Up To Speed

With the Vancouver Olympics starting, I've been thinking about the figure skating competitions. Seeing our athletes on the medal stand, especially for a gold, always brings tears to my eyes.

Years ago, when a figure skater did a triple, it was a big deal. Now, they're expected to do multiple triples and sometimes quads. There's a constant push to do what's never been done before. The scoring has changed, as well as the required elements. Technical ability must be matched by artistic expression and fabulous costumes. If an athlete wants a shot at the gold, they've got to be up to speed on what's happening in their sport.

Writers also need to keep up with current trends in the industry. What are editors and agents looking for at this time? What changes have publishers made in their guidelines regarding platform, genre, and marketing? Let's not forget social media and websites.

Once upon a time, the field was wide open. Not many people wrote Christian fiction, and even non-fiction offerings were limited. We're no longer getting in on the ground floor, folks. It's a long climb up to the publisher's office. Our craft and business savvy must be top of the line. It's quad time in the publishing world.

How about you? Are you staying up to speed with the publishing industry? How do you keep tabs on the changes?