Lessons from my publishing journey

There are many blessings involved with my work with The Salvation Army, and one of them, from a writer’s perspective, is that they have a long history in publishing. From its beginning, The Salvation Army valued the written word and published both magazines and books. It was therefore my first choice of publisher for Fingerprints of Grace. In the journey towards publication, however, I did learn a few things. If you are a writer seeking publication, it may benefit you to consider the following assumptions I have now adopted.

Lesson 1: Assume that your publisher will not edit your work.

Publishers vary in their capacity to edit your work. Salvo Publishing releases good quality books with a tight budget and minimal staff. While my book was copy-edited and proofread well, they did not do a structural edit. Fortunately in my case, a respected childrens author and lecturer, Dr Rosanne Hawke, had already provided me with structural editing advice. Don’t assume that your work will receive an extensive edit unless it is clearly specified in an agreement with your publisher. Edit it many times over yourself, and if you have the resources, send it to a professional editing service. Again, you have to be specific in asking for a structural edit. Only send a manuscript to a publisher when you are thoroughly satisfied with it, because that might be its final form.

Lesson 2: Assume the expected date your books will be ready will be at least one month later than they tell you.

On the Wednesday morning before my Friday Book Launch, I was still waiting for the books to arrive. I thought I had left adequate time between the expected date of completion and the launch date, but clearly I didn’t. The arrival of the books that afternoon was an answer to prayer. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Assume the books will arrive late, even a month later than you expect, and plan your launch accordingly.

3. Assume your publisher will do little to market your book

Again, publishers vary in their capacity to promote your work. The Salvation Army has been particularly helpful in providing space within its magazines to proote Fingerprints of Grace. It has received a review in the Warcry, an article in Others and advertising space on several occasions. They also organised for the book to available in the Koorong Online Catalogue. This third assumption is not meant to depress you but motivate you to be proactive as an author. Author talks at libraries, guest speaking opportunities at community groups, an online presence and one-on-one promotion of your book in conversation are some of the many ways that you can promote your work. A publisher won’t initiate those opportunities, but you can.

Fingerprints of Grace is available at www.salvationarmy.org.au/supplies or www.koorong.com.au