The Christian Writing and Publishing Guide: Navigating the Murky Waters of the Publishing World

God has given you a message to share, and you believe He wants you to write a book, but you have no idea where to start or what to expect through the process. If so, then this book is for you. Perhaps you have a book already written, but you are unsure what the next step may be or how to navigate through the murky and often turbulent waters of Christian publishers, literary agents, and editors. The secular world is money-driven, but you may not be in it for the money. You may simply want to bring honor to God and glory to His Son, Jesus Christ. You might be more interested in helping fellow brothers or sisters in Christ or in reaching the lost. Companies have done their research and they know you exist, and predators are out there, seeking to take advantage of you and of the vision God gave you.

This book brings a unique perspective on the Christian writing and publishing world. To begin with, I pastored for thirteen years in Colorado, giving me a strong pastoral passion and love for the people and things of God. In fact, my first two published works were based on a series of sermons I preached. I have also been a professional freelance editor going on ten years, having edited Christian manuscripts that range from devotionals to Christian science fiction. Lastly, I am a published author with nearly ten published books as of this writing. I’ve published both nonfiction and fiction and have been published traditionally as well as plunged into the world of self-publishing and literary agencies. Being a pastor, editor, and author means I’ve come to know the pitfalls that exist in both writing and publishing Christ-honoring, Christian literature.

The advice given here is partly pastoral in nature but falls heavily on the editor/author perspective. Below are just a few of the subjects covered in this guide:

• Honoring God and Jesus Christ in your writing
• Developing a cost and time analysis of writing and publishing a book
• Nonfiction writing guidelines
• Fiction writing guidelines
• Copyright laws and plagiarism no-nos
• Copyright issues when quoting from modern Bible versions
• Proper styling for biblical references
• Proper capitalization rules for God and the Bible
• Dealing with sensitive material and subjects for a Christian audience
• When to submit your manuscript to an editor
• What to look for and expect from an editor
• Understanding the editing process
• Interior layout and formatting guidelines
• Cover design guidelines
• The different types of publishing
• Determining what type of publishing is best for you
• Pros and cons of traditional publishing and self-publishing
• And much more!