Secrets of a Published Author

Okay, so you've completed your novel, and let's say it's Christian fiction, and is hard-hitting, edgey, and full of twists. You're saying, 'Okay, Steve, that's me. What do I do now?'

The first thing you need to do is find someone as passionate about your book as you are, and GET IT PUBLISHED!

(I wasn't yelling, I was just emphasizing that important piece of intel.)

Now some of you are rolling your eyes, because finding a publisher or an agent who will even LOOK at your manuscript is next to impossible. But having an agent helps tremendously in getting your work in front of a big time publisher. So where do you find agents? One great place is online; check out www.aaronline.org for dozens of them. Find one that represents your genre and start sending queries. Compare your manuscripts to similar published works, and explain to them why yours is better. Most won’t give you the time of day, but I’ll let you in on a little secret. If you’ve won an award, or been nominated for one, put that tidbit into the subject line of your inquiry. Something like, ‘2-Time Hugo Award Winner Seeks Agency Representation’, or ‘Christy Award Nominee Looking For Literary Agent’. You need some kind of a hook to catch their interest, and I have found that this can get their attention. Another method is to find out who represents your favorite authors and contact them as well.

You’ll get rejected. A lot. Most won’t even respond. I can't tell you how many rejections I got when I finished the first (and second, and third) draft of 'Red Sky at Morning'. But persistence has a way of overcoming resistance. So bear with me. I think this blog post will be very important when it comes to encouraging aspiring writers and authors.

On the other hand, you might be surprised. Since March, two of the biggest names in agency representation have corresponded with me about my novels (I won't mention names). One of these gentlemen invited me to submit future manuscripts to his attention. It seems he's very interested in a historical novel I've been developing.

Now the other agent told me he 'might be interested' in my books at a later date. He told me that all three of my books are sitting on his nightstand, and he might give them another look in the future.

Quite frankly, the latter individual has been in the game quite a long time. I think he's lost the enthusiasm for considering new projects. And admittedly, he doesn't have to; he's in a position to pick and choose as he pleases.

So don't give up hope!

Now here’s one of my pet peeves. One of the big hurdles for my genre is the 'Amish Factor'. If you've written Christian fiction, then you know it's dominated by Amish romance novels. Slap a soft, Photoshopped image of a corn-fed beauty on the cover, give it a catchy title (like 'My Amish Bouquet', or 'My Bonnet Stands For Love') and you're almost there. You laugh, but it’s true. Key to this whole process--write this down--is having the corn-fed beauty wearing (you guessed it) a bonnet.

Why do I call that a hurdle? Because unless you're writing Amish Christian fiction, you're facing an uphill battle. "But Tom Clancy never had this problem," you say. And you're absolutely correct. But Tom Clancy wasn't writing military/espionage novels with roots in Christian fiction. And that's the distinction. My goal is to include the very real aspect of faith that exists among military members.

Right about now, many of you have furrowed brows and are worried; because like me, none of your manuscripts feature bonnie lasses in ribboned bonnets either. And that's okay. There are authors out there who shy away from Amish fiction. Take a look at thechristianmanifesto.com, or straightoffthepage.com, two sites dedicated to reviewing Christian fiction. You'll find plenty. And at this point, I think it's best to move on to some of the other points I've uncovered as a debut author in the military genre. There are do's and don't's if you're writing fiction, and these apply to almost any category.

For one thing, you need to get reviews. They don't really sell books, but they get people talking about them, and the more good buzz you have, the better. The above-mentioned websites (thechristianmanifesto.com and straightoffthepage.com) are very good and very reputable sources for authors. Check out their submissions requirements and get the ball rolling. Another excellent site is readersfavorite.com. You can submit your manuscript for a free review. My motto is 'if it's free, it's for me'. So get moving. Readersfavorite also has an annual contest, but beware; there's a fee to enter.

I generally steer clear of 'for fee' review or contest sites (I've done a few of those, but not anymore). Put out a call for reviews on Goodreads.com (another site you really need to establish an account with--and it's free). The best reviews I've received for my books have come from the sites I've just recommended. On Goodreads, you'll meet other authors willing to give your books a look, and also reviewers, as well. So take advantage of that.

Writing conferences. I'm not a fan of those. And I'm not a fan of writers' societies that restrict your access to their site unless you've accrued ‘X amount of royalty money’ in book sales. I'm a member of one of those now, and I just requested a refund. These groups generally purport to be 'invested in your writing career', but they're really only invested in their own wallets. Many are put together by authors seeking a cult of personality, so mind the gap, as they say across the pond.

You're a writer. So write. And establish a social media presence. Promote your work there. Don't get bogged down in networking until you've got a bulk of written and/or published material. Once you've done that, focus on marketing your work. Even if you've got a big publisher behind you, you will need to be involved in spreading the word about your books. It's a big job, but ultimately, your writing career is in your own hands.

Remember that upwards of 80% of fiction readers are women. Here's another secret worth remembering: MEN CAN'T READ. That's right. It's been scientifically proven. They pretend to read, and they’d like you to think they can read. But they can’t. So unless you're writing non-fiction, gear your stuff toward the ladies. Trust me, their insights put the dudes to shame.

Here’s a few other things you can do. Giveaways, even if you’re only offering ebooks. Do contests on places like Goodreads.com. Set up a website. Blog about your work. Post excerpts of your books. But above all, write. Every day. Even if you’re just jotting down ideas for the pages you’ll write tomorrow. Write what God lays on your heart.

When it’s all said and done, you can’t sell what you haven’t written. So crank up the laptop and start writing.