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| Melinda Viergever Inman |
Following
God’s Lead
This Labor Day weekend I'm going to be controversial. I
encourage you to follow God's leading for your writing career, even if it
deviates from the expectations of others and even if others don't understand
your path. Keep your eyes on the Lord and walk in the way He leads you. Great.
Nothing controversial, so far. Keep reading.
Recently, many writers received an email informing us that
certainly we hoped for a publishing contract with a Christian publishing house
and that the pitch and query methods for sale by the sender would get us there.
The opening assumption was flawed.
Back in the days before the entire publishing world underwent
drastic changes and the Christian publishing industry almost collapsed
entirely, that assumption was probably true. But then bad things happened. For
those of us who were in the door, yet not signed, who had manuscripts before
review committees of major houses, whose manuscripts were with agents, or whose
writing was headed toward publishers we’d just connected with at conferences,
the bottom fell out of our world.
We were good enough. We were in. But the industry folded upon
itself.
During that time, many of us were also treated poorly. At a
final conference founded by a big-name writer, he chastised the entire
Christian publishing industry for its treatment of writers. Many of us were
bruised. Unethical events occurred, wrecking our work or failing us
professionally.
We walked away, and we do not want to go back. We published
open market. We became publishers and/or editors ourselves. We followed the
path the Lord showed us, and we continue down that path.
If you squeaked in during that collapse, I'm truly happy for
you. God is sovereign, and He still works miracles. His leading got you in the
door. Follow that leading.
But what about the wounded? And what if you're a new writer?
Times have changed.
There are many more options now. Some of the old houses have
rebounded, though many (most?) Christian houses are now owned and managed by
large open market publishers. However, because of that crash, good has resulted
- more opportunities for authors.
Authors can pursue traditional publishing, but we can also
pursue indie publishing right from the start, if that is where God leads us. On
top of that, we can work with a publisher and yet maintain control as a
“hybrid” author purchasing services cafeteria style.
Publishers Weekly even has an indie publishing company newly
opening. Then there's Amazon, a one-stop shop for all our publishing needs.
And, with the help of Reedsy, we can find any type of independent contract help
we need.
To produce quality work for the marketplace, authors can
easily find beta readers, line editors, content editors, copy editors, book
designers, and cover designers. There are no limits, other than our skill as
writers and our bank accounts, and for that a Kickstarter campaign or a
well-supported Patreon account can help.
So, I encourage you to follow the path of creativity where God
leads. Creativity is a gift from God. Each one of us is a unique creator.
Sometimes the Lord uses calamity to guide us. Other times He uses abundance.
Follow Him.
Don't feel stymied or lacking if you go down the path others
least expect. Ignore the people who chastise or shame Christian writers who
have gone indie.
We live in a wonderful age. It’s almost as if the printing
press has been re-invented. The Lord gives us each unique stories for unique
markets. Only He knows how to get our work where it needs to go. Trust His
leading.
How do
you see the Lord leading you on your writing journey?
Manhood
arrived prematurely. At the tender age of fifteen, Prentis lost both his father
and his confidence that God loved him. He grew up fast after that day,
abandoning his education to take on the responsibility and hardship of
supporting his mother and siblings.
Now, in
Prentis’s twenties, Avery reenters his life. A Sunday School teacher with a
passion for learning and theology, she is intelligent with a captivating
spirit. Prentis finds her irresistible. The audacity of attempting to court
such a woman in no way weakens his resolve. He’s determined to win her heart.
But male competition, vicious gossip, Avery’s unspoken fears, and the ruin of
his livelihood hinder his efforts. How can Prentis win her? And if he does, how
will they overcome their differences, the hard life on the Oklahoma plains, and
a world at war?
Set in
1913-1916, No Longer Alone is based on a true story.
Raised on the Oklahoma plains in a storytelling family,
Melinda now spins tales from her writer's cave in the Midwest. Her fiction
illustrates our human story, wrestling with our brokenness and the storms that
wreak havoc in our lives. Find her at MelindaInman.com.
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