The life of a writer

It is not uncommon for people to ask how they can become a writer.  They have an idea floating in their minds they would like to write about but don't know how to get started.  Since I've published a few books they want to know how I began and how they can start.

Many people don't believe me when I tell them that when I wanted to write my first book I literally went to Barnes and Noble and bought a book on how to write a book.  After reading the book I sat down in front of my computer and began writing.  A year later I had a manuscript finished and didn't know what to do with it.  I had no idea how to get it published, so I went to Barnes and Noble and bought on a book on how to get a book published.  I learned about query letters and after several attempts at writing one I sent it to a publisher.  It was at that point that I learned about rejection!  Several weeks after sending the letter I received a short response indicating the publisher was not interested.  I sent another query letter to another publisher, and this time it was accepted.  Then began the rewrites, editing, and more rewrites until it was finally accepted.  In 2000 my first book was published, about three years after I first began writing it.  Since then I've published seven more books and have the eighth one scheduled for release in September of this year.

Writing is hard work, and unless you are a well known writer or want to write about end times you probably won't make much money writing for a church audience like I do.  I read somewhere recently that the typical book in America sells an average of 500 copies.  I don't know if that's true or not, but if it is think of the books written by people like Max Lucado, Rick Warren, John Maxwell, Leonard Sweet, George Barna, and others of that caliber.  There must be a lot of books published that pull their numbers down to that 500 level.  While my books sell above that 500 average, believe me when I say my writing won't allow me to quit my day job.

Once I explain this, people then ask why I write.  The answer is that I am providing resources to meet a need that has mostly gone unmet in years past.  As a bivocational pastor for twenty years I was amazed at the lack of resources specifically developed for us and the churches we lead.  Nearly all the books I've written have been about bivocational and small church ministry.  I'm happy to say that there are now others who are writing for those leaders, but the available resources that address bivocational ministry are still limited.

I still believe the best reason to write is to add value to people's lives.  Give them tools and resources that will make their lives better.  Leave something behind that will outlive you.  My hope is that when I've gone on to meet my Lord that my writings will still impact people and churches.

If you want to write the best advice I can give up is to start writing.  When you finish your manuscript find a publisher interested in publishing books on your topic and find out how they want you to contact them.  Check out their websites and you'll get the information you need.  Even if you find a publisher, you still have a lot more work to do.  You'll have questionnaires to fill out, editing and rewrites to do, deadlines to meet, and maybe much more depending on the publisher.  But, if the day comes when your doorbell rings and sitting on your porch is a box of books fresh from the printer that you have written you'll quickly determine it was all worth it.  Then when people begin to send you e-mails and phone calls telling you how helpful your material was to them you'll forget about all the work that went into it, and you'll simply thank God for giving you the opportunity to bring encouragement and help to others.