I recently
finished writing my seventh book (The Christian Writer’s Guide to Book
Proposals) and sending it off to my editor. It was truly a blessing from
God, and a reminder that anything of worth that I produce as a writer (or in
any other endeavor, for that matter) is only by the grace of God and the power
of the Holy Spirit.
Such an
accomplishment may or may not impress you, depending on your perspective. Some
people I know find it absolutely amazing that someone could write even one book
in their lifetime, let alone seven. On the other hand, I know people who have
written literally dozens of books, and so only the seventh one in a 30-year
career (in which I’ve spent most of my time editing other people’s books) is hardly
awe-inspiring!
All of this
makes me wonder if perhaps we overlook many of the blessings we receive from
God, and fail to see the great things He’s done in us and through us, because
we spend too much time comparing ourselves to others. Paul had the right idea
when he said, “Pay careful attention to your own work,
for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need
to compare yourself to anyone else” (Galatians 6:4).
This
particular book, by the way, was a special blessing for another reason. It is
the first time I have been assigned a book by a publisher, instead of me
pitching a book idea to them. My editor at Sonfire Media, my publisher, wants
to get me started on a series (The Christian Writer's Guide to . . .),
with different titles covering such topics as brainstorming, writing a first
draft, revision, and marketing.
There is even
the possibility (I might even say the probability) that some books in the
series will be written by other authors. That’s OK by me; remember, I’m
learning not to compare myself to others, or envy the blessings God gives to
someone else. It’s all to the glory of God!
ABOUT DAVE FESSENDEN:
David E. Fessenden is a literary agent with
WordWise Media Services and an independent publishing consultant with degrees
in journalism and theology, and over 30 years of experience in writing and
editing. He has served in editorial management positions for Christian book
publishers and was regional editor for the largest Protestant weekly newspaper
in the country.
Dave has published six books,
written hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, and edited numerous books.
He is a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences. In 2011 he pooled his
experience in Christian publishing to produce Writing the Christian
Nonfiction Book: Concept to Contract, published by SonFire Media. The
Case of the Exploding Speakeasy, Dave’s first novel, reflects his love for
history and for the Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan-Doyle.
Dave and his wife, Jacque live in south-central Pennsylvania and
have two adult sons.
“There are three rules for writing a book,”
a famous author once said. “Unfortunately, no one knows what they are!”
It’s true—to some extent, the process of
writing a book is shrouded in mystery, and is probably the main reason why so
many potential authors are simply treading water. Writing the Christian
Nonfiction Book: Concept to Contract helps take
the confusion out of the process. Veteran editor Dave Fessenden merges
practical advice with spiritual counsel, so that the approach emphasizes the
inspirational impact of the author’s material.
To produce a complete, publishable
manuscript that will have a real ministry, you need to do a lot of praying, a
lot of thinking, a lot of study, a lot of research—and very little actual writing
at first—until the creative pressure, the spiritual burden, builds to a
critical mass. At that point the book practically writes itself! Well, not
really. But if you follow the methods Dave teaches, writing a book should be a
bit easier, a bit less mysterious. Concept to Contract can show you how.
PURCHASE LINKS:
Author Website (under construction): DaveFessenden.com
Book Page (under construction): ExplodingSpeakeasy.com
Blog:
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