’s 18-year-olds will be adults…possibly with families and jobs and children…they will be reading your books and articles.

And you will only be six years older than you are now.

Think about it …

For the class of 2014 Czechoslovakia has never existed.
For the class of 2014 Ruth Bader Ginsburg has always sat on the Supreme Court.
For the class of 2014 Clint Eastwood is better known as a sensitive director than as Dirty Harry.

There are 72 other observations in this year’s list.

Earlier lists illustrate things even more dramatically.

For this generation of future readers:

MTV has never featured music videos.
They have never used a card catalog to find a book.
Wal-Mart has always been a larger retailer than Sears.
Tiananmen Square is a 2008 Olympics venue, not the scene of a massacre.
Bobby Cox has always managed the Atlanta Braves.
The Green Giant has always been Shrek, not the big guy picking vegetables.
They have never seen “Magic” Johnson play an NBA basketball game since he has always been HIV-positive
They have grown up with bottled water.
Google has become a verb.
Smoking has never been allowed on a US airplane flight
Food packaging has always included nutritional labeling

It also dawned on me that, for these incoming Freshman, 9/11 happened when they were nine years old. Pause for a moment and try to remember what major world changing event occurred when you were nine or ten? Then ask if it really changed the way you saw the world. Of course it didn’t…you were nine. (For me it was the assassination of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy in the same year, 1968.) Your parents were effected but you weren’t, at least not as much. This means we have a new generation of readers who were only tangentially affected by 9/11.

So, the next time you visualize the audience to which you are writing, realize that they don’t think like you, process information like you, or see the world the same way you do.

With all this change it is comforting to know that our Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

One of those include the possible sale of the company.

Read the press release here.

Depending on the outcome this could have significant impact on the industry. Few authors realize how key B&N is to the successful launch of a book or how key B&N is to the ongoing sales of backlist titles. Barnes & Noble is the world’s largest brick & mortar bookseller. They operate over 700 stores in all fifty states. They also have a subsidiary that operates over 600 college bookstores which support nearly four million students and faculty across the U.S.

Think of it this way. If each B&N store sold only 12 copies of your book over the last twelve months (one per month) that would account for over 16,000 copies sold. If you eliminate the college stores from that scenario it still accounts for 8,500 copies sold.

That is significant.

Someone asked me the other day, “Who will be affected most by the e-book revolution. Publishers or Authors?” I answered, “Neither. Both will continue to survive for many reasons. The one effected most is the brick and mortar store.” B&N created their e-reader “The Nook” to combat that. But the combination of the economy, which has hurt all retail, and the surge in sales through places like Amazon.com has socked B&N right in their pocketbook.

Many have speculated that the other mega-store chain, Borders, would fail (hasn’t happened yet) but those same prophets figure that B&N would pick up the slack.

Now, just because they are for sale doesn’t mean they are out of business. Only that they want to find a way to secure better financial security. My guess follows the speculation of other press on this issue. They postulate that Len Riggio, who currently has a 30% stake in the company, will do his best to buy it himself (along with a consortium of investors).

Stay tuned!

I cannot emphasize this enough. Eighteen years ago I began working as an editor for Bethany House, but I worked from home. I never considered the need to keep my home address out of the public eye until I had three separate writers show up at my front door with manuscript in hand asking to see me. Very quickly I secured a mail box at a local mail service, changed my business cards, and have never made that mistake again.

I thought it appropriate to discuss a few of the simple steps you can take to protect yourself from your adoring public. I asked Ellie Kay to write down some of the ideas she has used. She started writing books for Bethany House in 1998 as a stay-at-home mom, since that time her platform has grown to national proportions.

“Be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves.” As many of you know, I’m on national, mainstream media weekly (both radio and TV) and I’m so thankful I have these safeguards set up. Before I did this, I was stalked a couple of times!
I would encourage writers to do a few basic security checks:

1) Set up a PO Box – Or use a mail service (like a UPS store) that has a physical address where you can received FEDEX and UPS packages. You should never list your physical address on any promo materials.

2) Set up an Online Contact Form — This uses code that the person will have to enter in order to send your office (or you) a note. Never have your email address listed openly on a website as there are cyber-spiders that crawl the internet, harvesting these addresses and sells them to spammers. If you do list your email, have your webmaster put a space in it somewhere and indicate to the reader that they will have to adjust the script when they mail it. I.E. assistant @ elliekay.com or [assistant at elliekay.com].

3) Set up an Assistant Account — This should be where your online contact form sends mail. Even if you cannot afford a assistant, set up this account. Then, if you feel compelled to respond to fringe people, then your assistant can do it first and there’s another layer of protection.

4) Set up Caller ID – Our phone won’t accept blocked calls. The caller has to leave a message and wait, if their ID is blocked.

5) Do Not Engage — Chuck Swindoll says he never reads an anonymous letter, I take his advice. He said, “If they don’t have the courage to put their name on it, then it’s not worth my time.” The same applies to email, you don’t have to respond or engage a looney. If you get a bad feeling about the person, then do not feel you (or your assistant) has to respond to the fringe. Pray for wisdom and act accordingly.”

Thank you Ellie! Those are excellent ideas. The one about the email is very important unless you want to be deluged by s.p.a.m. I made that mistake in the early 90s and had to change my email address to escape the flood.

In addition, consider setting up your writing business under an LLC (limited liability corporation). This will help separate your personal income from your business income. I did this for our agency at the very beginning. Ask your tax accountant for advice on how to set it up and use it. The easiest book to digest on this subject is Limited Liability Companies for Dummies by Jennifer Reuting.

A couple of our clients have gone a step further and created and S-Corporation (Inc.). This is a much more complicated procedure but has distinct advantages and protections, especially if you get sued. Again, consult experts in these areas before doing anything on your own. The best book I’ve read on the subject is Inc. Yourself by Judith McQuown . Make sure to buy the Tenth edition (published 2004) as the laws changed a few years ago.

If you plan to sell books from your home or office don’t forget to obtain a sales license for your city and state (each city and state have different laws and procedures on this). Why? Because if you sell books to anyone in your state you must collect state and local sales tax. Even if you don’t want to charge tax at your book table, you are still liable for those taxes. Again, this varies widely by state. Just make sure you are doing the right thing where you live.

If there are other idea you have or questions on these issues feel free to post below and I will try my best to help.

Yesterday afternoon I received James Scott Bell’s The Art of War for Writers: fiction writing strategies, tactics, and exercises (published by Writer’s Digest Books). With interest I took the book home and devoured it. Not literally of course, as I’m not sure what the pages would have tasted like with extra cheese. But I could not keep from turning the pages with delight.

James Scott Bell has done an immeasurable service to writers everywhere. This little book is chock full of sage advice. Loosely based on the ancient classic The Art of War he consistently nudges the reader with nuggets of wisdom that are hard to assail.

The book is flooded with amazing quotes. I kept saying to myself, “Oh that’s a good one, I’ll have to use that in my next presentation.” But after saying that a dozen times in only a few pages I began to to realize the extraordinary wealth found in this book.

While the subtitle indicates the book is written with the novelist in mind the information is universal. Every non-fiction writer can glean much from these pages too.

I was also impressed with the interior design. The publisher went to great lengths to make the reading experience enjoyable. A deft use of two color printing creates accents in all the right places. And the page layout is easy on my old eyes. Thank you Writer’s Digest for an example of top drawer publishing.

Whether you are a novice or a published veteran in the industry there is something for you. The novice should return to the book again and again and practice what they have read! The experienced writer will find a great refresher course in ideas, but can also glean new insights to common problems.

In full disclosure, the author is a friend. We have taught at numerous conferences together over the years. But he has no idea I’m writing this review. And I still like him even though he quotes another agent in the book! Frivolity aside, I can, with full confidence, attest that Jim is the real deal. He has a teacher’s heart and truly wants to do whatever he can to help others succeed.

Do yourself a favor. Buy this book right now! Or put it on your Christmas wish list. It is reasonably priced (retail only $14.99 for 264 pages!)

All three online stores below have the book discounted for under $11.00 (as of the posting of this blog). Such a deal!

Writer’s Digest Books

Barnes & Noble

Amazon.com

Three full 24 hour days on Facebook per year! Or nearly two full work weeks if you count a work week as 35-40 hours a week. And I suspect the statistics hold true in the U.S. as well.

Not all writers are full-time. Some must juggle day jobs or home-life responsibilities around their writing. So let’s say the average writer is cramming 20 hours a week of actual writing into their craft.

Thus if you are a writer AND you “Facebook” (is that a verb now?) this would mean the average writer is spend nearly a month’s worth of work time…on Facebook.

Yes, I know Facebook is a wonder of technology and allows for an incredible way to connect with lots of friends and readers at once. (Of course we have to redefine the word “friend,” don’t we?) But what would you have done with that time before you discovered Facebook?

In 72 hours a “nose-to-grindstone” writer could produce 10,000 words on their next work-in-progress (that is about 1/2 page per hour). A motivated person could memorize the Constitution. An avid reader could consume at least six of their favorite books. Or a die-hard fan could watch all 158 episodes of the “Dick Van Dyke Show” or all three seasons of “The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan” and still have time left to walk Fido!

I discovered first-hand the potentially addictive nature of Facebook’s lure.  But I quickly learned to shut off all notifications and only visit the site periodically and see if there is anything of interest. Much like I do with selected blogs and news sites.

Don’t get me wrong, I know there are tremendous benefits for the author in connecting with their readers via social networking. And I’m not criticizing Facebook or Facebook users. My concern is with the amount of time authors spend on something other than making their next book a masterpiece.

Next time you enter the social networking world, time yourself. Then ask if it was beneficial to you personally, professionally, spiritually, emotionally, or otherwise. As with all things, use common sense, discipline, and moderation.

It will also keep your agent or your editor from posting a comment on your wall like “What are you doing here? You are on a deadline!”

For a laugh enjoy Rhett & Link’s hilarious “Facebook Song“on YouTube.

“When a spouse greets a partner with derision because of an opinion, what should be ___ reaction?”

Fill in the blank. Should you use his, his or her, or their? This is a grammatical conundrum. Your choice will determine whether you will be categorized as “sexist,” “tiresome,” or “ungrammatical.”

Our vernacular has changed over the past years due to our sensitivity over the generic “he.” For some it is a matter of being politically correct. For others it is merely a way of being inclusive of both genders in their writing. In addition it can be simply a matter of using the common language of everyday speech.

So what is correct? I have polled a number of editors on this subject and find them equally divided. Some trained in journalism and others who are fierce copy-editors are vehemently opposed to the use of the “singular their.” Others claim to be more concerned about simple communication and lay the finer points of grammar aside. Yet even they are not unified on the issue. There is an entire website devoted to this question (The Anti-Pedantry page can be found at www.crossmyt.com/hc/linghebr/austheir.html).

Rosalie Maggio, in her book The Nonsexist Word Finder (Beacon Press, 1989) speaks to the issue of gender inclusive language:

“Defenders of the convention most often claim that is a point of grammar and certainly not intended to offend anyone. That is does in reality offend large numbers of people does not appear to sway some grammarians, nor does the fact that their recourse to the laws of language is on shaky ground. While he involves a disagreement in gender, singular they involves a disagreement in number [as in ‘to each his own’ and ‘to each their own’]. Eighteenth-century [male] grammarians decided that number was more important than gender, although the singular they had been in favor until that time.”

The plural pronoun has been used regularly for years. Few realize that some of the greatest writers in history utilized this method without criticism–Chaucer, Shakespeare, Swift, Goldsmith, Dickens, Fielding, Thackery, Byron, Austen, Orwell, Kipling, and even C.S. Lewis. Even The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th ed., “recommends the ‘revival’ of the singular use of _they_ and _their_, citing…its venerable use by such writers as Addison, Austen,…and Shakespeare.” (footnote on pp. 76-77 – 1993 edition)

Richard Lederer, in an article in Writer’s Digest wrote, “Let the word go out that anyone…their is destined to become good, idiomatic English. It already pervades the speech of educated Americans, and daily it grows more common in writing.”

Member of the Copyediting-L e-mail list state, “‘They’ with a singular antecedent works well, because it’s already part of everyone’s vocabulary. Like the generic ‘he,’ it entails no new words, just a shift in semantics…[it] is just one item in the toolkit of those who wish to avoid using generic ‘he.’ It isn’t the only item, and it doesn’t fit every situation, but it is useful.” (http://atropos.c2.net/~srm/samples/net/celfaq.htm [link now broken])

My feeling is that it is entirely appropriate to use the “singular they.” We need to adjust, ever so slightly, to accommodate the changes in our language. While not succumbing to the landmine of being politically correct, I do believe that there are appropriate places to use “ungrammatical” words to effectively communicate to our readers. Even the Boston Globe agrees in their article from October 2008 “The Singular Challenge.”

Richard Lederer provided a wonderful exercise to illustrate the point. Fill in the blank in the following sentence: “Everyone in the building attended the party, and ___ had a wonderful time.” I suspect that nearly everyone supplied the word they.

For a nice, but not definitive, introduction to the subject visit the Wikipedia entry for this topic.

And please note that I am a NOT grammar expert by any means. Heaven forbid I get that much credit. While I am an advocate of great writing and proper use of the English language I am also an advocate of communication. And communication has a tendency to adapt over time, the written word is no exception.

An earlier and abridged version published as “Opening a Can of Worms” in The Advanced Christian Writer, June 1998.

“Welcome to the industry that will break your heart.”

Isn’t that an encouraging sentiment? I can just imagine you rolling your eyes. But while that statement isn’t a fun one, it is rich with truth.

I admire writers. You put your souls on paper and send them to strangers and pray for acceptance. How do you do that, day in and day out…for your entire career? And then, how do you maintain any sort of sanity and dignity in the process? In a small way I have the same emotion after posting this blog. (Will I get criticized? Did I embarrass myself? Did I offend someone? Did I create a new “frenemy.”)

Some claim that the day their book hits the shelves they no longer have to worry about rejection because they are now a Published Author.
Think again.

When that author goes into a bookstore and fails to find their book…is that rejection? Does it mean your publisher isn’t marketing your book? Does it mean this store hates your writing and refuses to carry your titles? Or could it be that the store is in-between order cycles and yours is sold out? They may only carry one copy of your book at a time. If it is backlist, only the largest stores will stock it. So it is not necessarily rejection or failure or lack of success. Merely a snapshot on a single day at a specific time of that day.

What if your book is published but gets panned in a review in “Publisher’s Weekly,” “The New York Times,” or “The Romantic Times Book Review?” Does it mean the end of your dreams? Are you through before you even begin?

But let’s back up to the very beginning of the process…

When an agent says no with a rejection letter that turns out to be a standard form letter. Is that bad? Hardly.

As an agent I receive dozens of unsolicited proposals each week. The standard letter is a practical necessity. When possible we try to add a personal comment of some sort, but it is rare. When you receive something specific from an agent or an editor in a rejection letter treasure it like gold. There is no obligation for them to say anything at all in reply to you.

But what about a one-on-one meeting with an editor or an agent? How do your evaluate that experience?

At least 14 years ago I remember sitting with Cec Murphey (co-author of the bestselling book 90 Minutes in Heaven) and for an hour he pitched ideas at me. Believe it or not, I rejected every single one of them. His response? “I love this! I can bounce all sorts of ideas off of you and you are honest with me. No patronizing! How refreshing.” He was the consummate professional seeing it as a brainstorming opportunity, not a success or failure exercise.

Five years later he pitched just the right idea that turned into a two book deal with Bethany House (The God Who Pursues and The Relentless God).

And not every rejection is laden with negative connotations. Sometimes it just isn’t right at that time. About five years ago, publishers were not that keen on contracting new historical fiction, they only wanted chick-lit or other contemporary stories. Today the pendulum has swung the opposite direction and we are getting calls and requests for historical fiction.

Take a moment to read the acknowledgments in John B. Olson’s novel Shade. He tells the story of my rejecting this very story at his first writers conference by saying, “I wouldn’t touch that with a 60-foot pole!” At the same conference, editor Karen Ball said, “no way” to the proposal. Many years later the same novel was represented by our agency and sold to B&H Publishing. The acquisitions editor who acquired the book? Karen Ball. But that decade old rejection was the right decision at that time, the market wasn’t ready for Shade at that time. (And by the way, Shade was a finalist in the 2009 Christy Awards for the best novel of the year in the Visionary category.)

Have fun at your next writers conference and ask any editor or agent about the “one that got away.” We have all rejected a book or an author that ended up being a wild success. I asked this of an editor-friend who remembered a meeting at the pub board where everyone looked at each other around the table and laughed, “Talking vegetables? What a silly idea.” And that group of successful publishing executives rejected Veggie Tales.

Over the last 17 years as an editor and an agent I have dozens of infamous rejection stories. It has even become somewhat of a punch line. At a recent writers conference they asked the audience for a show of hands indicating if they had been rejected by Steve Laube. Talk about embarrassing.

True story: When I was an  editor at Bethany House I rejected Ted Dekker in 1997 for what was eventually his first published novel Heaven’s Wager (Thomas Nelson, 2000). In 2007 he and I were having a casual conversation at the booksellers convention in Atlanta.
He turned to me and said, “Ten years ago you rejected me.”
My eyes widened a bit.
“I still have that rejection letter,” he added.
Then he leaned forward and asked, “Would you like me to quote it?”
For the next few moments we went down memory lane as he told me about a simple sentence in that rejection letter that challenged him to create memorable characters like those found in the science fiction writing of Orson Scott Card.
Then I said, “But Ted? You never sent me a revised proposal!”
I don’t remember Ted’s exact words, but in essence he replied, “Because another editor offered me a contract based on potential, not performance.”
That is the perfect illustration of the differences from one editor to the next, and from one publishing house to the next, AND from one agent to the next. Each has their own set of internal criteria that baffles the outsider.

All the great writers have experienced rejection at one time or another, and not just by an editor or their agent. But the professional realizes that it isn’t personal. They knuckle down and try again. That is why it is called “work.” If it was easy, anyone could do it.

Walt Disney was once fired from a newspaper because he “didn’t have any good ideas.” So if Mr. Disney could rise above rejection, so can you.

Let me answer with a question. When you are browsing a book title do you look at the endorsements or notice who wrote the foreword or introduction? I suspect you do without realizing it. And if you are unfamiliar with the author, but you know the endorser, then you are more likely to give this new writer a try.

In its early self-published days, The Shack by William Young gained tremendous benefit from an absolutely glowing endorsement by Eugene Peterson, author of The Message. It made me pause and think, “If Eugene Peterson makes such a claim, then maybe I should pay attention.” So, as a fan of Eugene Peterson for nearly twenty years I paid attention. I believe that endorsement is still on the front cover of The Shack (which at the time of this writing has sold 7.5 million copies).

How many endorsements should you get? One or two meaningful ones are best. Sometimes your agent can help you secure them. Sometimes your publisher. But it is best if you get them yourself from the folks you know.

The more recognizable name the better.

And the earlier in the creative process the better. Years ago I was presenting a proposal at a Bethany House Publishers pub board meeting. Unfortunately I was not getting a good reception from the team. Then I asked the members of the group to look at the endorsement page in the proposal. This writer had secured endorsements  from James Montgomery Boice, R.C. Sproul, and John MacArthur, each a highly recognized author and speaker, particularly withing the Reformed Theology tradition. The pub board members exclaimed, “Who is this guy?” They had never heard of the writer of the proposed book, but they knew the endorsers. Those endorsements turned the tide in favor of offering a contract to the author!

Recently I talked to a very well known author who gets about four to five unsolicited requests for forewords or endorsements each week. I read somewhere that Annie Dillard, the Pulitzer Prize winning author,  can receive as many as 40 in one week….and most of them for books by writers she does not know.

Whatever you do, don’t (please don’t) claim in your proposal that you can get endorsements from Rick Warren, Charles Colson, Dr. James Dobson, or Sarah Palin, unless you already have them in hand. Many visible leaders have tough restrictions from their board of directors regarding their endorsements (especially those who are part of a Christian ministry). They don’t want their name associated with a book that could ultimately reflect negatively on the author or their organization.

And if you are frustrated by that policy, let’s make it more personal. Imagine if you had endorsed a book by Bernie Madoff….and now that he has been sentenced to 150 years in jail, what does your endorsement of his book say about you? With tongue in cheek I used the graphic at the top of this blog “Trust me I’m a Jedi.” The implication is that the endorsement of a Jedi makes the book trustworthy…just like an endorsement.

Endorsements that only use initials (“A.E. from St. Louis”) are all but useless. And so are endorsements from your dentist, unless your book is about dentistry. And an endorsement from your minister is suspect, unless yours happens to be a well known author.  (What if your minister doesn’t like your book and refuses to endorse it? Will you still want to attend services?). Also try to avoid sneaking family member endorsements who have a different last name as a way of padding the list. You will be found out and your integrity will be suspect. This is not the time to “pad the resume.”

Securing endorsements is something with which you need to spend time partnering with your publisher. It can be a team effort that will ultimately help sell your books.

First, use this form (http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~lesk/copyrenew.htmll).
This form searches the U. S. copyright renewal records database. Any book published during the years 1923-1963 which is found in this file is still under copyright, as are all books published after 1964 (although until 1989 they still had to have proper notice and registration).  Books published before 1923, or before Jan. 1, 1964 and not renewed (in the 28th year after publication), are out of copyright and therefore in the public domain. The form only searches books, not music, etc.

Cornell University has provided a very helpful chart to determine if an existing Work is still covered by copyright, see
http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/training/Hirtle_Public_Domain.htm