Customer Reviews

The Making of a Christian Bestseller: An Insiders Guide to Christian Publishing

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Some books have a radical disconnect in the way they come together--and this book is one of them.

Almost everyone inside and outside of publishing would like to know how to make a bestseller--and for those of us involved in Christian publishing--in particular a Christian bestseller. You will not learn how to make a bestseller in this book. The word doesn't appear in the index and barely appears in the entire book. It's not about The Making of a Christian Bestseller. It IS about the subtitle, "An Insider's Guide to Christian Publishing."

I was discussing this book with a well-known literary agent who has been involved in Christian publishing for many years. He pegged this book cover design as "the worst cover design on the planet." I agree. Whoever selected florescent orange with white type knew nothing about selling books. The back cover is not readable. Poor is a kind word for this type of effort.

Even with these caveats, I recommend this book. Ann Byle has compiled some of the more unusual (yet vastly experienced) voices of Christian publishing into a single volume. Any writer who wants to thrive in the business of Christian publishing will want to read and follow the sage wisdom from writers like Davis Bunn, Sally Stuart, Dennis Hensley, Jack Cavanaugh, Charlene Ann Baumbich, Angela Elwell Hunt, Terri Blackstock, James Scott Bell, Melody Carlson, Nancy Rue, Brandilyn Collins, Julie Ann Barnhill and Karen Kingsbury (to name a few of the top writers who each have chapters in this volume). Or writers will want to learn from seasoned professional editors like Judith Markham, Dave Lambert, Ami McConnell, Jeanette Thomason and Lyn Cryderman--who also have chapters in this volume.

My overall impression from reading The Making of a Christian Bestseller is valuable information in the wrong package with the wrong title. Don't let these flaws put you off from getting this book.

This is a smart purchase for anyone interested in Christian writing, but neither the title nor the subtitle captures what the book is really about. The author interviewed 40 authors, editors and others involved in various aspects of publishing summarizing input from each one in a separate chapter. From Responding to God's Call to Write to Learning from Genre Experts to Building Your Presence with Readers and the Media, the seven sections provide advice, helpful sidebars, and URLs for more information.

A quick read but, even more, a book that can be returned to again and again for reference and guidance.

As a writer, I've read my share of how-to books in all aspects of the field. Most of them are about the same. Ann Byle's new collection of essays, The Making of a Christian Bestseller: An Insider's Guide to Christian Publishing, about the writing and publishing market, specifically the Christian market, is refreshingly different and informative for the seasoned veteran and the newbie alike.

Byle uses her interviewing skills to perfection by talking with the biggest names in the genre about different aspects of Christian writing, then taking that information and putting it easy-to-read, affirmative essays. Topics range from writing sex scenes and humor to researching details to editing to building relationships with editors and agents.

Byle gets advice from such heavyweights as Jerry Jenkins, Sally Stuart, Nancy Rue, and James Scott Bell. The 40 essays are broken into seven sections starting with "The Call to Write." The last section is devoted to "Conquer(ing) the Market: Building Your Presence with Readers and the Media." Each essay/chapter contains a sidebar "Bestseller Tip" with useful advice. For example, providing an afterlife for review copies; James Scott Bell's LOCK System; and tips to maximize a meeting with an acquisitions editor. Ironically, the book's last essay is "Finishing the Job: Publicizing Your Book."

I'm not exactly sure what quantifies a book to be labeled "Christian," but Byle talks to all writers about how to write good books without having to rely on sex and foul language. My favorite quote is from Chapter 3--The Christian as an Artist. Author Davis Bunn reminds writers that "if you read Hemingway, Dickens, or Faulkner, the evil characters they created speak cleanly yet are dark and live forever as timeless, powerful characters...It's certainly easier to write a bad character if he uses foul language, but bad language doesn't necessarily make him a stronger bad character."

Armchair Interviews says: Every writer should read Ann Byle's The Making of a Christian Bestseller: An Insider's Guide to Christian Publishing, whether Christian or not. She talks to writers not necessarily about Christian writing but about good, strong writing.

If you are connected with Christian writing, or even interested in Christian publishing, order a copy of Ann Byle's book, The Making of a Christian Bestseller. It is engagingly readable, well organized, and highly informative.

The great strength of the book is that Ann has mined for publishing gold by interviewing a number of leading authorities on every aspect of Christian publishing. After finding priceless nuggets of insight, she has shared them with the rest of us.

The overall organization of the book allows readers to move immediately to those areas most relevant to his or her situation whether it is how to find a publisher, pursuing the passion of writing, writing fiction, writing non-fiction, or promotion.

Within each chapter, side-bars and summary statements make central points accessible, even for the reader with limited time.

Ann writes in a clear and engaging way. Each chapter captured my attention and held it until the end. In addition to benefiting from the content, I enjoyed her style.

What a great resource Ann Byle has put together. This book is chock full of the answers to so many questions I had and many I did not know to ask. I appreciate the clarity and organization which allowed me to flip right to the issues I needed addressed first and to get those answers directly from the sources. With information on blogging and self-publishing, the book is very current and I will keep it close to my work station to be able to refer to it often. Added bonus ;) the hunter's orange cover helps me find and grab it quick when I want to check a fact or review a subject.

What an excellent resource The Making of a Christian Bestseller is! An absolute must-read for authors and publishing industry professionals. This book is full of great insights, advice and tips.
Highly recommended...a great addition to the bookshelf!

I have read some of the other reviews, and I have to agree that the cover did not thrill me, but the content is more than enough to make up for it. To read so many other authors and their ideas, is beyond helpful. They share the does and dont's so you don't have take a full college class to try to learn the techniques. I would recommend this book to all new authors who do not care what the outer skin looks like in a person, but what is in the heart!!!

In "The Making of a Christian Bestseller: An Insider's Guide to Christian Publishing" Ann Byle has compiled information on the process of writing and publishing. She has included "Best Seller Tips" and sage advice from over forty experts in the field of Christian publishing: Authors, agents, and publishers.

The book is made up of seven sections exploring: The passion to write, the building blocks of writing, the Christian novel, writing for the children, tweens, and young adult markets, various genres, nurturing the craft of writing, and market strategy.

I especially enjoyed the insight into the lives of the contributors included in the book. Byle has brilliantly captured their aspirations, their calling, something of their style and expertise that is then translated into a powerful tool for the reader to implement into their writing.

Even with the ever changing face of the publishing industry, the material presented in "The Making of a Christian Bestseller" will continue to be a source of meaningful information, a practical guide book of instruction, and an ongoing source of inspiration.

The Making of a Christian Bestseller contains short interviews with authors, editors, promoters, agents, and reviewers. Reading this book is like sitting down for a ten or fifteen minute chat with people who know the ins and outs of Christian publishing and who want to see you succeed in your writing. I look forward to going back periodically and rereading it.