Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Pretty much everyone just wants to be liked, right? Why, we’ve all taken to heart one sentence from Sally Fields’ earnest Academy-Award acceptance speech: “You like me, you really like me.”

But authors seem especially prone to need to know that they’re not only liked but also respected by the publishing industry. Which points to one of the reasons authors forgo the option of self-publishing. They want to be able to say, “My publisher likes me, really likes me.”

But I was reminded of how compelling that need is when I read a recent Wall Street Journal article about Darcie Chan, who crafted a hit, self-published novel. The Mill River Recluse is her debut novel and has sold more than 400,000 copies–in seven months. According to the WSJ article, she’s receiving offers from foreign imprints, movie studios and audio-book publishers–without having  sold a single physical copy of her book. And that’s the big rub for Chan.

Ms. Chan craves for one event to occur in her writing career that so far has eluded her: She wants a traditional publisher to produce a book–a physical book–Chan has written. Despite six film studios inquiring about movie rights and two foreign publishers bidding on the book, Chan “is holding off on such deals, for fear they might sabotage a potential contract with a domestic publisher,” according to WSJ.

“I have people writing me begging me for a hard copy,” she says, “book clubs and libraries calling me, and I don’t have a hard copy to provide for them.”

Chan is working on her second novel and hopes a traditional publisher will phone one day to say, “We like you, we really like you.”

As I read about Chan, I experienced a raft of responses. Here’s a short list:

• Obviously, this intense longing for a publisher to produce a physical book isn’t just about having a hard copy. It’s much more about Chan’s desire to have the traditional publishing experience. She wants a professional editor to work with her on her book and for her book to be available in bookstores and libraries. Yes, she could create a physical book, but it wouldn’t be the same, would it?
• Chan recognizes that a traditional publisher brings to bear certain elements the author can’t provide: Distribution to retail venues, placement in libraries, a marketing plan, an editorial eye, and a team of publishing professionals all focused on how to make her book a success.
• The desire for “legitimacy” can blind a person to the shortcomings of going the traditional route. I’m sure several traditionally-published authors reading this blog post are groaning over how much they wish they could say their book had sold 400,000 copies.
• Other self-published authors are gloating over how much money they’re making and how many fans they have. They feel plenty affirmed by their readers.
• But, really, Darcie Chan is like all of us, including me–she has a set idea of how to know if she’s really liked–and she hasn’t experienced that yet.

What’s your response to Chan’s saga?

Now, here’s the hard part, thinking about how this applies to you.

• What is the most affirming event that could occur for you, as a writer? To win a certain award (aka Sally Fields)? To sell a certain number of copies of your book? To get a multi-book contract? To hit a best-seller list (would any list do, or would it have to a specific list)?
• What might you sacrifice to achieve your goal? Might you, like Chan, put film options and audio versions on hold so as not to hurt your chances of making your goal? (Be honest!)
• How do you handle the disappointments this heartbreaking industry has handed you?
• How do you keep belief in your abilities going strong?

Location: Books & Such Midwest Office, Illinois

As we concentrate on positive outlooks, this week, let’s tackle our persistence barometer. Some people just seem to have a sunny disposition no matter what life throws at them. For the rest of us, especially those with a melancholy temperament, it can require a lot of effort. We have the assurance: Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1). But acting on it takes persistence.

You can employ some practical exercises to help check yourself when you encounter discouragement over a rejection letter or your book’s low sales numbers. First, appropriate the Boy Scout motto: Be prepared.

• You have been waiting . . . forever . . . for a reply from an agent or editor. Being ready with a little self-talk to recall all the positive evaluations from your critique partners might be enough to balance negative news and counter the impending gloom.

• Be prepared to have a positive perspective. Don’t assume the only reason you haven’t received a response from an agent or editor is because your proposal was quickly dismissed. It could be that she is giving it a thorough review with the intent of offering constructive feedback. There are a number of those proposals on my desk right now.

It is realistic to expect you’ll have disappointments. In her book Bird by Bird, veteran author Anne Lamott describes an experience with her editor, who rejected one of Anne’s manuscripts three times. But Anne persisted in taking his feedback and returning to him with revisions until he finally accepted it.

If you receive a rejection from an editor without any comments, it is okay to request feedback. I know some editors don’t initially offer their reaction because they feel their opinion is subjective and another editor might love your manuscript. And editors can’t give feedback on every rejected project; they’d never accomplish everything else on their massive to-do lists; so graciously accept an “I can’t” response.

If you do receive feedback, look at it as constructive criticism not as a critical review. It is also possible that the rejection has nothing to do with the quality of your work, but only that the publishing house already had contracted a book similar to yours.

A persistent faith plus persistent improving of your craft will yield a positive outlook that your dreams of being a successful author will become reality. I have a Post-It note on my computer monitor that’s a definition of dreams Cynthia Herron wrote in a comment to a recent blog: “Dreams (are) something beyond the scope of the tangible but completely possible with the One who moves mountains.”

What do you do to stay positive about your writing and your publishing dreams?

Location: Books & Such Midwest Office, Illinois

In a productive brainstorming meeting with a client about two weeks ago, three necessary parts of a writer’s whole proposal “package” came into clear view. They are not new concepts; they are basics. But the combination of the three results in a winning idea. See if they also are helpful to you in terms of adjusting your WIP and in developing future book ideas.

LOOK. This client is working on a new nonfiction series and gave me the outline for book one. Her passion for Christ’s church is authentic and deep, and she is accomplished in her writing craft. Those are necessary ingredients for a compelling book, but as we all know, those two alone don’t guarantee a publisher will offer a contract.

As Amy researched in preparation for this series, she looked for several niche topics in the area of spiritual formation that are common stumbling blocks for everyone but to which few books have been devoted. She looked to fill a gap and meet a need. This is a great strategy for giving your book a unique edge. Passion + great writing + unique approach = marketability. Marketability is the scale on which all manuscripts are weighed.

EXPECT. If you have prayed for direction, apply Proverbs 3: 4-5: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path.” Expect God to answer your request according to his will. Listen and watch. Don’t be surprised when you set goals for the year or review your day’s writing and think, where did that come from? He’ll keep his promise to direct your path.

ACT. As we dive into our work this year, we need to humbly acknowledge afresh that our gifts and abilities are from God for his purpose. Next, we must commit to take action steps—risks—to follow his direction. Spend a few minutes, or hours, to reflect on your calling in those terms, and let God energize your passion.

Don’t you love it when the cloud over your work dissipates and the sky begins to clear? Share a time when words, scenes, entire chapters, or a book idea were, all of a sudden, right there in front of you.

Location: Just back from Agency Summit in Wine Country

No, the title of this blog isn’t about the software program. I’m referring to my view of 2012. At the beginning of each new year we’re used to feeling encouraged at the thought of a fresh new start. This year, take it up a notch for me.

Exhilarate: 1. to enliven; invigorate; stimulate. 2. to make cheerful or merry. This is the atmosphere that permeated our Agency Summit last week, and I hope to pass it on to you. What am I so exhilarated about?

With the wonderful addition of Rachelle Gardner to our agency, we now have offices in three areas of the country. Our summit provided time for a live gathering as a team, and gel we did! We set agency goals for the year and sought God’s direction to dream big for our clients. We came away aligned in our vision. I encourage you to spend time with your writing and critique groups, Bible study groups, or even with your spouse and children, to focus on this exercise as well. More on this topic on Wednesday.

Exhilarate!

We’re all familiar with, what shall we call them . . . hindrances? road blocks? . . . facing writers. The exciting news is that viable, creative possibilities for overcoming obstacles are arising from many directions. Let’s celebrate and thank God for endowing those with the entrepreneurial spirit. They are creating new vehicles to navigate new paths. You’ll be hearing more in the days ahead.

Exhilarate!

New technologies are making it easy to connect with each other and stay on top of industry news. Our agents will be utilizing some of these technologies this year. We realize it’s imperative to keep up with these advances and exploit them to best serve our clients. I’m sure this will be the modus operandi until the Lord returns. I can hear some of you shouting, Of course, bring it on! while others are mumbling, I just learned this one, and already there is something new to replace it. Ugh! Confession time: I used to be one of those but no more. I’m…

Exhilarated!

… and I hope you are too. What do you see around you that motivates you to have a sunny outlook on your writing career in 2012? What goals have you set for yourself this year? Or haven’t you gone through this exercise yet? A goal is a marker in front of you. It will help you decide if a choice you are contemplating will help close the distance to your goal or could steer you off-course.

Location: Books & Such main office; Santa Rosa, Calif.

Friday pick: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

Here is the link to the movie page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1482459/

The Lorax is a children’s book written by Dr. Seuss back in the 1970′s. It’s basically the story of a greedy character “The Once-ler” who comes to a forest and uses up all of the trees damaging the environment almost beyond repair. The Lorax is a creature that speaks for the trees and the creatures of the forest and warns the Once-ler of the damage he is doing. The book has been quite controversial as a children’s story because of its strong environmentalist message.

I think this book will do well as a movie at this time because:

1) The Green Movement has made even young children aware of the environment.

2) Animation is at a wonderful place now so Dr. Suess’s strange world can come to life in an amazing way.

3) The movie could be deep enough that parents would feel like there’s a message in it even for them.

I’ll probably wait until the movie comes out on DVD before I see it, but if I had kids I might take them. I’m not sure . The little Lorax sure looks cute!

Can you think of other reasons why this book was picked to be a movie? Did you like this story when you read it? Would you take your child to see the movie? Why or why not?

Thanks so much for your wonderful comments this week. Have a great weekend!

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

Location: Round Top, Texas

This last fall my husband and I went to a prayer retreat that had one purpose– to help us learn to listen. I was shocked to discover how powerful listening is. I’ve been trying to put it into practice as a spiritual discipline.

As writers, listening is doubly important. We are called to listen to the world around around us. How can we honestly write if we are not listeners? Novelists know this. Lauraine Snelling, the bestselling writer of both historical and contemporary fiction was just telling me about something that happened to her as she was driving through the desert a couple of weeks ago. She heard a voice saying one poignant line. Lauraine says she nearly had to pull the car to the side of the road. She could picture the scene from that one line. She started crying and knew she had to know the rest of the story. It will be the centerpiece of her next book.

(Those of you who do not write fiction are probably creeped out by that– voices and all. It’s not a serious illness. Trust me, for novelists, it’s quite normal.)

Lauraine is a listener.

Over the last three days I encouraged you to dream, to risk and to ask. All proactive words. Now it’s time to listen. It’s an important word to work into your goals for the year. The more you listen, the more you’ll have to write.

So help us with this word. Have any of you discovered new ways to listen? Have you experienced the power that comes with listening? Share with us what you’ve learned.

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

Location: Round Top, Texas

Yesterday at our meeting here in Texas I gave the morning meditation. It was titled, “So What Do You Want?”  Earlier this year I read the account in Mark 10:51 of Jesus leaving Jericho, followed by a large crowd. A blind beggar, Bartimaeus, called out loudly, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.” The crowd tried to shush him– it was embarassing– but he persisted. Jesus told them to bring the man to him. I can just picture the scene: Jesus, the miracle worker, looking at this blind man standing before him. You’d think with the crowd pushing in and the whole entourage trying to get on the road Jesus would just reach out and heal the man but instead he did a curious thing. He said, “What do you want?”

Duh!

Why do you suppose it was important for this man to put his request into words?

There’s an important lesson for all of us here. We need to be specific about what we want. the Bible says, ask and the door shall be open. Hmmm. sounds like a promise. So how do we apply that to our quest for a career as a writer?

Just as we, as agents at Books & Such, write specific goals, it is important for writers to be just as intentional. Dreaming big is engaging the imagination. What can you dream if you take away the fear of sounding foolish. And how far can go if you are willing to risk big? Then say it out loud.

Ask.

At first you will couch it in all kinds of disclaimers. “If it’s not too much to ask. . .”, “I don’t want to seem greedy, but. . .”, “If it be your will, Lord.” (This one goes without saying.) Don’t hem and haw. Just ask.

My friend, New York Times #1 Bestselling author, Debbie Macomber, has long known the secret of boldly asking. She showed me her journal entry from January 1, 1977 where she said, “The deepest desire of my life is to somehow, some way be a writer. I should start with the pages of this journal to practice for the future. And the most important thing in my life is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior.” Debbie committed her dream to words. More than that, she asked for it.

She’s been a proponent of writing down goals and dreams for a long time. Of asking. If you’ve ever heard her speak you’ve probably seen her hold up a colored index card she rediscovered on which she had boldly written a list of outrageous dreams — all of which had long since come true. She often hands out colored index cards to everyone in the audience and waits while they pen some of their most audacious dreams. I still have mine tucked in a pocket of my folio inside my purse. It’s an exercise in asking.

I’m not going to request that do your asking here in the blog comments since it’s not me who is asking the question, “What do you want?” I’m going to encourage you to be bold, take a risk and go to that Man who stopped by the roadside in Jericho to help a blind Bartimaeus put his dream into words.

Ask. It’s powerful stuff.

Location: Round Top, Texas

Every year the agents at Books & Such spend some serious time setting professional goals. We have to commit to paper what we want to accomplish including specific financial and performance goals. Last year was a record year for me. I surpassed my sales goal in early September and ended up going almost 60% over my goal.  It led me to thinking about risk. As I was chewing on what to do for 2012, here’s what I wrote, in part, to my fellow agents:

I’ve been back and forth about my Books & Such goals because I sold so much this year and so many of my clients are already contracted. So does that mean I should be realistic for 2012 and set a lower goal? As I’ve been thinking about taking risks I’m realizing it’s not what we do that counts, it’s about how big we think our God is. He plainly asks us, “What do you want?” (Mark 10:51) He wants us to put it in words! I took baby steps in doing this for 2011 but it increased my faith in leaps and bounds. A skeptic might say that by asking for something specific we just work all that much harder to get it. He might say it wasn’t really God, it was just hard, focused work. That may be part of it, but my prayer journal and some amazing “coincidences” disprove that theory.

So, about taking risks– I think I need to ask for big enough results that I can clearly see it’s all God and very little me. Sometimes this is scary. What if we ask, believing, and it doesn’t happen? Will it diminish my faith? Will it diminish God? That even sounds silly, doesn’t it. If he says no, for whatever reason, we’ll dig into that and figure out what he’s teaching us. Either way, our faith will grow.

I’ve decided I need to be bold on behalf of my clients (and because I’m becoming addicted to seeing God move mountains as a result of prayer). He can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine! (Ephesians 3:20) Immeasurably more.

Part of the reason I’m talking about risk is that I’m doing a long distance Bible study with my husband and grown kids. It’s the one I mentioned yesterday, Chase the Lion, based on Mark Batterson’s book In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. It’s about stepping confidently into the unknown, taking risks and meeting challenges. I tend to want to lead a conservative, safe, peaceful life while all the time God is challenging me to strap on my helmet and take a dive into adventure. Batterson says, “The world is full of cautious and prudent people who will live fine, long lives. But chances are if you spend your life in an attempt to eliminate risk, uncertainty and fear you will miss out on some of the most amazing experiences a person can have with Jesus.”

So what about you? Are you willing to take risks? What about banging on some of those doors in publishing marked “no admittance.” How about risking to write that book that may be outside the parameters of what is selling right now? What about diving right in and doing multiple submissions to both agents and publishers who still take unsolicited queries? If you are dreaming big, what are you willing to risk to reach for those dreams?

Location: Round Top, Texas

Elizabeth Barrett Browning said: “God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame.”  At the beginning of a new year, our job is to dream.

Hopefully by now, you’ve spent time analyzing the past year. Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living. I believe that. So once you’ve looked over 2011– seeing what goals were met, which were left for the coming year and which ones no longer matter– you’re ready to embrace another year. Wouldn’t it be awful if there were no new beginnings? If every day just lined up in a row? No Mondays. No Januarys. No first day in a new birth year. No opening day of school. No first game of a new football season.

Happily, that’s not the case. We are a people of new beginnings. My friend and client, Debbie Macomber, just celebrated the launch of her newest book, One Perfect Word. More than twenty years ago, Debbie and a group of her friends decided to pick one word for each year. Over the years that practice has shaped her life. When she took time to intentionally focus on just one word for a whole year it not only changed her life but it changed the lives of those around her. Debbie says in the book, “In this information age words swirl around us every day. Tens of thousands of words—maybe a hundred thousand words on a crazy, busy day. We read newspapers, we check out blogs, we may follow Facebook and even Twitter. We respond to e-mail and we listen to real people talking . . . and talking . . . and talking. We drive with the radio on. We try to squeeze in time to read books and magazines. We may turn on the television at night. Words come at us incessantly.” She suggests we all go on a word diet and instead of trying to take in millions of words we concentrate on one word. One perfect word.

I started following her practice a few years ago when I read her book Thursdays at Eight. I highly recommend it. In fact so much so that I decided to choose just one word to blog about each day this week. I chose five words that are vitally important to you on your writing journey. Of course they are five words that are vital to living a life that matters.

Your word for today is: Dream.

We are called to dream. To imagine what could happen. I’m reading a book that just came out a couple of weeks ago,The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. If you want to be challenged to live big, this is the book for you. In it, Batterson says, “If you’ve never had a God-sized dream that scared you half to death, then you haven’t really come to life. If you’ve never really been overwhelmed by the impossibility of your plans, then your God is too small. If your vision isn’t perplexingly impossible, then you need to expand the radiuses of your prayer circles.”

Perplexingly impossible. That sounds like trying to get published in this ever changing climate doesn’t it? In the Bible study, Chase the Lion, based on his other book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Batterson says, “I think part of us wants God to reduce the obstacles. We like situations where the odds are in our favor. But sometimes God allows the odds to be stacked against us so he can reveal more of his glory through it.” Hmmmm.

I’m dreaming big for 2012. Dreaming big for myself and dreaming big for my clients. How about you? Are you going to dream impossible dreams? Are you brave enough to tell us what you are dreaming? Remember that when we say the words, we commit to the dream. What are your dreams for the future?

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

The last few days I’ve been exploring trends in our culture that can inform what we write about or how we reach readers. One idea that’s been around for awhile but seems to be experiencing a renaissance is taking your hobby to new heights by attending a crafting retreat. It’s adults meet camp!

The idea is that you not only get away to enjoy fresh air and a new locale, but you also make something while surrounded by other enthusiasts.Makerie is such a camp.Located in Colorado’s Flatiron Mountains, the retreat consists of workshops in letterpress, food styling, photography and embroidery. Toss in breaks for yoga, hikes and quiet time for this adult getaway.

Teahouse Studio presents workshops on painting, graphic design and writing at an artists’ studio in Berkeley.

Ace Camps, in Vancouver, B.C., offers creative retreats centered around art, photography, food and journaling.

What does this upsurge of interest in doing crafts or pursuing artistic expression with others mean?

I’d say these retreats are a blend of the trend I wrote about the other day–individuals creatively expressing themselves through the food items they make–and the specialized book clubs–the need to be with others who share your interests and want to talk about them and pursue them in a group setting.

What does this mean for writers? That people are very interested in creativity, crafts and being with others who also are passionate about the same activity.

A novel could be set at a crafting retreat; or you could connect your nonfiction book to the reader’s desire not to be isolated in his or her interest. Maybe you could even develop a retreat of your own…just a thought.

How do you respond to the trends we’ve explored this week? Did the discussion help you to direct your thinking about what you’ll write in 2012? Or about how you’ll find readers who would appreciate your work?