Do you ever consider what goes into a novel written for the Christian market? I suppose it’s different for every author, but for this one, it has been a lifelong faith journey. And it began with a passion for stories.
My love for books was born in a local library when I was barely old enough to read. I’d troll the aisles, looking for my next new adventure. It started with picture books, then Nancy Drew, then sweet romances.
In your search for the next novel to read, what draws you to pick up a particular one? If I had to guess, I’d say most of us are attracted to the cover. Then we will generally read the description. Back when most of us went to the library or purchased our books from a brick-and-mortar building, we would then flip to the first page and see if it still held our interest. Now, with everything Amazon, we check the reviews. The higher (and greater number) of reviews, the more likely we are to take a chance on purchasing the book.
The library-and-bookstore scenario was still in play when I first launched into my writing adventure. That gives you a clue how long it’s been.
When I attended my first writer’s conference in 2008, I had some great mentors who not only encouraged me about my potential but also guided me to understand what good writing required. Everything I’d learned at that point came from reading. And although I was devouring books by well-respected authors, and I’d taught English for years, it wasn’t enough.
That first year was information by a firehose. Write what you know. Only one point of view (POV) per scene. Whether a novel is character-driven or plot-driven, structure is crucial.
Craft is king.
These days, anyone can write and publish a book on Amazon. It doesn’t take years of workshops, critique groups, and editors. You don’t need a book cover designer or a professional formatter. You just need the desire to tell a story and the discipline to stick with it.
I chose to go with a traditional publisher because I thought it would validate me as a writer. I can’t speak for other authors, but I struggled with insecurity. To be totally transparent, I still do. I imagine it’s not an uncommon malady.
The last two years have been a roller coaster ride. I sensed the Lord drawing me to walk away from my publisher and launch into the abyss of the unknown as an indie author. The clout I hoped to receive with a bona fide publisher never happened. I’d written fourteen books, and yet I was so far in the red, it was downright embarrassing.
So, I prayed. And prayed. And prayed.
My husband, always the encourager, had been suggesting such a move for some time. And then in 2023, I went to the Blue Ridge Christian Writers’ Conference and met a young man named Vincent Davis. His marketing strategy was so antithetical to what I was being asked to do, I found it refreshing—and encouraging.
If only I had control over my novels.
Another six months of prayer, and I knew the Lord was asking me to trust Him as my publisher (just as He’d asked me to trust Him as my agent when I left the Steve Laube Literary Agency). I assumed it would only be another few years before I could get the rights back to my books, but I hadn’t read the fine print.
My publisher was very gracious about me stepping away, but what I didn’t know was that my books were contracted for seven years after the last novel in the series was released. Seven years before I would have any control over how they were marketed and priced. For seven years, I would still owe quarterly fees for decisions that were out of my control.
Honestly, friend, I was ready to quit.
I had a Zoom conference with Matt Jones, my web designer, over revamping my newsletter. I whined to him about my seven-year commitment to the publisher, and his response changed everything for me. “God is bigger than your contract. Have you prayed about it?” Six months later, those rights were handed to me on a metaphorical silver platter.
Never doubt we serve a God of miracles.
If you haven’t noticed, all of my novels have redesigned covers courtesy of Hannah Linder. The covers before had no real continuity, nor did they convey the genre in which they were written. My “before” design suggestions didn’t come anywhere near the final projects for those first editions. Honestly, I wondered why anyone would be drawn to them. When I hired Hannah, she ran with my ideas and produced a product that exceeded my expectations.
Experts in the industry don’t go along with the adage, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”
I do. How about you? If a cover doesn’t draw me in, I don’t bother to read the description or even look at the reviews. Thanks to the expertise of Vincent Davis, my novels all have new (tweaked) descriptors, as well.
Last month, my first fully indie-published novel was released. Train-Wrecked Hearts is book one in my new Norfolk Southern Series. I considered just adding to the previous Bedford County Series, but I wanted to break away from anything connected with my former publisher. It’s still Southern fiction, but the setting is slightly different. For another week, the ebook version will still be available at the preorder price of only $2.99. Get it at this reduced price while you can. It’s also available in paperback and Kindle Unlimited.
I recently started on book two, which I plan on releasing next spring. For the first time ever, I had a working title before writing the first line. It’s called a “working title” because I may change it when all is said and done. Or the Lord will. He is the Creator of everything I write—I’m merely the typist.
When it comes to the craft of writing, catching the readers’ attention from the very beginning is critical. First line, first paragraph, first page. If I can’t grab them there, they won’t bother reading further. Before I even open my computer, I put a literal pen to paper in prayer. I’m a big believer in prayer journals. They keep me focused and allow me to go back and read about God’s faithfulness when I’m having an off day.
If you’re a struggling or aspiring author, take it to the Lord. He who puts that desire on your heart will be sure to see it through if you’re faithful to trust in Him.
“…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” –Philippians 1:6
