Lets Talk Statistics by Terry Burns

I had a terrible time with statistics in college. I barely passed and even then I think it was the mercy of the professor. But now? I keep logs of submissions I make for my clients, logs of submissions that I have worked, logs of sales, and all of them automatically total up a variety of things. They can tell some interesting things.

One thing I often point out when I am presenting workshops is that 85% of all manuscripts will never be significantly published. People just don't spend the time learning their craft or doing submissions the proper way to be successful. They take themselves out of consideration more than they are actually being rejected. But this also means people that are really in the game are only up against 15% of what is available for sale. The 15% tend to be the people who are agented and being aggressively pitched to editors.

My logs bear this out. I have taken 60 clients out of over 2000 submissions. I am pitching 185 projects on them, or 9.25% of the projects that have been submitted to me. I have 47 proposals pending for me to consider them which means I have turned down 91.88% of submissions. That's a bit more than the 85% but then I'm getting close to my client capacity so the number is going up.

At present I have 221 proposals out and under consideration for these clients. Those are the ones that are still active out of the 746 that have gone out since I've been an agent. I've sold 62, which is 12% of the total proposals I have sent less the ones that are still in play.

These numbers (sales) would be less than a high profile or more experienced agent, but not too out of line across the industry on a percentage success to submission ratio. A large agency would have a number of agents feeding into the process and generating a large number of contacts and submissions but resulting in similar percentage numbers on the number of submissions out into the marketplace per agent.

One number in the log that is not particularly significant except as a matter of interest is the fact that I include the word count in the entry if it was given (everyone should have given it but quite a number of them don't). This column also totals and currently says that I have had 75,474,226 words submitted for my consideration. No wonder I have five editorial assistants helping me read, and of course on a bulk of them only the sample chapters were read or only so far as it took to determine that it simply was not a contender.

What do all these numbers mean? It means this business is very competitive and backs up the fact that most people are not doing what they need to do to meet that competition. Those that are, in fact, are only competing against 15% or less of those making submissions. Unfortunately, instead of doing what they need to do to raise their submission up to where it needs to be in order to be successful, quite a number of them will simply put it out themselves to avoid doing it. There are a lot of good reasons to self-publish but putting an inferior product out to keep from having to do the work to make it competitive is not one of them.

Who would have thought that statistics course would have ever come in handy?

Updates in the Publishing Industry brought to you by Diana

Recently some good news is circulating through the online sites that report on the CBA market. I thought I would share some of the recently posted info that I found interesting and encouraging.


The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA), www.ecpa.org, is an international non-profit trade organization, comprised of over 150 member companies worldwide, representing a combined revenue of nearly $2 billion. Founded in 1974, ECPA is dedicated to serving the Christian publishing industry through equipping its members through cutting-edge technology, meaningful data, dynamic educational opportunity and unprecedented access to markets.

They recently announced some great news for Christian Publishing as well as a list of the Retailers Choice Awards winners for 2010 in their newsletter Rush to Press.

Phoenix, Arizona—Christian publishers have reported increased sales for the month of March over the same month last year and are also showing an increase in net sales (Sales-Returns) for the first three months of 2010. The month of March saw a gross sales increase of just over 1% and a net sales increase of 8% for March and 2% for the quarter. This is the first time the group has seen a positive change in net sales in over a year.

The 2010 winners were:

BOOKS/BIBLES

• Audio: The Love Dare, Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick (Brilliance Audio)
• Auto/Biography: Paul Harvey’s America, Stephen Mansfield and David A. Holland (Tyndale House Publishers)
• Bible Reference/Study: The Names of God, Ann Spangler (Zondervan)
• Bible (Devotional & Study): Couples’ Devotional Bible, NIV (Zondervan)
  
• Bible (General): Bloom Collection (Zondervan)
• Catholic/Liturgical: The Liturgical Year, Joan Chittister (Thomas Nelson)
• Children’s Fiction: The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks, Jan & Mike Berenstain (Zonderkidz)
• Children’s Nonfiction: The VeggieTales Bible, NIV (Zonderkidz)
• Christian Education: Christian History Made Easy, Timothy Paul Jones, Ph.D. (Rose Publishing)
• Christian Living (For this category only, we have two winners):

  Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World, Dr. David Jeremiah (Thomas Nelson)

  Forgotten God, Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski (David C. Cook)

• Church & Culture: 2012, the Bible and the End of the World, Mark Hitchcock (Harvest House Publishers)
• Evangelism: Evidence for the Resurrection, Josh and Sean McDowell (Regal Books)
  
• Fiction (General): The Missing, Beverly Lewis (Baker Publishing Group)
  
• Fiction (Mystery & Suspense): Green, Ted Dekker (Thomas Nelson)
  
• Fiction (Women’s): A Lineage of Grace, Francine Rivers (Tyndale House Publishers)
• Health and Fitness: Eat This and Live!, Don Colbert, MD (Strang Book Group)
• Personal Growth/Prayer: Uncommon, Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker (Tyndale House Publishers)
• Relationships: The Love Dare Day by Day, Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick (B&H Publishing Group)
• Social Issues: Inside the Revolution, Joel C. Rosenberg (Tyndale House Publishers)
• Women’s Nonfiction: His Princess Bride, Sheri Rose Shepherd (Baker Publishing Group)
• Youth/Teen: A Young Woman’s Guide to Making Right Choices, Elizabeth George (Harvest House Publishers)
  

GIFTS

• General Gift Product: Willow Tree: Close to Me, Susan Lordi (Demdaco)
• Gift Book: Jesus Lives, Sarah Young (Thomas Nelson)
• Wall Décor: Moments of Faith Sculpture Plaque Eagle #11700 (Lighthouse Christian Products)
  

OTHER

• Backlist: Love & Respect, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs (Thomas Nelson)
• Children’s Media: Saint Nicholas—A Story of Joyful Giving DVD, VeggieTales (Big Idea)
• DVD/Video: Book/Bible Study: Crazy Love, Francis Chan (David C. Cook)
• DVD/Video: Movie: Fireproof (Provident Films)
• Marketing/Promotion Campaign: Share the Good News of Christmas (Crossway)
• Music: Come Alive, Mark Schultz (Word Entertainment)
• Spanish: Santa Biblia de studio arquelogica, NVI (Zondervan)
• Vacation Bible School: High Seas Expedition (Group Publishing)
  

Publishing Trends wrote:

Annette Tonti, CEO of mobile publisher MoFuse, predicted that 2% of the U.S. population will own Kindles by 2013, with 7.5 million active Kindles and $813 million in annual Kindle e-book revenues. But iPhone apps are the subject of most of the excitement and innovation in the mobile app world, even though the number of book-related apps is currently dwarfed by those of e-books on single-use reading devices.

The number of Book apps available in the iTunes Store (27,235) eclipsed that of other kinds of apps for the first time last month, reported app research company Mobclix. But according to a recent report by Dutch research firm Distimo, books still make up less than 5% of the apps actually downloaded.

Odds and Ends of Information:

A February 2009 Compete.com study found that Twitter is the third largest social-networking site, after Facebook and MySpace. Many people and companies have ventured their ways on in the past year; it was ranked #22 in 2008. It has nearly six million users and 55 million monthly visits. Meanwhile, people are spending less time on MySpace and visiting it less often, as Twitter use surges.

In a February Abrams Research Social Media Survey of “over 200 social media leaders” from the U.S. and Canada,” 40% of respondents chose Twitter as the #1 social media service for businesses, with LinkedIn at a distant second. One survey respondent described Twitter as “the quickest way I’ve seen to spread information virally to a wide scope of people attached in a lot of random ways,” while another said it’s the “best way to bridge the personal-professional gap.

Personal Note:

I recently set up a Twitter account but have only tweeted a few times. I am wanting to make sure that I have something worth Tweeting about.After reading a few articles last evening, I need to just dive in and get started. Come join me there. We will give each other Grace as we learn together the best ways to use this network tool.

Have a nice day. I pray you all are enjoying Spring in your part of the world.
From my heart to yours,
Diana

Terry's Client Max Elliott Anderson guest blogger

As a child, I never liked to read. When I mention this to someone today, I can anticipate the reaction. Their mouth drops open in disbelief, followed by a gasp. “You’re kidding!” often follows. That’s probably because I’m also the author of a number of action-adventures and mysteries especially written for other boys who may be facing similar difficulties.

I used to think that a reluctant reader was simply someone who hadn’t found the right book yet. But the causes may go deeper than that.

At the outset, it’s important to understand our terms. Parents must be certain that, if facing a struggling, reluctant reader, there aren’t any problems with vision, neurological issues, or other medical conditions that might hamper reading. These should be diagnosed by professionals, but here are some things to look for.

Difficulty with vision.

Does he have good posture while reading?

In addition to vision, a child may suffer from ADD (attention deficit disorder), ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), dyslexia, or other learning disabilities.

For the purposes of exploring reluctant or struggling readers, let’s say that you’ve had your child tested, and we can rule out vision or medical problems. What is your next step toward getting him interested in reading?

Start with audio books. In some cases, this is used while also holding a copy of the same book. A child is able to both see and hear the words at the same time, and practice following along.

Select a book that is below grade level. You may also want to experiment with comic books, graphic novels, or magazines like Sports Illustrated for Kids, Ranger Rick, Highlights, and others.

Some have found success by using electronic readers like Kindle and iPad.

Recently a study was released which noted that nearly 80 percent of children 6 and under, read or are read to in an average day. But it went on to say that children spend an average of 49 minutes with books in that same average day, compared with 2 hours and 22 minutes sitting in front of a television or computer screen.

If your child avoids reading in every way possible - choosing video games, or the computer over reading - you might set those activities aside as rewards. You can say, “After you’ve read for thirty minutes, or an hour,” for example, “then you may spend time doing those other things.” Here are some other ideas.

Read aloud with your child.

Get rid of distractions.

Above all, make reading fun.

Have your child try reading to a dog, a cat, a doll, or stuffed animal.

Look for high interest, low vocabulary books called Hi-Lo.

Anytime I’m asked if reading is really all that important, I give several reasons why it is, and add that readers are the leaders others follow.

-Books For Boys Blog http://booksandboys.blogspot.com

-Author Web Site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com

Diana's client Doug Varrieur talks about his guest spot on the 700 Club

Every once in a while, as agents, we experience highlights along our career path. One of the sweetest highlights for me recently was scheduling my client, author Doug Varrieur on a 700 Club segment and sitting in the studio audience that day to witness it.

Doug shared helpful, life changing information, found in his newly released book, Fat to Skinny Fast and Easy, (Sterling Publishers, Jan 2010) resulting in such great feedback they have rescheduled him for a return visit June 2^nd.

Doug this title, Fat to Skinny Fast and Easy, was birthed from your personal experience. At age 46 you lost more than 100 LBS and have kept it off. When folks get a chance to meet you it is quickly evident that you are passionate about helping others lose the weight they carry. Do you ever tire of speaking about hidden sugars and the danger to ones’ health overeating sugar is? How does this support your mission?

I’ve watched the downturn in American health and I know the suffering first hand that being overweight and having diabetes can cause. I realize the pain many people are in, adults, children and entire families. I weep when I think of an entire generation of kids that will live a shorter life span than their parents. I get angry as I see the lack of commitment from the government and medical community to make the obvious known. Do I ever tire speaking the truth about SUGAR and foods that metabolize into SUGAR…..No…. If you had the cure for cancer could you keep it to yourself? I have the cure for obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, formally known as SUGAR Diabetes and I won’t keep it to myself. Someone MUST reveal the truth to our people, that someone is me.

Can you share here a bit about your experience preparing for and taping the Skinny Wednesdaysegment for the 700 Club at CBN studios? I would imagine it was quite different than doing a radio interview.

The staff at the 700 Club were very professional and gracious. I travel from place to place doing TV interviews. I usually get into town a day ahead of time and hit the grocery store and a couple of restaurants for my “props” During my televised presentation I reveal the hidden sugar in a typical breakfast, lunch and dinner. This requires laying out meals, beverages, sugar, plates, bowls measuring cups etc… I contacted the producer in advance to make sure I had enough time prior to our segment to shop. She laughed and requested a prop list and instructed me not to worry, everything would be set up when I arrived in the studio. It made me smile when I walked in and indeed everything was set up per my instructions. I felt like an honored guest and I was very comfortable with the entire crew. The only preparation I did was to get a good night’s sleep in their wonderful hotel, THE FOUNDERS INN the night before the segment.

What exactly was your schedule like on the day of the taping?

It was very structured and moved right along. 7:20 am off to the studio, 8:00-8:30 rehearsal, 8:30-8:50 make-up, 9:00, in green room waiting to go live.

Did you enjoy promoting your book in this venue, and do you care to share any personal highlights from this?

Being on TV is a breeze if you remember a couple simple rules. Minutes go very quickly so it’s important to prioritize your presentation information so you can get it all in. Always look at the host or hostess and forget about the cameras. In most cases there are three cameras working and it’s difficult to stay on track if you’re trying to also follow the cameras. Don’t sell your book or your website, “teach” your information and allow the host or hostess to bring up your book. You’re there to entertain the audience of the network. Always write back to the anchor and producer and request a short media reference for other potential producers to read. This way they’ll know in advance how you handle yourself.

What kind of response have you received since appearing on the 700 Club. Has it increased your book sales? Sent more folks to your website?

For two weeks solid FAT TO SKINNY Fast and Easy has been the #1 selling adult Sterling title at Barnes and Noble nationwide. Ranking on Amazon shot up to #32 with #1 position in three different Amazon book categories and stayed in the top 100 on for a week. Over the past two weeks since the 700 club interview I’ve had over 10,000 page views on my website and yes…..many book sales.

What are some of the other creative ways you have promoted your books?

Over and above radio and TV you’ll find an impressive web presence for my books. I think at last count there were 26 back to back Google pages on my name, Doug Varrieur. FAT TO SKINNY ranks #1 for a couple strong key words and phrases and my videos can be found on hundreds of web sites. I promote through the social networks as well like Facebook and Myspace. I keep in constant contact with readers and potential readers through my free support forum located at www.FATtoSKINNY.net Here anyone who needs my help can register and get free weight loss support whether they bought any of my books or not. Check it out, it’s a great place to meet people of “like mind”.

Do you have other titles we can look forward to seeing from you?

FAT TO SKINNY is a series of 4 books with a fifth in progress, here’s the titles;

FAT TO SKINNY Fast and Easy!

FAT TO SKINNY Low Sugar Low Carb Cookbook

FAT TO SKINNY Low Sugar Low Carb Product Guide

FAT TO SKINNY Sugar and Carb Counter

The fifth book in progress is the FAT TO SKINNY Low Sugar Low Carb Bakery. It should be finished in about 3 months….lots to bake and test eat .

I also offer a title called THE CHERRY TREE which is a wonderful self help book based on my life’s experiences.

You have quite a schedule in the coming weeks, flying coast to coast doing more TV and Radio. Joyce and Diana are proud to have booked you on Cornerstone Television near them, and they look forward to seeing you face to face in the ‘Burgh.

Before we say goodbye and allow you to get back to your fans, tell the reader where they might find out more about you.

My website is, www.FATtoSKINNY.com

My blog address is www.FATtoSKINNY.net

FB: www.facebook.com/doug.varrieur

MySpace; http://www.myspace.com/fattoskinnyguru

CBN Segment clip: http://www.fattoskinny.com/CBN.htm

Doug, any last words for our readers?

Yes, thanks for taking the time to read this interview and please feel free to contact me if I can be of any help to you or your family.

Blessings to all.

Doug

My Book is self published by Terry Burns

"My book is self-published and now I need an agent to take it to a bigger publisher." Or perhaps "Should I take my self published book to show to an editor at a conference?"

I get several self-published books a day. First let me say I have no problem with self-published books, I've done a couple myself. That is, I don't have a problem if it was a business decision to do it and not just because the author didn't want to do the work necessary to traditionally publish.

But is it a viable strategy to circumvent the process and take a short cut to a major publisher? I hate to have to say it, because I know it isn't what authors want to hear, but once a book has been published whether self published or by other means, it is in print and to take it to a larger publisher generally means selling reprint rights. When I say that many respond, "but I retained the rights for it." It isn't about owning the rights to the book, it's about the fact that once a book is in print the first rights are gone, no matter who published it. First rights are what a publisher primarily wants to buy, and a book can only be published for the first time once. That means it's a reprint project or has to be offered as a new book which often requires a major rewrite.

Few publishers want reprint rights, and those that will look at them want to see sales figures up in the four figures that will show them the book deserves further print and promotion. As I said, there are a lot of good reasons to self publish, particularly if a book is aimed at a regional or limited market and the author recognizes that they will be doing the primary sales and marketing. However, as a strategy to get a book out in order to interest a major publisher in it, that strategy very seldom works and those times when it did work it was because of significant sales.

And how is an editor likely to see it if you bring a finished book to an interview to pitch it? A lot of self published books have poor covers or poor editing (which has a lot to do with opinions the industry holds of self-publishing) but let's assume neither is the case. To the editor we are showing them the book has already been done so a lot of editors are going to think we are offering them used goods. Were it to catch their interest their first question would be about those pesky sales numbers.

Most of the time the odds against taking a previously published book and trying to get a major publisher interested are too long for me unless there are some really good sales numbers. Our best means of getting those books in print with somebody else is to get the next one published, do well with it and establish a relationship, and try to get our earlier books in behind it with the same publisher.

Still, the agency has done something with a few self-published titles if there were some decent sales and it was a really outstanding book. But I mentioned that I get a number of them each day. How many have been able to make that next step? A handful. Is it a viable means to interest a major publisher? Very seldom.

Diana present’s Guest blogger Jena Morrow

Today Diana present’s Guest blogger Jena Morrow. Jena had the privilege of receiving her first copies of her soon to be released book, HOLLOW from Moody Publishers Thursday. She shares with us here a few excerpt posts from her I’m Just Saying blog.

Heartwarming post from a reader . . .
Posted: 15 Apr 2010 09:05 AM PDT

Received this today from a young woman via Facebook private message and she has agreed to allow me to share it. I am humbled and blessed to think that God would use my random confessions and musings to reach and touch others. How cool that He could do it without us, and yet He chooses to use us. I'll never get over the wonder of that.

Chelsey says . . . "I just came across your page after seeing a post on Remuda Ranch's wall and I decided to read over the blogs listed on your info. They are wonderfully convicting and remind me that although every day is a battle to not engage in self-hate and remain in recovery, there is unceasing hope and grace at the hands of our Father.

I don't know you but I also cannot adequately express my gratitude. After going into organ failure at the age of 18 (I'm 21 now), I was sent to Remuda entirely against my will. I've never felt more understood or loved, and for once I felt like I was allowed to heal -- that I didn't have to remain sucked into the lies I'd been told my entire life and that it was really okay to be okay, in fact, maybe I deserved that.

Anyway, that's just a short musing of my story. Know that your blogs are rays of light in the continual fight to truly live.
Love, Chelsey

P.S. I just saw you have a memoir being released in a couple weeks! That's awesome!"


Thank you again, Chelsey, for reaching out. I wish you all the best in your recovery and in your journey. Stay well! Continue to CHOOSE LIFE!


And another post:
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Remembering Cindy (A Personal Challenge)

This week marks the five-year anniversary of the death of a dear friend of mine, Cindy Ward. Cindy died of complications of anorexia at the age of 29—ironically, right at the beginning of Eating Disorder Awareness Week in 2005. This time of year, then, is always bittersweet for me as I see the efforts and outreach events planned to help raise awareness and educate people about the very thing which stole my friend’s life out of season.

Five years is both a short time and a long time, depending on one’s perspective—it’s a short time, for example, to be married; it’s a long time to be a prisoner of war. It’s a short time to enjoy the life of a child—and a very long time to live without the child after her passing.

We can do a lot in five years time, can’t we? I was thinking last night about all the things that have happened, just in my own singular, fleeting-as-vapor life in the five years since Cindy passed away. I’ve gone from mother-of-a-toddler to mother-of-a-second-grader. I watched my grandmother take her last breath. I’ve changed jobs twice. I bought a house. I got laid off. I wrote a book. And I got to wondering what might have happened in Cindy’s life that she never lived to see or accomplish. Would she have gotten married? Had a child? Gone back to school? Written a book or gone on a mission trip or shared her faith with dying hearts? She might have. But her own dying heart beat her to the punch.

I truly believe Cindy didn’t see it coming. Even after multiple heart attacks before age thirty, she didn’t really think she’d die. If she had known, she would have done things differently. I just know this.

So, naturally, I got to feeling philosophical and weepy about it all. It’s become a cliché, to lament that life is short, our days are numbered, blah, blah, blah. It’s become so trite, I think, that we forget that it is true—and we never know for whom it will be true next. What if it’s me? Or you? What do we want to do before our number is up? If it’s something huge and seemingly insurmountable, shouldn’t we at least give it a shot so it can be said that we died trying?

I’m not sad for Cindy; I know where she is and Who she is with. And I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that even if she could come back here, she wouldn’t—not for one minute. I’m not even all that sad for myself anymore, as I was when she first passed. It dulls after a while, the longing for one last hug, one more email or card or phone call. We move from grieving to acceptance—and maybe we even feel a little guilty about that as the grief becomes lighter and lighter a burden. What I’m sad about is the loss of what could have been—how Cindy could have contributed to the world over the past five years. She could have done so much with her talents, her generous spirit, her kind heart. And I’ll never know exactly what.

But all of you who are reading this are still here. And not to be morose, but of those who will read this, one of you will be next to leave this Earth. Someone has to be. Maybe it will be you. Or me. If it is, are we making the most of our time until we graduate out of this world? Are we chasing a dream or working on a goal or loving to the fullest of our hearts’ potential? I can’t answer for you; I can only answer for myself, and I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m not. I’ve gotten complacent in a few areas. I’m dragging my feet on some things for fear of failure. And really, what’s the worst that could happen?

I know my friend, and if she could come back for five minutes, I think she would tell us to shrug off the fear that binds us and go for it—whatever our particular “it” is.

So . . . shall we?

In joyful, loving memory:
Cindy Ward (1975-2005)
“Cowgirl up, Cindy!”

Jena’s book HOLLOW is dedicated to Cindy.


In the opening endorsements, author Jane Rubietta says, “Not just a haunting tale of a wicked disorder, but the story of a tenacious God who does not give up on His children. Jena’s story offers reality and hope to millions of people (not counting their relatives and friends) impacted by eating disorders.

Jill Flegal, a licensed counselor at Crossroads Counseling and Care Center writes, “In Jena’s words, it is a ‘cautionary tale’ told by one who tarried in the darkness, but who no longer lives there. Jena’s story moves beyond the slippery darkness into the strength of relationship with the living God. Just as her decent into anorexia was no solitary journey, so her wading into God’s mercy requires journey companions. Jena came to know her place in the grandest of all love stories. It’s the love story every one of us needs to hear, because it was written for each one of us.

One in every 200 Americans struggle with anorexia nervosa. Let’s pray that many of them through this book will be led to freedom in Christ and subsequent victory.

In prayer toward this end and from my heart to yours,

Diana

Writing for the Lord by Terry Burns

Continuing our series of reporting on conferences that are upcoming or conferences we have attended to help people make decisions about where to go, this is the second time I have gone to this conference and it is an excellent one. ETBU does a most professional job of putting it on, the campus is beautiful, they have a great faculty, all of the conference is in one convenient place and I recommend it highly.

This conference has been held for many years but not last year. I told them that was very considerate for them to not hold it since I had broken my heel and could not attend. Actually, I believe they were simply in the process of moving it to a different date. This move was terrific as the weather could not have been better, shirt sleeve weather, neither too hot nor too cold. The conference runs a day and a half in a very concentrated format. Great regional conference.

I mentioned in an earlier blog that I had changed the keynote I was about to give at the Heart of America conference in Kansas City at the last moment and after I did it a number of people came up and said it addressed a very urgent current need. At this conference I found myself taking my "Using Fiction to Spread God's Word" workshop in a new direction that I had neither planned nor decided in advance to do. It just happened. Again I had a couple of people come up and say it had addressed a very urgent need.

I said, "So you are the one God changed my talk for."

God does that. It has happened over and over. A number of people who have attended a session I give has heard me say I believe there are two ways to write for the Lord, to be called to do it, or to decide to do it in which case it is not a calling but an offering. I don't believe that everyone who would like to write for the Lord has been called to do so any more than I believe that everyone who would like to preach has been called to do so.

This led to a discussion of how to discern a calling and how to tell what the Lord wants us to do. This is intensely personal and not something someone else can decide for a person but there is a way someone can help describe the process, which I did. This brought relief to a couple of people who were distressed because they had not heard this calling and felt bad when they heard people say they should have. There is absolutely nothing wrong with writing as an offering. If it is done right it will be well received and the effort blessed.

Then a couple of people were distressed about how long it was taking and surely it would happen quicker if God had asked them to do it. I pointed out how long God prepared Moses and Abraham and the Apostles, and even Jesus himself before they were actually used. If God has called a writer to a task He will prepare them before He brings the task to fruition. I stressed that He would not only insure that the WRITING was what He wanted it to be, but the writer themself was where he wanted them to be as well. It is even possible that instead of going faster with God's help that it might take longer than it would for a person preparing an offering out of their own abilities and resources. It most assuredly will if the person is not submitting themselves to him and to the way He wants it done because success is not likely to come until that happens.

I love it when the Lord helps me teach.

Those of you that live within range of the ETBU conference should definitely plan on attending next year. Information will be available at http://www.etbu.edu/News/CWC/