Back when I was a magazine editor
screening queries for articles, it was fairly easy to see if writers
had the qualifications to tackle their topic.
These days, screening book proposals in
an era when platform is paramount, it's still obvious when a wanna-be
author is trying too hard, too fast.
This morning I got a request to connect
via the professional networking site LinkedIn with an individual
self-described as: “Author / Evangelist / Speaker / Humble
Servant.”
That last reference prompted me to
check the person's profile.
I saw this humble servant was a “Newly
Published Author at Big Name Christian
Publishers - Gotcha Press Subsidiary
(names changed).
The qualifications to be “published” by Gotcha? A manuscript and
a bank account.
The individual had
come to faith in Christ less than two years ago—in 2011. And the
book, “A wake up call for Today's church,” was released in 2012.
Back
at Moody
magazine, we never accepted salvation testimonies by new converts.
Yes, they had enthusiasm. But aren't those who teach others held to a
stricter accounting? Aren't leaders in the church supposed to display
a mature, proven faith?
Having worked in
Christian publishing for decades, it's easy for me to talk about the
need for writers to pay their dues. But I've seen the progress of
many now-successful book authors whose work I first encountered when
they weren't quite ready to write for a national magazine.
It's great to get
a book published. But compressing the path from salvation to
publication to less than two years might not be the mark of a humble
servant.
3 comments:
I agree. I've seen churches make the mistake of hiring new converts who seem zealous for God's Kingdom but who lack the history as a believer needed to solidify their faith, to grow, experience, fail, repent, get back up, and be humbled.I'm sure the same could be said for new writers.
Agreed. When I hear of teen celebrities contemplating writing an autobiography, my conclusion is similar. Live first, write later, when you'll have more to say.
Compression implies great force. Great force implies unbearable pressure. Pressure is shot out the weakest point. Boom. There goes whatever good was built up by patience and hard work.
Sound familiar?
I'm reminded of a woman who had a TV show with her husband and their 8 kids. That didn't end well. Nor did her books sell well in Christian bookstores after their very public break-up. Fine wine, famous paintings and good writing all do well with lots of time.
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