Writing from the Heart

We don't have to undergo an exact experience in order to write about it, but we need to feel passionately about our subject. We can use a similar emotional response within ourselves to evoke a reaction in our readers. If God hasn't touched you on a particular subject, you aren't going to touch your readers. Write from your experiences. Write about what is around you—the everyday occurrences. Be aware of interesting details or parallels in life. Write from your heart.

For an example, I will use my book, Too Soon to Say Goodbye: Healing and Hope for Suicide Victims and Survivors I wrote it with the same two co-authors who coauthored Wounded by Words with me. Karen’s son committed suicide, and Jeenie deals with suicide survivors in her practice as a marriage and family therapist. No one close to me has taken their own life, but I have several friends whose sons have, and it is a subject I feel passionately about, so I feel comfortable writing about the subject. We used stories of many people who have been touched by the suicide of a loved one, or who had contemplated suicide at one time. Many of the stories are written under pseudonyms. It was the hardest book to write of the more than 30 I have written.

Next week we will talk about your audience. It helps to “Have One Individual Reader in Mind.”

 

Writing from the Heart

Here is an example of how I made myself vulnerable in a story from my book, Wounded by Words, titled “The Accident.”

“Richard, what happened?” I gasped as the front door opened, and my oldest son walked in. His head was bleeding, and he had a petrified look on his face.

His brother Mike followed and said, “If you think he looks bad, wait until you see the car!”

“I don’t care about the car. I care about you two. What happened?” I asked again.

“We dropped off a couple of the guys after water polo practice. Dave was hanging out the window, so I reached over and pulled him back in,” said Richard.

“And the car rolled forward and hit a tree,” added Mike. “Richard had unfastened his seatbelt, so when the car stopped, he hit the windshield. I think he did more damage to the car than the tree did.”

I saw that the cut on Richard’s forehead was minor, so I cleaned it up and put a Band-Aid on it. “Do you hurt anywhere? Do you feel dizzy?”

“My neck hurts,” Richard said, rubbing the back of his neck.”

“We’d better get that checked out at the emergency room,” I said. I opened the front door and looked at the car. The front window was shattered. “Oh, no! We probably shouldn’t drive that car. I’ll call Dad at work. It’s 7:00 PM. Surely he can come home and take us to the hospital.”

I dialed my husband’s office number. When he answered I said, “Richard’s been in a car accident. His head broke the windshield, and his neck is injured.” My voice sounded on the edge of hysteria. “He drove home after the accident, but I’m afraid to drive him to the hospital with the windshield broken. Can you please come home right away and take us?”

“No, I’m in a business meeting,” was his curt reply.
“We really need you to drive us to the hospital!” I pleaded.
“I said no! You deal with it!” he shouted. Then he hung up on me.

Acid churned in my stomach, but I said in a resigned voice, “Come on, Richard. I’ll take you to the emergency room.” Fighting back tears, I slowly drove the damaged station wagon to the hospital, which thankfully was nearby.

I was careful to use Richard’s words, to run the story by him, and to ask his permission to publish it. I was also careful to use his dad’s exact words, being careful not to call his dad down in my words.

Next week we will cover “Write What You Feel Passionate About.”

 

Writing from the Heart

Next, to get in touch with your readers and touch their hearts, you need to be willing to step out in faith and share yourself. Be open and honest in your writing and willing to reveal your innermost thoughts. I'll warn you—it will make you transparent and vulnerable.

You need to be willing to take a risk. Don't be afraid to be honest with your audience. Look at stories in the Bible: David, Joseph, and Paul, for example. We know of their weaknesses as well as their strengths by the accounts told of them. People cannot relate to someone who is not vulnerable. Be careful not to make your characters (real or imaginary) too perfect. On the other hand, don’t air your dirty laundry or anyone else’s. If your material is sensitive, you might consider writing under a pseudonym.

We can help others through our shortcomings, our mistakes, and our failures. We can share the lessons we've learned. We can say, "I don't walk in your shoes, but this is what I've been through, and this is how I coped." We must appear real to our audience to be of value to them. This is what I try to do in all my writing. In my book, Wounded by Words, I made myself vulnerable and showed how I had been verbally abused as did one of my co-authors. Our third co-author is a family therapist who provides counseling and encouragement in the book to those wounded by words. We also gathered many other people's stories to add credibility to the book. A number of these stories were written under pseudonyms.

Next week we will talk about “How to Make Yourself Vulnerable.”

 

Writing from the Heart

The tips and techniques I will give for writing from the heart will work for articles, personal experience stories, devotionals, and even fiction. I use all these techniques in my nonfiction books also.

Now, how do we write from the heart?

First, be in tune with your audience. To write effectively you need to spend time talking to your audience and understanding their needs. It helps to be actively involved with them in church groups or wherever they are.

For a year I was editor of a children's magazine, Trails 'N' Treasures, and I also taught Sunday school for eight years. Plus, I have a build in critique staff of 13 grandchildren. I carefully listen to their opinions. We can't write what we want them to read; we have to write what appeals to them, or they won't read it.

For example: When I was writing an early reader book, I wrote: “The monkey reached for the rope.” My granddaughter stopped me and said, “Grandma, ‘reached for’ is boring! The monkey ‘grabbed’ the rope.” She was right. “Grabbed” made it sound much more exciting.

We need to: Stop. Listen. And then Write!

Next week we will talk about “How to Learn to Share Yourself.”

 

Writing from the Heart

We can only write what God lays on our hearts if we write in His strength, rather than our own. When we open our mouths, pick up a pen, or type on our computers and let words flow, it allows other individuals to gain a glimpse into our souls. Hopefully, they will find God's love there, because often, we are the only contact people will have with Him. We should always pray before we begin writing, so that we will be in tune with God’s will.

Let me quote 2 Corinthians 3:3 from the Tyndale Living Bible that speaks of Writing from the Heart. “They can see that you are a letter from Christ, written by us. It is not a letter written with pen and ink, but by the Spirit of the living God, not one carved on stone, but in human hearts.”

To be effective, our writing must be carved on our own hearts in order for us to reach the hearts of our audience.

This is Part 1 of a nine-part series on “Writing from the Heart.” Next week we will talk about how to write from the heart.

 

Narrative & Exposition

As has been mentioned, the best way to create interest in a story is through dialogue. Here is an example of a devotional that is almost entirely dialogue. It is taken from my book, Rest Stops for Single Mothers.

The Fire

        "Mom, I had to abandon my car," my son's voice sounded breathless on the other end of the telephone line. "Flames were jumping across the highway. Burning branches fell into the back of my convertible." "Are you OK?" I asked, concern filling my voice.
        "Oh, Mom, I'm fine, but I'm worried about my car."
        "Tell me what happened. Maybe I can help," I offered.
        "I was on my way home from class, and I could see the fire burning out of control in the Santa Barbara hills, but it seemed far away. The freeway was blocked, so I took the old highway towards town. About half-way there, people on either side of the road had been told to evacuate their homes. Everyone was trying to leave. There was a huge traffic jam. Suddenly, flames jumped across the highway, and that's when it happened."
        Richard was talking so fast that I didn't understand everything. "That's when what happened?" I asked.
        "My clutch cable snapped, and I couldn't shift gears. I pulled over to the side as far as I could and had to abandon my car."
        "What did you do then?"
        "I called my girlfriend to come and get me. Mom, I can't afford to lose my car. I don't have comprehensive insurance on it, and I'll have to drop out for a semester if I can't get to school."
        I knew Richard was right. Richard's finances for his college education were extremely tight. Without his car, he'd have to leave school and obtain a full time job to earn money for a new one. I saw no alternative.
        "Let's pray about it, Richard. God knows the situation."
        I rarely pray for material possessions, and I've never prayed for a car before, but this time I did. "Lord, You know Richard needs that beat-up Volvo convertible to get to his college classes. Please spare it in this fire. We pray that the fire will soon be contained."
        Three days later, I received another call from Richard. "Mom, they finally let me check on my car. I caught a ride back to where I left it. The fire burned to within a hundred feet, and it's full of ashes, but it runs. It's in the shop now getting a new clutch cable."
        God has taught us to pray specifically. In this case, He knew how important that car was to Richard's education. He spared the car, and I learned an important lesson. When things look bleak, when money is tight, God is there, showing His presence in the smallest details of our lives.

This concludes our series on “Narrative and Exposition.”

 

Narrative & Exposition

Dialogue should be kept simple, natural, and conversational. However, don’t use the exact words a person would actually speak because, in normal conversation, a person uses far more words than are needed. Actual speech needs to be whittled down, so it is crisp and clear. Never let your characters ramble.

Once you have a detailed character sketch of your main character, you will know how he or she will react in certain instances. You will be aware of his feelings, ideas, and beliefs. His personality will come through in his speech. He will help you write the dialogue, because, if you know him, you will know what he will say. As your reader gets to know your main character, he knows what the character will say, too. If your main person acts out of character, the reader will know and will feel something is wrong. Also, be careful not to contrive your character’s speech or have him preach. The reader doesn’t want to be talked down to—either by you or the main character. We teach the reader lessons by what the main character learns, not by lecturing.

These suggestions also apply to the minor characters to a lesser degree. When you write a novel, the minor characters are more developed, and these points become more relevant to them. In a short story, however, you don’t have much room to develop more than one or two characters with any depth. Usually the reader will identify with the main character, so he becomes your vehicle for getting your message across. The most powerful way to accomplish that is through his actual spoken words.

Next week we will discuss using dialogue to move the story along.

 

Narrative & Exposition

Good Dialogue is essential to your story. Dialogue moves the action along better than any other medium. Dialogue can be used effectively in fictional stories, personal experience stories, devotionals, and anecdotes within articles and nonfiction books. Here are some tips for using authentic dialogue in your manuscripts.

Multiple Characters: When possible, have two people in your story, so they can talk to each other. If this is not possible and only one person is involved in a happening, perhaps you could relay that incident after it occurred through a telephone conversation or a chat over coffee. Staying in someone’s mind and listening to their thoughts is a boring place for the reader to be.

Tags: Be careful of the tags you use for dialogue. “He said” is better than “he articulated” or “he uttered.” After all, what is important is the information between the quotation marks, not the word used for “said.” An exception would be if you needed to show strong emotion or a certain voice tone that the words by themselves didn’t express. Examples: He shouted, he whispered.

A word of warning: you can’t smile, sigh, or laugh words. Instead of writing, “You’re cute,” he smiled, use: “You’re cute,” he said with a boyish grin.

Next week we will talk about Conversational Speech.

 

Narrative & Exposition

Good writers weave exposition subtly into the action so that it doesn't interrupt the narrative flow. Proper exposition appears to derive directly from the viewpoint character’s thoughts or memories.

In the proper blending of narrative and exposition, the author communicates information to the reader through:

1. What the characters say,
2. What the characters do,
3. What the main character thinks, and
4. What the main character remembers.

This blending is achieved by using detail, dialogue, and description—the components of the Three-D Technique.

Detail: Use the specific rather than the general.

Dialogue: Direct conversations between the characters, especially characters in conflict, reveal their personalities. Dialogue moves the story along and turns narrative into interesting conversation. Develop a different style for each character.

Description: Draw from all five senses to describe the setting and the characters. Use sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch to create a mood.

Next week we will talk about “Using Good Narrative, Multiple Characters, and Tags.”

 

Narrative & Exposition

The proper use of narrative and exposition in short stories and novels is one of the keys to writing successful fiction and using fictional techniques.

Narrative: is the objective reporting of your story, that which can be pictured visually in concrete images in the readers’ imaginations. It is what the characters do in the action of the story.

Exposition: is information, often interpretive and/or subjective funneled through the viewpoint character, to shed light on the action. It includes comments, opinions, reactions, explanations, and feelings (Definitions by Carole Gift Page, used with permission).

Faulty exposition interrupts the narrative flow, shatters the illusion of reality, and embarrassingly reveals the mechanics of fiction writing just like a playwright jumping on stage and interrupting a play during a performance.

Next week we will cover “The Blending of Narrative and Exposition.”

 

Agents or Not

• How do I know if an agent is doing his/her job? Once you have signed with an agent, he/she should keep you informed of any activity on your proposals. He should tell you what houses he has sent them to and the responses of those houses. Normally all correspondence between you and your agent as well as your agent and the publishing houses is done by e-mail. Therefore there should not be any upfront costs for you to pay.

• How is my agent paid? Your royalty checks will be sent directly to your agent. That way he/she can look over your statements and make sure they are accurate. He takes his 15%, and sends you a check for the balance. Also when an agent is negotiating a contract for you, he can usually get a better deal than you can. And of course he wants the best deal he can get, since he gets 15% of your advance and royalty checks!

Although I have an excellent agent, I still keep in contact with the publishing houses I am interested in publishing with. If I have a new idea, and I happen to be at a conference where I can talk to an editor or publisher, I take advantage of that situation. Keep in mind your agent is representing as many as a hundred clients, and you are only representing you!

This concludes the series on agents.

 

Agents

A question I am frequently asked by friends and customers of my critique service is: Should I get an agent? The answer isn't as simple as yes or no. I placed 28 books on my own before I obtained an agent. Now I'm not suggesting that you have to do that, but you do want to get an agent who is competent.

• When is it time to get an agent? Many people think that getting an agent is the answer to all their problems. However if you don't have a proven track record— have not published a few books or don’t have a dynamic speaking ministry—it may be hard for you to get a good agent. So it is important to build a good reputation before you seek an agent.

• How do I know that an agent is good? If an agent shows interest in you, ask him/her for three clients that will recommend him. Also ask for three books his agency has placed that year. If people won't recommend him and he has not placed books, you don't want him to represent you! A mediocre or incompetent agent can hurt you more than not having one.

• Where do I find a good agent? Agents as well as editors attend large writers’ conferences looking for new clients. Conferences such as Colorado Christian Writers Conference and Write-to-publish are excellent places to sit down and actually talk to an agent. It's important to find an agent who is passionate about what you write. He won't be able to sell your material to a publishing house if he doesn't believe in your project.

Next week we will answer more questions about agents.

 

Business

Another item I feel is important for your professional image is letterhead stationary. Subconsciously, editors are more impressed if your cover or query letter is typed on your own letterhead. There are a number of paper companies as well as office supply stores that stock four-color stationary. You can run it through your own laser or ink-jet printer to put on your letterhead and the body of your letter. If you have a color printer, you can type your own letterhead, complete with graphics. I use light beige paper, which I think looks professional, but you can use white paper just as easily. Even if a publisher requests a query letter by e-mail, I still use my letterhead stationery, which I keep electronically on my computer.

Business cards are another item you will need. These are convenient to hand out at writers’ conferences to editors, agents, and other writers with whom you want to keep in touch. These, too, can be created and printed on a laser or inkjet printer. Again, you can use four-color cards or plain white, depending on your budget. Also you can get these professionally printed economically today at local office stores or on websites such as `www.overnightprints.com or www.vistaprint.com. I think it’s helpful to have your picture on your business card. That way if an editor met you at a conference, seeing your picture may trigger a remembrance. After all, you only look as professional as your query letter, business card, or manuscript does.

This concludes the series on the “Business Side of Writing.”

 

Business

I can’t overemphasize the need to back up your work. I back up my current projects on a flash drive and on Dropbox, and then once a month I back everything for that month up on an external hard drive. Computers crash, and even if they don’t, you will most likely upgrade and not transfer all your old files over to a new computer.

Thus, I suggest always keeping a paper copy of everything. Buy a box of file folders and label them. If you are like me, you would rather write than organize files, but lack of organization can cost you precious hours of trying to locate information on an article you wrote several months or years ago.

Label one file for each project you are currently working on. Once an article or book is finished, continue to keep a file folder for it. Keep your research notes in it as well as tear sheets of publishing credits. Any research you have done for an article or book should be labeled in a manner that will help you find it quickly should you decide to write a second article or book on the same subject at a later date.

Also, set up files for ideas that pop into your mind, ones you don’t have time to develop yet. Whenever you find an article or story on a subject you intend to write on someday, place it in a file folder under that category.

I was recently looking for information I wrote 20+ years ago, and it was only on a 3 ½ inch floppy disk. I don’t even have a drive to read those anymore! Thankfully I had a hard copy I could scan back into my computer.

Next week we will talk about presenting yourself as a professional

 

Business

People often tell me, “I don’t consider my writing a business. I just write for fun.” Yet, whether writing is a vocation or an avocation for you, treat it as a profession. Ideally, you should have a desk and a filing cabinet dedicated solely to your writing—an entire room is even better! Many writers, however, do not have this luxury.

Also, it is important to have a comfortable chair that adequately supports your back. Writing requires a lot of sitting. Be sure to get up and walk around at least once every hour, and look away from your computer screen every 15 minutes for a moment. The better shape you keep your body in, the sharper your mind will be for creating and editing. Try to work out at least three times a week for 40 minutes to an hour each time. Also be sure to exercise your fingers and flex your hands. Many writers developed carpal tunnel syndrome, and you want to avoid that.

Even if you don’t have an actual office location for your writing, you can still get the job done if you keep things in order. If you don’t have a metal filing cabinet, you can purchase a cardboard one at an office supply store inexpensively. Although you are writing on a computer today, it is still important to keep a hard copy of your work. Computers have a nasty habit of crashing, and often this happens before a person has everything backed up. I also suggest backing up your work on an auxiliary hard drive as well as on an Internet location such as Dropbox or Cloud.

Next week we will talk about more ways to organize your work.

 

Nonfiction

Len Goss, who was Senior Acquisitions Editor at Broadman & Holman Publishers, now B & H Publishing Group, gives us his four basic steps that he used in reaching the publishing decision. Here are steps 3 and 4:

3. Decision: If things look positive from the editor's perspective, the project then goes to the publications board. This committee usually includes all the editors, the people from marketing, the sales team, various business managers, the publisher, and so on. The editor presents a summary of the manuscript to this group, and also present things like the author's credentials, a summary of the critical reviews, his own evaluation, and a summary of the financial projections. Financial projections are done on all books. They include projected sales figures, an estimated cost for producing the book, and an analysis of projected cost versus projected sales.

4. Contract: If most of the members of the publications board see the project in a positive light, then the standard "rich and famous" contract is offered to the author.

All editors have this in common according to Len: They are paid to process words into communication packages. They achieve this by getting the right idea together with the right author. It may be the author’s idea or the editor’s. But ultimately the rubber meets the road when the right idea gets into the hands of the right author. When this mix is achieved, the publishing house has a winning book.

There are thousands of book proposals received annually by each publishing house. To give yourself an edge, attend a writers' conference and meet personally with book editors and agents to establish a working relationship with them. Then, when your manuscript crosses an editor's desk, he can say, "I met her at the Write-to-Publish Writers Conference and discovered her exciting idea for a potential book."

This concludes the 22-part series on “Writing the Nonfiction Book.” I hope you have found this information helpful.

 

Nonfiction

Various publishing houses approach the editorial function differently. Yet, the main job of all editors is to find good manuscripts, develop them, and then sell these manuscripts to the in-house departments. Thanks go to Len Goss, who was Senior Acquisitions Editor at Broadman & Holman Publishers, now B & H Publishing Group, for his four basic steps that he used in reaching the publishing decision. Here are his first two:

1. Evaluation: The editor who receives the proposal is going to ask some hard questions about it. Does it fit squarely within the general publishing parameters of the publishing house? Does it fall within the mission statement? Is the topic timely? Is the topic significant? Is the manuscript's readability level about right? Is it well written? Is the structure of the project coherent? Does the manuscript or the book idea stimulate thought and inquiry? Is it generally usable for courses in the typical curriculum? If so, which courses and at what level? Is this an economically viable book? Will it attract a reading audience?

2. Review: What usually happens when an editor's initial response is favorable is that he or she will ask for the opinions of colleagues in the publishing house. In many cases, the material is sent to outside reviewers who are asked to read and evaluate the manuscript. The outside reviewers are chosen for their expertise in the subject matter of the manuscript. Sometimes manuscripts are sent to several reviewers, all in the attempt to determine the strength and weaknesses of the author's position or presentation. When the editor receives all the reviews, he or she must then weigh them and decide whether to reject the project or move it to the next stage, which in most cases means taking it to the publications board at the publishing house.

More of Len’s tips will be given in next week’s blog.

 

Nonfiction

The fifth and final part of a book proposal is the Sample Chapters. Normally two or three are included in a book proposal. These are double-spaced and should reflect the quality and substance of your book. I suggest sending the first two or three chapters to give the editor a sense of continuity. Some authors prefer to send the first, middle, and last chapters; others prefer to include a chapter with specific significance. You be the judge regarding what is best for your manuscript. The chapters should be double-spaced.

It is important to keep your entire proposal under 40 pages. When an editor or agent first looks at your manuscript, he or she will probably only give it about 20 minutes. If it is too long, the editor will not be able to get a good overview in a short time.

Different publishing houses and agents have different requirements for writing a proposal. What I have given you here will be required by most of them, but they may also want additional material. Be sure to check the proposal guidelines for the publishing house or agent to which you wish to send your book proposal before completing it.

I think writing the proposal is the hardest part of writing an entire book, but a good proposal can be your ticket to receiving a contract.

On next week’s blog we will discuss the publishing process at a major publishing house.

 

Nonfiction

The fourth part of a book proposal is A MARKETING PLAN. It shows how you plan to market your book. Do you have a website? Will you blog? What social media do you use? How many followers do you have? In today’s market, it is vital that you market your own book and that a publishing house knows you have this capability before they give you a contract.

Here are my social media sites.

I post a weekly blog on my website at: www.Christiancommunicator\blog\

My Facebook address is: www.facebook.com/Susanosb. I currently have 4724 followers, most of whom are authors or people in Christian publishing.

My LinkedIn address is: www.linkedin.com/in/Susanosb/. I have 2500+ followers on LinkedIn. This is more of a professional organization than Facebook.

On Twitter: Tweet to Susanosb. I have 578 followers.

To be perfectly honest, I need to post more often on social media and develop more contacts. I usually only post once a week.

There are other social media sites, but I don’t want to spread myself too thin. Only set up what you can handle well.

The fifth and final part of a book proposal is the Sample Chapters, which will be the subject of next week’s blog.

 

Nonfiction

The third part of a book proposal is a Comparative Analysis. Check the Internet at Amazon.com and Christianbooks.com for books similar to yours. Also check with your local Christian bookstore. Write an analysis, showing how your book compares to these other books and why you think your book will sell. Here is part of the comparative analysis I did for the book, Wounded by Words:

Wounded by Words: Healing the Invisible Scars of Emotional Abuse will help victims recognize the signs of their emotional abuse. The subtleness of this type of abuse often leaves the person confused, or she may not even be consciously aware of the problem, especially if the abuse began in childhood and continued into adulthood. Wounded by Words is written by women who were verbally abused as children. Later the women married men who continued the cycle of emotional abuse in their lives. But Wounded by Words is much more than their stories. It includes the stories of many other individuals who, at various times in their lives, suffered demeaning, caustic words, causing a loss of self-esteem and self-worth. Skills for coping and Scripture references are provided throughout the book to lead the reader on the path to renewal and wholeness through Christ.

Healing the Scars of Emotional Abuse, rev. ed. Gregory L. Jantz & Ann McMurray, Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003, $12.99, ISBN: 0800758714. There are no bruises to yellow and heal, no gaping wound to point to. But, in spite of their invisibility, emotional wounds are a very damaging form of abuse. Whether caused by words, action, or even indifference, emotional abuse is very common—yet often overlooked. In this helpful guide, Christian therapist Gregory Jantz examines why emotional abuse is so common and damaging. He reveals how those who have been abused by a spouse, parent, employer, or minister can overcome the past and rebuild their self-image. This book is from the psychologist’s viewpoint rather than the victim’s.

The Healing Touch: A Guide to Healing Prayer for Yourself and Those You Love, Norma Dearing, Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002, $12.99, ISBN: 0800793021. Our society is brimming with people suffering the effects of past abuse, rejection, physical illness, bad choices, and unhealthy relationships. Author and radio personality Norma Dearing has spent thousands of hours listening to and praying with those in need of emotional, physical, or spiritual healing. In The Healing Touch, she shares stories from countless people who have been set free from unhealthy relationships, unholy unions, addictions, generational influences, and physical illnesses associated with these. Wounded by Words focuses on just verbal abuse.

Beauty for Ashes, Revised Edition, Joyce Meyer, New York: Time Warner Book Group, 2003, $12.99, ISBN: 044669259X. A victim of childhood abuse, Meyer outlines the truths that brought recovery to her life and offers biblical advice to help you deal with emotional pain, grab hold of God's unconditional love, and wait for his timing in healing painful memories. You'll be encouraged by her journey from tragic youth to triumphant adult. This is one woman’s story of abuse.

The fourth part of a book proposal is the marketing plan. This will be covered in next week’s blog.

 

Nonfiction

The second part of a book proposal is The Chapter-by-Chapter Outline. Keep it brief. Write a short paragraph summarizing each chapter to give the editor an overview of your book. This can be a vital tool for understanding the entire manuscript if the book proposal reaches the stage where it is considered by a publishing house committee. Some publishing houses prefer a synopsis of the book rather than a chapter outline. This is usually the case for fiction.

      Here are the first three chapter synopses of my chapter outline for my book, Wounded by Words.

Chapter 1: Hurtful Words – Caustic words and demeaning statements can be as dangerous to our well-being as any weapon. People often use words that dominate and control when they feel insecure themselves. Unfortunately these words are often directed at close family members, often children, and the outcome is much pain and suffering. The tension resulting from these heated words often leads to the telling of lies by both parties.

Chapter 2: Invisible Scars – Verbal abusers isolate, disorient, and indoctrinate their victims. Whether they are children or adults, the abused are usually family members. Depression, behavioral problems, and physical illnesses are a direct outcome of the emotional abuse. Often these results are not easily seen.

Chapter 3: Distorted Self-esteem – Standing in front of a mirror reflects our physical image, but not the image of our soul. Often a woman who is verbally abused thinks others have a low opinion of her. The pattern of abuse creates a feeling of rejection and worthlessness. Emotional abuse is a learned behavior for both the abuser and the victim. It undermines the foundation of the family.

The third part of a book proposal is the comparative analysis. This will be covered in my next blog.

 

Nonfiction

Andrea Mullins, Publisher
New Hope Publishing
P.O. Box 12065
Birmingham AL 35202

Dear Andrea:

Wounded by Words: Healing the Invisible Scars of Emotional Abuse offers hope and healing through Christ from these unseen hurts. Women who have grown up with the harsh reality of verbal abuse understand the pain and suffering it causes. The results of this kind of mistreatment may not cause bruises and other visible injuries, but nevertheless, the scars are there. These scars remain in the heart and mind, causing fear, powerlessness, and dependency.

In Scripture, the stories of Leah, Joseph, Hannah, Job, Abigail, King David, Mary Magdalene, and Mary and Martha demonstrate examples of verbal abuse. How they overcame this invisible destroyer is encouraging to us all. These stories demonstrate how God dealt with emotional abuse in biblical times, and He expects us to deal with this issue today as well.

Accurate statistics are hard to find. But surveys show that emotional abuse exists in marriages and other family relationships, the workplace, nursing homes, college campuses, and many other situations. One out of four women admits to being verbally abused. In one study, 77 % of women reported emotional abuse in combination with physical abuse. In this same study, 43 % experienced emotional abuse as children or teenagers, and 39 % reported verbal abuse in a relationship within the last five years.

Growing up in an alcoholic home, Karen Kosman learned the pain of demeaning, caustic words. Susan Osborn also was verbally abused by her mother. Later both women married men who continued the cycle of emotional abuse. Once again angry, thoughtless words daily eroded their self-esteem. Gradually through Scripture, counseling, and God’s love, healing began. Today, both women are remarried to supportive, Christian husbands, and the cycle of abuse has been broken. Susan is a CLASS staff member and has published over 30 books. Karen is an inspirational speaker for church groups. Jeenie Gordon has dealt with numerous patients who have been verbally abused in her 30-plus years as a marriage and family therapist. She has published 10 books, one of which was a Gold Medallion finalist.

Wounded by Words contains 12 chapters filled with personal stories of people who have experienced verbal abuse. The issues these people have learned to deal with will provide hope and wholeness for those who are in the process of finding answers. We transition from one story to the next with inspirational thoughts, biblical truths, and practical advice for the reader. We invite you to join our ultimate mission of bringing understanding, hope, and healing to women who are struggling with verbal and emotional abuse.

Yours in Him,

Susan T. Osborn       Karen Kosman       Jeenie Gordon

 

The second part of a nonfiction book proposal is a chapter-by-chapter outline. An example will be given in next week’s blog.

 

Nonfiction

A book proposal is comprised of five parts:

1. A cover letter
2. A detailed chapter outline or synopsis
3. A competition analysis
4. Two or three sample chapters
5. A marketing plan

The Cover or Query Letter should basically answer four questions:

1. Why are you qualified to write this book?
2. What is it about (told in one paragraph)?
3. Who is your audience?
4. Why will this book be marketable?

Also, make sure the publisher realizes you are familiar with their house and sees that your book will fit into one of their book lines. This letter should be only one typewritten page if possible. The problem with most cover letters (and with most book proposals in general) is that they are too long and cumbersome.

I use the term cover letter and query letter interchangeably, because your cover letter should be a strong as your query letter. If your proposal makes it to committee, and I'll talk about that later, most of the committee members will only read your cover letter. It’s quality can make or break a contract!

Next week I will give you an example of a cover (or query) letter.

 

Nonfiction

"You never get a second opportunity to make a good first impression." – Mark Twain.

Most publishing houses and agents want to receive a book proposal rather than an entire manuscript. A few publishers prefer only a query letter. An editor or agent spends an average of twenty minutes reviewing your book proposal, so it is imperative that you provide the correct material and that your manuscript looks professional. To determine the submission format for each publishing house, check the Christian Writer’s Market Guide or check each publisher’s writers' guidelines online.

There are many different ways to do a book proposal. I am giving you the simplest form. If this is your first book, you want editors to read an actual chapter in the 20 minutes they will allow you. I would suggest trying to keep your proposal under 40 pages.

If an editor or agent requests a manuscript from you, in that case, follow those specific guidelines. For example, New Hope Publishers, which my recent books are with, wanted a detailed proposal. Our first one was 54 pages, but keep in mind this was requested material.

Next week we will discuss the cover or query letter.

 

Nonfiction

Here are timelines on two of my books to give you an idea of how long it can take from the time you present ideas to publishing houses to the time your book is actually released.

Wounded by Words timetable:
One-sheets and query letters, started marketing July, 2004.
  Was told we needed a professional involved.
Added family therapist as co-author and marketed proposal July, 2005.
New Hope Publishers offered contract December, 2005.
Book due to New Hope, August 1, 2006.
Original release date, August 2007.
Actual release date, February 2008.

Too Soon to Say Goodbye timetable:
One-sheet, July 2006
Proposal, May 2007
New Hope Publishers offered contract December, 2007.
Book due to New Hope, October 15, 2008.
Release date, July 2009.
This book was put on the fast track.

Next week we will start talking about the actual book proposal.

 

Nonfiction

Why are you writing? Is it to share your story with others? Is it to make money? Are you seeking personal growth? Most of my books sell wholesale. I make 22 cents-$1.50 a copy, partly because I co-author most of my books. I carpeted my house with one of my checks. I've discovered that I'm not in this business for the money. I feel that writing is a ministry. I need to make enough with my consulting, writing, editing, and teaching to live, so for me it has become a business. But my main reason for writing is that I want to change lives. I want to share something with others that will benefit them.

How do you know that God has called you to a writing ministry? Pray about it. Practice patience. Don't rush God, your editors, or yourself. It will probably take you at least a year to get your book contracted, a year to write it, and a year for it to come out in print, perhaps longer. It has been my experience that book editors and agents do not respond before two to three months, at least not if they are interested in your book. They can hold it six months or a year or two before making a final decision.

What kind of timeline can you expect when publishing a book? We will discuss this in our next blog.

 

Nonfiction

Creating a One-sheet

When you verbally pitching your book idea to editors, you will probably have only 15 minutes to sell them on your idea. Thus I suggest you leave something in their hands so they will remember you after the conference is over. Editors and agents will have talked to many people, and you want to stand out. You can accomplish this with a “One-sheet.” Also, there may be some editors you cannot get an appointment with. You can find a moment when they are free and hand them your “One-sheet.”

A “One-sheet” is one sheet of paper to hand out to editors that shows a book proposal project—thus the name. I would suggest printing it on your letterhead stationery so it will look professional. It should be single-spaced and done in block format.

It basically includes the same things that a cover/query letter would include and should basically answer five questions:

1. Why are you qualified to write this book?
2. What is it about (told in one paragraph)?
3. Who is your audience?
4. Why will this book be marketable?
5. What is your marketing plan?

Next week we will talk about your reasons for writing.

 

Nonfiction

An important part of pitching your book is what we call the “Thirty-second Pitch.” This can be used in a 15-minute appointment with an editor at a conference. If you pique an editor’s attention, he or she will want to hear more.

Here is my Thirty-second Pitch for one of my books. Wounded by Words: Healing the Invisible Scars of Emotional Abuse offers hope and healing through Christ from these unseen hurts. Women who have grown up with the harsh reality of verbal abuse understand the pain and suffering it causes. The results of this kind of mistreatment may not cause bruises and other visible injuries, but nevertheless, the scars are there. These scars remain in the heart and mind, causing fear, powerlessness, and dependency.

It's important to be able provide focus for your book in one paragraph. This can also go on your cover letter or one-sheet, which we will discuss in later blogs. Plus if you get an opportunity to walk to dinner with an editor or sit with him at a conference, but you weren't able to sign up to have an appointment with him, you can pitch that editor or agent on the run, so to speak.

Next week we will learn how to create a “One-Sheet” to hand out or send to potential editors and agents.

 

Nonfiction

Now look at the opening sentence and paragraph of the chapter you are working on, or at the section of that chapter. Do you have a strong hook? Does the reader want to keep reading? Many publishing houses and agents receive 5,000 to 10,000 proposals a year. If the editors aren't impressed by the first paragraph, they may not continue reading.

For many authors, beginnings are the most difficult part of the manuscript to write. After reading thousands of book proposals that come through our manuscript critique service, I see that it often takes the author two to three pages to reach the meat of his or her message. You will probably spend more time rewriting your lead paragraph and your first chapter than any other part of your book. Beginnings, for me, are the most difficult part of a manuscript to write.

Don't keep working on the beginning of a chapter, editing the material over and over again. Go onto another chapter and come back later with fresh eyes to the previous material. Writing requires a great deal of editing, but it helps not to dwell on one section for too long at a time.

Next week we will talk about “The Thirty-second Pitch” you will give to potential agents and editors.

 

Nonfiction

Now read through your chapter straight through for flow and focus. Make marks in the margin wherever you see a problem. Read it uninterrupted. You will see things on the overview that you might miss when you are going through your manuscript line by line.

Ask yourself these twelve evaluation questions.
1. Do I have a good lead?
2. Is my chapter interesting?
3. Is it significant?
4. Is my story or book marketable?
5. Does it have continuity?
6. Does it make sense?
7. Have I left out any important points?
8. Did I say what I wanted to say?
9. Are my transitions adequate?
10. Did I repeat my thoughts?
11. Did I use complete sentences?
12. Does my ending tie into my beginning?

Next week we will concentrate on your opening sentence and paragraph.

 

Nonfiction

Now let’s talk about the third step in my Three-Step Writing Process: 3. Self-editing. Allow each chapter to cool before beginning to self-edit. This is the longest stage of writing and requires both sides of the brain.

Did you go where you intended? If not, you either need to change your manuscript or change your outline. Sometimes you even need to change your premise, because you didn't go in the direction you intended.

Go back and look at your outline and theme sentence. Do they need revision? Does your chapter support your outline and theme for that chapter? If not, you need to change either your paragraph description or your first rough draft. Remember that neither is set in concrete.

What I'm saying is it's all right to change your mind. Your manuscript doesn't flow from your computer and settle in concrete. Sometimes the most basic parts of it eventually need to be changed. Be flexible and prayerful as you edit your work.

Next week we will talk about doing an overview of your work and asking yourself 12 questions.

 

Nonfiction

Writing the first rough draft is probably the most emotional birthing phase of the entire process of writing a nonfiction book. Once the words are on paper, you need to emotionally detach yourself from your baby. Lay it aside for a week and let it cool.

Go on to another chapter or on to another writing project. I suggest you go through this same writing process for each chapter of your book. Develop a focus, an outline, and then write the first rough draft. It might be a good idea to write the easiest chapters first if you are organized enough to determine those you can write quickly, or do them chronologically.

God inspires us to write, but He is not going to do our work for us—He will only guide us along the way. Writing the first draft is the creative part. For me, this is the easiest part. The hard part is rewriting, and rewriting, and rewriting. God never promised us that life would be easy, and He never said that writing would be easy. After over 40 years I still struggle with my writing.

Next week we will talk about the third step in my “Three-step Writing Process

 

Nonfiction

Step 2 of my Three-Step Writing Process is writing the First Rough Draft. To write your first rough draft, you use the creative (right) side of your brain.

Find a large block of uninterrupted time and write all the information you can think of regarding your book. Don't get hung up in grammar, punctuation, or phraseology. Write whatever comes to mind. Some of your chapters will be briefly outlined on this first rough draft, others may be in detail, and some won't exist at all.

You may choose to write a synopsis of the entire book, or you may want to take smaller chunks of your “elephant” so you don't get indigestion. On the first sitting, I write a brief overview of the book. After that, I usually write a chapter at a time, so I'm usually dealing with 15-20 pages at a time. I follow the same steps for each chapter. If there are personal stories within the chapter, I use the same process for each story.

Be sure to take a break after writing a rough draft. More tips on this will be given next week.

 

Nonfiction

Next create a preliminary outline before you begin the actual writing of your book. This may change as the writing progresses, but you need a guideline to start with. Your outline should be built around your chapter titles. Perhaps you have 10, 12, or more.

Then write a paragraph about each chapter. Be aware that this may change drastically, but it is important to get down as much information as you can. Each point must support the main theme. Each chapter, though self-contained, needs to promote the main idea of your book.

Example from Wounded by Words:

Chapter 1: Hurtful Words – Caustic words and demeaning statements can be as dangerous to our well-being as any weapon. People often use words that dominate and control when they feel insecure themselves. Unfortunately these words are often directed at close family members, often children, and the outcome is much pain and suffering. The tension resulting from these heated words often leads to the telling of lies by both parties.

This concludes Step 1 of the Three-Step Writing Process. Lay your work aside before continuing. Step 2 will be given next week.

 

Nonfiction

Now let’s talk about my Three-Step Writing Process regarding nonfiction books.

Step 1: Theme and Outline: First, decide what your main purpose is in writing this particular book. Where are you going? State your theme in one word. State it in one sentence. Know what you want to say, and say it. Keep to one subject. You are using the analytical (left) side of your brain to write your focus sentence. You will probably start with something general and refine it as you develop your book.

For an example, I am going to use my book, Wounded by Words: Healing the Invisible Scars of Emotional Abuse.

One word: abuse. Sentence: Now is your chance to break the cycle of emotional and verbal abuse and set yourself and your loved ones free.

The major problem with most book manuscripts that are rejected is they deviate from their premises. The writer tries to tell too many stories or attempts to make too many points in one book.

Step 2 and 3 will be covered in future blogs.

 

Nonfiction

Writing a nonfiction book involves many other things besides the actual writing. I also include reading, rewriting, and editing in my time. These, too, are important parts of the writing process. To write you must spend as much time reading as you do writing. You will gain ideas for your own writing, and it will help you develop your own writing style. Also you need to read articles and books on the subject you are writing about to better educate yourself on your subject.

Writing is starting with a blank computer screen and putting one word down after another. And the more information you have in your head at the time you begin, the easier the task will be. If you wrote a page a day, you'd have 365 pages at the end of a year. Of course those wouldn’t be edited pages, but we will discuss that in later blogs.

Next week we will talk about my Three-Step Writing Process.

 

Nonfiction

Beginning

We will begin a long series on writing nonfiction books from the formation of an idea to a final product. Writing a book is like eating an elephant. A person does not dare to attempt the project in one sitting! We will cover book proposals, writing the entire elephant, and contract negotiations. You’re reading this because you want to write, to get your book published, and to glorify God. Right? You can use these same techniques for articles, stories, and fiction, as well as nonfiction books. Are you published?

Over 40 years ago when I began writing, I made a commitment to God and to myself that I would write for an hour every day. I started writing Sunday school take-home papers. Now I have over 30 books in print, my latest being on domestic violence, titled Breaking Invisible Chains. However, with running my critique business, editing manuscripts, and teaching students to polish their writing, I still struggle with finding time to write my own books! What kind of a commitment are you willing to make? Perhaps you could start with a promise to write for an hour a day. If you spend that much time daily, I can guarantee that on many of those days you will spend much more time.

Next week we will talk about what is involved in writing a nonfiction book.