by A.C. Williams @ACW_Author

Every editor, agent, publisher, or mentor at a Christian writing conference will be a perfect fit for you, your book, and your career as an author. True or False.

I hope you said false, because that statement certainly isn’t true! And it’s actually a really good thing that it’s not true! Believe me. Not every publisher is set up to work with every author. The same is true with editors and mentors and agents. Some personalities don’t click, and that doesn’t mean one person is wrong and the other person is right. It just means that people are different.

The Bible speaks about the Body of Christ on several occasions, specifically calling out how the various parts of the body do different things, and that the body can’t function without its many parts (where wert the smelling?).

So how can you tell if the editor, agent, publisher, or mentor you’re talking to is a good fit for you and your manuscript?

Well, that is the question.

Just because you talk to someone who likes your idea doesn’t mean they are the best partner for you. Just because you talk to someone who seems like a really experienced leader in the industry doesn’t guarantee that that your career goals will match their capacity.

That doesn’t mean they aren’t good at their job or that they don’t belong at a given conference. They can be a great person but just not the best fit for you. So how do you discern whether the person you’re talking to is going to be a good match?

Well, obviously, the best source for wisdom is our Heavenly Father (James 1:5). So start there. But take a moment to consider some things about yourself and your platform before you start a conversation with another industry professional.

Know your career goals.

Do you have more than one book in you? Most of us do. And if you want to be a career author, your goals need to look different than someone who is pursuing writing as a hobby. Career authors have more than one book. Most career authors have dozens, if not more, books to their names.

If you want to make a job out of telling stories, you need to be able to produce a lot of words in fairly rapid succession. So if you want to be a career author, make sure you are working with a publisher, agent, or editor with the resources and connections to help you grow and guide you in making the most of your platform.

Know the expectations of your genre.

Writing to market isn’t a betrayal of your art. Did you know that? Making money for putting words on a page doesn’t compromise your integrity as an artist, and it doesn’t have to water down your “heart story” either.

When I was young, I took all the experts’ lessons about writing something original to heart. I wrote something so original that it defies categorization, and that defeats the entire purpose of trying to market and sell something. If it doesn’t fit in a category, nobody knows how to market it, so nobody knows how to sell it.

That doesn’t mean you can’t write the weird stuff. Shoot, write the weirdest stories you can think of. Embrace your chaotic sense of humor if that’s what God has given you and write for yourself. Have fun. Frolic in the imaginary fields of your fantasy worlds and don’t worry about word counts, reader expectations, or investment returns. Just understand that you can’t do all of that and have a sustainable career at the same time.

Writing to market, writing to meet reader expectations, is the most efficient means to see a profit. That means you need to know what your readers want, you need to know what the genre needs to include, and you need to be working with a publisher and/or editor who understands that too.

Know the value of your work.

If you talk to a publisher, an editor, or an agent who you feel isn’t the best fit for you, but you think they’re the only option, what do you do? Do you settle? Do you hand over your work to someone you know isn’t aligned with your career goals?

Well, I don’t recommend it.

That’s not to say that you should be demanding. Trust me, humility is the best characteristic you can have when you approach an industry professional. It’s not a good idea to sit down across from an expert and tell them when you want your book published, what you want on the cover, what you intend to change and what you won’t change, etc. That’s the fastest way to get yourself blacklisted.

But at the same time, don’t just settle. It’s better to wait than to jump to a conclusion and sign an agreement with someone you don’t feel is a good fit. Trust your instincts. That might be the Holy Spirit nudging you to take a step back and wait a little while.

You don’t have to sign with anyone. You don’t have to be forced into a relationship with anyone you just met at a conference. Consider your opportunities. Talk to people about your options. Trust but verify, and you will be one step closer to making a connection with the people who are in line with the calling God has given you.

A.C. Williams is a coffee-drinking, sushi-eating, story-telling nerd who loves cats, country living, and all things Japanese. Author of more than 20 books, she keeps her fiction readers laughing with wildly imaginative adventures about samurai superheroes, clumsy church secretaries, and goofy malfunctioning androids; her non-fiction readers just laugh at her and the hysterical life experiences she’s survived. If that’s your cup of tea (or coffee), join the fun at www.amycwilliams.com.