FAQs
You got a question. I want to help.
Here are the 3 most common questions I get as well as my 3 most common answers. Hope it helps.
The Questions:
- Will you speak at my event?
- Will you support me and/or my cause?
- Will you give me advice about how to get my book (or book idea) published?
The Answers:
- Will I speak at your event?
Please send me information about your event by clicking the CONTACT form on the top right side of this page. Please only do so after reading my speaking philosophy below:
I want to sincerely thank you for the invitation to speak at your upcoming event. I know that your group has invested significant time in hand selecting what type of speaker will achieve the stated goals of your respective event and your respective organization. I am honored and humbled that you considered me in this light.
That said, together with my family and my advisory board made up of a key leadership group from my church including pastors and elders, I have established a grid that helps me choose which events I should accept and which ones I must regretfully decline.
For your understanding this grid is provided below. I only accept engagements:
That makes sense to me spiritually.
Rest assured that I prayerfully, consider all events regardless of location, size, honorarium, and advanced notice. First and foremost, I ask the Lord which events He would have me accept.
That makes sense to my family.
I am a husband and father. My family takes first priority. Providentially, at this point in my life more engagements are being offered to me than I have the ability to accept. Because of this I must only accept events that harmonize with the unique flow of my family.
That makes sense to my ministry
I am a pastor within a local church. Because I have committed to invest distinctively in a specific group of people, I must constantly examine my own church calendar and be sensitive to the unique needs that require my attention.
Because I carefully employ this grid, for the few events I do accept I put my whole self into, preparing prayerfully, physically, emotionally, and mentally. I invest the necessary time into learning the back story of your unique organization and your unique audience in order that I can successfully deliver exactly what you need.
Thanks again for taking the time to understand me and my philosophy. I am believing the Lord’s best for you and your organization.
- Will I support you/your cause?
While I’m sure that you and/or your cause are worth it, because of the my limited time and the unlimited requests I get I probably won’t be able. I am committed to finishing well and I hope to hear from the Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” As a result, I’ve developed my core commitments, which I also refer to as my DREAM STATE:
- A faithful follower I will not sell out (theologically) or burn out (spiritually). I will love Jesus as a Person to experience not a product to export.
- An evolving husband I will continue to study Kelly in order to know what makes her tick, what concerns her, and what dreams capture her heart. And as a servant-leader, I will choose to love her unconditionally.
- A dynamic father I will be present – emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally. My three kids are the first and foremost disciples in my life. If I lose it with them, quite simply I lose.
- A loyal friend I will invest in a few relationships that will be mutually authentic, accountable, and transformational.
- A progressing writer I intend to keep writing as long as God lets me keep breathing. I want to stretch myself as a writer being published by the best in the industry. My books will be true to who I am and what I am passionate about.
- An influential leader I will leverage my currency to be a voice for those who can’t find theirs. I will lead with a high level of emotional intelligence, celebrating excellence in others as we settle for nothing less than our best.
- A synergistic partner I will continually join others who are on the mutual journey realizing that together we improve and together we accomplish more than we could ever alone.
- An authentic teacher I will be true to my craft and who I am as a communicator. I will continue to transfer truth in a redemptive manner filled with grace and compassion.
- A transformational coach I will pursue a few individuals at a time who show promise as leaders. Most likely these are people who are in desperate need of someone to invest in them by giving them the gift of belief.
- A life-long learner I will never stop exploring, engaging, and enjoying the world around me. I will be a student of culture and by my discernment demonstrate that I love God with my mind.
- An innovative creator I will not be content as a consumer. Since God is the Creator and I am created in His image, I choose to contribute by composing works of thought, action, and idea. These works will not relish in the mundane, the predictable, or the path of least resistance.
- An unconventional thinker I will choose to venture into unexamined avenues and unexposed ideals. I will commit to transcending the status quo by not settling for settling.
- A healthy life I will maintain a habit of fitness by exercising three times a week. Understanding that quality of life is holistic I will not neglect the physical.
If you think you/your cause resonates with me and my core committments please send me relevant information by clicking the CONTACT form on the top right side of this page.
- Will I give you advice about how to get my book (or book idea) published?
Because of my family and ministry commitments I am unable to provide any help for you individually. However, here is 10 years worth of wisdom I had to learn the hard way. I hope it helps:
My first advice is be prepared to work harder than you have ever worked before. I earned a M.Div. and a D.Min. and I’ve served in ministry for 10 yrs and none of these endeavors comes close to the blood, sweat, and tears, of holistically writing and marketing a quality book. Know this, the hardest thing by far is to get published by a larger publisher. Writing a book is much simpler than doing everything else involved (marketing, editing, researching, etc.)
In fact, here’s a great article from a man I respect about WHY YOU SHOULDN’T WRITE A BOOK. Read this first. http://tonymorganlive.com/2009/07/31/do-not-write-a-book/
Still interested? Thought you might be.
- Go spend some time developing yourself first, including your platform. Few publishers want an author without a platform. Remember though, a platform is not the only thing, you also need to be a great writer. And these three other things help like your Message, Character, and Relationships.
- Be prepared to spend 10,000 hours mastering your craft.
- Write a killer proposal
One of the most important parts of writing a book comes PRIOR to writing the book. Write the proposal first! It forces you into a necessary process. Everyone has a good idea. Very few people have a good proposal. Why? Not many people are willing to put in the time to cultivate their idea. A proposal will only help you shape your idea.
Publishers want to see your proposal. Most don’t have time to look at the whole manuscript. Don’t know how to write a proposal? Please check out these links:
Michael Hyatt’s E-Book -Writing a Winning Book Proposal (the CEO of Thomas Nelson)
http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-290030.html
http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Company/Policy/Submission.htm?QueryStringSite=Zondervan
http://www.eerdmans.com/submit.htm
Once your proposal is done (get ready for roughly a 30-50 page document) you can shop your proposal around at some books shows. Set up short appointments with publishers and have your proposal on hand. Research good tips on how to interview well, because you are not only selling your idea, but also yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself and your idea, neither will a publisher who gets thousands of pitches a year.
http://www.christianretailshow.com
http://www.christianbookexpo.com
If can’t make the show you can send your proposal or manuscript “as is” directly to the publisher. Most publishers won’t look at “unsolicited manuscripts” (a manuscript that doesn’t have an agent pitching it).
Want an agent? Good luck. I don’t have one, so you’re on your own. My suggestion is to pick up: Sally Stuart’s Christian Writer’s Market Guide. She’s got a whole bunch of great advice.
Or you can try to submit it through Christian Manuscript Submission. http://www.christianmanuscriptsubmissions.com or through Writer’s Edge http://www.writersedgeservice.com More and more people are doing this. It’s not bad, but it does cost something and there are no promises.
Or you skip a publisher and self-publish for a pretty fair price. The good thing is that your book will be listed on amazon and other search engines. The process is pretty quick too. The bad thing is that your book won’t often receive shelf-space in bookstores. If you go this route I strongly suggest Xulon Press. http://www.xulonpress.com
Some other amazing tips on getting your book published can be found here: http://www.karenkingsbury.com/writingTips
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com
http://wannabepublished.blogspot.com
http://editorunleashed.com/2009/01/15/twitter-tips-for-writers-25-good-follow
In all this, keep praying, writing, and working hard. It’s an extremely tough, but rewarding experience.
