by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

There is something to be said about what we think about ourselves, not only as individuals but also as friends, family members, and writers. Integrity is a vital part of our individualism, and it’s a necessity in our career as a writer. Unfortunately, our industry is not foolproof, and we can be misled by others easily if we aren’t aware of the things that are potential red flags.

Since conferences are where we look for opportunity and learning, it’s only natural that this is an easy place where we can be misled. A conference faculty is well-vetted by conference staff. Directors spend a lot of time reading through resumes and teaching proposals. They contact references, check out the industry hubbub, and check the credentials of those invited to teach or serve as vendors. When you attend a class or sit across the interview table from a faculty member, you can rest assured you are dealing with individuals of great integrity. However, conference directors cannot vouch for the guy sitting next to you in the general assembly who tells you they are an editor. When you begin to seek out services such as mentoring, coaching, editing, and publishing, it is vital to your career that you do your homework.

I recently received a book from an individual who wanted an endorsement. Their book was self-published. When I opened it, I was stunned. It looked like a first-grade primer. The lines were double spaced, the fonts huge, and worse. . .there was no editing done. How do I know the editing was nixed? This is how: Christian was spelled christmond. Belief was spelled belief.

I admire anyone who has the chops to take on self-publishing through Create Space. It’s not necessarily an easy task, though Amazon wants you to think it is. Unless you are a person who understands the terms and tools of publishing a book, ditch, formatting, running heads, folios, and vertical justification, it’s probably not in your best interest to take on this project. Or at least if you want a professional book over one that looks as though it printed in your garage.

If you choose to self-publish, do your homework and invest in a reputable company or hire knowledgeable and competent professionals to edit, do the interior, and build your cover. Look for integrity. Taking this step costs you a lot of money. This is when you, as a writer, can practice patience and self-control. Use discernment. Truthfully assess whether your work is ready for publication. When you’re rejected traditionally, there is usually a solid reason why. Though there are good rejections, the work is most likely not up to publication level for the debut author. Remember, this book will follow you through your entire career.

Ten years down the road, will you regret it, or will you be pleased with the work produced? There was no self-publishing when I was new to writing. Writers had to play the acceptance game. They had to experience rejection and live with it. These things weren’t so bad. Writers had to learn the craft, so rejections were no longer obstacles. Self-publishing entered the game, and suddenly every writer could be published, whether the work was good or not. Self-publishers popped up everywhere with enticing offers, playing off an author’s dream of wanting a book published. Charmed by a phrase that pumped their ego, authors fell into a trap that led them to spend more money than they ever imagined and landed them a truckload of books stored in their garage.

There is good reason to do your homework. Lay your ego to the side and ask, “Is this a good business decision?” Don’t let your desire to have a book on the shelf be your guide. This is a time when reason is essential. A good self-publisher will help you make your book unforgettable.

Anyone can claim to be a writing coach

Writers beware. Do your homework. Again, think integrity. Would you take your newborn baby to the lady down the street to be treated for a severe illness, or would you seek a professional with experience in children’s conditions? Why would you do less for your writing work? When you seek professional help, please don’t take for granted that the guy next to you is what they say they are. When you consider a mentoring or a writing coach, seek out well-published authors and editors with years of proven experience. I say this for a reason. Someone who hasn’t been traditionally published has not experienced the full force of the industry. How can someone with zero experience coach or mentor a writer? When you seek the services of a mentor or coach, you are looking for someone who can help you maneuver the industry. They can tell you exactly what a publisher expects and wants, and they can help you hone your manuscript into that expectation. Cookies don’t come from someone who only makes mud pies. Be wise. Be smart. When you seek a mentor, look for someone with experience and several books under their belt. You will pay good money for their services, but your return is worth the investment.

An Editor is More than Checking Spelling and Commas

Check out groups like The Christian Pen for various types of editors. Look to solid, well-published writers or folks trained in editing for publication. Grammar rarely changes, but editing for a novel is different when, as Steven James says Story Trumps. Join solid, strong critique groups like Word Weavers and if that is not possible, seek out critique groups with levels of writers from beginners to well-published. Your career depends on it. It’s fine to ask for a sample of editing from an editor. You need to see if they 1) will mesh with your personality and needs 2) their knowledge of the task is suitable. Do they understand content editing? Are their suggestions fitting? If an editor refuses to offer a sample, perhaps that answers your question. I say again, think integrity.

Endorsers are not Paid

The authors you choose to endorse your work are not paid. If an endorser insists on payment, then think again. Many well-published authors do not endorse debut authors. Their readers trust their opinions, and a debut author doesn’t have proven force behind their work. Don’t be offended if an endorser turns you down. They must look after their personal career and pick exceptional choices to endorse. Endorsers cannot afford to drive away their own stable of faithful readers by endorsing a book that doesn’t have the quality their readers expect. Some publishers will approve endorsement requests before their authors write them and decide if the books are the quality they expect. Still, there are services you can pay for endorsements, and the rule holds true. Think integrity.

Do your homework before you pay for hired services of any kind. Before you decide, place it at the feet of Christ and ask for discernment and wisdom. Trust in His timing and if you feel as though God has laid a book on your heart. Don’t decide for God when the book should be published. Instead, let loose and allow Him to work in and through you.

As God told Habakkuk, “And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”

Cindy K. Sproles is an author, speaker, and conference teacher. Having served for a number of years as a managing editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas and Ironstream Media, Cindy now works as a mentor, coach, and freelance editor. She is the co-founder of Writing Right Author Mentoring Services with Lori Marett and the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Cindy is also the co-founder of Christian Devotions Ministries and www.christiandevotions.us, as well as www.inspireafire.com. Her devotions are in newspapers and magazines nationwide, and her novels have become award-winning, best-selling works. She is a popular speaker at conferences and a natural encourager. Cindy is a mountain girl, born and raised in the Appalachian mountains, where she and her husband still reside. She has raised four sons and now resorts to raising chickens where the pecking order is easier to manage. You can visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com or www.wramsforwriters.com.