Customer Reviews

Christian Writers' Market Guide 2009

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The cover of the Christian Writers' Market Guide 2009 has this written: The Essential (in bold) reference tool for the Christian writer.

This is no exaggeration. Any writer serious about breaking into and staying in the industry needs this on their desk. Sally Stuart creates every possible piece of information one would need to publish.

I read a lot of agent and publisher blogs and their major complaint is writers send in material not appropriate for the place they are sending. These writers must not have the Christian Writers' Market Guide. The book covers what each place is about, their guidelines, if you need an agent for the place, everything.

In addition, new this year includes a CD Rom as a handy guide that has contacts for 1,000 markets.

It's obvious Sally not only did her homework, she did yours and mine. She also writes about what trends she sees and other valuable informtion.

This is a goldmine that you'd be foolish not to pursue.

I also encourage you to subscribe to Sally Stuart's blog feed as she is constantly updating informtion.

Having used the Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market and the regular Writers' Market before, I found this incarnation disappointing. It is simply a straightforward listing of book and periodical publishers. It includes none of the extras that I found so helpful in the other Writers' Markets. There are no interviews with publishers, no tips on writing query letters... in other words, for being one of the most expensive books in the Writers' Market series, it is the least helpful.

Be warned as well that a large number of periodical publishers mentioned in here are non-paying. This can be good for those just breaking into the market and need to build a clip portfolio, but it can also be frustrating to those of us who depend on paid articles to make our rent.

Beyond that, the actual information about publishers and their guidelines is quite detailed. It was easy to read through the listing and figure out which periodicals I'd be fit to query to and which I certainly would not.

The latest edition of Sally Stuart's Market Guide continues the same excellence found in previous editions. This book is an extensive resource for both the beginning and experienced writer looking to expand their work in the Christian market.

The key listings are book publishers, periodicals, greeting card/gift/specialty markets, a help section, indexes and glossary and also includes a CD-ROM with a multitude of additional resources.

Each key section is further subdivided into more specialized headings, making it easy for a writer to look for a specific topic. The same holds true for the periodical section and the specialty markets.

Within the book, listings carry information on: mailing address, phone and fax numbers, website, email addresses, information on what that particular listing publishes and how many/year, compensation information, guidelines or how to obtain them, and so forth. The information with each listing can vary.

The CD-ROM also contains information not listed in the book--information for hundreds of markets.

Books or periodicals can be found in the topical index or in the alphabetical index. There are also listing for subsidy publishers, distributors and a market analysis for each section.

Sally Stuart's Market Guides have been a staple in my library for several years. Her market guides are an important resource for anyone looking to write for the Christian market.

When I saw the opportunity to be part of the blog tour for the Christian Writers' Market Guide 2009 by Sally Stuart, I thought that it was a no brainer a good opportunity to see where I could possibly get my break into the industry. I had no idea there were so many options or that some places could be so hard to get into, while others could be so easy. Sally Stuart has done her homework when it comes to where and how people should look to look to get published. She has contacted what seems to be just about any place that would publish a religious book and found out their criteria, who one should talk to, what they are looking for and how it should be presented. One facet of the info she presented that was most fascinating to me was the percentage of books published by first time authors.

Now if one thinks that this is all about books, they would be crazy. She also checked out subsidy publishers (had no clue there was anything called this), distributors and groups who will do market analysis for you. Not only that but she did the same work for the periodical and greeting card market as well. If you write poetry or stuff that would be nice in a card or on a some sort of gift item, she has provided the contacts you should make to get yourself published.

Some of the best advise that she gives is that if you want to get published in some of the larger venues, it pays to start somewhere. Instead of working to climb Everest right out of the gate, get published somewhere because many places are more open to publishing authors who have been published previously. If an audience has been determined or gained the bigger more popular publishers are more open to your material. Starting in a smaller venue also gives you time to hone your skills and refine your maunscripts so that when it is time to go to the Big Name publishers you are on your A-game.

This book is not your typical book that you sit down and read cover to cover. It is definitely a reference book that one should use to find the proper outlet for their material. If you are looking to get published, I would absolutely go out and get this book, find a copy somewhere and look for the opportunity to share your gifts. Who knows there may be a market just for what God has been placing on your heart?

You work on your manuscript and let Sally Stuart do your homework on how to get it published.

Are you interested in becoming a writer? Have you written a manuscript for a book and you need to find an agent or a publisher? Do you have articles you'd like to have published in Christian magazines? If so, the Christian Writers' Market Guide 2009 by Sally E. Stuart is a must have resource.

This resource tool for Christian writers has an extensive list of book publishers organized by topic such as: apologetics, church traditions, divorce, fiction (broken down into about 30 subtopics), humor, personal growth, prayer, spiritual gifts, world issues, and several hundred more. The same is true for periodicals and other markets (greeting cards, games, videos, etc.) Each listing tells you essential information in addition to contact information such as whether the publisher requires manuscripts be submitted through agents or refuses manuscripts through agents; whether your submission should be made by hard copy, on disk, or by e-mail; how many new books are published each year and how many are by new writers; whether monetary advances are given to writers, whether royalties are paid or if remuneration is by flat fee and the average amounts paid; the average number of books printed in the first printing; preferred length of manuscripts; deadlines for submitting seasonal writings (for instance, articles regarding Christmas, Passover, etc.) and so very much more. Each entry for a publisher or periodical has a wealth of information. There also is a section entitled "Resources for Writers" which includes two new sections from previous editions, "Writers' Helps" and "Writing Communities". There is information regarding agents and numerous tips for getting established as a writer (for instance, you may want to concentrate on getting published before you worry about being paid for your writing). A CD-Rom is included with the book with contacts for 1,000 markets. If you don't know the first thing about how to get published, this is the one and only book you need. It's well organized and I was amazed at how many issues it brought up I wouldn't have even thought to ask. One additional tidbit. There is information in the book about how to receive automatic updates of this book and lock in the price for future editions.

If you want to be a published Christian author, the Sally Stuart's Christian Writer's Market Guide is the book you need. The amount of data contained in this book is amazing. If you write fiction, non fiction, poetry, articles, or anything else, this book will help you. How does it help? It lists every single publisher that will publish Christian content, from the biggest names like Zondervan to the small niche publisher you never would have heard of.

Publishers are listed in order, by genre and category. Detailed listings give contract information, submission requirements, royalty rates and other invaluable data you must have. In the publishing industry, education is power. You want to look like you know what you are doing, and this book will help. The book also lists agents that you can query, and it summarizes wrting conferences where you can further your craft.

The best part of the book for me is the CD that it comes with. The CD had the entire book on it. This makes searching through the book incredibly easy. I copied the list of all the publishers that I wanted to look at. Then I scrolled through the summary of the publishers and cut and pasted the info I needed onto an excel file. Searching with the CD will save you hours of time you'd otherwise spend jotting notes down while browsing through the book.

This book won't guarantee you'll get published. You have to become a good writer on your own. But, if you've had a life experience that has taught you an invaluable lesson, and you want to share it with the world, or, you've written the next great American novel, this book will help you sell it. The publishing industry is constantly changing. It is important to have an up to date market guide. Stuart will also update her website with changes to the guide that happen during the year. Like I said earlier, the more you know, the closer you will be to getting published. This book is a giant step in that direction.

Christian Writers' Market Guide 2009 by Sally E. Stuart is another outstanding update to an essential annual work. Stuart has been releasing these guides for several years, and they just seem to get better and better. There are literally thousands of contacts broken down into subcategories for easy searching to help just about any writer find a market. The CD-ROM has additional contacts for even quicker results. Stuart is constantly finding new contacts for writers while weeding out old ones, and this edition offers readers the opportunity to get regular updates from Stuart's website. This is one book that Christian writers can't do without. I love reading my copy each year, because I always find new ideas and inspiration.

If you've been writing seriously for any period of time, you probably already know what a Market Guide is. But if you don't, here it is in a nutshell: If you're looking for guidelines and contact info for book pubishers, magazines, or agents, this is a great place to start. The big difference with Sally Stuart's guide is that it's specific to Christian markets.

At 547 pages, this brick of a book is packed with info. I particularly like the topical listings for book publishers and magazines. Rather than hunt and peck, trying to find someone who might be interested in publishing your puppet play, you can simply look it up in the topical index and go right to the short list.

New in this edition of the CWMG is a CD-ROM. It contains two Word documents. One is the actual Market Guide. The other is a very long document called "Resources for Writers" which contains over 100 new entries and two new sections, Writers' Helps and Writing Communities.

Another bonus is that Stuart has a blog which she updates regularly with industry changes, contests, conferences, and other interesting writer-related topics. Even if you don't buy the guide, you can still visit her blog at www.stuartmarket.blogspot.com.

According to the book's cover, this is "the essential reference tool for the Christian Writer." After going through it, I'd have a hard time arguing with that. This is a particularly nifty book for those just dipping their toes into the deceptively calm waters of Christian publishing. If you're writing with your eye on publication, this book deserves a place on your reference shelf.

Every year Christian writers anxiously await the release of Sally Stuart's must own Christian writing companion. Each massive volume that is released is more and more impressive with the staggering amount of content and insight into the world of Christian publication.

No matter your level of expertise as a writer, there is something here for everyone. Whether you have a novel you want published, or a short story, or even an article looking for a home, this is the book for you. Stuart's impeccable research provides Christian writers with comprehensive lists of publishers, magazines, websites, and journals that are looking for writers. Every listing is detailed with info about the publication, such as its target audience, contact information, and whether or not these are paying gigs. Stuart even lists helpful information about greeting card and specialty markets. Also included in this volume are some great writer tools dealing with writing conferences, editorial services, literary agents, and contests. And don't forget the CD ROM found in the back cover that actually features the full text of the book for easy reference.

If you are an aspiring Christian writer and do not have this fantastic tool, then you are truly at a disadvantage. I don't know how she does it year in and year out, but once again Sally Stuart gives us the most important Christian writing reference in the market.

If you are a Christian writer Sally Stuart's "Christian Writers' Market Guide" is so useful that I call it essential.
I bought my first edition back in 1999 and find the 2009 edition is every bit as helpful for me.
Be sure to buy the newest edition, since the publishing world is in constant flux, so you need current information. Many editors change jobs often and you don't want to address queries to someone who no longer works there.
The book lists 654 periodicals, 416 book publishers and almost 100 agents, and what they want and how to contact them. Read their requirements carefully, and follow them. If it says "no fiction" don't send them a novel, if it says "manuscripts from agents only", don't send your manuscript to them, etc.
Sally Stuart includes many extras here, including greeting card and other specialty publishers, writers' conferences and writers' groups, and a CD-Rom with additional information comes with the book.
As I use my copy, I write notes in it to record which magazines I have queried with which ideas, and which articles I have sold.
I met Sally at a writers' conference once, and can vouch for her wide ranging knowledge of the Christian publishing industry. I understand that this writers' guide book series began as a labor of love for her, and has now expanded to become quite a big success story.