June Seminar: Special Guest Debby Mayne

[Debby Mayne]

By the way, having agents recommend revisions before accepting you is normal. They learn two things by doing this: 1) whether or not you'll be easy to work with and 2) how quickly you can do the work. Keep in mind that if you sell to a traditional publisher, you WILL have to make revisions. I've seen authors not get second contracts after they dug their heels in and refused to make the changes. You don't have to take all the editor's recommendations, but it's always a good idea to at least discuss the ones you don't agree with. Publishers put a ton of money into editing, marketing, printing, and distribution, and it's in their best interest to have books they are able to sell.

[Debby Mayne]

Most publishers will expect a much higher word count for the type of book you write - probably at least 80-100,000 words. The publishers I work with consider a story a novella if it is shorter than 40,000 words.

Congrats on being invited back to Paris and the other galleries! That sounds exciting!

[Debby Mayne]

It's late here, so I need to sign off. I'll be back on in the morning.

[Satyrical Raven]

Thanks for your replies.
It's mid-day here so I fully understand.
Just wanted to clarify, my MS is actually 114,000-words.

Thanks again

[Satyrical Raven]

Victoria,
I have checked throughout Victoria (Australia) and there is little here other than for romance writers...

[Avonne Writer]

Hello Debby and thank you for visiting us.

I understand the basics of writing, querying agents, etc. I'm wondering if when you signed on/agreed to accept representation from your agent if you were surprised by anything? In other words, if you had it to do over again with your agent, what questions would you have asked/clerified or are there any negotiations that you would have done differently?

[Avonne Writer]

Hello Debby, me again.

I was researching your literary agency and web page and I see that you have chosen a Christian based agency. When you said you wrote romance, for me, that didn't click. I wouldn't have put the words romance with Christian based agency, but I guess Christians read romance too. lol. Anyway, what do you see as the differences between Christian publishing and mainstream? Any pros or cons that you care to share?

Thanks again

[Debby Mayne]

When I was a member of Tampa Area Romance Writers, we had quite a few members who wrote in other genres. Our workshops included quite a few topics that applied to all fiction writing, and they felt that they got what they needed from their membership. Some of the editors who came to our meetings were from large houses that acquired a variety of fiction. Perhaps you can ask to attend one of their workshops/meetings to see if it's something you might like. You'll also get to meet other people who are passionate about writing and telling stories, and networking in this industry really does help.

[Debby Mayne]

Hi, Avonne Writer. Great questions. Before I selected an agent, I had a list of questions that other writers recommended asking, and I'd already met Tamela, so I didn't have any surprises. Several things I recommend authors ask include: 1) Who do you represent? 2) Do you charge fees? (If so, that would be a deal-breaker for me, since agents are supposed to make money when they sell the author's work - no exceptions. 3) What publishing houses do you currently have a relationship with? 4) How often will we communicate and how will we communicate? (E-mail, phone, in-person, meetings at conferences, etc.) The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers website has some excellent advice to help with the agent search and interview.

[Debby Mayne]

The biggest difference between the general market and the Christian market is incorporating the element of faith as an essential part of at least one of the characters' lives. The challenge is to keep it from being preachy, and I try not to do that. Many of my readers are Christians - from the little old church lady who hums hymns, to the hip, young Christian who listens to Christian rock music. But I also have a general market core audience that likes their fiction without sex and foul language. Each of my 3 current publishers has specific guidelines to help writers appeal to their readers. My romances for the Heartsong Presents line of Barbour Books are very tame, while my women's fiction series for Abingdon Press (Spring 2013) deals with a variety of more mainstream topics, such as alcoholism, infidelity, and other issues. Fortunately for readers who want variety, they'll find it in the ever-stretching Christian market. You'll find romance, westerns, mysteries, edge-of-the-seat suspense, fantasy, and edgy fiction.

The biggest pro in selecting a specific market is knowing your audience. I suppose the perceived con would be having a narrow focus, but in reality, it's not any narrower than any other market.

I currently write Christian romance and women's fiction (element of faith and no sex or foul language), but when I began, I wrote for Avalon (G-rated general fiction). There are some obvious differences in the markets, but good writing is good writing. Regardless of what you write, if you want to be commercially successful, you need to consider your market and incorporate the essential elements your readers demand. My favorite books (general fiction as well as Christian fiction) are those that the masses enjoy reading. However, until I attended a few craft workshops, I didn't know specifically what I liked about the stories. Now that I've broken down some of the stories, I understand what compels me to look for more work by certain authors in all genres.