NEW BEGINNINGS by Harriet Michael

Are you a morning person or a night one? I’m a morning person. I love mornings! They always beckon me with the promise of a new beginning. Mornings have a freshness to me as if they hold a secret promise of great things that might happen as the day unfolds.

Some years ago as I was researching and writing my book on prayer, I came across so many passages in the scripture where one Bible character or another rises early in the morning to do something God had called them to do that day, or to seek God in some way. Here are some examples, just to list a few:

Abraham rose early the day he planned to offer Isaac as a sacrifice according to Genesis 22:3. He rose early again the day after Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed and he hurried to a place where he could look down on the cities to see if they had been destroyed or not. (Genesis 19:27-28)

Joshua rose early to travel to the Jordon before he crossed over. (Joshua 3:1)

David rose early to obey his father Jesse and take supplies to his brothers in battle. (1 Samuel 17:20)

God instructed Moses to rise early when he was to stand before Pharaoh and tell him to let God’s people go. (Exodus 8:20)

… and on and on it goes. If you look for this pattern in the scripture, you will find it.

So, what’s the lesson here? Is this bad news for those of us who do not care so much for mornings and need a little time and maybe a cup of coffee before we can even begin to embrace the new day? I don’t think so. I don’t think the biblical point is to love mornings as much as it is to get on with whatever God has for you to do in life. In the Bible times, before electricity, if they were going to apply themselves in whatever action they felt God had asked of them, they’d better not waste any daylight; they better get on with it.

Today, doing what God has asked of you may require staying up late instead of rising early. But the point remains--embrace the day! Or rather, embrace what God is calling you to do, and get busy doing it, whether that means getting up early or sleeping late because you stayed up late the night before.

And since it is now January, the new beginning of a brand new year—embrace that too.

About the Author

Harriet Michael is the author of over 150 articles and devotions along with her recent release, PRAYER: IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU. Born on the mission field of Nigeria, she has a passion for the Lord and sharing His words.

You can learn more about Harriet at her author page on the Write Integrity Press website HERE, and buy her book in print or e-book HERE.

Impress an Editor in 9 Steps: Part 3

Dear [insert name here],

I have enjoyed many of the books that your company, [insert company name here], has published. Since I’m so familiar with the writing that you love, I can tell that my book is tailor-made for [insert company name here]! I’ve have completed my proposal especially for you and hope to be chosen as the next [insert company name here] author.

Sincerely,

Don’t-know-what-sincerely­-means

You have a great book, you’ve studied your craft and your topic. You even know which publishers will want to see your book. Great. Just copy the letter above with the first chapter of your soon-to-be best seller a dozen times and mail it to those publishers. Done deal!

Not!

Every acquisitions editor is different. They want to see different things, and they want to see them in different ways. I know authors believe that the only reason they have different preferences is to make things more complicated, but it isn’t. One editor might prefer synopses while another wants only a short blurb. One company might ask for the dreaded chapter by chapter synopsis while someone else requires a bulleted list of topics and subtopics.

It doesn’t really matter what they request of you. Want to get on their good side? Accommodate them. Want to get a pass? Ignore their requests.

Frankly, your following the desires of the publishing company shows the dedication to your career and your respect for the company for which you’d like to work.

If an author won’t follow simple instructions written in plain English, why would the editor want to work with him or her? And seriously, the editor is choosing more than a book. He or she is choosing with whom they’d like to work.

My best advice: Set up a file for each of the proposals you want to send. Go ahead, make it a dozen, but be sure to make each one exactly as that editor instructs. There is a reason for every piece of information they’ve requested. Bottom line: Give the publisher as many excuses as you can to say, “Yes!” to your manuscript.

Oh, and if you do decide to send your proposal to several editors at once, make sure you note that your proposal is a simultaneous submission.

New Chapter for Write Integrity Press

It's been a whirlwind month at Write Integrity Press. Here's our official press release on the beginning of a new chapter for our company.

Write Integrity Press and Pix-N-Pens Publishing announce a change in leadership. Marji Laine Clubine brings a fresh enthusiasm to the publishing companies along with a vision and strategies for growth and maintaining the high quality readers have come to expect. Tracy Ruckman, founder, will remain as Creative Director for WIP and PNP and will continue as publisher of the subsidy press, TMP Books. “It is our expectation and hearts’ desire that God will continue to use these businesses to bring glory to Himself,” says Ruckman.

With strategic planning, Clubine intends to build on the excellent foundation that has already been laid by the Lord and the companies’ founder. With a remarkable team of authors—talented, godly, and committed to prayer and to one another—potential authors will have built-in mentors and prayer warriors alongside them. New authors can also expect step-by-step guidance and encouragement with each book release. Readers will also benefit as outstanding books become available more often.

Write Integrity Press and Pix-n-Pens Publishing already hold high standards among small presses. With the refocused vision of the new leadership and the support system the team has created, the companies will continue to rise in esteem within the Christian publishing market.

The leadership and authors at Write Integrity Press continue their dedication to offering the best of clean and wholesome fiction. Check out our new website - HERE - and be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay on top of our news with monthly updates.

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