Behind the Bookcovers: Insider Tips for Christian Writers

Treasuring Grace is a Christian themed book that was published by Healthy Life Press. Being a first time author makes it hard to break into the writing business and the Christian market, although growing, makes it even harder. We know there are a lot of you in the same boat, with great ideas, inspired story lines, but not really sure where to go with your manuscript or how to take the next step.  
We asked our publisher at Healthy Life Press some questions about breaking into the Christian Publishing business (referred to a CP in the future) and wanted to share his valuable information with you here. We are sure you'll find it fascinating and helpful.

Q:  I have written my book and have used the Kindle e-book uploading software to put it online. What more can I do to promote my book and get it to sell?

A:  Purchase read, and re-read, and implement the advice in the book Platform, by Michael Hyatt.

Read more about this book in this article by the Christian Post: 

 

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Michael Hyatt Shares Blog and Social Media Tips in 'Platform' Book

Life in this fallen world is hard. It's easy, at the end of a long day of ...

By Katherine T. Phan , Christian Post Reporter

May 23, 2012|2:02 pm

Michael Hyatt, chairman of Thomas Nelson publishers and an influential blogger, built his large online audience using blogs, Twitter and Facebook. He is now passing along marketing tips and techniques that he has learned over the past eight years in his latest book Platform: Get Noticed in A Noisy World.

Hyatt argues in the book that in today's crowded marketplace compelling content is no longer enough for someone to get noticed. As a former CEO of Thomas Nelson, Hyatt had to turn away authors and writers with brilliant material because they didn't have a platform to market their message.

"Content was king still but platform had become queen," he told blogger Brad Lomenick in a recent interview.

Without a platform, even a great message or product can get lost amid all the "noise" created by other competitors and distractions, according to Hyatt.

Platform serves as a step-by-step guide on how any author, business owner, sales people or pastors can build a platform or expand an existing one using blogs and social media.

"This book is a for someone who has anything to say or sell," said Hyatt.

The book is divided into five parts / steps:

• "Part One: Start with the Wow" talks about how to make a compelling product by making sure the experience of the user exceeds the expectation.
• "Part Two: Prepare to Launch" helps the reader create a mindset to succeed by having clear goals and team.
• "Part Three: Build Your Home Base" teaches a reader how to draw and build an online audience through blogs.
• "Part Four: Expand Your Reach" gives the ins and outs to using Twitter and Facebook.
• "Part Five: Engage Your Tribe" is on how to monitor comments and follow up with blog readers.

Read more at http://global.christianpost.com/news/michael-hyatt-shares-blog-and-social-media-tips-in-platform-book-75432/#SAEdsIu8c5sZdGRg.99

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Behind the Cover: :Insider Tips for Christian Writers #4

Treasuring Grace is a Christian themed book that was published by Healthy Life Press. Being a first time author makes it hard to break into the writing business and the Christian market, although growing, makes it even harder. We know there are a lot of you in the same boat, with great ideas, inspired story lines, but not really sure where to go with your manuscript or how to take the next step.  

We asked our publisher at Healthy Life Press some questions about breaking into the Christian Publishing business (referred to a CP in the future) and wanted to share his valuable information with you here. We are sure you'll find it fascinating and helpful.

Dealer's Room: Book Conference Eastern Conn.

Q:  Do you recommend that an unpublished writer or a writer of a vanity or e book go to any writing or publishing conventions or conferences?

Yes, I believe that one can get objective feedback from professionals on one's writing in this context. I also think you can connect with prospective publishers and/or agents at writing of publishing conferences or conventions. Also, one can connect with others in the same situation, and the encouragement can help over time, in ways that are hard to predict.

Q: Are there any gatherings, conferences or conventions that you recommend any writer should go to, that will help get their book to market?

I'm sorry, but I cannot recommend any particular conference. But if one wishes to publish Christian books, one can most likely make better connections in the context of a Christian conference.

Dr. David Biebel, author/co-author/collaborator of 19 books

Publisher, Healthy Life Press

www.healthylifepress.com

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Behind The Bookcovers:Insider Tips for Christian Writers #3

Treasuring Grace is a Christian themed book that was published by Healthy Life Press. Being a first time author makes it hard to break into the writing business and the Christian market, although growing, makes it even harder. We know there are a lot of you in the same boat, with great ideas, inspired story lines, but not really sure where to go with your manuscript or how to take the next step.  

We asked our publisher at Healthy Life Press some questions about breaking into the Christian Publishing business (referred to a CP in the future) and wanted to share his valuable information with you here. We are sure you'll find it fascinating and helpful.



Q: Can a writer submit a book for publication with a traditional publishing company, that they have already published themselves as an ebook or done a vanity publishing with?

Yes, as long as the writer in view owns the copyright and the contract with a vanity publishing house is not exclusive. One must take care to review all the stipulations before signing any contract, because it's easy to sign away rights that later you may wish you still owned.

If you do own the copyright, you can try to sell your book to a commercial publishing entity. In order to have any success, you will most likely need an agent to represent you, and you will have to show a good sales history for the title in question, plus access to a loyal "tribe" of followers, of significant size, who will continue to help you promote your work should you reprint it. However, you should ask yourself why any loyal follower should repurchase your book, most likely at a higher retail price. 

 Q: Are there certain people or places a manuscript or book should be reviewed to get it attention and increase its sales? How can a "nobody" author get their book in the hands of the right people?

 

There are some bloggers who specialize in reading and promoting books. To gain access to them, you usually have to pay somebody, and be prepared to provide the book in either printed format or eBook format, plus have it available to sell should anyone express an interest in buying. Your best approach to marketing your book is via social networking, NOT through conventional advertising OR through hiring an agency, since most of them are still using old methods in a publishing world that is headed full speed toward ePublishing and electronic or online purchasing and away from purchasing through bookstores. As unfortunate as this is for the future of booksellers, what is, is ... and they can survive if they adapt. At the same time, Christian booksellers specialize in gift books oriented toward spiritual needs, so if your book fits that description, you will have a better chance of convincing Christian bookstores to stock it. Start with any Christian bookstore that is within driving distance, and go meet the buyers. Personal connection is all the more important in a digital world.

Dr. David Biebel, author/co-author/collaborator of 19 books

Publisher, Healthy Life Press

www.healthylifepress.com

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Behind the Bookcovers: Insider Tips for Christian Writers #2

Treasuring Grace is a Christian themed book that was published by Healthy Life Press. Being a first time author makes it hard to break into the writing business and the Christian market, although growing, makes it even harder. We know there are a lot of you in the same boat, with great ideas, inspired story lines, but not really sure where to go with your manuscript or how to take the next step.  

We asked our publisher at Healthy Life Press some questions about breaking into the Christian Publishing business (referred to a CP in the future) and wanted to share his valuable information with you here. We are sure you'll find it fascinating and helpful.

Q: Do you think that a writer with a blog following helps when presenting a book idea to a publisher?

Absolutely! And the best new resource about this is the book "Platform," by Michael Hyatt. Every author or aspiring author should get that book and absorb it. His main point is that in the new world of publishing, it isn't worth advertising anywhere because social networking (word of mouth) is what sells things. Many an author has written a great book that no one ever knows about! Nowadays, the Internet can help overcome that problem. On the other hand, you need a "brand," and you need a "tribe."

Q:  Does a book have to be complete before presenting it to a publisher?

In the case of Healthy Life Press, of which I am the publisher, yes, and I'm glad to explain why to anyone who asks. But even with other mainline publishers, I would predict that the old query letter, outline, and three chapters is not going to get you through the door to the first decision makers, though the acquisitions editor may read it. However, see the next point, if you are a previously unpublished author, with no track record, you are not likely to make it even as far as the acquisitions editor.

Q: Overall, is it better to have an agent or not?

You will not get your proposal or manuscript read on the big dance floor without an agent. Agents typically take 15% of the royalty for the life of the book, and many do not require any payment from authors in order to represent them. Our preference at Healthy Life Press is to work directly with an author, but if an agent is involved we make it the author's responsibility to pay the agent their agreed-upon percentage.

David Biebel, Min

Publisher, Healthy Life Press

www.healthylifepress.com

 

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Behind the Bookcover: Insider Tips for Christian Writers

Treasuring Grace is a Christian themed book that was published by Healthy Life Press. Being a first time author makes it hard to break into the writing business and the Christian market, although growing, makes it even harder. We know there are a lot of you in the same boat, with great ideas, inspired story lines, but not really sure where to go with your manuscript or how to take the next step.  

We asked our publisher at Healthy Life Press some questions about breaking into the Christian Publishing business (referred to a CP in the future) and wanted to share his valuable information with you here. We are sure you'll find it fascinating and helpful.  

 

Q:  What kind of books are CPs looking to add to their catalogs? Fiction? Biographies? Opinion books on controversial or political matters?  What sells? Is there a hole in the market anywhere? Are there books that NEED to be written?

The big CPs, which now are mostly owned by secular conglomerates, have a working list of topics.BUT, for the most part, they will not entertain any proposals that are not brought to them by agents. In addition, they are telling agents that they only want titles from authors who can guarantee significant sales because of their visibility; for example, they have a radio or TV presence. Currently, the number of guaranteed sales that these publishers require are phenomenal - between 20 and 60,000, depending on who you're talking to.

Where once the purpose of these publishers was to publish works that would glorify God and help people, this is no longer the case. And the situation can only get worse.

In my opinion, the only Christian books that "need" to be written are those driven by the passion of the author about some aspect of faith. This is true whether we are referring to nonfiction or fiction. One of the reasons that I founded Healthy Life Press was to help unpublished authors with something substantial to say get their work to press.

 
Q: How can a new writer prove to a CP that their book has promise and would interest readers and sell?

One can solicit endorsements from celebrities or at least persons with significant credentials in the arena that the book covers. Otherwise, in today's market there is no way to prove ahead of time that a book has promise. In olden times, a book had promise if it has something significant and unique to say. Today, the entire discussion is about economics. Often the final decision regarding a book is made by the sales team. If they cannot show that the book will at least pay its own way - i.e. recoup its publication costs (most do not) then they will not put their own careers on the line for it, regardless.

Q: What kind of research do you recommend a writer do  before they start writing?

A writer should research best practices in relation to his or her topic. By this I mean that the writer should thoroughly research what is out there already, and how his or her book will be so different and superior that a publisher should consider investing a considerable amount of money to get it to market, with all that entails.

A writer should also consider whether self-publishing, either in print or in eBook format, or both, would help them establish their credibility while allowing them to at least get the book to print. This process is far more complicated than it may sound on the surface. There are some companies that specialize in what used to be called "vanity" printing - i.e. we will get your book to print as long as you pay us so much up front and then guarantee that you will buy the first "x" number of books, yourself. Of course, this is their way of covering their own costs, while hoping that one of their authors will actually break into the market in some significant way.

Our own approach with Healthy Life Press (www.healthylifepress.com) is collaborative (in that we work together to get the book to market) and cooperative (in that we share the expense of this process and the proceeds from it fairly).

In all these things, as an author/co-author of 19 books published commercially, plus a publisher of almost 30 more, I do not wish to discourage anyone. If you must write, you must write. If you are a writer, you will know what I mean by that. We write because we must. It is our mission, and a fulfillment of our purpose for being here. If, however, you want to write because you want to make money ... forget about it.

David B. Biebel, DMin

Publisher, Healthy Life Press

www.healthylifepress.com

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Making Whole: Art Therapy Process: Mandala

by Diane Steinbach 

Welcome to our first Making Whole Column. This will be a bi monthly column focusing on art therapy to help heal inner trauma or promote healing and personal growth. As an art therapist I have helped people connect with art medium to  express themselves for decades and our hope is that you can use it in your own personal way for healing, relaxation or to help work through stress. As time goes on all the Making Whole posts will be gathered together on a separate Page for easy reference.

Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning “circle” or “completion” and has been part of artistic expression in many cultures for hundreds of years. Considered  a valuable  tool by some of the very founders of Psychology like Carl Jung, the use of the Mandala as a path towards healing and a means of reflecting our own inner thoughts and nature make it  ideal  to use in art therapy.

The Mandala is basically a circle with artwork contained within. A perfect way to provide structure to a basically unstructured, guided art process; Mandala can be used over and over again to help work through inner thoughts and feelings.

Begin by drawing a large circle on a piece of paper.  Begin thinking about your path, your journey through life thus far or however you are feeling at the moment.  Use colors and lines within the circle to represent your inner soul, your inner thoughts, chaotic or organized, the mix of happiness, relief, guilt or remorse you might feel.  Anything you do is acceptable. Divide your Mandala into parts to represent different aspects of your emotions if you want.  Just follow your instincts and create in a free and unplanned way. Whatever you are feeling at the moment will guide your Mandala.

Your Mandala can be done with paints, crayons, and markers, anything that allows you to create in color freely and easily. You should create in a relaxed state or in the hopes of expressing whatever emotions you may be experiencing at the moment. By placing your images and thoughts into the Mandala you can release them from your own mind and lower your bodies stress and anxiety levels.

Once you have completed your Mandala look at the colors, shapes, use of lines and overall effect of your work. Write down any connections you feel between the emotions and thoughts you were feeling or thinking while creating your Mandala. The insights you gain can further help you towards your journey of healing.

Keep a Mandala journal, where you can “doodle” into the familiar circular form anytime you feel uneasy, anxious or upset. 

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Book Club Members! Discussion Questions Chapter 3-5

Hi Readers!
Below you'll find the discussion questions for Treasuring Grace, Chapters 3-5.  As before, I have posted just the questions below,  for those of you who are reading TG for the first time.  Following that you'll find a big SPOILER ALERT section which has the questions followed by the author's insightful answers... We hope you enjoy this special look at a great read.

1) In Chapter 3, Jake says, “Sometimes laws and justice conflict with each other.”  For a conscientious rule-follower, this is a pretty strong statement.  He also mentions slavery and despite its obvious evil now, he contends that you would have faced moral objections had you tried to argue against it when it was legal.  What is bothering him?

 

 

2) At the end of Chapter 4 there are 2 journal entries.  In the first Liz is thrilled about a new job.  In the second, she is devastated because the job has been cancelled.  She mentions her sacrifices and her lost faith.  Even Alyssa accuses her mom of overreacting.  Why is she so upset about losing the job?

 

 

3) There is one journal entry in Chapter 5.  What “would have been today”?

 

 

4) In Chapter 5 when Liz sneaks into the bedroom, what does Alyssa overhear without realizing it?

 

SPOILER ALERT SECTION

 

1) In Chapter 3, Jake says, “Sometimes laws and justice conflict with each other.”  For a conscientious rule-follower, this is a pretty strong statement.  He also mentions slavery and despite its obvious evil now, he contends that you would have faced moral objections had you tried to argue against it when it was legal.  What is bothering him?

 

Well, obviously he can’t speak out against abortion this early in the story without giving too much away, but that’s what he’s alluding to.  If he’s been to a life rally, he’s familiar with the parade of lies that are routinely used to justify killing unborn babies.  Unfortunately, his comparison to slavery isn’t entirely appropriate.  Whereas that practice was no doubt driven by greed, it was sustained by ignorance.  No new enlightenment is on the horizon to abate the practice of abortion.  The feet on the cover tell the story: it’s a baby.  If that isn’t an adequate deterrent, it’s hard to imagine what will be.

 

2) At the end of Chapter 4 there are 2 journal entries.  In the first Liz is thrilled about a new job.  In the second, she is devastated because the job has been cancelled.  She mentions her sacrifices and her lost faith.  Even Alyssa accuses her mom of overreacting.  Why is she so upset about losing the job?

 

She’s not upset about the lost job.  She’s upset because she aborted Grace in anticipation of the job.  She didn’t think that she could handle a baby and the new job.  That is the sacrifice she made.  She’s not thinking of her schooling.  She’s lost her faith and trust because she can’t forgive herself, can’t believe that God could forgive her, and she’s angry.

 

3) There is one journal entry in Chapter 5.  What “would have been today”?

 

2/20/2002 was Liz ’s due date for Grace.

 

4) In Chapter 5 when Liz sneaks into the bedroom, what does Alyssa overhear without realizing it?

 

You have to read ahead to Liz ’s journal entry in the next chapter, but she is sitting down on Grace’s bed, giving her a hug and a kiss, and telling her that she loves her, etc. 

Start Reading Chapters 6 and 7

 

Treasuring Grace Online Book Club

  Join us on a summer reading adventure!  Together we will read through Treasuring Grace by Rob Plumley and Tracy Roberts (books may be purchased online from Healthy Life Press or Amazon).

    Treasuring Grace, a novel inspired by a dream, shares a story and a secret that will touch your heart.  You will come to know the characters and gain insight as the authors share their thoughts along the way.

    Begin reading on Wednesday, June 13.  The following week you will get discussion questions for chapters one and two.

    Pick up your copy of Treasuring Grace and join us on this journey!

Coming Soon.... Can you Read Between the Lines?

"Treasuring Grace" is a great read with a message we want to share... we have an idea of how we can make it fun and easy for you to get involved! ... Get your copy now and get ready for a fun summer .... Stay Tuned!

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Writing through Pain: One Way to Heal Emotional Scars

Keeping a diary is something many little girls did growing up, but writing or journaling to deal with emotional scars as an adult is an important outlet for many women, and men whose lives have been touched by abortion. Writing or drawing in a space that is perfectly private allows a person to be completely honest in a way that traditional counseling may not, especially with the delicate subject of abortion.  A blank page is an space that can accept anything that needs expressing and can be destroyed or released afterwards to help move the person towards mental and emotional healing.  If your life has been touched by abortion and you find that you need a private way to express yourself, journaling in some way may be a good first step.  Check out this article for more information
 "Why Write? Emotional Healing" at:http://www.writingthroughlife.com/why-write-emotional-healing

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