Archive for category the business of writing

Interview Up

Jan 25

Posted by njlindquist in Writing, the business of writing | No Comments

There's an interview with Patricia Paddey posted at the Write! Canada site this morning. Patricia interviewed Wendy Nelles and me, as directors of Write! Canada, about our long association with the conference and our vision for the future. 

Ironically, Wendy and I both attended the conference for the first time in 1988, and we were both on the planning committee for many years. But we really didn't know each other at all until we started trying to save the conference in 2001. We've worked very closely since then, in almost daily communications.

The interview

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Getting a book published is getting trickier by the minute

Nov 24

Posted by njlindquist in Publishing, self-publishing, the business of writing | No Comments

Over the last few years, I've become very concerned about the rush to get books published by any means whatsoever – often vanity, of course. Many people are self-publishing, and it's becoming a huge business. Most are vanity published (they pay a company to publish them); others are what I call independent publishers, meaning they own the ISBN, hire layout people and editors, etc. etc. Along with others, I've done my best to educate people, but it's rough going.

A few weeks ago, I was horrified when Thomas Nelson created an imprint which is to be connected to Author Solutions, a company that owns a number of vanity presses. Now Harlequin has followed suit. All I can say is Author Solutions must have an amazing sales team to convince these two large publishing houses to add vanity publishing to their list of products.

Other people have had lots to say about this. A few are:

Dear Author

Writer Beware Blogs

How Publishing Really Works

What concerns me even more than the growing popularity of vanity publishing is the question of why authors are so willing to send their money to vanity publishers in the first place.

I think there are three key factors that need to be addressed.

1. Many people have simply given up on ever getting published by the traditional publishing industry. It's a bit of a maze – way too hard to make inroads and get known. How do you get a publisher? How do you get an agent? It's a crazy, who- do-you-know merry-go-round. Canadian authors who are Christian particularly feel lost.

2. We live in an instant society. Getting a book published in traditional ways can take years. A vanity press can get you a book in two or three months. I have seen several books that could have been spectacular with the right editing and so forth. Instead, they were delivered to a vanity mill and came out pretty well "as is." The author will likely never know what might have been. The primary concern was "I want it now."

3. I think Christian writers are particularly willing to self-publish because they're doing this more as a ministry than a business venture, and therefore are willing to ignore the big picture, set aside the business model, and hope that God will make it all work out somehow. Unfortunately, they are likely to wind up with a bunch of books they can't sell and a feeling of failure.

Don't get me wrong. i have no problem with independent publishing, where you know what you're doing and have a marketing plan, and you own the ISBN and you hire editors, printers, etc. Or even people who pay for their book to be manufactured after they look at all aspects. My problem is with companies who make it sound as if you are being published by a royalty paying publisher when in fact it is you, the author, paying for everything and not realizing until they have the product in hand that it isn't good enough, is too expensive, and isn't going to get into bookstore.

The publishing industry is currently in the midst of a huge upheaval. I don't know what the ultimate answers are. As an author myself, I don't even feel I know what to do next myself. Or if I even want to keep writing. What good is writing as a ministry if no one is reading what yo write? I feel very frustrated. It's all murky and kind of dismal.

But one thing I do believe, and that is that it's time the intelligent, dedicated, growing authors stop simply following the system and start working together to create a new system.

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Why Don’t I Just Quit Writing?

Nov 9

Posted by njlindquist in the business of writing | 1 Comment

This is a guest blog by Violet Nesdoly, a freelance writer from BC whose special interests are writing non-fiction, fiction, activities, and poetry for Children, and writing articles, devotionals, and poetry for adults. I have to say i totally relate to Violet’s feelings and believe many other writers will too. It’s also why I feel we need to work together to develop a new model for publishing.

violetNo one has to tell writers that they’re up against some pretty big obstacles these days. The latest Tsunami to hit the writing/publishing world was the news last week that some online bookstores (Amazon.com, Wal-Mart.com, Target.com) are wrestling each other down on book prices. One announces a price of no higher than 9.99. Another answers back they’ll do better at 8.99. Publishers and agents are predictably in a dither and asking whither. 

As a very small writer fish in this increasingly red-ink ocean, that is only the last in a series of discouragements that include: 
  • Stiff competition for publication. The internet has outed millions of writers and made them mad for publication. (Go to any agent’s blog and take a peek at the number of followers – if they’re listed. For example: Rachelle Gardner – 1364; Nathan Bransford – 2431; Pub Rants - 1358. There are a lot of eager, hungry writers  out there.)
  • The need for writers to not only be able to write, but to build a platform, market, speak, network, twitter, facebook, yada, yada.
  • Add to that, personal pressure from realistic family members who see the bottom line and rub one’s face in the fact that this writing gig has really only turned out to be an expensive hobby.
It all adds up to (yikes, I never thought I’d hear myself say it) a temptation to quit.
 
I found my  thoughts articulated rather eloquently the other day when I was reading Nathan Bransford’s blog:
 
    "In last week’s discussion about writers and sensitivity, Gordon Pamplona left a comment that stuck with me:
 
    ’…a lot of times the sensitivity about the writing is a stand-in for sensitivity about something else: you spent so much time chasing this pipe dream that you lose your job, your marriage, your kids; your kids don’t respect you because you didn’t write Harry Potter or Twilight; you charged a lot of money on the credit card for conferences and classes with no tangible results, and now the family is eating beans and rice. For many of us, writing is an addiction, no different from alcohol or drugs or gambling. And maybe people who are angry, bitter, stressed out, or despondent should take a hard look at whether this is something they should be doing–if it’s gone from a hobby to something that’s ruining their lives and their relationships with others.’Picture 1
 
    As a society, we often celebrate tortured and struggling artists who finally make it big despite their obstacles, and yet we don’t often examine the flip side of this, which is that the vast majority of tortured and struggling artists don’t actually make it. We tend to encourage everyone to write (Person 1 tells an interesting story, Person 2 says ‘Wow, you should write a book about that’), and there are very few people out there willing to tell any writer they don’t have what it takes and should probably try pursuing something else with their time. I’m guilty of this as well – who am I to say whether or not someone will or won’t be published?
 
    But is this the right approach? Is writing, especially when the odds are long and the cost to a personal life is high, sometimes akin to addiction? When does it cross the line from hobby to ‘habit?’ And should we be encouraging everyone to write?" (from "Tell me, when is writing unhealthy?") 
 
I ruminated on that for a while – and then the thought occurred: I didn’t have the luxury of just deciding to quit. Though I must never ignore the need for balance, outright quitting is a decision that’s not mine to make. Because the reason I find myself here hasn’t changed from what got me here in the first place. Jesus’ teaching on the stewardship of our gifts (as expressed in His story from Luke 19) hasn’t been torn out of the Bible.
 
If I quit simply for the reasons above, I would be like  the one-mina servant coming to the master full of stuttered excuses. "Here is the thing you gave me — this love for words and communication, idea and story, which I have invested for a while, but which I have put back in my handkerchief because… because I’ve only written short pieces and not had any success with books, and because I wasn’t good at marketing or establishing a platform, and because the competition for publication was fierce, and because there were so many five- and ten-mina voices out there, I just knew mine wasn’t necessary…"
 
And He will say to me, "Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant… For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."
 
Thus there will be only one thing that can get me to quit — Orders from Headquarters. Otherwise I’ll be here, sowing my words, hopefully for a little profit but not above sometimes giving them away for free because that’s my way of obeying my Master till He gives me another assignment or puts a different talent in my hand to invest.
 
Personal blog promptings
Writerly blog Line upon line
Kids’ daily devotions Bible Drive-Thru
 
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As publishing changes…what can writers do?

Nov 3

Posted by njlindquist in Publishing, the business of writing | 1 Comment

D. S. Martin & Peter Kazmaier & Mary Ann Moran at Michael's Family Bookstore's Tent Sale in Pickering Writers—especially those who aspire to write books—are currently being told on all sides that the publishing industry is undergoing a massive change. That they need to take control of their destinies. That publishers today expect them to sell up to 65% of the print run of their books. That it's only going to get worse.

As if it wasn't already difficult enough for us poor struggling writers who mostly just want to know that someone out there somewhere enjoys or benefits from our words!

I've watched enough CSI to know what it's like to be buried alive, and I feel somewhat like that. Terrified. Gasping for air. Hoping for someone to save me, but not sure there's any reasonable hope. Wondering if the joy of writing, and the delight of being read, are anywhere near worth the agony of trying to be published.

I made a list of key things the typical aspiring author needs to do these days. I may be missing a few.

1. Be aware of all of the market trends (current topics, genres that are popular, etc.)

2. Know where to market your work (which agents and publishers are looking for what)

3. Stay current on new ways to publish (should you give away your internet rights… look for a publisher who does ebooks, decide whether to go with one who does POD, go along with the Google settlement or not…)

4. Read the work of others writing in your genre or niche and be able to tell your agent or publisher how your work compares to theirs

5. Write several books each year that are not only unique and current, but also so well-written that they will barely need any editing by the publisher

6. Create a “platform” by becoming known as an expert in your area of choice by writing articles or short stories for magazines, blogging, appearing on radio and TV programs, speaking to groups all over North America, actively appearing on the internet in relevant or popular social media sites, and doing everything else you possibly can to ensure that when your book actually comes out, it will sell lots and lots of copies.confused

What do I think of these expectations? Well, let's just go with "unrealistic."

I see four primary issues:

1. Psychology. The majority of the authors I know (and I know a LOT of authors) are the very last people you’d want to hire to do publicity. Sure, there are exceptions, but a whole lot of them are sensitive, shy, introspective introverts. Being with people for a long period of time exhausts them. Talking about themselves and their writing terrifies them. “Selling” themselves or their books embarrasses them. Yes, they believe in what they do. And they think their work is good. But…they don’t want to have to tell other people it’s good. They need other people to tell them! They thrive on being told that someone wants to read their work.

I've been at mystery conventions and other conferences where there were authors in the washroom literally throwing up out of nervousness because they had to be on a panel in a few minutes. A panel whose goal was to help them become better known to readers who wanted to know about them. Not a difficult venue.

2. Finances. Most writers barely make any money at all. What's the average? $5,000 a year or something? Which means they either have an inheritance, a spouse with a real job, or another job themselves. Even in the best case, assuming you're an author who is able to focus on writing without having to starve—where do you find the money to do all the marketing things you're supposed to do? Do you know what an ad costs in a magazine? What a really good website designer charges? The cost of traveling to do booksignings or attend conventions around the country? Sure, you can do things on the cheap, and hire your second cousin's son to do your website, or do it yourself, but then the quality may not be there, and the truth still is that you usually get what you pay for.

3. Time. If you want to write well, you have to focus on writing. And rewriting. And reading. And thinking. And writing some more. You can’t write well if your mind is spinning with all the other things you “should" be doing, like tweeting and posting on all the social media sites and keping your website up-to-date and writing blogs and reading other people’s blogs so you can write comments so someone else will see your comment and check our your blog….

Unless you're writing something that meshes with the blogging and tweeting, doing all those things is going to make it ten times harder for you to write—especially if you’re writing something like a novel or a complex nonfiction book.

Plus you likely have other responsibilities, such as a family, parents, friends, etc. There simply aren’t enough hours in the week to do everything that authors are currently being expected to do. It defies logic.

4. Skillset. Not one of us has all of the skills that are needed to write, market and publicize a book. Sure, most of us can do a little bit here and thee. But no one will ever do everything well. Or, if we force ourselves to work at getting good at it all, the chances are very good that we’ll become so exhausted we’ll simply burn out. Writers need to understand that this is a business, yes. But trying to be a one-man or one-woman business isn't going to make you successful. And the bottom line is that in order to do quality work, writers need to be able to focus on writing.

questionmark

So where do we go next?

As the publishing industry goes through major changes (see earlier posts here), I believe writers need to work together to take on the responsibility of forging new paths for themselves. I don't think the answer lies in trying to duplicate the past by becoming one-person publishing machines. But nor do I believe writers can afford to be as naive and dependent as many have been in the past—taking whatever contract is offered and being thankful just to get our work in print. Instead, I believe we need to seek out a new model that will help us all achieve our primary goal: to write something worthwhile that will be enjoyed by or benefit other people.

It's a new day. Let's talk to one other and throw out ideas and then work together to find a new model that works.
 

(Note: This blog was first posted at TWGAuthors.blogspot.com)

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Setting goals as a writer

Dec 30

Posted by njlindquist in Goals, get to know the writer in you, the business of writing, writing exercises, your first book | 1 Comment

Here’s a news alert. All writers don’t have the same goals.

Yeah, you may have figured that out. But what you may or may not have figured out is what a difference goal-planning can make to your ability to spend your writing time well. Knowing what your goals are can save you a great deal of stress, envy, frustration, and misuse of your time and energy.

The most important thing you need to come to terms with is this: “Ultimately, what do I want?” (Or “What do I feel God wants for me?”)

Your goal might be “other-related” – to have many people learn what you want to teach them. Or to bring laughter to a world that is hurting.

Your goal can be huge – “The whole world needs to know this” – or small – “My family needs to know this.”

Read the rest of this entry »

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The author's perspective – part 1 – dynamics of sales

Sep 24

Posted by njlindquist in Bookstores, Canadian Christian publishing, Cdn Christian bookstores, Publishing, self-publishing, the business of writing | 2 Comments

With this post, I’m starting a new series on how books sell and what new authors need to know.

It sounds simple, right? I have a really good product I believe people are looking for. So I sell it, and they buy it, and we’re both happy.

Only it isn’t that easy. The product may be perfect for the market and people may even be actively looking for it, but that doesn’t mean there will be a sale.

First, people have to know about the product. (Publicity)

And second, they have to be able to get it. (Distribution)

Another way to describe it is “supply and demand.”

Now, I know that most writers would prefer if they never heard those two words. I feel the same. I just want to write my wonderful books and have the people who need to read them automatically get them, and then we’re both happy.

Unfortunately, however, it isn’t that simple for most of us.

So let’s look at the situation. Here I am with my wonderful book.But where are my buyers?

Well, all over North America. I know there are thousands, if not millions, of people who would love to read my book.

But how will they find out about my book?

If I’m published by a large American publishing company that’s been around for a while, they will have already done much of the work in identifying the market for their books, and presumably they’ll have published other books for my audience, so they’ll already have channels of distribution and inroads into finding the perfect readers/buyers for my book. They’ll know how to get bookstores to highlight the book on their “Hot New Books” displays, and they’ll know that if they get a review in this newspaper, or if they put an ad in that magazine, they’ll make lots of sales. Some will even have a long list of subscribers who automatically get their books.

But let’s say I’m not published by a large , well-known publishing house who does it all for me. Let’s say I’m published by a small, new Canadian publishing house who virtually no one knows.

First question is, does the publisher have a distributor?

While the odd local store might take some books from the author consignment, chances are that won’t happen in many stores; or if it does, it will take a ton of work and time on my part to get the books into the stores and then to keep them supplied. Without a distributor, you basically can’t get into bookstores or chain stores or any other stores.

How easy is it to get a distributor? It’s possible, but it will take some work, and of course the more reputable the distributor, the harder it is to get in. In the Canadian Christian market, up until recently it was almost impossible for a small, new Canadian publisher to get a distributor.  Now, it’s become more possible, although the situation with R. G. Mitchell Books likely means that the existing distributors will all have more books from American publishing houses, so the smaller Canadian publishers may once again be moved to the sidelines. (I’m not 100% convinced that RGM won’t still be around in some form after the dust has settled. We’ll see.)

However, the bottom line is that the distributor gets a minimum of 60% of the price of the book; more likely 65%, and sometimes 70%. No, they don’t keep it all – between 40% to 45% goes to the bookstore, and sometimes more.

Anyway, let’s say my small Canadian publisher is able to get a Canadian distributor. Now I can relax, right?

Wrong. All the distributor really does is create a channel for your book to get into the stores. But the distributor can’t guarantee that the book will actually get in.

So the publisher needs to do several things, all of which fall under the area of promotion. It’s called creating a demand.The publisher has to ensure that the stores will want the book. They do that in a number of ways, from choosing which books to publish in the first place to designing an appealing cover and a layout that grabs attention, to pricing that makes it very competitive with other books of its kind, to a great promotional campaign with shelf-talkers and posters, to offers to do advertising that will attract customers,  to discounts so the book can be put on sale from the start, to a heavy marketing campaign, and virtually anything they can do to make it stand out.

If the publisher can convince the distributor that your book will actually sell a bunch of copies, then when the distributor’s salespeople go on the road to talk to booksellers, the book may get more than the typical thirty second mention at the end of their spiel. It may even get mentioned near the front of the sales meeting. It may even be added to the books that go into the special sales catalogues that go out to consumers.

If not, it will simply be another book, and the store may order two copies to give the book a try, and put it spine out on a shelf somewhere. When those two copies sell, the store likely won’t bother to reorder unless they get requests from customers. If the two books don’t sell within a few months, the store will return them to the distributor to make room for the many more books coming out every day.

Of course, “selling” your book to the store buyer is only half of the story. The other half  is creating a demand for the book so that customers come in to buy it.

And how do you do that? Well, here, the onus falls on both the publisher and the author.  However, publishers tend to promote books by “name” authors or books by authors who’ve been given large advance royalties. If you’re a new or mid-list author, the onus is largely up to you to get your book selling and show you have what it takes.

A rule of thumb is that the publisher might spend $1 per book on promotion. (Remember, the publisher is only getting 30 to 40% of the actual money paid for the book, and out of the that has to pay for the printing, editing, author royalties, overhead, etc. etc. That doesn’t leave much to play with.

So if the print-run is 5,000 books, that’s $5,000. Not much when you consider the cost of a large ad in a glossy magazine would be more than that. Back in 1991, I was told that the publisher of my book had to be certain they would sell a minimum of 7,000 books just to pay for one ad in a glossy Christian magazine. So that’s why the ads in those magazines are primarily for books they know will sell (well-known authors) and for books in which they’re investing a lot of their hope for the future.

The average author simply isn’t going to get much promotion, so the onus is on you to see this as a step in your career and to invest in the book yourself, in the hope that you can make it sell and thus create more demand for your next book.

Tomorrow: how to get an agent who will attract a large publishing house so I can relax and just write and not have to know about all this marketing!

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Change needed in (Christian) publishing and bookselling

Sep 18

Posted by njlindquist in Bookstores, Canadian Christian publishing, Cdn Christian bookstores, Publishing, self-publishing, the business of writing | 3 Comments

While I'd much rather discuss how to write well or what to do to keep your fans happy, the truth is that the publishing industry is changing at such a fast pace that it's hard to keep up these days. In my earlier 5-part series on the future of Christian bookstores in Canada, I looked at the difficulties facing bookstores. But of course, that's just the tip op the iceberg. Some of the things that have led to bookstore closures, and ultimately to distributor meltdowns, are the fact that:

1. Books can be returned, in whatever condition, reusable or not. Or, if they're mass market, booksellers simple rip the covers off and throw the rest out. This is bad on several levels, not the least of which is the number of trees sacrificed for books that are never going to be read.

2. The quest these days is not for the most amazing writing but for the most salable book. Especially in the Christian marketplace, it's about platform and marketability. And who cares if the writing is good or not? (Now, I know that any time one generalizes, there are also exceptions, and that's the case here as well. There are exceptions. But even those people would have to agree that the bottom-line has settled into "make money," and "art" is not so much sought-after. Funny, in the Christian publishing arena, the problem used to be that the message was the most important thing and art a very distant second. Now, it's will it sell? Not an improvement.)

The result of this focus is that publishers have essentially become gamblers. They pay a huge advance for a book on a "hot" topic or a current celebrity, and gamble that the subject alone will sell lots of books. Sometimes they win; more often they lose. And meanwhile, solid mid-list authors with decent readership have been getting jerked around and treated like lepers while ten or twenty publishers all go after the current big name who they think can sell more books.

3. Money is the touchstone as to whether books get promoted or not. When you go into your bookstore and see a huge display of one book right at the doorway, or a bunch on the nearest wall at 40% off for brand new books, those books aren't there because they're great books, but because the publisher paid for them to be placed there.

What will change these things?

Some years ago my husband wrote an article called "Reengineering the Church," which was published in Cell Life FORUM. While the focus was on why churches would change, I think the principles are the same. He's given me permission to reprint a section of the article here:

"Since change is usually accompanied by pain, why would anyone choose to do it? Michael Hammer says there are three reasons to change:

1) Desperation. Leaders realize that they are about to go out of business if they don’t change something. Many companies will go bankrupt if they don’t cut costs – and that often means cutting jobs. With fewer people to do the work, leaders come to realize that they MUST do things in a radically different way if they are to survive. Reengineering has come to have a bad name because it is so often associated with job cuts. However, in most cases the reengineering was a result of the job cuts  – and proponents would say that it was necessary to preserve the rest of the jobs in the company.

2) Anticipated changes. Leaders recognize that major change is about to hit – and they want to react before it happens. This is actually much harder – nobody likes to be a prophet of doom – ”the sky is falling, the sky is falling!” And the simple fact is most people won’t change until pain causes them to do it. On the positive side, however, people who can see trends coming and react to them in advance can avoid a great deal of the pain.

3) Leveraging success. The third reason companies reengineer is that they are doing well but they want to do even better. They want to increase their success to please their shareholders or perhaps even 'crush the competition.'

"How does this apply to the church? Obviously, then, reengineering the church implies that we make radical changes in the church for the purpose of dramatic improvement….Our traditions and practices shouldn’t be sacred. Reengineering – change – shouldn’t frighten us. Rather, as we realize that there are ways we can serve God better, we should move forward with great excitement!" (article copyright Les D. Lindquist – click here to read the entire article)

Or, in our case, make radical changes to the publishing industry for the purpose of dramatic improvement so that we can serve God better.

My husband works in change management for a large international company and teaches seminars on the subject, so change is "normal" for him. And, truth to tell, he and I are both futurists, neither shying away from or trying to stop change, but rather running forward to embrace it, even working to make it happen.

But, enjoy it or not, change is happening.

Consider this excerpt from an article in the September Maclean's Magazine:

New imprint rewrites the rule book: Rebel imprint: HarperStudio won't pay up front or do returns

"HarperStudio, based in New York City, was created in April by Robert Miller, the former publisher of Hyperion. It's a bold experiment in an industry whose wonky business plan could have been engineered by the Politburo. Gone are the big-dollar advances paid to authors; in return for less money up front, authors will receive royalties as high as 50 per cent (versus 15 per cent currently), as well as some profit sharing. Miller made the change because paying up front is costly for publishers when books bomb, he says. 'Advances have skyrocketed but sales haven't grown.'

"Even more radical is HarperStudio's proposed no-return policy with booksellers. Right now, of all the books printed, between 25 and 35 per cent are returned to the publisher for credit. Eliminating returns has been tried before — but never successfully. In 1980, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc. announced it would give retailers larger discounts, but end returns. Orders fell off, however, and the publisher had to reverse itself. Miller says the climate's different now, though.

"Nor will HarperStudio pay for prime placement in major book stores, another standard industry practice. Instead, it plans to generate buzz through the Internet. Movie trailers are the model. "You'll see authors blogging about the book pre-publication," says Miller. So watch for Emeril to start blogging about his first book soon. The topic is indoor and outdoor grilling — a fitting start for Miller's controversial new imprint, which will likely face its own share of heat."

You also might want to read this article on the same subject.

God already has a plan. Instead of resisting change, maybe those of us who want to see a viable, life-changing Christian publishing industry need to tap into his creativity and start leading the way.

 

 

 

 

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My suggestions for Christian bookstores in Canada – Part 5

Sep 10

Posted by njlindquist in Bookstores, Canadian Christian publishing, Cdn Christian bookstores, Publishing, the business of writing | 8 Comments

Given where we’re coming from (if you haven’t read my last four blogs, I suggest you read them before you read this one), I offer the following suggestions for those who still want to operate Christian bookstores in Canada.

!. When a part of the body hurts, the entire body hurts. There’s always been a strange dichotomy about Christian bookstores. Yes, they are places of business and need to work on those principles. Some will continue simply because they follow good business practices, have great locations or a loyal customer base, operate with low overhead, etc. But there are also ministry principles involved here. These bookstores originally came out of a desire to help Christians grow and do God’s work on earth. So the real bottom-line is, does the Canadian Christian community at large need Christian bookstores? Perhaps it’s time for the larger community to address this issue and pray and perhaps even fast about it. Ultimately, do we care, or are we satisfied getting the latest copy of whatever book is hot from the cheapest place we can get it?

2. We need to go back to the reason why Christian bookstores existed in the first place. People need to be equipped. You don’t grow just by being at a worship service once a week. Nor do you grow by reading the latest “hot” book about the newest “Christian” celebrity’s experience.

I teach how to make disciples, and invariably, when I ask the people who attend my workshops who discipled them, they say it was primarily books. And I can say the same thing. I learned the essentials of my faith through the books of people such as Paul Little, C. S. Lewis, Anne Ortlund, and others.I found those books by seaching the shelves of bookstores, through referrals from other people, and occasionally by asking a bookseller what they recommended. But many of the books that influenced me weren’t bestsellers.They were on the shelf, but not on an end-cap becasue a publisher had paid for them to be there.

With all the myriad resources out there, some of which have all kinds of money behind them to promote them. someone has to become the expert who can cut through the rest and come up with the right item. No, probably not the best-selling item, althogh sometimes a best-seller is also good, but the one that will really meet the need.

3. I believe it is imperative for Christian bookstores in Canada to recognize that they are in Canada, not the southern United States. Nothing against the United States – I have friends and family there. But I don’t live there. And my country has its own identity, which includes a very complex and thriving Christian culture. For example, I was told recently that there are more Mennonites in BC of Chinese ancestry than of German ancestry. Is that likely to be reflected in a book from an American publisher? Is our history likely to be reflected in a book from an American country? Our cultural individuality? Our humour?

We need to support and nurture our existing Canadian writers . Authors who are both Canadian and Christian have an identity and an ideology that ought to be embraced by our fellow-citizens. We can’t just look at the verse that says a prophet is often not accepted in his home town and shrug our shoulders. Where should our authors find acceptance, if not in their own country? As the Molson’s ad said, we ARE Canadian and that isn’t something to apologize for, as we’re so wont to do. Our nationality is something to be proud of. Our books are much more worthy of shelf space in Canadian Christian bookstores than are any books by an American publisher, no matter how famous the author may be or how hot the topic is. Canadian Christian bookstores have the opportunity – no, the responsibility – to lead the way in promoting Canadian Christian publishers and authors.

4. It’s past time that we who call ourselves Christian in Canada need to develop a sense of identity and community and empowerment. We need to put aside minor differences and look at the big picture. And we need to listen to what God is trying to say through his prophets – many of whom are Christian writers and musicians.

But creative people are funny. They tend to be very shy and introverted and very insecure. In order to listen to them, we first need to build them up to a place where they can minister in power and freedom.

To get there, we need an influx of support from the general community in order to build up both the Christian writing and music sectors in Canada. We need the gifts God has given each one of us to overflow to the creative Christian community in Canada in order to build up that community and empower it and then release it. We need financial support, prayer support, and organizational support. We need people to listen to the Canadian speakers, read the words of the writers, and believe that God wants to work in and through Canadians.

How can Christian bookstores help? By working with churches to become centers of support for writers, musicians, artists, and craftspeople who are Christian. By hosting readings, showings, discussion groups, panels, workshops, and whatever else can bring equipping and empowerment. “When even two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” Let’s start gathering in His name, no longer dependent on others to speak for us, but interacting in ways that allow us to use our gifts and talents to serve Him.

5. It’s still about relationships. Ultimately, the one thing bookstores can offer that internet stores and most large department stores can’t is a sympathetic person who will pray with the customer and then help find the perfect gift for a hurting friend or a young child.

These bookstores will probably also create areas where you can gather with a friend or two to talk and discuss common interests, have theme event days, workshops, book clubs, and parent and family times. People long for places where they can gather and be real. That’s why bars are so successful (think Cheers.)

If Christian bookstores can become hubs of warmth and welcome where you can find real people in an increasingly cyber-dominated world, and where you can find relevant resources, then they just may stay in business for another generation or two.

Okay, that was my two cents worth. :)

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The underlying realities Canadian Christian bookstores face – Part 4

Sep 9

Posted by njlindquist in Bookstores, Canadian Christian publishing, Cdn Christian bookstores, Publishing, the business of writing, your first book | 1 Comment

Continued from the past three bogs:

I’d like to offer what I think are some real possibilities for the Canadian Christian bookstore of the feature, but before I can do that, I have to go over what I feel are the underlying reasons Christian bookstores are in trouble right now.

1. There are some things you can’t change. Like the tide that is going to come in and go out as it chooses, there is no way of going back to the good old days before the internet and before Chapters/Indigo and Costco sold Christian books. The door is open; the horse is gone. So complaining about the situation or blaming whoever or whatever for it won’t help. This is a different world and we have to deal with it.
When I opened my Bible this morning, my eyes were drawn to ! Samuel 16:1. I read it and thought, “That’s got nothing to do with me.” But then a shiver went through me and I said, “No, that has everything to do with me.” And it has everything to do with us as Canadians who believe in the value of Christian books and music and other resources.

What does this verse say?

“The LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.’” I Samuel 16:1 NIV

Instead of mourning about the past, we need to get ready and join God in what he doing for the future of Canada. He’s already prepared it. We simply need to join him.

2. The complete dependence on books from American Christian publishing houses caused the serious difficulties in bookstores when the American dollar went to par with Canada and created a horrendous situation in bookstores that were charging higher prices for the books than the US. As consumers demanded that they pay a fair price for their books, all bookstores ran into serious difficulties since they had paid more for the books in the first place, plus had shipping costs as well, and thus were bound to lose money.

But by far the more serious result of the dependence on American Christian publishing companies who have largely catered to churches and bookstores from the very conservative southern United States is that this practice has not only impeded the development of a Canadian Christian book publishing industry, but has virtually stifled its growth. Up until the last six or seven years, there has really not been a Canadian Christian publishing industry.

And those few denominations or organizations or individuals who did try to publish in Canada were forced to either go to the mainstream or to try to sell books on their own. The Canadian Christian book distribution companies have existed solely to bring book from the American companies to the Canadian bookstores.

This has created a huge dichotomy in which Canadian authors virtually had to find American Christian publishers if they wanted to get into Canadian Christian bookstores.

All of Canada has been affected by this:

Our industry has been drained of some of our best writers.

There has been a false sense of what Christianity is in Canada (ignoring the numerous authors who come from mainline churches, and assuming that for one to be a Christian in Canada you must adhere to what is acceptable to the southern US bookstores accept.)

American publishers have not necessarily wanted to publish most of the books Canadian Christians wanted to write, which has resulted in many frustrated writers and a lot of self-published books few people know about.

A Canadian author published in the United States is in some respects a person without a country since you are neither one nor the other.

No one intended for this to happen. But it did. And now that we do recognize it, we all need to work together, under God’s direction, to build up a viable, exciting Christian publishing industry here in Canada, whether it’s in print books or on the internet or in workshops.

Canadian Christian bookstores are a big part of this, and I believe that if they want to survive into the future, they need to make decisions based on these two realities.

Tomorrow, more thoughts on what might happen in the future.

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Need for Canadian Christian bookstores Part 2 – SWOT analysis

Sep 7

Posted by njlindquist in Bookstores, Canadian Christian publishing, Cdn Christian bookstores, Publishing, self-publishing, the business of writing, writing a book, your first book | 3 Comments

Okay, times have changed. How are things going? Apparently not so well. I decided to do a SWOT analysis to discover what I think are the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities Canadian Christian bookstores are facing today.

Strengths of Christian bookstores

They have generally been safe places to find books to give as gifts – you knew you could trust a book from Moody, Zondervan, etc.

They can carry a number of books on each topic, and not just the bestsellers

If you are looking for a book on a specific topic – prayer, marriage, raising children, you should be able to find something good.

Because many see it as ministry, staff will often do all they can to help you find the perfect book

There is a sense of belonging, rather than just being in a store, in many of them

You don’t have to worry about the content of what your kids pick up

Weaknesses of Christian bookstores

Many of them are small and don’t actually have a lot of books – may have more giftware and other items

Popular books are often higher priced than on the internet or at Costco

Some of them are more gift stores than bookstores

Some of them are dangerous for small kids because of all the breakable giftware: at Walmart, your kids are in a cart and you can relax more

You may well have to order the book you want and sometimes it’s not available or takes a long time to come in

Many stores are in out-of-the-way locations

Many of them don’t have the finances to keep up technologically

Many of them order one book at a time and therefore may not have adequate stock

High reliance on American books

Threats against Christian bookstores

Higher overhead and smaller orders lead to higher prices on books

Because of the almost complete reliance on books published in the US, the change in the value of the dollar created massive problems for most bookstores, and many haven’t quite recovered yet

Walmart, Costco and other stores often carry popular books at much lower prices

If you can get a book while at the mall, why go to another place and pay more?

More and more people are buying from the internet, where you can find pretty well anything you might want

Used bookstores on the internet make getting older materials easier

The younger generation isn’t reading as much, or they’re reading on the internet or on book readers.

The ability to download music has decimated CD sales

Some churches bypass bookstores and buy materials in bulk directly from the publisher

Photocopying of materials

Use of projectors instead of hymn or chorus books

Churches having their own on-site bookstores

Statistics have long shown that very few Christians have been going to Christian bookstores

Reliance on doing things as they have always been done, and not looking for new ways to do them

Opportunities for Christian bookstores

Some of them are good at fostering a sense of community

Cater to those who are not comfortable ordering from the internet

Foster loyal customers who are motivated to keep the stores open

Cater to people who prefer to hold the book and look at it before buying

Create reasons for people to come in because it’s “the place to be”

Go back to their reasons for existing and study the validity of those reasons in today’s market, and determine whether or not there might be new reasons

Use new technology to their advantage

Cater to, and create, an atmosphere conducive to those who LOVE books

Can you add any strengths of Christian bookstores? Weaknesses ? Threats? Opportunities? Please do comment.

Thoughts continued in my next blog.

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