The Writing Life

Change Is Hard

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 1 Mar 2026 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Change is hard and no one (including me) likes to change. Yet change is how we grow, improve and become better every day. In this article for The Writing Life, I encourage you that each of us have resistance to change, then we have to make a decision and finally get a result.

The Resistance

As an author, for my writing life, I have created and used a variety of habits and systems. My goal is to be consistent and to reach new areas of the market and find readers. For example, every day I post 12 to 15 times on social media. I have been doing this pattern for years on three different “rented” platforms (that I do not control). The engagement or feedback from these actions is often minimal. Sometimes I wonder if anyone is reading them but I continue doing it. About the time I think about stopping someone responds and shows me that people do read these actions.

Since I started my blog in 2004, I have been writing these weekly articles. Because of my consistency, the blog has over 1800 entries and about 400 people receive my new articles on their email. In addition, each week I send a different piece of writing to my newsletter. Through the years, my newsletter has been sporadic and inconsistent. I changed this pattern over a year ago and send it each week. Use this link to subscribe and get a free 87-page Ebook and my newsletter with my gratitude.

Beyond my work as an author, I have my regular work as an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. For the last 13 years I’ve been working with authors, hearing about their new books then championing their book to my colleagues. Through this work, I’m hopefully getting a contract that they will possibly sign and return to get their book into the bookstores. This work has it’s own patterns and systems. As with any work, Morgan James has continued to make shifts and changes. With this ebb and flow, some days my work is more successful than others. The bulk of it is in a familiar pattern.

Without going into unnecessary detail, sometimes my acquisitions work has been more successful with authors than others. Several months ago I continued doing the work but went through weeks with no authors completing their contract with Morgan James. Our founder David Hancock reached out to me with some suggestions for some shifts in my actions. In a completely normal fashion, at first I resisted making these changes, but I understand making these changes is important and can lead to improvements in results.

The Decision

I made a number of shifts in this process and began to use different tools in in the procedure. These changes were not easy. The first time I did these procedures, I made some mistakes (nothing fatal). I was committed to making these changes and improvements. Despite being hard, I continued forward. Many of the decisions in the publishing process are outside of my control. I’ve learned that I can control my actions and my decisions. In that effort, I continue to try and be the best person that I can be for myself and my authors. It’s not a straight forward decision but a journey and a process.

The Result

While the results of my changes are not complete, I can tell you the improvements have made for increasing results. I’m certain there will be additional changes in the future but I’m committed to continuing to do my part (large or small) in this process. In a number of areas, I’m becoming better every day and continue to learn and grow.

What about your journey as a writer or communicator? What resistance do you have to change and how can you decide to become better every day? Let me know in the comments below and I look forward to your feedback.

Tweetable:

Change is Hard. The prolific author and editor explains his resistance, his decision and his result of making changes. Get the detailed actions here. (ClickToTweet)

Let’s be honest. Publishing is a complex business and much of the process is outside of anything an author can control—no matter how they publish. I I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors realistic expectations and practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

During the last year, once a week I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

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Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,800 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

Don't Count Your Chickens

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

There is an old saying that figures into our lives as writers, “Don’t count on your chickens until they hatch.” These chickens lay eggs but the reality is until they hatch, you can’t depend on getting a new baby chick.

In the early days of my writing life, I’ll admit I counted chickens before they hatched. I wrote query letters to magazine editors and counted on an acceptance and payment. I crafted book proposals then pitched them to agents and editors. The agent would take my proposal to pitch traditional publishers. I believed the literary agent would find a publisher. I believed the publisher would sell my book into bookstores and I would earn royalties. I believed my book would earn back it’s advance and then additional royalties.

For the last 13 years, I’ve been an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. With authors and agents, I work to understand their book, see if it is a good fit for our publisher, then pitch the book to my colleagues. When I get a contract, I send it to the author (or agent) and believe they will sign it and publish with us. When I bring an active author into the publisher, I believe they will sell books in the bookstore. I believe bookstores will carry the book and sell it to readers.

While it is great to be optimistic and have these beliefs, here's the downside: I'm counting my publishing before it happens. I'm assuming actions outside of anything that I can control. The truth is many of these things don’t happen and breed disappointment and regret.

Without beating the image, I hope you can begin to see the challenge with this attitude of counting on actions which are outside of your control.

What I Do Instead

These actions are not easy because in many ways I loved counting on results which were outside of my control. I encourage you to take a different mindset. Here’s a series of actions you can do:

1. Enjoy the journey. Celebrate the new relationships you can form and foster. For example, last week I connected with a new person on LinkedIN. She emailed me and told about reading a couple of my books. I looked up her contact information which included her phone number. I dialed the number and had a great 30+ minute conversation. It’s a simple example of what you can do. Keep expanding your relationships and helping others. As you enjoy the journey, you will find new opportunities for your writing life.

2. Continual to learn and grow. No working writer ever stops learning and trying new possibilities--including me. Recently one of my friends, Alice Crider, offered a five day book proposal challenge. It starts on Monday but use the link and you can still do it. While I have a lot of book proposal experience (and a book about it), I know I will learn some new insights in these sessions.

3. When Others Succeed, Celebrate. Often throughout my day, I will read newsletters and other things from authors. I celebrate their success and will write a short email or repost somthing on a social media website. There are dozens of different actions but I’m encouraging you to celebrate others.

4. With Your Opportunities, follow-up. I have a number of authors where I’ve championed their book to my colleagues and gotten them a book contract. They have not signed it and returned it (as I said earlier, it's something I can’t control or predict). I can gently follow-up with them and see if they have any questions. Last week I made a number of these calls. Frequently I got their voicemail where I left a cheerful and enthusiastic message for them. Maybe I sent them a contract weeks or months ago. I continued to follow-up. My experience in this area tells me that the longer it takes someone to respond and return their contract, the less likely it is they will publish their book with Morgan James Publishing. Knowing this track record does not prevent me from making those follow-up calls. Through the years, I’ve had a few authors surprise me and engage with questions, sign and return their contract.

I have one certain fact: if I don’t follow-up, then the author will not know that I continue to pull for their success and want them to publish with Morgan James. The follow-up work is something that I can do. Maybe they will not publish the book that I'm calling about but because of the good experience with my follow-up, they will give us an opportunty on their next book. See the optimism and hope and action that is built into my attitude about follow-up? I hope so.

What actions are you going to take so that you have the right mindset? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

What does counting your chickens have to do with the writing life? Get the details here from this prolific author and editor. (ClickToTweet)

When I’ve worked with different publishers on a variety of books, I’ve learned the hard way that much of the publishing process is outside of anything an author can control. As an editor, I’ve spoken with different authors about their books, I’ve found many unrealistic expectations. There are actions every author can take with their books. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week one more podcast recording launched:

Author and coach Tommy Thompson (@TommyPThompson) I spoke for a second time on the Space for Life Podcast. Here’s our first conversation: https://bit.ly/4g4b5uO In this new podcast, we talked about how to start writing and actually get published at: https://bit.ly/46gBov3 Also check out my book Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams at: https://jumpstartdreams.com/

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Overcome Your Challenges

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Think about your writing life. Do you have a series of “can’ts” about what you can or can’t write? For example, some writers say they can’t write outside of their office and need quiet in order to be able to create their stories. Others say they need to be in the corner of a coffee shop to do their best writing.

My journalism training taught me to ditch the can’ts. I can write in a noisy city room full of reporters on the phone, talking and even banging out their stories. I can write on an airplane. I can write in a hotel room. I can write during a busy conference. I can also write in the quiet of my office. The critical element is sitting in your chair at your keyboard and moving your fingers cranking out words. It does not happen in your mind but only through your actions. I encourage you to try it and experiment with those negatives and conquer them. It will make you a more flexible writer.

As writers, each of us have experiences which could prevent our writing and moving forward. During my years as an editor, I’ve heard almost every possible excuse why an author did not meet their deadline. After listening to their story, I grant them the extension and set a new deadline. When they move forward, we will get a manuscript and be able to publish it and get it into the bookstores. I can’t do that work for them but I can do it with them.

Last week I faced my own challenge. A tech person worked remotely on my desktop and killed the sound and produced a number of other behind-the-scenes errors. Another remote tech person worked for over and hour, but he could not resolve the errors. My only path forward was to disconnect my desktop and take it into the store for repair. Talk about a painful path! I have a lot of writing and specialized programs and other details on this computer. Plus it is connected to my printer. Because it was my only path for repair, I took it to the store and had to leave it for three days.

Did I stop working for those days? No, I began using my laptop which I rarely use. This computer doesn’t have many of the tools I needed. It took time and energy but I persisted. While it was not rapid, I continued to get the necessary work completed. I met with my Morgan James authors and answered their questions. Two of them signed their contracts last week and other things happened despite these interruptions.

At the end of the day, it’s about your mindset in this situation. Do you persist and try different options or do you quit? My encouragement is for you to find your path forward with your writing life. Maybe you have to skip some television or get up a bit earlier or stay up later at night to get your writing done. It is critical to keep moving forward despite the challenges.

This week I heard bestselling author Darren Hardy encourage us to enjoy the journey in the midst of the ups and downs of our lives as writers and entrepreneurs. Also he includes two hashtags and says them on a regular basis: #BeTheException and #BetterEveryDay Notice these words are focused on the journey and not the end result.

There are many of life’s experiences which are outside of my control. Through hard experience, I’ve learned there is only one person on the planet where I have any measure of control: me.

As a final key point with your writing: focus on your readers and serve them. Make a conscious choice to serve your readers with a well-crafted story or point them to a new tool or resource. Your path forward is filled with many choices and opportunitites.

What steps are you taking to be the exception and become better every day?How are you overcoming the challenges in your everyday life? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

As writers, our lives are full of challenges and opportunities. This prolific author and editor gives some personal examples then action steps in this article. (ClickToTweet)

Publishing is a complex business and much of the process is outside of anything an author can control—no matter how they publish. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors realistic expectations and practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

For over a year and once a week, I’ve been sending a short free newsletter. Just follow this link to subscribe. When you are added to the newsletter, you will receive a FREE 87-page Ebook which is packed with insights for every writer.

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Important Bookstore Insights

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 8 Feb 2026 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

With thousands of books entering our world every day, how do readers determine which books to buy and which books to skip? It’s an age-old question that authors, publishing professionals and many others have been trying to understand.

As an author your book may only be in an online bookstore. Sometimes that bookstore is only Amazon and other times you are in many online bookstores. In other articles, I’ve pointed out that bookstores have limited shelf space for books. How are those decisions made about which books to carry in that limited space?

From my years in publishing, I understand behind the scenes there are many individuals in this decision process. I encourage each of you to be constantly learning about this process and glean insights that can be used for your own books.

Last week I heard this podcast What It’s Like to Be a Kid with Jon Anderson, the President and Publisher of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. As the show notes say, “Jon Anderson has been President and Publisher of Simon & Schuster Children’s since 2009, after a career in both publishing and bookselling that began at age 16 at a B. Dalton mall store in South Dakota. His journey through Barnes & Noble, Penguin, and Perseus to his current position is one marked by creativity, humor, and iconic books and brands, from Mad Libs to Nancy Drew.”

I learned a great deal from listening to this interview including Anderson’s insights about the current children’s book market. For many years, he was the book buyer at the corporate office of Barnes & Noble. Publishers and their representatives regularly pitched Anderson because of the significance of his decisions about which books to put into the stores. To make decisions, he said he looked at the cover then read the back cover. These two elements are details that you as an author have control and influence (no matter how you publish). Yet you have to take action in this area.

Much of the decision-making process is outside of anything that an author can control or influence. Instead of shrugging this responsibility, I want to call to your attention several elements where you do have control: the book cover and the back cover. Depending on your publishing path, some authors have more decision-making influence than others. Every author can make an impact in this area and I’m encouraging you to seize it.

Years ago when I worked at another publishing house, I spoke with the Vice-President of Sales when he had returned from a trip to present our new books to buyers at bookstores. With frustration in his tone, he said, “After hearing about our new books, the buyer would say, “I’ll take two copies of each. One to sell and one to show.” I could hear the disappointment in his story because no publisher is trying to sell only two copies of any book. It shows the difficulty for every publisher to get their books into the bookstore.

What Authors Can Control

Whether your book is going to be online or inside a brick and mortar bookstore, there are some elements that you as the author have control. First, create an attractive and attention-getting cover. First impressions count and I’ve seen some poor book covers and others garner attention. Your choice of a designer and a publisher are in the author’s control.

Your words on the back cover are another area where the author has influence and control (depending on your publishing path). It is a learned skill to write these words which sell your book. I recommend you get Shelley Ring’s book How To Write Back Cover Copy That Sells: And Other Marketing Materials to Promote Your Book as a resource. I’ve written many back covers and your experience in this area will be a boost to your ability. You can read my review of Shelley’s book here.

The third way to influence book buyers is to include high profile endorsements. As a new or unpublished author you may think you have no ability to get these types of endorsements. That assumption is wrong.

You can take action and collect great endorsements for your book--even if you self-publish. In other articles (follow this link), I’ve written about these details. Also look at this article from Jacqueline Marcel about getting endorsements for her self-published book. If she can do it, you can do it. To get these endorsements you have to ask and make it easy for that person to agree and return the endorsement (even if you write a “draft” yourself when you ask because well-known people are busy. It takes author effort and not just once but over and over.

There are obstacles to getting your book into the hands of readers but with your activity and continued promotion, you can overcome these hurdles and turn them into opportunities.

What actions are you going to take in this area? What am I missing that you can add? I look forward to your comments.

Tweetable:

How can authors influence the discovery of their books inside bookstores? Learn specific actions from this prolific author and editor. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)

My Writing In Other Places:

With these articles, I encourage you to publish your work beyond your blog in other places. Below are three articles which were published in other online locations than this blog.

How to Get Your Book Into Libraries. I wrote the details into a two part article and you can get both parts here.

When you submit your book proposal, I explain why you shuld simultaneously submit. Read the details in this article.

When an author selects a publishing path, there is an often forgotten and critical element (distribution). In this article, I encourage awareness and wisdom in your choice.

During my years in publishing, I’ve reviewed thousands of submissions and spoken with many authors about their plans and dreams for their book. I’ve found many of these authors have unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. From my experience, many aspects of the details of publishing are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

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What To Do with Strange Experiences

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 1 Feb 2026 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Throughout my life, I’ve had a number of strange personal experiences. It’s part of our lives that we have these different encounters and experiences. As a writer, what do you do with these stuations?

Some people write a book manuscript. Others use the material as background for their novel and other storytelling methods. While I love books and work as an acquisitions editor for a New York publisher, this usage for your stories and experiences has limitations. Thousands of new books enter the marketplace every day. I’ve read estimates between 4,500 and 11,000 new books enter our world every day (depending on your source and including the self-published books). These numbers involve a lot of competition for readers for your books.

In this article, I want to suggest a different starting place for your experiences. Instead of a book, I encourage you to use your personal experiences as storytelling material for magazine articles. When you write a magazine article, it’s easy to reach 100,000 to a million readers (depending on the circulation of the publication). Magazine editors tell writers what they are looking to publish in their writer’s guidelines. Often you can find these guidelines on their website or in a market guide.

Each publication has a specific readership or audience. As you craft your article or your query (pitch), you have to be focused on the audience. When I worked as the Association Editor at Decision with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, we were printing 1.8 million copies of each issue. This circulation has dropped through the years but is still over 400,000 (see this link).

Some of the greatest readership for my writing has come through my personal experience stories in Decision. Decades ago we taught our oldest child about death through the passing of our second child. I called this article Schooled In Death. As I went through this difficult personal experience in a journal, I captured little pieces of dialogue and feelings. Then later as I wrote my story, I used these snippets in my magazine storytelling.

It’s a pattern I suggest you use for your personal experiences--write down the feelings and dialogue then use them in a magazine article. When you write a magazine article, you learn some specific skills which will build into your writing life. You learn how to create an interesting title and how to begin your article and pull the reader into your story. Magazine articles have a limited word count (500 to 1,200 words--again depending on the publication. As you write your article, you learn how to have a beginning, middle and a strong ending which leads the reader to a single point called a takeaway.

Where do you find these magazines? First, which ones do you read on a regular basis? I would begin there because you are familiar with their readership and target audience. Almost every magazine will take a well-crafted personal experience story for their publication. If you sell “first rights” to the magazine (noted at the top of your first page of your submission), then these rights return to you once the magazine publishes your article.

I’m suggesting a simpe strategy with your personal experience stories. Write a series of these types of articles which likely can be interconnected. With some editorial adjustments, each article can be the start of the chapter in a book. If you string together 15 to 20 of these articles, then you have a book manuscript. I have a lot more detail about this type of strategy in my free webinar Get More Mileage from Your Content.

As writers, we have an abundance of opportunity. I encourage you to use the Christian Writers’ Market Guide to look for more publications and opportunties to publish your writing. From going to writer’s conferences, many writers are focused on getting their book published and never consider teh magazine world. You can do both--write for publications and write books. Your magazine articles can tell people about your latest book in your one-sentence bio at the end of the article. Your persistence and consistency as a writer will pay off.

What steps are you going to take to write and publish your strange experiences? Let me know in the comments and I look foward to hearing about it.

Tweetable:

As a writer, what do you do with your strange personal experiences? This prolific author and editor encourages an unexpected series of actions. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week one more podcast recording launched:

David Newman (@dnewman) and I spoke about Real Deal Publishing on The Selling Show Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/4q7yDDl

Throughout my many years in publishing, I’ve co-authored over a dozen books and reviewed thousands of submissions (no exaggeration). As a part of the process of working with these authors, I speak with them about their dreams and plans. Many of these authors have unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the details of publishing are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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Don't Quit Your Day Job

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

From time to time through the years, I’ve met authors who lean in and confide to me, “I’m all in on writing my book. In fact, I’ve quit my day job so I can write full-time.” When I hear this information, I appreciate this author’s commitment but also worry about the wisdom of such a decision. Maybe your dream job is to write fulltime. It’s something I want to address in this article with some ideas for you.

Several times, I have been working at a terrific job and to my surprise, I was fired. My past experience in these positions has been useful to me. We can grow from these experiences in our past (something I’ve tried to do) and none of us know what will happen in our future. Each of us have today to take action. Often at writer’s conferences, I hear this conventional wisdom: don’t quit your day job.

Through the years, I’ve met many authors who have written bestselling books and kept their day job. Over 40 years ago I met bestselling author Jerry B. Jenkins at an Evangelical Press Association meeting. Late one night three of us as magazine editors were playing scrabble against Jerry--and we lost. He is a world-class scrabble player. At the time I was a missionary magazine editor with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Jerry was an editor at Moody magazine, part of the Moody Bible Institute.

In his books and teaching, Jerry talks about working a day job, coming home and spending focused time with his wife and children. Then after they went to bed, late at night Jerry devoted several hours to his writing. Many people assume this 21-Time New York Times bestselling author was an overnight success with his books. As he writes in the foreword of 10 Publishing Myths,the mega-bestselling series Left Behind was his 125th book. For many years, Jerry kept his day job and was not an overnight success.

As I’ve met and interviewed various bestselling authors, I learned about a number of authors who have a day job and wrote their books outside of their work. Sarah Sundin is another example. For many years she was a pharmacist and wrote historical novels.

I encourage you to read this article about Famous Authors Who Also Had Full-Time Professions. You will be surprised at some of the well-known people who wrote while keeping their full-time job.

Is writing full-time your dream job? It could happen. I’m writing this article to encourage you to take several actions in this process:

1. Without thinking about it long and hard, don’t quit your day job. As I mentioned, no one knows the future and you want to make wise decisions in this area.

2. Begin to develop multiple streams of income such as editing, coaching, and other sources outside of your writing. There are many different ways to make money with books. Follow this link to a free webinar where I list the details about a dozen different ways.

3. Learn to mix and match the different activities in your life (day job, writing, marketing, newsletter creation along with sending it on a regular basis plus many other tasks).

Each of us are on this journey called The Writing Life. Your path will be different than mine. To discover it, you will have to try many different things. Some of them will fail while others will succeed. You will be able to lean in and continue the ones which succeed.

What have you learned about quiting your day job? Let me know in the comments below and I look forward to hearing from you.

Tweetable:

What is behind the writing conventional wisdom: don’t quit your day job? This prolific author and editor gives his insights and possible actions in this article. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week two more podcast recordings launched:

Joe Rooz (@JoeRooz) and I spoke LIVE on the Joe Rooz Podcast about 10 Publishing Myths Busted: What Authors Must Know. Listen and watch at: https://bit.ly/4pXO8gN

Daniel Lucas (@dsl_lucas) and I spoke LIVE on the sixth season of the Abstract Essay Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/45qLwRv

Currently I’m working with my third publisher as an acquisitions editor. During these years, I’ve spoken with many authors about their expectations, dreams and desires for their books. I find many unrealistic expectations. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

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Keep Up With Publishing

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

The publishing world is in constant motion or change. How do you keep up? One of the best ways to monitor and learn about the changes is through online newsletters. Since 2001, I’ve been a part of an online group called The Writer’s View. It has an amazing resource of the various topics behind the scenes. (Read this post and follow the links to join this free group. Each week we change the topic and several times a year, I am one of their leaders. Last week I guided an online conversation on keeping up in the publishing world. For this article, I’ve compiled some of what I posted and the various links as a resource for you. These resources are in no particular order and for each one, I’ve included the link where if it is interesting to you, you can subscribe.

As background, some of these publications are once a week while others are daily. If they are not right for your writing life, then you can unsubscribe. I do not study every line of these publications. Some of them I skim for the information but each of them are resources that I use to keep up on the world of publishing.

Rush to Press is the weekly newsletter from the Evangelical Christian Publisher Association. For example, a week or so ago the issue included a release about The Quest Study Bible (Zondervan) which has sold two million copies worldwide. Many years ago I worked the study notes on a ten-chapter segment in Chronicles with a professor from Fuller Theological Seminary. As a contributor, my name is in the tiny print in the front of this Bible. It was fun to see this information in Rush to Press.

Evangelical Press Association. This is the group of Evangelical magazines like Christianity Today and many others.

Shelf Awareness published five days a week and is targeted to Bookstores. Last week, they sent a special issue with different stories tied to Jesus Calling, a devotional from Thomas Nelson which has sold millions of copies. Follow this link to read this newsletter.

Editor and publishing expert Jane Friedman has a newsletter called The Bottom-line with a free version. Here’s just one reason to subscribe to The Bottom Line. I’m quoting a couple of paragraphs from her WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026 newsletter:

“Nonfiction decline deepens

I love nonfiction, so it gives me no pleasure to say this, but I think the declining sales of nonfiction will continue in 2026. Of the top nonfiction bestsellers in 2025, only one of them (Kamala Harris’s campaign memoir) was published in 2025. Mel Robbins’s self-help book The Let Them Theory performed best and released in 2024; Circana BookScan’s Brenna Connor told the New York Times that Robbins is “essentially carrying the entire self-help category right now.” The bright spot for nonfiction is in the Christian market: sales of Bibles, Bible studies, and other religious titles have been growing in the double digits.

Why the nonfiction decline? Most agents and publishers cite escapism, given the current sociopolitical environment. But more than that, I think it’s the increasing competition of other information sources that are right at your fingertips when you need them; they may require less time and even provide more clarity. Pick your favorite: newsletters, podcasts, information-rich social media posts, short-form video, long-form video, online education of all kinds. People can get the insight they need without buying or spending time on a book. The bright side: Audiobook sales are increasing, and that includes nonfiction.” I hope these trends are helpful to you. Like Jane, I love nonfiction and the decline shows me once again the need for everyone (including nonfiction authors like me) to include have great storytelling.

Publishers Lunch. I used to be on the free version but I’ve been on their paid version for years and find a lot of value in this subscription--beyond the newsletter.

Publishers Weekly has a number of free newsletters (use the link).

Newsletter specialist Kate Huff has a free Newsletters Made Simple newsletter with tips at: https://bit.ly/49A8A1o

Midwest Book Review. Each month, I get an email from editor Jim Cox. They are a respected publication and especially among libraries. I could not easily find where to subscribe but it is a publication you should know about and monitor.

As a journalist, I also take a publication called The Muck Rack and it has connections to journalists and other media resources. I often skim it and find something of interest. Here’s where you can subscibe.

WildFire Marketing expert and author Rob Eagar has a weekly newsletter.

Also I subscribe to Author Marketing Experts from Penny Sansevieri Founder and CEO Author Marketing Experts, Inc., bestselling author and internationally recognized.

Another marketing expert is Thomas Umstattd Jr. and his Author Media website. Last week, Thomas sent out his interview with Jerry B. Jenkins. You can catch the audio or the transcript at: https://bit.ly/49zSDYK

I also read the substack called Writerly Things from Brooke Warner who is a publisher, writing coach, podcaster, and author advocate.

Also I read Ilise Benun the marketing mentor, who is a wise marketing person. Scroll down on her site and the pop up menu to subscribe will appear on your screen.

Phil Cooke is a media expert and Christian author who has valuable insights.

Media expert Brian Feinblum writes the Book Marketing Buzz Blog with thousands of articles.

Finally my long-time friend and mentor Robert Bly (Bob) sends a daily email. Subscribe here.

There are probably more newsletters and resources that I use to keep up with publishing but these will get you started. I understand this article is different from my normal articles on The Writing Life. What tools do you use to keep up with publishing? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

The publishing world is constantly changing. This prolific author and editor provides details about how he keeps up with these changes in this article. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week one more podcast recording launched:

Barry LaBov, author and CEO of LABOV and I spoke about author secrets for writing and promoting books on the Difference Talks Podcast. Listen and watch at: https://bit.ly/49Wx8mo or you can watch a short reel here.

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Get Diversity in Your Communication Skills

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Persistence and perserverance are important skills for every writer to develop and use. As writers we need to reach the right person (an editor or a literary agent) to move our book forward and get it into the bookstores. This process involves using a variety of communication skills.

Recently I was trying to reconnect with a long-time editor friend. We had not spoken or emailed in many years. I tried to reach this friend on email (bounced) and phone (didn’t connect). Then I looked at LinkedIN and her contact information there didn’t help me to connect. As a last resort, I turned to something I rarely use: Facebook Messenger. I was still connected with this friend on Facebook and used the messenger feature to send her a personal note. It turned out that worked and I revived my connection with this friend.

As an acqusitions editor at Morgan James Publishing, I’m in touch with a number of authors and their agents. I need to reach them in a timely manner and don’t always use email but other methods as well. If I have not connected with this person in a long time (read years), my first action is to look at the contact area their LinkedIN profile. Here’s where my LinkedIN profile is located. If you and I are not connected, let’s get connected on LinkedIN. Often people will put an email on that form which will be active even if they have changed companies. There is a lot of movement and transition in the publishing world.

Also through the years, I’ve collected a lot of information in my own address book. I will use this information (in particular email and phone numbers--including their cell phone) to reach out to this person. Sometimes they bounce or do not work.

When you need to reach someone, I encourage you to use different forms of communication but match your response with the one you got from the person. For example, I received a text from an author where I sent them a new contract. They were asking for a phone call to go over next steps. Ironically to me, one of the items I sent them as an attachment with the contract was called “next steps.” None-the-less, I responded to this text with a text giving some options to this author.

Are you showing your diversity in the types of writing? Do you only write books? How about magazine articles? How abouts short stories or guest blog posts or devotions or many other things. There are many different ways and places to publish our writing. In the opening chapter of Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams, I created a detailed list (follow this link to download this chapter if you need some ideas).

In the publishing community, there are also multiple ways to communicate with each other. Some people prefer a phone call. As I’ve often written in these articles, the phone is probably the last option to use with an unknown publishing professional like an editor or literary agent. Others use email or text. I'm not the best at texting but because I know some people will respond and view their text before an email, I will use this form of communication. The key action from my perspective is to use various forms and find the one which will work for you to communicate what you need to commuicate.

Many people downplay email but that is one of the most effective and consistent communication tools every writer needs to use. If you do not have an email list, I encourage you to start one--then use it on a consistent and persistent basis. If you are not one of my newsletter subscribers, I encourage you to follow this link. When you subscribe, with my gratitude, you will receive a free 87-page Ebook.

Are you diverse in your communication skills? If not, what steps can you take to grow in this area and become better. Let me know in the comments what skills you are working on or if I am missing something. I look forward to hearing from you.

Tweetable:

It is important to have diverse communication skills according to this prolific author and editor. Read the details here. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week I recorded a second podcast with Lou and Teresa from the Earrings Off Podcast. Here’s my first conversation with them where we spoke about publishing myths at: https://bit.ly/4iFaP6z:

Whatever type of writing you do, I know that writing contains its own complexity. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything that an author can control. Through the years, I’ve spoken with many authors, I find many of them have unrealistic expectations about publishing. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. Get my decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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Critical Author Habits

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 4 Jan 2026 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

While it was many years ago, I recall my first sip of coffee and the horrible taste.I wondered how or why people drank it. Many people around me were drinking coffee so I continued trying it and developed the habit of loving the taste of coffee. As a young writer, I leaned into the caffiene from my coffee drinking. In my early days of writing, I was drinking a full pot or two of coffee every day. Now many years later, I only drink a couple of cups of coffee but I still love the taste of it.

If you want to learn more about habit formation, I recommend reading or hearing Atomic Habits by James Clear. In 2019, I listened to the audiobook and wrote in my review, “Clear contends to make a new effective habit means developing a system. This audiobook is loaded with insights for every reader. I listened to this audiobook cover to cover and highly recommend ATOMIC HABITS.”

Often in these entries, I’ve written in detail about the various personal systems that I use in my critical author habits. I have over 1800 articles in The Writing Life and encourage you to search for a particular topic if I don’t include what you need in this article.

Today I want to pull out several of these habits with stories and my encouragement for you to incorporate them into your writing life.

Consistent Writing

No one sits down and writes a novel or a nonfiction book manuscript. The manuscript is written with a consistent and persistent gameplan. The majority of writers use a word count as their benchmark. For example, they decide to write 500 words (which is about two pages) every day or four times a week or whatever pattern. They select a pattern then do that pattern over and over to get a draft of their manuscript. There are many different types of writing. In the first chapter of Jumpstart Your Publishing Dream, I have an extensive list (follow this link to see it).

Also professional writers learn how to pitch their work to editors and literary agents. They learn how to write a query letter and a book proposal (no matter what type of book they are writing). Your book proposal is your business plan for your book and will include many important details which is not in your manuscript. The consistent use of these tools is an important habit to develop. If you want to know more about these tools, follow the links that I include. I’ve been using these tools for many years to be published in magazines and publishing houses.

Last month in an email, Mike Salisbury literary agent at Yates & Yates wrote about Beth Adams who I met years ago at a Seattle Writers Conference. Mike introduced Beth saying:

“Beth Adams is the Editorial Director for FaithWords and Worthy Books, imprints of the Hachette Book Group, where she’s worked on numerous bestselling and award-winning books. She also writes books as a side-hustle and has published over eighty books to date. Every day at 5 am, you can find her on the couch with her laptop and a strong cup of coffee, making up stories. An introverted book lover/cat lady at heart, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.”

Also Mike included Beth’s advice to writer saying: “Beth: Do it every day. You need to carve out consistent time in your schedule, even if it’s at 5 am, to work every single day. If you write only when you feel like it, you’ll never do it, and if you go more than a day or two without returning to your story, it becomes too hard to get back into it. You have to spend too much time getting back up to speed. But setting a regular rhythm allows you to stay in your work and also forces you to treat it like work, which it is.”

Expanded Connections

Your connections to the publishing world is an important one and should be a part of your habits. Who you know is as important as what you know. Are you continually expanding and using your connections? For example, are we connected on LinkedIN? If not, follow this link and send me a connection invitation. Publishing professionals move around a great deal and LinkedIN is a great place to begin if you want to connect or reconnect with someone. Often when they move they will take their LinkedIN account with them and their LinkedIN contact information will have this email address. I say “often” because I’ve had several recent situations where I know someone has left their publishing role and not left a non-publishing email address in LinkedIN.

Grow Readers

Every author needs to be growing readers for their writing. One of the critical elements is in a consistent newsletter. Everyone begins with a small list but the key habit is to consistently use and grow these connections. I’ve had a newsletter for many years and my downfall has been the lack of consistency. Over a year ago, I changed this pattern and have een sending my newsletter each week to subscribers. Here’s the link to subscribe and with my gratitude you will receive an 87-page ebook.

I spoke with one of my Morgan James Publishing authors who has done multiple books with us. This author knows about the importance of a newsletter but hasn’t started one. If you fall into this category, I encourage you to start a newsletter then send it consistently and grow your readership. I understand a newsletter takes continued time and effor. It is another critical author habit.

Continual Learning

For decades I’ve been studying and reading about different aspects of publishing. I continue to learn and experiment with differeent areas. In these articles I’ve mentioned doing guest podcasting. In several articles, I’ve detailed my process. As new podcasts launch, I’ve included the links and the details. During the last year, I’ve recorded or booked over 60 podcasts using PodMatch which is connected to over 90,000 podcasts. I encourage you to continue to experiment and learn new skills. At least once a year, get to a writer’s conference and take a class to open a different type of writing for you. The world is full of opportunity but you have to take continued action for it to happen.

Consistency and Persistence

Reading these words is a good first step but what actions are you going to take for your writing life? How can you develop a system where you consistently move forward? Let me know in the comments.

Tweetable:

According to this prolific author and editor, there are a series of critical author habits. You can read the details in this article. (ClickToTweet)

Start Your Writing Year with a Bang

I’m speaking at the Publicity Club on Tuesday, January 6th from 5 pm to 6 pm Pacific. I’m teaching on Seven Simple Actions to Boost Your Publishing This Year. The first meeting is free and here’s the Facebook event link with the details. I will be telling some stories but also including an action-packed handout. I hope many of you will attend and get my free resource.

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Time To Get Organized

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

With the New Year’s Day coming this week, I'm writing my final article about The Writing Life for this year. The bulk of the publishing community is silent. It’s something I call the Silent Days and I wrote an article about how to thrive during this period (follow the link). Officially Morgan James Publishing closes for the last two weeks of the year and reopens on Monday, January 5th. I’m still sending a few emails and doing a little work but not my typical effort.

From my perspective, these days are a great time to get organized. In this article, I’m going to show several of the activities that I’m doing and hopefully it will stir you to take action for your writing life. Toward the end of this article, I have information about a FREE live event on January 6th. I hope many of you will attend and take advantage of this opportunity.

Time to Reset

For many years, I’ve read through the Bible from cover to cover. I have at least four different versions of the printed book which I use:

The Daily Walk (the one I’ve read this year)

The Daily Messenge (the one for next year)

The One Year Bible

The Daily Bible in Chronological Order

For each version, I’ve purchased the digital version on my phone because I can make the type bigger for ease of reading. Also when I travel and I’m away from the printed copy, I continue to read my Bible each day. These volumes help me to set the pace and pattern of my day. If you don’t use one of these tools, I highly recommend it to keep you moving forward and connected to the most important book, The Bible.

Also I keep my financial receipts for the year in a box. This time of year I find an empty box and get it labeled and ready for the new year.

Sort, Organize and Throw Away

I have several stacks of print magazines that I will sort through, use and discard. Then I do the same task several shelves of books. Overall I read less last year than the year before (something Goodreads managed to tell me with an email). It moved me to recommit to doing more consistent reading during the coming year.

Reconnect with Friends and Colleagues

The holidays are a great time to reconnect with friends and colleagues. I’ve been doing a bit of that effort this year and hope you will take the time to do it as well.

Make Plans for the New Year

While I don’t make resolutions which are easy to break and not fulfill. Instead I take time to reflect on what happened last year. For example I traveled to and taught at three writer’s conferences. Each one opened up new opportunities in my writing life--and not always in the expected way. For example, at one event I met another faculty member and we recorded a podcast. At another event, I did not bring a single author into Morgan James Publishing (even though I tried and presented contracts to several new authors I met). Instead I met a freelance editor and author who referred an author to me. This referred author did publish her book with Morgan James and it will release this coming year. My lesson for you is to seize whatever opportunities open from a particular event even if not exactly the one you were projecting.

Podcasts

Throughout this year, I’ve been guesting on various podcasts. The bulk of these podcasts I’ve made through PodMatch which is connected to over 90,000 podcasts. I have booked or recorded over 60 different podcasts which have been downloaded 7,200 times. Each podcast opens a new door of opportunity for others to learn about my work and reach me. One key lesson I’ve learned is I can’t control when the podcaster will launch our recording. What I can control is the stories and answers I give during our time together. Before each podcast, I review my key stories, talking points and websites that I want to mention (no matter what question is asked). Within the writing world, we call this skill media training. If you want to learn more or take a refresher course in this area, I recommend this FREE training with Gayl Murphy (follow the link).

Plan to Attend a Writer’s Conference

Some of my greatest relationships in the publishing world started at a writer’s conference. There are some amazing opportunities at these events. Follow this link for some possibilities. In May 2026, I will be at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. This link contains my speaking schedule.

Boost Your Writing Year on January 6th

I’m speaking at the Publicity Club on Tuesday, January 6th from 5 pm to 6 pm Pacific. I'm teaching on Seven Simple Actions to Boost Your Publishing This Year. The first meeting is free and here’s the Facebook event link with the details. I will be telling some stories but also including an action-packed handout. I hope many of you will attend and get my free resource.

Throughout my years in publishing, I appreciate the insights and knowledge I’ve gained from others. Here’s a simple truth: knowledge alone is worthless. It’s your consistent and persistent actions that will make the difference in the results of your writing life. Maybe you wanted to write a book or some other goal last year and it did not happen. The year ahead can be different if you take consistent and persistent actions.

Organized people accomplish more than working in chaos and a mess.Ideas are fleeting so capture them then work to get them accomplished. The image I chose for this article is not my actual desk but hopefully this organized office gives you some ideas and motivation for what your office could be like. Take a little time to get organized and it will pay off for your productivity and accomplishments in the days ahead.

How are you using these days to get organized? What am I missing? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

The slower pace of these days can provide time to get organized according to this prolific author and editor. Get the details and specifics about a free event. (ClickToTweet)

As I’ve worked in the publishing world for years, I’ve spoken with many authors about their expectations and dreams for their books. I’ve found many of these authors have unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help and take actions no matter what the publisher does for your book. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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Make Self-Imposted Deadlines

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As a writer, you can stand out from other writers with a simple action: meet or exceed your deadlines. From my work as a magazine editor and now a book editor, I’ve watched the results with many types of authors. The majority of them are notorious late. Book authors agree to the deadline when they sign the contract. As an editor, I’ve heard almost every possible excuse from the authors why they can’t meet their deadline. Some editors build fudge room into their schedule planning

editors and others count on that deadline to launch product in the market.

Recently at Morgan James Publishing, the leadership changed the point in production process when they were setting the launch date for the book. They were setting the date at a point when the author had not delivered the final manuscript. The authors were missing that deadline, then the launch release date had to be changed internally. In the chain of a book release, the sales team, the retailers and many others depend on the accuracy of this release date. When the date gets moved it causes issues with these various groups. The author is oblivious to this chaos from simply delivering a late manuscript. Now the team including the author will set the launch date at a point where the manuscript is finished and in place so this deadline will not need to be moved.

When I worked at David C. Cook as an acqusitions editor, one day the managing editor came to my desk with an assignment saying, “Get this author to turn in his book manuscript.” I agreed to get in touch with this author, who I knew and several years earlier I had ghostwritten one of his books.

Before I reached out to the author about the book, I gathered more details about the book. It turned out to be years late. Cook had paid a sizeable advance for this book and nothing would be recovered for that payment until we got the manuscript and sold it into the bookstores. I asked my editor for the author’s phone number but she didn’t have it nor was it in our internal records--and I found this missing detail fascinating. I had a number but it was old and didn't connect with the author.

As a representative of the publisher, I decided to call this author’s office. I spoke with his assistant. She refused to give me the number, saying she had no idea if I worked for the publisher (during the days before caller ID). I persisted and read the number that I had including the area code. She told me I had the right phone number but felt comfortable to tell me that the area code had been changed. Now with the number, I called this author’s home and immediately was in touch with his wife about the very late manuscript. Later I spoke with the author about this manuscript and I made sure my colleagues at Cook had his home phone number in their records.

When you (or your agent) negotiates a book contract, you will have a deadline (which you can change and extend before you sign). Once you agree to this deadline, then you have to figure out how to commit the time and make or exceed your deadline.

As a young journalist, I learned the importance of deadlines. At the newspaper, we would have story meetings at 7 am where we got our writing assignments. Our deadline for delivering that story was 11 am then the story was edited, typeset and in the afternoon paper which came out at 3 pm. In those days we did not have a computer but used a manual typewriter and learned the importance of meeting deadlines.

I’ve worked at newspapers, magazines and book publishers. The quickest deadlines are with newspapers, then magazines have a longer deadline. Books have the longest deadline but are also more words than a magazine article.

For every deadline, the writer has to figure out how many words they need to write in a certain time period to meet the deadline. Also you need to build in some time to review your writing, make revisions then submit your final version. In the old days, we mailed our computer disk or our manuscript. Now with the speed of internet, you have to meet your deadline.

As a writer, you have to understand how many hours will you have to be at your computer and how many words can you write during that time period so you will achieve your deadline. No one writes a 50,000 or 100,000 word book in a single day. Instead the story is written in chunks of time and persistent work to complete and successfully send the work. This process is the same whether it is your first book or you have written many books.

Are you committed to hitting your deadlines? Have you understood the chaos you produce for others when you miss a deadline? What self-imposed steps do you take with your writing to meet your deadlines? I look forward to your answers in the comments.

Tweetable:

Every writer has to make self-imposed deadlines according to this prolific author and editor. Also he explains some of the unforeseen events when a writer misses the deadline. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)

I’m currently working for my third publisher as an acquisitions editor. Without exaggeration, I’ve spoken with hundreds of authors about their books and plans. Over and over, I find many authors have an unrealistic expectation for what will happen when their book gets published. I know much of the publishing process is outside of anything that an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS, which is a practical easy reading book to help you. Get my decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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A Cautionary Tale: Tech Error

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 08:41:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Since 2004, each week I’ve been writing and posting these articles about The Writing Life. I’ve had many different experiences and enjoy helping you with these stories and the various resources. Don’t worry. I’m not going to stop writing these pieces and giving back to the writing community through them.

I had a tech error which interrupted the article I was going to show you today. Throughout my week I get ideas for these articles and will write a few sentences into a file then save it.

Yesterday I took one of those ideas and wrote the article for today. It contained links to other resources and a series of action steps for writers. In the completion process, I swept through it several final times and perfected every detail including ClickToTweet and even posting it into my social media plans.When I “published” it, one of the settings was wrong and instead of publishing it on the typical Sunday morning time, it instantly published it.

I did not want this article released. I checked the behind-the-scenes setting and could not determine how to put it back on schedule. Then I made a fatal error to this article: I deleted it and put it into the trash. It disappeared and when I searched the help menu, I learned it could not be recovered.

As I look back, I could have prevented this error by opening a new post, cutting and pasting my work into a new article, then saving it. But that possibility disappeared when I deleted the article. I was disappointed with my error. While I knew I created it in the first place and can write it again, I could not muster the energy to start it immediately. Instead I went on to other tasks for the rest of my day.

Sometime in the future, I will write again that deleted article and post it in The Writing Life. Instead today, I’m posting this cautionary tale about a tech error. In my writing life, I’ve rarely lost a piece of writing because I have faced this situation in the past. Admittedly it has happened rarely but happened. It’s why I often draft my writing in a Microsoft Word file then save it and return to finish it off and finalize it. That carefully created process didn’t happen this time. Instead I pushed the delete button and it erased.

How do you protect your writing from such errors? What steps to you take with your creative work? When it happens does it throw off your work? Does it make you take a break? How do you return and keep moving forward? This situation has the possibility of quiting and ending the writing process. It’s not an alternative I’m willing to take. Instead I take a break from it, then return to it and continue. I’m committed to continuing to post these articles about the writing life.

A Broader Perspective

For this article, I have focused on my crafted then deleted article. I want to conclude this article with another step I took to focus on some of the other things that happened in my publishing life. Because of my work with Morgan James Publishing, I championed the work of authors and my publication board agreed with the merits of these authors and sent me three book contracts. I sent these contracts on to the authors. Also I established some new publishing relationships in the community. These activities are only a few of what I accomplished last week including sending my weekly email newsletter and posting on social media 12-15 times a day. In addition, I learned a book that I championed and was published through Morgan James Publishing ten years ago in 2015. It was one of the top five books MJP sold this year.

The Paleo Cardiologist: The Natural Way to Heart Health was this book. I refuse to let one tech error downgrade the other positive things which happened during the week.

Each of us are on this publishing journey. What steps are you taking to continue and move forward in your journey? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

Have you accidentally deleted a new piece of writing? This prolific author and editor gives the details and a cautionary tele of his tech error. (ClickToTweet)

During my decades in publishing, I’ve spoken with hundreds of writers about their dreams and plans. Many of these authors have unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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Finding the Right Fit

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 7 Dec 2025 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

At any given time in the publishing world, I’ve heard there are at least a million book proposals and manuscripts in circulation. They are piled in editor’s and literary agent’s email and sometimes physically on their desks. There are many reasons for this volume of submissions. Some authors have no idea where to send their manuscript. These authors send a “dear editor” email and use a blindcopy so it could be going to thousands of addresses. These types of submissions do not get processed and are instantly deleted.

The publishing community is constantly changing. Recently I was going to reach out to an editorial director at a large publisher. Before I sent my email, I went to their LinkedIn account where we are connected. I learned this editor is now a freelance consultant and left her long-term relationship with that publishing house last April.

The image for this article shows a woman building a jigsaw puzzle. In many ways, writers looking for the right publishing connection is almost like working on a puzzle. Like the trial and error process you use when assembling a puzzle, publishing also has this same process. From my years in this business, to discover the right fit takes effort and work. I’m going to give you some ideas, examples and resources in this article.

Before you send your submission, you need to consider the publisher and the fit. For example, you don’t pitch a full color cookbook or a full color coffee table book to an agent or publisher who has no interest. Or a novel to a publisher which handles serious nonfiction. Look at their website first. Who are their authors or clients? Use this research to make sure you are pitching the right publishing companies.

The next question is do you have a relationship with them? Have you met them at a writer’s conference or book event? Do you have a connection with them in LinkedIN or in some other way? Are they still at that publishing company or have they moved or retired or changed to another position? It’s always a good idea to check their LinkedIN profile--even if you aren’t connected to this particular publishing professional.

Have you included all the right details in your pitch? Have you createde an excellent book proposal? If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, get the free version of Book Proposals That Sell and use my book proposal checklist.

Before I overwhelm you with this process, I want to give you some good news. Every editor and literary agent that I know is actively looking for the next bestseller. They are reading their emails and their physical mail looking for the right fit.

For example, at Morgan James Publishing, I connected with an author who had written a middle grade novel. She was in the United Kingdom and after several email exchanges, I learned this author was 15 and soon turning 16. When I spoke with this author and her father, I was impressed with the organization and storytelling skills of this young author. Morgan James distributes and prints in the UK but all of the other details did not fit for this author. During my years with MJP, I have contracted and published several young authors who have written novels. The details have to fit for this process to happen.

As editors, we are looking for the right author and their right book. For example, I want to find authors who understand they need to reach readers with their message and actively sell books using the thousand different ways. Last week I spoke with an author who had written a story. As we spoke, he told me that he had no interest in promoting his writing. Instead he wanted to take a smaller royalty and have someone else do that marketing effort. Instead this author just wanted to spend their days writing stories--not promoting their books. From the conversation, I could see this author was not going to be a good fit. Also this author wasn’t taking responsibility for his own success and looking for others to do it. Instead of leading this author to Morgan James, I encouraged this author to write for magazines because you can reach many people with publications yet do not have to do the marketing work like you do with books.

When it comes to publishing books, there are basically three paths: traditional, self-publishing and hybrid or independent publishing. David Hancock, the founder of Morgan James, has written The Babylon Blueprint for Authors. This book has great low-cost and no-cost marketing suggestions. It also includes 40 pages comparing these three options. Follow this link to get a free copy of this resource.

In last week’s mail, I got the best resource for any writer who wants to publish in the Christian market: The Christian Writers Market Guide 2026. It releases in the bookstores on December 16th.

If you have an older guide, recycle it and get this one because each year the information changes, editors move, publications open and others close. The key is not to just get the book and put it on your bookshelf. You have to use the information inside it. I’m encouraging you to use this book over and over to open new opportunities and relationships.

Last week, a writer that I met during the summer at a conference called and left a voicemail. He wanted my input about an “opportunity” had found from a PR firm to attend the Los Angeles Book Festival. It would cost him over $1,500 to the PR firm along with his travel expenses from the midwest. To me this opportunity had several red flags. First, I had never heard of the PR firm (red flag because I’ve been in this business for many years). The second red flag was the hefty fee from the PR firm. The third red flag is that I’ve been to book festivals and know that I “could” make a good connection or they could be a waste of time and money. I encouraged this author that this opportunity was not the right fit.

I applaud this author for getting input before he made a decision. I would not suggest calling any professional publishing person. Instead use other methods like email. As writers, we have many opportunities and ways to publishing, promote, and reach new readers with our writing. The key is to continue to explore these various ways and work to find the right fit. The only way you can stop this process is to quit--which I encourage you not to do.

What actions are you taking to find the right fit for your writing? How can you open some new doors for your work and reach new readers? What am I missing? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

A crucial part of the writing journey is finding the right fit for your work. This prolific author and editor provides the details and resources in this article. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week one more podcast recording launched:

Mike Wagner and I spoke about 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS on The Mike Wagner Show. Listen at: https://bit.ly/4pkXCDn

During my decades in publishing, I’ve heard the unrealistic expectations of writers. The reality is many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

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Our Days Are Short

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Each of us have a limited number of days on this planet. We may not think about it but sometimes this fact comes roaring our lives.

In my Bible, I have a series of friends photos that I pray for every day. A number of these people are missionaries that I served with through Wycliffe Bible Translators. A few weeks ago one of these friends that I’ve known since the 70s and appeared in great health. He had a heart-attack and died. While I’ve often read heart attacks are a leading cause of death, the passing of this friend touched me personally--way more than any statistic.

As I’ve grown older and had many different experiences, I’m aware that our days on this planet are not endless but overall short. As writers, we need to be aware of the shortness of time and use this limited resource wisely. In Latin the term carp deim or pluck the day and seize the moment.

Use Your Time Wisely

The bulk of these articles on The Writing Life give insights and encouragement for your work in publishing. I wanted to mke sure this article also includes this element. For the rest of this article, I’m highlighting a set of principles or maxims which are buried in the final pages of both versions of Book Proposals That Sell. I wrote the original version of this book as a frustrated acquisitions editor trying to receive better submissions. The book has helped many writers and has over 150 Five Star Reviews and exceeded any of my expectations.

12 Maxims for Any Writer

Throughout my career, I’ve used these operating principles. I hope these maxims will aid you in your overall writing career.

1. Never forget the impact of your words—positive or negative. Most days, I feel the pressure of motivation to make money as a freelancer. I’ve got bills and obligations which demand payment. Yet if you are so money-driven that you never make any decisions about your writing except ones which are motivated from finances, it will be difficult for you to advance in nonfiction or fiction. Don’t get me wrong. I want to be fairly compensated for my work but I also want to enjoy my work and what I do day in and day out. You need to be conscious of your motivation behind your writing and let that drive your daily efforts.

2. Never forget your writing is a privilege and a business—so seek to maintain balance. Too many writers hesitate to ask for their materials or for a decision about a query or proposal. They send it out once or twice, then it’s rejected and they don’t properly market or even follow-up.

3. Celebrate your writing successes. Never lose the wonder of the opportunity. At another conference I attended—a secular writing conference in Southern California—I was fascinated by a secular novelist and his message. While waiting to ask him a question after the session, I turned to another person and asked if she had taken this instructor’s writing class. The woman puffed up her face in disgust and replied, “No, I’m a published author.” Just because our material is printed in magazines or books, it should not build us up in pride. Believe me, sometimes it’s difficult but as writers we need to keep things in balance, especially when it comes to books.

4. Believe in the quality of your work and the value of your message. Surprises always happen. I work hard at my craft and perseverance is a key factor. Don’t get me wrong but I love to receive my material in print. It’s a surprise and a special blessing. It’s the new box of books hot off the press or the magazine article in a missionary publication. I marvel at the grace in my life. I’d encourage you to absorb the same attitude no matter how many books you publish.

5. Expect to serve an apprenticeship. It’s a false expectation to go from nothing to book contracts. Everyone is expected to move through the ranks of this business. It takes diligence and perseverance to succeed.

6. Learn all you can from every possible source. If you approach life in this fashion, you will find that you can learn from a multitude of sources.

7. Act wisely and thoughtfully. Haste usually makes waste.

8. Never resist rewriting. Your words are not etched in stone.

9. Never resist editing. Again, your words are not etched in stone.

10. When you receive advice about your writing, learn to evaluate it critically. Sometimes you will get advice from a fellow writer or a family member and it doesn’t “feel” like something you should take. Follow that instinct.

11. Treat editors as the coach on your team. They know their audience, so respect their counsel and only reject it with good reason.

12. Never rest on your laurels. Be looking for your next opportunity. I’ve discovered that writing opportunities abound—particularly when I’m actively looking for them.

As I read through each of these principles, I know the stories and experiences which are baked into each one. My hope is they will encourage you to seize the day and continue moving forward with your writing life. You are the only person who can stop the writing journey through your quiting (which I hope you don’t do).

In the comments, let me know which principle spoke to you and your writing life. Or tell me about another principle which is missing from my list. I look forward to your comments.

Tweetable:

It’s easy to believe our days are endless. This prolific author and editor encourages us to understand our days are short. Also this article highlights 12 maxims. (ClickToTweet)

My Writing In Other Places:

With these articles, I encourage you to publish your work beyond your blog in other places. Below are three articles which were published in other online locations than this blog.

At Almost An Author, I guest blog each month about an aspect of book proposal creation. This month I asked and answered a common question: Why Do Editors Take So Long with my Submission? at: https://bit.ly/3Xk7Urg

This time of year, many writers feel like they have missed their goals. At Writers on the Move, I guest blogged about how writers can meet their goals and how to create a strategy for their writing at: https://bit.ly/48lT4Xe

Each year between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the majority of publishing is silent. At the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog, I encourage writers to thrive during the silent days at: https://bit.ly/3JTpbo6

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week two more of my podcast recordings were launched:

Jan Johnson and I spoke about Revolutionary Jesus: Shifting Paradigms on Just Talkin' About Jesus Podcast. Watch at: https://bit.ly/4pwPqzM or listen at: https://bit.ly/4p6SVgi

Ken Primus (@ThreadsofEnlig1) and I spoke about the art of storytelling: how powerful stories shape identity and purpose on The Threads of Enlightenment Podcast. Watch at: https://bit.ly/43X2hTB or listen at: https://bit.ly/48qShU4

Even if you self-publish your book, you need to be cautious about your decisions and who you choose to work with for your book production. I’ve met authors who have spent thousands of dollars in the self-publishing process and unknowingly worked with someone in the Philippines and produced a terrible looking book which is only sold online. I’ve heard the unrealistic expectations of writers. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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Gratitude Is Not Just One Day

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Once a year, the people in the United States pause for a holiday called Thanksgiving. It’s a wonderful time to celebrate with family and friends. Depending on the year, we travel to these gatherings and plan for special food and even individual traditions of expressing gratitude. Through the years, I've always loved the celebration of Thanksgiving. In recent days I’ve read a number of articles tied to this holiday.

In this article, I want to take a different twist on gratitude. I contend gratitude needs to fill our writing life much more than once a day. In fact, I encourage you to incorporate thankfulness or gratitude into your every day life. Here’s some starter ideas for you to bring gratitude into your daily life:

1. Write in a Gratitude Journal. Some writers have been keeping a daily journal since they were young. I’m not one of those people. In fact, for years I resisted the idea of writing my thoughts into a journal. Through the years, I’ve had the opportunity to occasionally go to the Book Expo and wander through their exhibits and pick up books. This event stopped for several years during the pandemic but is returning in 2026. At once of these events, I picked up a casebound, blank journal which caught my attention. Someone suggested writing a daily gratitude journal. I started to fill those blank pages and it has become a daily habit for years. In fact, I have a series of these gratitude journals. I encourage you to use a gratitude journal as a way to continually express your thankfulness.

2. By hand, write thank you notes. It’s rare that I receive a little thank you note in my mail. I've been writing these little notes for years. Often in my mail, I receive a print copy of a book. I pull out a note card and write a thank you to that person. My handwriting has grown poor so I print and even that is hard to read but the sentiment is certainly there with my card. It’s a practice I've been doing for years and learned from bestselling author Richard Foster who celebrated my first book when it was released in 1992. As writers, we can learn gratitude from others and incorporate it into our daily lives.

3. Use the chorus Give Thanks. Many years ago, I interviewed American singer and songwriter Don Moen. In 1986, Don wrote a little chorus called Give Thanks. Follow this link to listen on YouTube. I purchased this little song as a ringtone and have it on my phone. It’s another simple reminder and helps gratitude fill my daily life.

4. Avoid being ungrateful. I understand that Christians have been expecting the return of Jesus since he left thousands of years ago. Some people believe we are in the last days. 2 Timothy 3:2-5 includes a list of some horrible sins during this period. Tucked into the list is one word tied to this article: ungrateful.

As Christian writers, it’s important for us to stand out and be different. Our continued gratitude is one of those ways. What am I missing and what actions are you taking to continually express gratitude? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

During this season of Thanksgiving, this prolific author and editor believes gratitude is not just one day. Get the details in this article. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week one more podcast recording launched:

Mitch Carson (@MCarsonOfficial) and I spoke about The Truth About Publishing: Why Authors Must Market Their Own Books on The Amazing Authorities Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/49sJyml

As I’ve worked in the publishing world for years, I’ve spoken with many authors about their expectations and dreams for their books. I’ve found many of these authors have unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help and take actions no matter what the publisher does for your book. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. Click the link to learn more details.

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The Necessity of Continual Experimentation

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

There is no 1-2-3 formula to become an author--much less a bestselling author. Instead each of us need to continually experiment with different aspects of the process. As we experiment and fail, then try something else, we will find our course of action. The only action which can stop you is if you quit and give up.

To publish a book, there are basically three paths: traditional, self-publishing and hybrid or independent publishing. Each path involves many choices and these choices can lead you forward or into a holding pattern. I’ve spoken with authors who have gotten tired of building their platform, chasing a literary agent and a traditional publishing deal. They have self-published and spent thousands of dollars in this process. These authors have their book on their own website and Amazon--and no where else because of their choices. I encourage you to check out David Hancock, the founder of Morgan James Publishing, and his new book, The Babylon Blueprint for Authors. While it contains some great marketing ideas for your book, it also has 40 pages comparing the three different paths. Use this link to get a free copy.

As writers, we need to continually experiment, research different options, choose some of them and fail. This week I spoke with an author who is weighing his publishing choices. A number of years ago he published a novel with Morgan James Publishing. After my call with him, I looked into the sales of this novel. I learned in the bookstores (our main market), it has sold a little over 200 copies and only four choices over the last year. No wonder he’s talking with me about doing a relaunch on this novel to get it moving forward.

I gave you these details so you can see (and learn) how within the publishing house we are commuicating with each other. You may have had some situation which prevented you from marketing and promoting your book in the bookstores. Inspite of whatever else is happening in your life, I encourage you to make a little room for continued effort to move readers into the bookstore and get your books. There are thousands of ways so choose one and do it. Also notice the impression these details make on the decision about a subsequent book.

For a number of years, I’ve been speaking with this author about his current nonfiction book. To date, I’ve only received a detailed outline and now he has a draft of his manuscript. I’ve asked for the manuscript and his marketing plan. To get a contract offer from a New York publishing house, takes a great deal of behind-the-scenes work and is a team decision. I can be the champion for the author but the group makes the contract decision. I’m interested to see the book manuscript and marketing plan. The author has to send it to me for the process to continue.

Be Curious

As you continually experiment, I encourage you to be curious and ask questions. Several years ago I listened to the audio book version of Brian Grazer’s A Curious Mind. The book includes fascinating stories like how it took years for the Hollywood community to greenlight and make Splash--which turned into a top grossing film. Grazer encourages his readers to ask good questions and be curious. Over ten years ago, I championed a Morgan James book called The Power of Curosity. I encourage you to locate these books, read them and apply the information into your writing life. We need to be curious and ask good questions.

Follow Mentors

As writers, we need mentors or people who have found success with their actions. Find these people then follow them, read their books, take their online courses and apply the information into your life. I want to make several suggestions in this area. First, follow my posts on X/Twitter (use the link). Notice I will post articles from some people over and over. These authors are some of my mentors that I follow and learn from them. You will have to experiment to find your mentors and they will likely be different than mine. It's all part of the journey of finding success.

For example, Armand Morin followed the traces of success to create a 200-million-dollar business, become a bestselling country music artist and an in-demand internationally acclaimed speaker and trainer. You can learn more reading his book, Success Leaves Traces.

Hire Recommended People

If you need to improve an area of your writing life, ask some of your mentors for a recommendation or do your own research and select someone that you hire. For example, my newsletter needed attention and help. I had several different lists and wanted to merge them together into one list. I didn’t have the time or expertise to learn this skill. Instead I hired an expert and learned from her. The process with my newsletter changes are not finalized or finished. It’s a continual process of learning, experimenting and improving. You will take the same journey with whatever skill you need to gain and adjust.

If You Aren't Making Progress...

Maybe when you read this article, you are stuck and feel like you are not making progress. As I said at the beginning of this piece, it is when you quit that you stop moving forward. Keep pitching in different areas. Continue to learn to write a book proposal and/or a query letter. Also keep making new connections and pitching to other professionals. Like one of my friends told me this week, “To kiss a princess, you have to kiss a lot of frogs.” Your right connection is out there and you will find it if you keep pitching.

Are you continually experimenting? If so, tell me about it in the comments. Or maybe I’m missing something then tell us in the comments.

Tweetable:

According to this prolific author and editor, success in publishing involves the necessity of continual experimentation. Read about the details. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week one more podcast recording launched:

Ed Parcaut (@edparcaut) and I spoke about Busting Publishing Myths and Revealed Secrets for Author Success on Inner Edison Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/49eW9JM

Every type of publishing has its own complexity, and many parts of the process are outside of anything that an author can control. In addition, from speaking with authors, I find many of them have unrealistic expectations about publishing. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. Get my decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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Level Up Your Writing Life

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 9 Nov 2025 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Each of us have limited time but many things are screaming for our attention and time as writers. The number of published books is growing every day and the volume of material pouring into publishers and agents is increasing. Publishing houses are cutting back on their staff and each editor is working on more books. Because these editors are pressured to publish books that sell, whenever they see a “diamond in the rough submission” which has potential, they understand they do not have the time for feedback or development of a manuscript. Instead, they do not respond or send a form rejection.

A Truth Before You Submit

As a writer, you have to pitch and submit your material, before you hit that send button, here’s the truth to remember: You only have one chance to make a good first impression. The reality is you make that impression in seconds. You want to pause and take one last look at that submission before you send it. Do not let the fear of failure or rejection prevent you from sending it (another issue many people have). Instead get your ideas into the marketplace but with wisdom.

When you take one final check on your submission before sending it, I compare it to a look in the mirror before I head out the door to meet with a prospective author about Morgan James Publishing. The details and making that right first impression only happens once.

Change To Level Up

As writers, we need to change and level up our writing life to stand out. In this article, I want to talk about these changes and actions you can take to distinguish yourself from others. Years ago when I was a literary agent, I spent a lot of time helping my clients craft their proposals and submissions. It’s the first impression principle even for well-known agents. They have seconds to catch attention. In today’s marketplace, the agent doesn't have time or energy for such personal and detailed feedback for their clients. Instead, these agents push their clients to craft better submissions. Or the agents connect the author with a freelance editor who can work over the submission. This freelancer is hired for specific editorial work on the proposal and/or partial manuscript.

Find Honest Feedback

In our writing lives, it’s often a challenge to get honest feedback. You show your writing to your family and they love it. Often they are reluctant to give you their truth. A notable exception in this area is bestselling author John Grisham’s wife. As the first reader of his writing, she uses a red pen to give her feedback and then the couple has vigorious discussions that their children called “book fights.” I encourage you to use this link to watch the full C-Span 58-minute interview. I found it fascinating.

If you can’t get honest feedback from your family, where do you turn? Maybe it is your local writing group or a critique partner. In the early days of my writing life, my writing (and submissions) improved because of my monthly critique group. The critical action is to be aware of your need for such feedback and level up your writing getting it ahead of your submission.

Add Something Extra

When crafting your book proposal or query letter, add some rare details to stand out from others. For example, add a completed foreword from a well-known person into your submission. It takes work on your part to get such a document but it will distinguish your proposal from everything else on that editor’s or agent’s desk.

In your book proposal, add special sales ideas. More than 60% of books are sold outside the bookstore. Can you use your connections to make a special sale to move thousands of copies of your book? Get Beyond the Bookstore by Brian Jud and study the pages to create your ideas in your book proposal. Few people do this creative work and if you do it, you will stand out from the other submissions.

Ask (and even pay for) Help

No writer has all of the information and insight they need before they submit their work--even bestselling authors need editorial help and insight from others. Ask for editorial or marketing recommendations, investigate and choose someone for assistance. The days of Max Perkins (check out this book) are long gone. As writers who want to publish successfully, we have to pour the work into the craft and creation of our submissions. Otherwise we will not capture attention from the editors and agents.

Each of you can do this work to level up your writing life.. It takes a commitment to learning, growth and taking consistent action.

For this article, I was intentional about using an image of a bridge. If the builders don’t create a level bridge then it does not function. In the same way, writers need to use the resources in this article to level up their submissions and find the right connection to get your words into the world. If I can help you, don't hesitate to reach out. It’s why I have my personal email address in my X/Twitter profile.

In the comments, let me know what I am missing or what actions you are going to take in the days ahead to level up your writing life. I look forward to your insights.

Tweetable:

The world of publishing is always changing. This prolific author and editor gives the insights and actions how you can level up your writing life. (ClickToTweet)

My Writing In Other Places:

With these articles, I encourage you to publish your work beyond your blog in other places. Below are three articles which were published in other online locations than this blog.

Each month I blog about some aspect of book proposal creation for the Almost An Author website. I wrote Editors Do More Than Read Submissions: https://bit.ly/3JG2W4D

Is your writing world scarce or filled with possibilities. In an article on Writers on the Move, I wrote about how Opportunity Is Everywhere at: https://bit.ly/43fWhVn

Once a month, I write a guest blog for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. Every writer wants to become more productive and in this second article I gave some specific actions. Increase Your Productivity-Part 2: https://bit.ly/4hgmcCl

For many years, I have spoken with individuals who want to publish a book. I’ve listened to their plans and found many of them have an unrealistic idea about the details of publishing. To sell books and succeed, these details are important. 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS is a practical easy reading book to help you. Get my decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of

bonuses.

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Make Small & Significant Adjustments

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 2 Nov 2025 04:30:00 -0800

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As writers, our days are full of activity. Can you make some small yet significant adjustments in your writing life and reach more people as a result?

Last spring through my email, I learned that my shopping cart which I had been using for over 20 years was going to close. When I called customer service, they affirmed that they were shutting down because their server was old and not preforming well. I paid this company monthly for a diverse set of tools including my newsletter, the autoresponders for my various lead magnets, and a few digital products that I sold. I didn’t have a technical person managing it for me because I didn’t want to pay those monthly fees. Instead, I had slowly learned to create a newsletter, add new products and new autoresponders. At times the learning curve was steep and I had to reach out to customer service for advise and help. Overall my shopping cart was working but I had a deadline when it would no longer function.

There are a number of companies which serve this function. I did some research and selected where I would change my newsletter. The changeover was overwhelming and something I could not fit into my schedule. I reached out and located a technical expert to move everything. The change was costly and took several weeks and almost everything was moved. There are a few things which still need some clean up.

Through the years my newsletter has been sporadic and leading people to different places. It’s not the path that I would recommend. Over a year ago, I decided issue my newsletter each week. As my subscribers will tell you, I’ve faithfully sent this newsletter each week. My issue was moving those email addresses from my old list. I reached out to a newsletter specialist who has moved and merged several lists into a single newsletter. It has definitely been a process which is almost finished. If you aren’t subscribed to my newsletter, I encourage you to use this link, subscribe and you will receive an 87 page ebook filled with writing encouragement.

Besides my weekly newsletter, I have these articles for The Writing Life which I create each week. I have a smaller group of subscribers who receive these articles on their email. I use a tool called Feedblitz for this list. I used their standard and plain form:

For many years, my form has been the same with no changes or improvements. I wondered if I could make a small but significant change in the form. Then it would be identified to the reader that it was tied to The Writing Life. I reached out to ask for help. They responded with step-by-step instructions. I followed them and changed my subscription form to:

This change would not be helpful if I didn’t promote my new form. As the great circus P.T. Barnum has said, “Without promotion something terrible happens. Nothing.” In my weekly newsletter, I added a postscript with a simple sentence and a link to my new form. I will be doing some additional promotion of this form in the days ahead. It is a simple but true principle that you have to do the marketing otherwise it does not increase. There are dozens of ways and places to do this promotion but it takes continued action to make these increases.

I’m telling you these stories to ask you a few questions? What is it you want to improve? Is there a way to make some small but significant changes which will move you in the direction that you want or need to go? I encourage you to take a moment and think about the areas you want to improve. Maybe you need to sell a book project and create a book proposal. Or maybe you want to reach more people through magazine articles or personal experience stories. Or maybe you want to do more speaking or podcasting or any number of other aspects of the writing life.

In straight forward language, write your goals. Then plan how are you going to get there? Who could help you and guide you? Will you email them asking for their help or call them or meet with them on person? As writers we have many choices for each aspect of our lives but need to find the different options then select one and take action on it. Maybe your change or shift will be small or maybe a big shift will transpire. The key is to understand it and move forward.

I encourage you to get the help you need--even if you have to pay for the coaching or training. It is critical for you to keep improving, growing and learning to reach your goals and remain consistent toward them--in spite of any challenges, discouragement, rejection or roadblocks. Recognize the challenges, rejection and roadblocks will come but your persistence and consistency will eventually move you beyond the resistence.

What small but significant adjustments do you need to make in your writing life? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

What happens to your writing life when you make small and significant adjustments? Read the stories and actions from this prolific author and editor. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week one more podcast recording launched:

Bestselling novelist Steven James (@readstevenjames) and I talked about the importance of showing instead of telling, looking at the bigger picture, giving readers a reason to flip the page, and The 11th Myth on The Story Blender Podcast: https://bit.ly/3WtbsXJ

Throughout my many years in publishing, I’ve co-authored over a dozen books and reviewed thousands of submissions (no exaggeration). As a part of the process of working with these authors, I speak with them about their dreams and plans. Many of these authors have unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the details of publishing are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

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When You Feel Behind...

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 26 Oct 2025 04:30:00 -0700

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

It’s a common feeling but rarely discussed--feeling like you are behind and can’t get caught up. I often have this concern and in this article I want to give you some ideas and action steps for your writing.

I encourage you to recognize that each of us have overwhelming days when there is more to be done like:

More email to answer.
More editors to pitch.
More places to speak and podcasts to pitch.
More books to read and write reviews.
More articles to write for magazines.
More conferences to attend.
More new connections to make and explore.
More follow-up calls and emails to send.
More social media posts.

You get the idea: everyone feels like there is more to be done.

I encourage you to realize everyone (including me) feels like this from time to time. Each of us have the same amount of time in a day and limitations on what we can do. Every day we are making choices how we spend our time. Here’s some ideas for actions each of us can take.

Take a hard look at what you are doing.

Can you ask someone for help or hire someone to help you? Can you say “no thank you” to an opportunity? Recently a long-term writing friend asked me to endorse or blurb her forthcoming book. She offered to write it for me and gave a short deadline for when she needed it. Also she followed up reminding me of her deadline. I didn’t want someone else to write my endorsement and I passed on the opportunity. I recognize the choice and each of us make them every day.

Write shorter emails.

I want to be a good communicator and answer my emails from authors and others. My actions in this area are a simple way to stand out from other editors who ghost writers and do not respond. I can’t answer all of my emails so some of them do not get response. Also I can write shorter emails and responses. These actions can help me to answer more emails.

Repurpose Your Writing.

Each month I have a series of deadlines for guest blog posts and articles. I understand the value of these articles because others read them and follow my links and advice. One option to complete these deadlines is to repurpose or use writing that I’ve done in other places. For example, I’ve written several how-to-write books. I can take a portion of this writing and repurpose it into a guest blog post with only a little revision. If you have written a nonfiction book or a devotional or a Christian living book which contains your stories, you can take these stories and submit them to magazines. When you get them published, they will likely reach more readers than your books and could lead readers to know (and hopefully buy) your books. You can be wise about how you repurpose and use your writing but you have to be thinking about these aspects.

Take a break during the day.

It’s easy for me to sit long hours at my keyboard and work on different aspects of my writing life. Also throughout my day, I need to take care of myself as a writer in this process. Maybe I need to drink more water or walk around the block and get outside. When I take these breaks, I am taking care of physical self but also often return to my keyboard with an increased enthusiasm for my work.

Revise your writing goals.

This week a writer asked me how long it would take to write her book. It's a common question that I hear and answer in an unexpected way. I do not give a word count or page count for the author because each of us are different. I may write a complete book in a few weeks where another author will take all year to write that same amount of material. Each of us have to carve out the writing time, select a word count goal that works for us then do it over and over. If you aren’t meeting your writing goals, then you need to revise them. It's that straightforward.

To wrap up this article about feeling behind, I want to recall the fable of the race between the rabbit and the turtle. Who won that race? The rabbit raced ahead and took a nap but the turtle keep moving forward, passed the sleeping rabbit and won the race.

I encourage you to take the long view of your writing. It is not a sprint but a marathon. Keep chipping away and moving ahead with the work and eventually you will succeed. The only way to stop the progress is to quit.

What actions do you take when you feel like you are falling behind? Let me know in the comments. I look forward to reading them.

Tweetable:

As a writer, do you feel like you are behind? This prolific writer and editor also feels behind. In this article, he gives a series of insights: https://bit.ly/477aerc #writinglife #pubtip (ClickToTweet)

From my years in publishing, I find many authors have unrealistic expectations about publishing. It doesn’t matter what type of book they are writing—fiction, nonfiction, a children’s book or a coffee table book. Each type of book contains its own challenges and complexity. No matter how you publish, many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

$200 of bonuses.

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Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

Choose a Path and Persist

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 19 Oct 2025 04:30:00 -0700

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As writers, we have a lot of uncertainty when we choose our path to publication. As you make these choices, there are many different options and paths to succeed with your book.

The three basic paths to publication are traditional, self-publishing, and hybrid/ independent publishing. If you are exploring these options I encourage you to get a free copy of The Babylon Blueprint for Authors by David Hancock. The book includes 40 pages of detailed comparison of these three paths. If you have chosen your path, here’s another reason to get this book. It includes detailed low cost or no cost strategies to market and sell your book.

David is the founder of Morgan James Publishing, one of the top independent publishers and where I’ve worked for the last 13 years. In 21 years, we’ve published over 6,000 titles, sold over 20 million books and many bestsellers (which you can’t do unless you are selling in the brick and mortar bookstores--which we are).

Beyond the publishing paths, after your book is in the marketplace you need to choose which path you will take to gain readers and tell others about your book. Every author has this responsibility--whether they take it or not. Their choices in this area will affect their sales and level of success.

In December 2004, I started blogging about The Writing Life. Here’s the link to my first article about changing. Blogging was new and a number of people reached out to me and cautioned me not to be blogging. They said things like, “You are a busy acquisitions editor at a publisher. You don’t have time to blog.” I ignored these cautions and persisted to write these articles each week. My friends were right because creating these articles takes time and energy from other choices but I continued on the blogging path. I chose to blog once a week. Others gather a team of people and blog every day. Other blog once a month. The frequency is an important choice but equally important is consistent execution.

Through the years, I’ve blogged over 1,800 times. My blogs are different from those early posts. I added royalty-free images to each blog. I also included links to other resources and a call to action at the end of each article encouraging comments. I added the ability for readers to subscribe to my blog and get them on their email (follow this link if you aren’t a subscriber). Also for each one, I’ve added a ClickToTweet so the reader can easily tell others about my articlers.

Several factors go into this process. First, I’ve continued to learn more about blogging. I’ve got a free teleseminar where you can learn more about blogging with a free ebook. Also I created a low-cost resource where you can learn how to make your blog into an income stream called Blogging for Bucks. Notice the 30 day love it or return it guarantee.

When you choose a path, you need to be consistent and keep on that path to find your audience and persist. Too many people jump from path to path then they wonder why they never got anywhere.

I have signed up for a free tool which searches for my name online in articles and other places. This article explains there are over 600 million blogs and pinpointed the top 27 content producers. My blog on The Writing Life was one of those 27. It’s not that I’m doing anything other than staying on the path (consistency) and writing articles for my readers.

Questions for You

It’s wise to evaluate your path and know which one you are choosing. Then see if you are being consistent. Are you continuing to learn and improve your actions? Is there a course or tool you need to add to the process? I encourage you to keep going. Your persistence may not be evident at first but will pay off in the long run.

While the bulk of this article is focused on my blogging, these questions are the same for a variety of aspects of the publishing world like social media. You can’t be everywhere. Are you selecting a path and then being consistent? Or pitching podcasts then telling others? Are you writing book reviews and joining launch teams, then telling other people about your review on social media? Are you exploring and adding other possibilities to your actions and reach on a consistent basis? The possible choices are endless. It’s why my friend John Kremer wrote 1001 Ways to Market Your Books. For every choice, without your persistent and consistent action, something terrible happens: nothing.

What am I missing or other suggestions do you have? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

Authors have many possible paths. This prolific author and editor writes about blogging and other choices in your journey. Get the details here. #writinglife #pubtip (ClickToTweet)

Throughout my many years in publishing, I’ve co-authored over a dozen books and reviewed thousands of submissions (no exaggeration). As a part of the process of working with these authors, I speak with them about their dreams and plans. Many of these authors have unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the details of publishing are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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A World of Possibilites

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 12 Oct 2025 04:30:00 -0700

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Take a moment and think about your life as a writer. As you look around your world, what do you see in your mind? Is the world full of opportunities or is it limited and scarce?

In this article, I want to help you have a wide mindset about your writing life and the possibilities for you. These possibilities only exist if you have the right mindset and take continued and steady action.

Whether you are brand new to the writing world or a bestselling author with many books (like me), no one is beating on your door asking you to go here or there or to do this or that. Every one of us have to craft our emails, phone calls, text, book proposals and query letters. We have to pitch the right person for the opportunity to happen.

As I’ve often written in these articles, who you know is as important as what you know. Only you can write and tell your story.

Maybe you want to publish a book. How can you get a connection to the right person who can help you? Maybe you exchange business cards with them at a writers conference.

Today a writer that I met at a large conference last May reached out to me with simple email. She reminded me of our meeting (wise) and then asked the best way to get started (another wise action). I responded with those answers.

Another author that I’ve known for years reached out to me about a friend with a possible book project. She asked the best way to get started. I encouraged her to send a brief introductory email to me and to her friend. This method is another way to open the door of opportunity.

LinkedIN has millions of people and business relationships. Reach out to someone you want to know on linkedIN and send them a connection invitation. Or look at their contact information and see if you find an email address. The craft an email with your pitch or whatever you need.

Email is often the best communication tool and method to begin the process. In general, everyone reads their email. Sometimes email has it’s own challenges. I receive a lot of email and sometimes when I do not receive a response in a few days, I will send a second email. Or sometimes through the joy of technology, my personal email terry@terrywhalin.com doesn’t always reach me. It’s weird but it happens.

If you met someone at a conference and got their business card, then reach out to them. It doesn’t matter that you met them months (or even years) ago. In the opening paragraph remind them of where you met and then briefly ask for what you need from them.

There is a wise verse in the book of James.”You have not because you ask not.” (James 4:2) Learn to ask in a way which gets a response.

This week I was talking with another author. He mentioned sending his manuscript out to key leaders and asking for their endorsement. I admired his initiative in asking for these endorsements. Yet I also understand mny of these busy professionals will not have the time to read the manuscript. The easiest response for them is “no” or silence (no response).

When you make the endorsement request, craft your request in a different way so you get a positive response. Offer to write a draft endorsement or even write a couple of them (from the endorsers perspective) then send those sentenes with your request. It’s strange to write a couple of glowing sentences about yourself. For the recipient, it is easier for them to revise your sentence and say yes than to write their own endorsement. Your creative request will be different and potentially pay off with a yes response instead of a no.

You can use these examples in other areas like to speak at an event or to be a guest on a podcast or to write for an online publication or a magazine.

Before you pitch, take a few minutes to look at their website, listen to some of their podcasts, read their guidelines for the publication. This groudwork will help you craft your pitch into something they need or will respond positively,

We live in one of the greatest times in human history. In your pocket through your phone, you have the ability to reach people around the world. The possibilities are endless for you and your writing—but only if you take action and keep pitching.

It’s what I’m doing every day. I knock on new doors. I pitch podcast hosts. I propose new writing opportunities. The opportunities are there but only if you seize them.

Several Statements of Truth

The work is never finished. There is always more writing and places of opportunity.

Continue to make new connections.

Continue to explore new publications and places to publish (online and in print).

Continue to learn and explore (and fail) with your reach.

Your persistence and consistency and commitment to not quit will be the difference maker.

I can not do anything about the choices of others. I can try and help but each person controls their own life. There is only one person where I have any control: me.

What am I missing here? Or what opportunities are you seizing or missing? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

When you look at the writing world, do you see limitations or possibilities? This prolific author and editor sees unlimited opportunity. Get the details here. (ClickToTweet)

A great deal of the publishing process is outside of our control as writers. When I speak with authors, I find many of these authors have unrealistic expectations. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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Expand Your Writing Target

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 5 Oct 2025 04:30:00 -0700

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

With our writing pitches, we are aiming at some publication or some publisher or some literary agent. I'm encouraging you to shift your writing in a new direction and expand your opportunity in a new direction. If you do, then you will expand your publishing efforts and potentially hit a different target.

As an editor, I often speak with authors focused on publishing a book. I'm actively looking for the right authors and the right books for Morgan James Publishing. If you are going to publish a book, I encourage you to send it to me (my work contact information is on the second page of this link).

I love books and understand their reach yet I also know about their limitations. For example, within the book business if your book sells 5,000 copies during the lifetime of the book, then that is a good number. In the world of magazine writing, it is fairly easy to reach 100,000 or even 500,000 readers with your writing. These two aspects are not a choice of doing one or the other. In this article I want to show you how you can do both and expand your reach and help yourself gain more literary agent and editor attention.

Recently I received a well-crafted devotional book for possible publication. When I spoke to the author, she had never considered submitting a devotion to the Upper Room magazine. This quarterly publication has a circulation of six million. Talk about multiplying your writing efforts. The first step is to read their guidelines and examples of what they need. The Upper Room even has an online submission form for their devotions. Several years ago I wrote four possible devotions and submitted them. Three of my submissions were rejected but one was accepted and published. Before it was published, The Upper Room emailed asking if I would like to publish a blog article on the same day as my devotion. Through studying their blog, I learned occasionally a blog entry would include one website link. I submitted my article and included a link to my book. I seized another opportunity. You can do this as well.

Do your book contain personal stories from your life? Could you take one of these 1,200 to 1,500 word stories and reshape it slightly into a magazine article? Almost every magazine will publish personal experience stories. Learn to write a magazine article. Read their guidelines, then give the editor what they are requesting. At the bottom of your article, you can include a single line (or two) like "Terry Whalin is the author of 10 Publishing Myths and lives in Southern California" with a link to your book. You have expanded your reach with this effort.

If you write fiction, you can also write magazine articles or short stories. Use a current market guide because the details change each year. Read the guidelines and read some articles online, then submit your stories to the publication. It only happens if you submit your articles or stories.

Book editors and literary agents are looking for authors who understand about publishing because these people already know what it takes to get published. You can increase the interest from editors and agents if you publish in magazines. It's one of the reasons I continue to write for different publications. I've shown you the details how you can follow the same path.

Several years ago I recorded a teleseminar about how to get more mileage from your writing. I give a free 27-page ebook with more ideas and details. Follow the link to get this recording and free ebook.

Finally, I want to give you a valuable resource from the founder of Morgan James Publishing, David Hancock. One of his latest books is The Babylon Blueprint for Authors which will help you get promotion ideas. When I speak with authors, many of them decide to self-publish or are looking for a traditional publisher. This book includes about 40 pages which compares self-publishing, traditional publishing and independent publshing (like Morgan James). Follow this link to get your free copy of this resource.

What steps are you taking to expand your writing target? Let me know in the comments.

Tweetable:

Many writers are focused on books. According to this prolific author and editor with a slight shift they can reach more readers. Get the details: https://bit.ly/46LnFgt #writingtip #pubtip (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week one more podcast recording launched:

Allison Lane and I discussed how to avoid the publishing mistake that kills your book sales at: https://bit.ly/3KEoVcl

During my years in publishing, I’ve reviewed thousands of submissions and spoken with many authors about their plans and dreams for their book. I’ve found many of these authors have unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. From my experience, many aspects of the details of publishing are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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Fill Your Empty Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 04:30:00 -0700

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Last week during my Bible reading, I was reminded of an important truth: 168. It’s the number of hours each of us have for our week. How do you fill those hours? Do you have an empty calendar? What steps will you take to fill it with your writing?

I have the same number of hours: 168 but in this article I want to give you some ideas and actions about how you could fill your empty calendar. Years ago, I would make a daily “to do” list and cross things off throughout my day. It has been many years since I’ve used this method to fill my calendar. Instead I have a series of activities which fill my day. If it is something I can do quickly such as answer an email or handle some other task, it doesn’t appear on my calendar. At the moment, I am not writing on a book deadline. When I have such a deadline, I make a specific word count for my writing and plan that into my calendar. I’m going to break my regular tasks into differnet categories for this explanation.

Regular Habits & Deadlines

As I’ve explained in these entries, I have an active social media presence where I post 12-15 times each day and use a scheduling tool. Also I write a blog and post a blog article every week. Plus I have a weekly newsletter which goes out a different day of the week. I use reminders on my phone to keep track of these tasks and deadlines to make sure I meet them.

Follow-up Work

Because of my work with Morgan James Publishing,I have a variety of authors who are at different stages in the publishing process. Some of them have sent me their submissions and I need to schedule a phone conference to see if they are the right fit to publish with us. Others have received contracts and not signed them. I call these authors or email to see if they have questions and encourage them to move ahead. There are internal procedures that I need to follow in this process. When I make a series of these phone calls, it can consume a solid portion of my empty calendar.

Processing New Authors

Individual authors and some literary agents will email me with submissions. I have an internal process to get them into the system then I reach out to them and suggest a recorded conference call. It’s where I speak with them about their book and why they wrote it and their plans for the book. I schedule these meetings on my calendar and in a short amount of time I have a series of meetings for the week ahead.

Answer Emails and Phone Calls

Throughout my day I receive a variety of emails and some phone calls. Recently through LinkedIN (where I have over 19,400 connections), I will get an email from someone asking for my phone number to introduce me to a person. I resist these calls because from my experience they are a huge time waster and not the right place to begin the relationship. Instead, I send them my work email and suggest they start the introduction on email--and normally that kills any further interaction and the time waster phone call. A substantial part of my day is spent on the phone with different authors and my colleagues at Morgan James.

Misc Projects

In this article, I’ve focused on details about what I do for Morgan James Publishing. I have other activities in other things. For example, I’m using PodMatch to pitch podcast hosts and schedule to guest on more podcasts. Also since 2000, I’ve been one of the leaders in an online writer's group called The Writer’s View. As a part of this group from time to time, I’m scheduled to lead a discussion. If you want to join this group, it is a two step process. First you need to create an account profile at: www.groups.io Once your account is created, send a request to subscribe to our group with this link: TWV+subscribe@TheWritersView.groups.io

I have many different activities that fill my empty calendar. I wrote this article to give you some ideas and actions for your own calendar. What steps do you take or am I missing in this process? I look forward to your comments.

Tweetable:

When you look at your calendar, are you facing many empty days? This prolific author and editor gives a series of ideas how to productively fill your empty calendar. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week another podcast recording launched:

Dan Amzallag and I spoke about 10 Publishing Myths on The Happiness Journey Podcast with Dr. Dan. Listen at: https://bit.ly/3VAZmeA

My Writing In Other Places:

With these articles, I encourage you to publish your work beyond your blog in other places. Below are three articles which were published in other online locations than this blog.

Each month I guest blog at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference blog. This month I wrote an article about how to increase your writing productivity.

At Writers on the Move, I explain why self-published books are rarely inside brick and mortar bookstores.

Once a month I guest blog about some aspect of book proposal creation for Almost An Author. This month I encouraged readers to delete any hype in their proposal.

Throughout my many years in publishing, I’ve co-authored over a dozen books and reviewed thousands of submissions (no exaggeration). As a part of the process of working with these authors, I speak with them about their dreams and plans. Many of these authors have unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the details of publishing are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

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The Challenge of Writing Choices

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 04:30:00 -0700

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As writers, we have many choices for our writing. Sometimes it does not take much to stand out and distinguish yourself from others. In these entries, I’ve been talking about appearing on podcasts and using PodMatch which is connected to over 90,000 podcasts. During the last eight months, I’ve booked or recorded over 60 podcasts. This past week a couple of those podcasts launched online and I recorded another podcast and booked another one. One of the keys is always looking for these opportunities then pitching the podcast host why they should book you on their podcast.

When these podcasts launch, do you promote them to your readers and on your social media connections? Recently I attended a webinar about podcasting. The instructor has her own podcast but has been a guest on hundreds of podcasts. She mentioned it is rare for these podcast guests to promote her podcast when the episode appears. I was surprised to hear this information. Whenever one of my podcasts appears, I write a short social media message and post it to my followers on three different platforms along with an image connected to that episode. Also I add it to these blog articles as you can see below this article.

In addition, I’ve created a system to continue to promote these podcasts and the episodes. My actions are simple and do not consume lots of time or energy but they are consistent and repetitive. You can take these sorts of actions and stand out to the podcast host. Then when you pitch them to be scheduled as a return guest, they will be more likely to read and respond positively to you. Your actions make you the exception.

As you can see from the image at the top of this article, we have many different choices as writers. How do you make the right ones? How do you know what to write each day? How do you develop writing habits? How do you take action to pitch and follow-up and move your writing forward? I'm not going to be able to answer all these questions in this single article but I will give you some links and ideas to move forward with your choices. One of the critical elements is understanding what you can do to be effective. Knowledge is fine but the real action is to apply this information to your own writing life and your goals as a writer.

Reader Marked

In the first chapter of Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams, I list a series of writing possibilities. Follow this link to get the chapter. Each one of these possibilities could be a career or complete business for your writing life. Originally I self-published Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and the basic content came from these blog articles. I reworked them, added practical application and cartoons. After selling several thousand copies of my self-published book, I moved the updated edition to Morgan James Publishing. Recently I reworked this website and the variety of places where you can get this book.

If You Want to Write Books

Most writers when they begin a book manuscript, they face the blank page, put their fingers on the keyboard and begin. Whether they are writing a novel, a nonfiction book, a children’s book, or any other type of book, they start with the manuscript. Instead I encourage you to take a different action. Create a book proposal as your first step in the creation process. Your book proposal helps you think through your reader, audience, title, outline, competitive titles and your marketing plans. Every author has to market and tell people about your book no matter how you publish it. Even if you self-publish your book, you still need a business plan. I've written two book proposals received traditional contracts with a six-figure advance. I’ve reviewed thousands of submissions during my years in publishing and I built those insights into my Book Proposals That Sell book. Get a free copy here or use my website to buy a print version.

If You Want to Write for Magazines

I understand many writers want to create a book, but the reality is you can reach more readers with a magazine article than most of us will reach with our books. There are a few book authors who become bestselling authors and reach many people but the majority do not. With a magazine article, it is easy to reach 100,000 or even 500,000 readers. It's one of the reasons I’ve written for more than 50 publications (actually I stopped counting and it is many more than 50). Many authors have not tried writing for magazines.

The steps are simple. First, get a market guide like the Christian Writer’s Market Guide or go to your local library and look for the Writer’s Digest Market Guide. Find some publications where you could pitch your article. Then go to their writer’s guidelines (on their website) and see what types of articles the editor wants to receive and the specifics (word count and focus). Then write and pitch to them what they are asking to receive. It is that simple because many writers never do these important first steps, your submission will stand out and be considered--and maybe accepted and published.

Some publications require you write a query letter with a one page pitch of your idea and other details. Learn to write this important tool and use it. Other publications want to receive the entire manuscript in the submission. Each magazine is different what they want and expect. If you do what they ask, you will get published.

Editors and literary agents are looking to publish books from writers who have been published. Writing for print publications is a way to capture more attention and response from these book editors and literary agents.

The Bottom-Line Actions

There are several key actions in this process. First, you will be rejected so expect it and keep pushing forward. As writers we have to grow some thick skin regarding rejection and understand that it is timing and reaching the right person with your pitch. That takes continued effort and searching.

Also some other steps is to read and follow their guidelines. Keep looking for the right connection and building new relationships. Meet your writing deadlines and be consistent as well as preserve your relationships. It will pay off for your publishing efforts but takes continued effort.

I encourage you to follow the links in this article to other information and keep moving forward on your writing life journey. What am I missing or other ideas do you have? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

As writers, we have many choices for our writing. In this article, this prolific author and editor gives some specific steps and actions you can take for your writing life. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week two more podcast recordings launched:

Billy Dees (@BillyDees) and I spoke about 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed on the Billy Dees Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/47L65do

Byran White and I spoke about writing, publishing and owning your success on the Did I Write That? The Story Behind the Story Podcast. Listen at: http://bit.ly/46tEScz

During my years in publishing, I’ve reviewed thousands of submissions and spoken with many authors about their plans and dreams for their book. I’ve found many of these authors have unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. From my experience, many aspects of the details of publishing are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses.

Subscribe to Terry’s Newsletter:

Get these articles on your email:

Get The Right Connection

noreply@blogger.com (Terry Whalin) — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 04:30:00 -0700

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

From my years in publishing, I understand while on the surface publishing a book may look simple, it is full of complexity. One of the ways to cut through this complexity is to find the right guide or mentor with the right connection. Sometimes finding this right connection can take years.

In this article, I want to give you some ideas how to find the right connection for you and your publishing. Maybe you’ve read Malcom Gladwell’s bestselling book, The Tipping Point. In 2019, I wrote this article asking Where Is Your Tipping Point? on the Writers on the Move blog. The book highlights four personality types and when I read it, I understood that I’m a connector. Even if you aren’t a connector, you can understand the importance and grow your connections.

As I think about it, my connections come from many different places such as conferences, LinkedIN, podcasts and many other places. It’s important as you make these connections to keep track of your data such as their email and cell phone number. I have several places including my address book and my phone where I will add someone's contact information. It takes a few extra minutes but whenever I need the information (and that may be years later), I’ve made it easy to locate and use. If you don’t have a system or habit or practice for such details. I encourage you to create one that will work for you.

Years ago I exchanged business cards with people at conferences, connected them with a rubber band and brought them home and put them into a drawer in my desk. The information is there but not in an “easy to use” format. Through the years, I’ve gathered thousands of business cards.

When you return from a conference or gathering, I encourage you to take a few minutes and add the details into an address book that you can search, save and find when you need it.

Sometimes the right connection takes time and even years to happen. As an example, I’ll tell about a pair of my Morgan James Publishing authors with a forthcoming book. Their editor and ghostwriter is one of my long-term friends and one of my former editors from Penguin / Random House. She is no longer there. The authors are expert in a current topic and snagged the attention of a literary agent. For over a year, this agent shopped their excellent book proposal to publishers. In a few cases, they came close but no contract was offered from a traditional house and their agent gave up on shopping it because she could not find the right connection.

These authors had not tried an independent publisher so my editor friend reached out to me. I loved the authors, the topic and their book proposal and book. Through a process, my colleagues agreed and offered these authors a book contract. They signed and now their book is in production. In November both authors will be speaking at a large conference in Boston. We are on track for them to have books to sell at that event. Several months ago, this opportunity to sell books was not going to happen. Also this timely book will release next year in the bookstores. This process begins with finding the right connection and that takes work.

I’ve got many of these types of stories but the bottom-line is: to make the right connection every author has to be in the right place, at the right time with the right stuff. Yes, there were three rights in that last sentence. It takes work and continued effort to make that connection. If someone gives up, the connection doesn't happen.

Action Steps:

1. Take a hard look at how you process emails and phone numbers from whoever you meet. Do you have a consistent habit with this information? If not, create one and begin the habit.

2. If you don’t have a profile on LinkedIN, then make one and completely fill it out (a critical element including your photo), then make new connections. Are we connected on LinkedIN? Follow this link to my profile and check. If not, then send me a connection invitation. Publishing professionals move around but they take their LinkedIN profile with their move. When I want to reach someone I’ve not connected with in years, LinkedIN is one of the first places I turn to see their contact information. Use this resource to get the right connection.

3. It takes persistence and patience to find the right connection. Last spring I taught at several writers’ conferences. I’m still adding these new connection to my address book and following up with these authors. In my view, it is never too late to restore and renew a connection with someone. Make it a part of your writing life.

What steps are you consistently taking to make the right connection? What steps have I not included? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

A key element in publishing is making the right connection. In this article, a prolific author and editor gives you the stories and details how to find that connection. (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week two more podcast recordings launched:

Ruth Douthitt and I spoke about publishing myths on the Writer’s Day Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/4n4Etoh

Carol Graham and I spoke about what are the 10 Publishing Myths You Need to Know and Understand on the Never Give Up Hope Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/4mzGyYp

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