Linda Taylor

It is with great sorrow that I read about the demise of several of Christianity Today’s magazines. It’s very sad because, as CT’s building is Livingstone’s neighbor a block away in Carol Stream, that means many of the layoffs affect people I know and love.

And it’s also sad when something that has become an “institution” of sorts has to close its doors. For me, the demise of Campus Life magazine makes me feel both sad and old. I loved that magazine for helping me during my high school years to ground my faith and find humor and fun in Christianity. And, as a high schooler living in with my military family in Europe with no ability to make college visits (and decades before the Internet), I devoured my Campus Life Magazine Christian College Guide, dutifully filling in the handy postcard so that I could receive catalogs and other information by mail for my college search.

And I have similar feelings for Today’s Christian Woman—the subject of Lisa Miller’s article in Newsweek. As I matured in my walk, finished college, married, worked, had a family, TCW was always there to walk me through a tough time with my kids, or with my husband, or with my finances, or simply to offer a dose of encouragement in what at times seemed like lonesome, unfulfilling days (three children born in 33 months will do that to a woman. I know that there are a couple of years of my life that I cannot even recall . . .). So to say good-bye to TCW is difficult indeed.

I know that these are steps CT is taking strategically, and I know that they are based on financial, bottom-line considerations. Every good business has to do that. But I disagree with Miller that this signals the end of Christian publishing. Instead, I’m far more in tune with Mark Kuyper’s take on this whole situation. As Kuyper says, these times are challenging, no doubt. But they also provide great opportunities.

You see, I don’t believe that Christian publishing is no longer needed any more than I believe doctors, plumbers, truckers, and bikers no longer need their trade publications. Christian publishing is where we of likeminded worldviews gather together to share ideas, discuss, disagree, teach, encourage, and figure out how our worldview shapes our responses to an ever-changing society. Christian magazines and Christian publishing provide our “trade publications,” keeping us abreast of current thinking. And there will always be a place for this.

While some mature believers may be able to filter secular material through their Christian worldview (as Don Pape says he does in Miller’s article), I also know that my children (ages 18, 19, 20) are still developing their worldviews—and they are not yet discerning enough to do so completely on their own. They still identify themselves with Christianity, and they still want to know what a “Christian” take would be on world events and on opinions that go largely unchallenged by secular media outlets. They need to know what God’s Word says, and it’s up to us (as my children’s parents), partnering with the church, other mature believers, and the wonderful material produced by Christian publishers, to help them understand God’s Word and how it applies to their lives, their opinions, their very worldview.

You see, we Christians are different. And I for one am glad to be so. I do willingly identify myself with a coherent group that resonates with certain values and beliefs. Of course, Christians have a huge variety of opinions on a huge variety of topics—which keeps us from getting stuck and stuffy and, incidentally, from being “closed minded.” But if we take ourselves back to the Apostles’ Creed, we discover the basic beliefs that do separate us and make us unique.

So maybe some print publishing is dead. And that may be a good thing. Save a few trees, less waste. And I’m glad that Ginger Kolbaba, editor of TCW, is in the process of creating an online magazine. I mean, I still don’t curl up with my laptop at night (magazines are really better), but at least I know the material is available to me and to my kids.

The words of the early church fathers written centuries ago still teach and inspire me. We believers still have plenty of stories to tell, inspiration to give, encouragement to share, insights to teach.

We’re not dead. Not by a long shot.

AmazonEncore

Weber Books

A Second Chance for Worthwhile Books On Wednesday, May 13, Amazon announced a new program called AmazonEncore to help books that have great followings and reviews to benefit from Amazon’s marketing power. These may not be the best-sellers, but they’re good books (according to their readers) that deserve a second chance. —Linda Taylor

Against All Odds, Small Presses Prosper

Publishers Weekly

Strategies for Thriving in a Down Market These small publishers from Texas to New York share their strategies for cost cutting and reallocating resources in order to prosper in these difficult economic times. —Linda Taylor

Do Men Read?

Writer’s Digest

Chick Lit Wins Over Lad Lit We hate to admit it, but the male reading audience is finicky indeed. What do men read, and why? —Linda Taylor

Linda Taylor

I have been wonderfully privileged this past week to interact with Houghton College students in a May Term class I’m teaching called, “From Manuscript to Book: How It Happens.”

These students are writers—some of them Writing majors, some of them focusing on other areas but still having a minor or even just a hobby in Writing because “they just have to write.”

I pitched the class to the Writing department, specifically the chairman Dr. John Leax, as a way to help the students be more marketable once their college time is over and they must begin to pay back their loans and make a living. The students who chose to take this course know that they either want to work in publishing or will have to navigate the world of publishing in order to get their work published.

And some days, I look at them and see that they are overwhelmed with the information I’m giving them about what actually goes on in a publishing house. And, I have to say, I feel bad about it.

Yes, lots of bad stuff gets published and lots of good stuff doesn’t.

These writers have been studying the craft of writing and dreaming of becoming great writers with published works. And I come along and tell them that it’s about platforms and who you know and is there an audience and will it sell and can you sell yourself and, oh yeah, it better be an outstanding idea that hasn’t been done that way before and it should be well written and can you market it.

But first, it all comes down to a well-written query letter or pitch at a Writing conference. It comes down to a few seconds to make an impression (a good one). And it depends on hitting the right acquisitions editor at the right time with the right need with your right idea.

And where does that leave the craft?

That’s why I liked reading Mick Silva’s blog post, “Balance for the Writer.” As an editor who has sat at his share of writers’ conferences and heard his share of pitches, he still understands that writing has to come from the heart, from the passions. If a writer is writing from something deep inside, something implanted by God himself, that will come through. And God will see to it, when the time is right, to send that message exactly where it needs to go, whether that is to a single friend or to millions who need to hear that message.

I don’t want my students to go away from my class jaded that getting published may be impossible. I want them to understand the dynamics of a publishing house, the business that does matter, and the basic steps they need to know to work there in some editorial role or to interface there as an author. All of this is important information—if I didn’t think so, I wouldn’t be taking a three-week hiatus from my day job to pass along as much as I can to these students.

But I don’t ever want them to forget that they should write, write, write. And they should do so just as Mick suggests: “It’s essential we writers find who we are—and write from that. Don’t write to a trend unless it’s one of your passions. And don’t force yourself to write what you aren’t naturally inclined toward already. We’ve got to understand that writing what we know means being who we are.”

Getting published? It’s a good thing but it’s not the most important thing. What’s most important is that the authors find their individual voices and write the words God calls them to write. Then let him take it where he will.

Self-Publishing Is Becoming Respectable

Hemispheres

Self-publishing May Just Be the Wave of the Future Maybe self-publishing will no longer be that embarrassing second-cousin-once removed to our publishing family. We might just have to accept him as a bona fide member—after all, getting good books out there helps us all out, right? —Linda Taylor

Linda Washington

Unless you’ve been in a cave, you probably have at least heard of Twilight, the mega-selling book written by Stephenie Meyer. The book and its sequels have become a cottage industry of sorts, complete with T-shirts, badges, and feature films.

Talk to the average teen and you’ll find many fans who cheerfully, and even gleefully, admit to being obsessed with the books, particularly the hero—Edward Cullen (played by Robert Pattinson in the movie), who falls for Bella—the every-girl heroine (played by Kristen Stewart). Many fans have read these books over and over, far preferring them to any other books out there.

The overwhelming success of Twilight has sparked other books of paranormal romance, where a spunky teen meets the hottest guy at school and finds that he’s of a different persuasion (vampire, werewolf, fairy, pixie killer, ghost, immortal—you name it). This is the hottest trend in teen lit. According to an article in the November 17, 2008 edition of Publishers Weekly, publishers can’t acquire these fast enough for the audience. (See “The Next Dead Thing” by Donna Feitas,” p. 23.) Take a look at the YA section and you’ll find books like Evermore by Alyson Noël, Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange, and Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr, Need by Carrie Jones, Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston, Haunted by Meg Cabot, Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis—the list goes on. While some might argue for or against the literary merits of such books (and there have been heated debates on Amazon.com and other places on the Internet), they manage to hit readers where they live.

Not your cup of tea? Well, it might be your daughter’s, your wife’s, or your sister-in-law’s. These books aren’t just in mainstream bookstores out of the purview of Christian teens. Many Christian teens and women devour these books with a passion that far outstrips their reading of the New Testament. In most cases, you won’t find God mentioned, with the exception of Twilight. In that book and its sequel New Moon, Edward Cullen admits that he doesn’t want to be a monster and worries about whether or not he still has a soul, even though he’s a vampire. So, what is it about these books that teens (and many women) find so attractive? For one thing, they include a hero who is amazingly attractive, extremely powerful, as nurturing as any good parent, and completely devoted to protecting the heroine from the evil that threatens, even if that evil comes with the territory of being what he is—a vampire/werewolf/fairy/immortal.

Is that description familiar? With the exception of the protecting-the-heroine-from-himself aspect, that could be an apt description of Jesus, the ultimate hero. Any powerful but nurturing hero will always owe part of his soul to the One who sacrificed all for us.

So, what does this mean for Christian publishers? Rather than be tempted to discount these books and thus the powerful feelings they engender in readers, it’s time to acknowledge the felt needs of the audience. Most of us want to be nurtured—to be loved and cherished. You don’t have to read Genesis 2:18 to be convinced of that. Maybe it’s time to remind them (and ourselves) that the ultimate fairy tale hero is real, not fictional or even homogenized. He’s approachable and hopelessly in love with all of us. May the work we produce inspire our readers to proclaim like David (no stranger to the attractive, action hero label): “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple” (Psalm 27:4).

How Technology Is Changing What We Read

PC World

Back to the Days of Dickens? Dickens’ books began as serialized columns in newspapers. Is there a return to this by way of iPhone apps and Twitter? This may just be the answer for unpublished authors who want to reach their niches and for readers to get bite-sized chunks of a book in their bite-sized free time. —Linda Taylor

Linda Taylor

I saw a Kindle for the first time this past weekend. To be honest, I really haven’t paid much attention to the hoopla about e-readers. I read on screen all day long at my computer and figured that for my own personal enjoyment, I would be reading books by my lamp and firelight in the evening, thank you very much.

I recently read an article in Slate titled “Fear the Kindle” with the tagline, “Amazon’s amazing e-book reader is bad news for the publishing industry.” And, since I work in aforementioned publishing industry, this caught my attention. Will this little piece of technology put me out of a job?

So this past weekend, I was speaking about the publishing industry to a group of students and professors at Houghton College. Part of my talk addressed the future of the industry and, of course, mentioned e-readers. Without a doubt, e-books will have a huge impact on the industry. However, I disagree that they’re “bad news” for us. I think they may just be good news all around.

I asked if anyone in the room had a Kindle. Sure enough, a young woman pulled one out of her purse. It was wrapped in a cover, and she opened it up to show it to me. This was the “older” version because the Kindle 2 has just been released by Amazon. Even though Kindle 2 is heralded in the Slate article as being “unlike its bulky predecessor,” it must be quite amazing for I found myself completely intrigued by Kindle 1, not finding it bulky at all.

She showed me how it works. The screen was not at all like looking at my computer screen, no backlighting to tire out my eyes. She scrolled through her “library” and explained to me that many classic works can be downloaded free from Amazon, with most other books being available for $9.99. She showed me how she can have several books going at once, and how to bookmark where you leave off (it looks like you’ve folded down the top corner of the page, something I would never do with my real books!).

She had me at “I have one.”

However, at this point the $359 price tag is a bit too high for me. I can buy a lot of books for that price. But I’m always several years behind the technology curve anyway; I know that I will have a Kindle (or a similar e-reader) eventually.

That’s not to say I’m giving up on books. I love books. Truly. I have shelves and shelves at home to prove it. I will always love the feel in my hands of a good book. But when I travel, I’m always faced with a dilemma about which book to bring along (inevitably I’m in the middle of a very heavy tome and don’t want to add it to my luggage). How terrific to toss in my e-reader and go—knowing I have a library of books to choose from, not to mention all the other features that these devices offer (or will soon offer).

As for the future of the publishing industry? I don’t think the e-readers sound the death knell. First of all, people will always continue to write books (even King Solomon knew that; see Ecclesiastes 12:12). Sure, the method of delivery may change, but books still need to be written, edited, revised, copyedited, and proofread—even if they’re going to an e-reader. Sure, more books may become available by way of self-published authors, but the gatekeepers at the publishing houses will still be making sure to publish quality material edited by professionals so that the books become their very best.

In fact, I think this very change could be a huge boon for the industry and authors alike. Maybe publishing houses will be more willing to “take a chance” on an expertly-written story by an unpublished newbie. The publishing house won’t need to expend their resources printing quantities of books that may come back. Instead, they can make the book available in e-book format only—once it’s sold, it’s sold. No pesky returned books. No lost money. And since e-books currently can’t be shared, if word of mouth should spread and someone else wants the book, he’ll have to buy it for download as well.

Not to mention how “green” this is. Fewer unsold books to destroy. And imagine if textbooks companies get on this bandwagon. Wouldn’t every college student love to have all their textbooks on one e-reader instead of breaking their backs in overloaded backpacks?

So I’m not afraid for my job. Writers will always have stories to tell and books will always need to be written. We in the publishing industry need to be here, honing our craft in order to find those stories and make them shine—whether it’s read between the covers of a book or on the screen of an e-reader.

Betsy Schmitt

Kids’ corner still strong

During tough economic times, such as the one we’re all going through right now, budget-trimming is the norm for most households. Extras such as premium cable stations, customized coffee drinks, magazine subscriptions, and other non-necessary items are the first to go. Then the cutting gets deeper and more serious. But when it comes to spending money on our children, and in particular, our children’s spiritual health and growth, parents are willing to spend.

Despite weakening sales in most book categories, children’s Bibles, Bible storybooks, and other related products continue to be strong sellers in the bookstores. Families will make certain sacrifices in difficult economic times, but they want to make sure that their children are well-grounded in God’s Word. Experts in children’s publishing agree that sales remain strong because parents value those products that will help their children build a strong foundation of faith.

As quoted in an article in Christian Retailers Feb. 6, 2009 edition, Laura Welch, editor in chief for New Leaf Publishing, said, “Even in the toughest economic times, the education and spiritual nurturing of children remains a priority for parents and families.”

And really, when you think about it, what better time to instill in our children the message of hope and where our true security lies? As we are instructed in Deuteronomy 6:7: “Repeat [these commands] again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again” (nlt). In other words, let’s use our current situation—whatever it may be—as teachable moments to encourage our children to trust God as our ultimate Provider.

What this means for those in publishing is that we have a great responsibility to get quality, biblically sound products to the marketplace at price points that won’t break the bank. Many publishers are answering that call by repackaging well-known titles with a fresh face. Others look to brands that carry great cache in the children’s arena, such as VeggieTales and Max Lucado’s Hermie & Friends.

While those are certainly sound and relatively risk-free strategies, our hope is that others will also take advantage of this unique time and situation to produce products that teach children spiritual skills, disciplines, and values that they can employ throughout their lives. For example, now is the time to teach our children the value of money from God’s perspective—and then give them the tools and skills they need to manage what God has given them. Now is the time to help our children understand that while parents lose jobs, or families have to move, God is in control. Give them the Scriptures and the Bible stories to show them God can be trusted to provide and lead us through tough times such as these.

We have at our fingertips the very best source material to help our children grow to be responsible, caring, loving, and hopeful adults as we ground them in the truths of the Gospel. Rather than hunkering down and waiting out the economic storm, let’s be bold in presenting God’s Word to our children in fresh and creative ways, employing all new media and technology to do so.

After all, our children deserve it.