Institute Childrens Literature

Rx for Writers

Transcripts

(Part 2 of interview with Terry Whalin)

MODERATOR: Can you give us some tips about writing a good personality profile AFTER the interview?

Terry Whalin: I always work from an outline for my nonfiction articles--interviews in particular. In my outline I create a logical flow for the article. Often this outline is created immediately following the interview while I can remember the key points, even though I write the article weeks or a month later.

MODERATOR: I do love personality profiles in magazines. In general, how can the viewers learn about the CHRISTIAN magazine market?

Terry Whalin: One of the ways is to read Christian magazines. In their church libraries or to take the magazines themselves. Also I recommend Sally Stuart's Christian Writer's Market Guide (Shaw). Sally is a marketing guru in the Christian market and will show you publications that you've never heard about. Get the author guidelines and sample, then write for them. Also I've got a writer's help on my website which helps people with some basic information on this question.

MODERATOR: Here's a specific viewer question about finding a market . . .

headleyhome: Hi, Terry. I understand you were with Decision Magazine. Do you have any ideas on other magazine markets for "making a decision for Christ"? I have a near-death experience I'd like to share.

Terry Whalin: It depends on how you write that particular experience. A number of publications would be interested. It depends on your slant or perspective. If it's a parenting slant, then Christian Parenting. If it's a woman slant, then Today's Christian Woman or Virtue. The world is a huge place and the markets are many--depending on how you put it together.

Leroux: Terry, when you write religious stories are you true to the Bible? Or do you just have good basic religious beliefs?

Terry Whalin: My particular belief is that the Bible is true and the Word of God. I always try to make sure my religious stories are true to the Bible. Not everything I write is about the Bible. Like Lessons From the Pit, my latest book.

Kevin: How does payment compare between Christian and secular markets?

Terry Whalin: You will not be wealthy in the Christian magazine market. Payment is generally minimal in the Christian market but you can get published easier. The Christian market doesn't figure you are trying to make a living on it while the secular market assumes you are living on it.

MODERATOR: That's rather a sad assumption, isn't it? How about multiple or simultaneous submissions if readerships don't overlap?

Terry Whalin: It's OK to submit to markets which are not competing--a good example is different denominations. Otherwise, it's the same drill as the other markets--one magazine for one article. I always recommend that writers have a lot of manuscripts and ideas in circulation at any one time and not get too attached to a single idea.

MODERATOR: In your opinion, what makes an excellent book proposal and what makes a terrible one?

Terry Whalin: There is no right or wrong way to produce a book proposal. The key is to have the right elements--overview, summary of the various chapters, your qualifications, length, deadline, etc.

InaPickle: Do you have an agent that helps you keep all your projects straight and on time?

Terry Whalin: No, I don't have just one agent. I use several different agents. I have a project by project agreement with each agent so I'm not violating any agreement with them. If I had one agent, that agent would need to keep me plenty busy and that's not happened yet with one person. I'm willing. No, the agent doesn't keep me to my deadlines. I do that myself. The agent has a lot of other people they represent.

MODERATOR: Backing up a bit . . .

Mel: Terry, tell us about that book with a most intriguing title, Lessons from the Pit.

Terry Whalin: Lessons from the Pit is by B. Joseph Leininger with W. Terry Whalin, it's a hard cover and just out from Broadman & Holman. Joe traded for ten years in the Eurodollar Pit of the Chicago Merc. The book captures his experiences and lessons about life and wealth and success that he learned in that very greed centered environment. Joe started out at a $200 a week job and ultimately earned over a million a year for ten years. Now he's 38 and retired--and married.

MODERATOR: Did you spend a lot of time observing trading in the Chicago Mercantile for this research? Would baffle me!!

Terry Whalin: I spent one day on the floor of the Merc with Joe--it was baffling. Over 3,000 men (and a very few women) are yelling, screaming, cussing and spitting all day. It's all about money and in that situation, Joe was successful and brought some universal lessons, which I drew out of him as we worked together on the book.

MODERATOR: Another couple marketing questions . . .

Barbara: What tends to sell better in the Christian writing market, fiction or nonfiction?

Terry Whalin: The Christian fiction market is very tight these days. A few years ago it was more open but the competition is fierce. Nonfiction is an easier market yet also competitive. It depends on the idea, the potential sales and your platform as an author to help sell those books.

EmilyJ: If a writer has written a nonfiction book and is in the process of sending out queries to publishers, can she submit a section of the ms. (slightly rewritten) to a magazine? Then, if the magazine publishes it as an article, can she still include it in her book?

Terry Whalin: There is no competition or reason why not to publish the material as a magazine piece first. In the magazine rights you often sell only first rights, then build that info a full book project. If it's a nonfiction book, I'd recommend you work on getting some of it published in magazine form but also honing your book proposal--not sending the full manuscript.

gina: Do you ever run into "writer's block" still and do you have any suggestion on getting your imagination going again?

Terry Whalin: I've had writer's block but it's pretty rare. If I'm blocked, a good way to get out of it is to switch into another type of writing.

Kevin: How can I find reliable information on the Internet?

Terry Whalin: That's a good question because there are fake websites and all sorts of fake information out there. I always recommend people look at the source of the information. If it's a New York Times or CNN, then you can pretty much depend on the information. Otherwise, always be suspicious of the information. Another good way to increase reliability is to get it from several sources. I've got a fuller explanation in a Writer's Help on my website at www.terrywhalin.com.

Dee: Do you sell a lot of reprint rights?

Terry Whalin: I have in the past but at the moment my schedule is so packed with original material, no.

MODERATOR: You've interviewed more than l00 best-selling authors, including Gary Smalley who is listed in this month's newsletter on your site. Did you contact them through their publishers?

Terry Whalin: Yes, I often contact them through the publishers, set up the interview, and get review copies of their books as background (which I read in preparation). I often find publishers are eager to set up these interviews because it's good PR for them and their books.

MODERATOR: What is the difference between collaboration, co-authoring, and ghost writing?

Terry Whalin: Collaboration is where it's by AUTHOR with W. Terry Whalin. Often in those cases, I'm a full participant in the arrangement--i.e. I receive royalties from the book, etc. Other times, I've co-authored a book as a work for Hire. My name is on the cover of the book but I have no share of the continual earnings from the book. For example, I wrote a book with Carole Lewis called First Place--a diet book and I'm a co-author but I wrote the book as a work for hire. Ghostwriting is where your name doesn't appear on the book and you may not get any sort of recognition or credit--yet you are making a living and earning from your writing.

MODERATOR: Looking at your recent releases in Christian children's books, were these books part of an already existing series?

Terry Whalin: Yes, the various series are written by different authors and I've written several of the titles for the series. For example, Today's Heroes is written by numerous authors and I wrote two of them.

Kevin: Can you tell us what you're working on right now?

Terry Whalin: Right now I've been working on the marketing for Lessons From the Pit--which is just out. I'm also gearing up to market a series of four books of contemporary prayers which I wrote and will be in the bookstores this September: Prayers for My Son, Prayers For My Daughter, Prayers For My Husband, and Prayers For My Wife. Those books are written--in fact late last year. I'm writing a self-published book for Stephen Bolt called Money For Life at the moment.

MODERATOR: Wow!!! Do you do book tours to promote your books? TV spots? Radio? Interviews? How long does your marketing take (away from your writing)?

Terry Whalin: Often my books have been collaboration or co-authored, so my co-author will do a lot of the marketing but I also work at it. A new book, I recommend is called Jump Start Your Book Sales--it's great by Marilyn and Tom Ross. It's a balance between marketing the current/new books in print and also writing forthcoming books.

MODERATOR: I'm afraid we're going to have to stop for this evening. Thank you so much, Terry, for sharing your experiences with us tonight.

Terry Whalin: You're welcome. Thanks for the opportunity.

MODERATOR: To read and download Terry's interview, go to the "Transcripts" link on the chat room page tomorrow. The interview will be posted within 24 hours. Next Thursday night join us online with Joan Hiatt Harlow, author of dozens of stories, articles, poems, novels and picture books as she talks about "To Specialize or Not to Specialize." Until then, have a great week!

Return to Transcripts

93 Long Ridge Road, West Redding, CT 06896
Phone: (203) 792-8600 (800) 243-9645
Fax: (203) 792-8406
E-Mail: WebEditor@institutechildrenslit.com

Copyright � The Institute, Inc., 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
No part of the electronic transmission to which this notice is appended may be reproduced or redistributed in any form or manner without the express written permission of The Institute, Inc.