Friday, January 26, 2007
What Would You Do If You Only Had One Day to Live?
What would you do if you only had one day to live? This is the question being asked by four Canadian guys who are traveling around the country in an RV. They have an interesting website (click the link above) and several videos. Looks like they are making a movie about their adventures. They have a list of 100 things to do before you die. I've done 14 of them. I think they have done about 27 so far. Some of the things they listed wouldn't be on my list but it's fun to read and think about. What would be on your list?
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Rejection
I'm writing this because I know a lot of you bloggers are writers or wannabe writers. One of the first things you have to learn about writing is how to handle rejection.
Got an email from my agent in NYC today. One of my books that we're trying to sell has been rejected by five publishers so far including Zondervan and Broadman and Holman. One publisher expressed interest but my agent didn't like their offer.
But that's okay! I'm just happy that they are looking at it. Rejection is part of the writing business. Ask any writer and they will tell you that their rejection file is full of impersonal, form letters from editors saying, "Thanks, but no thanks." There are tons of stories out there about writers who were rejected over and over and over but then finally got their work published. It only takes one to say yes. There are still about 20 more publishers that we have yet to hear from or that will be receiving a package from my agent soon. Companies like Penguin Putnam, Harper San Francisco, NavPress, and Thomas Nelson. So, if you don't mind, say a little prayer that there is an editor out there that likes it and wants to print it. I'll definitely let you know when that happens.
In the meantime, if you're thinking about getting published, get ready for rejection. But consider it progress, not failure. More "no's" just get you closer to "yes."
Got an email from my agent in NYC today. One of my books that we're trying to sell has been rejected by five publishers so far including Zondervan and Broadman and Holman. One publisher expressed interest but my agent didn't like their offer.
But that's okay! I'm just happy that they are looking at it. Rejection is part of the writing business. Ask any writer and they will tell you that their rejection file is full of impersonal, form letters from editors saying, "Thanks, but no thanks." There are tons of stories out there about writers who were rejected over and over and over but then finally got their work published. It only takes one to say yes. There are still about 20 more publishers that we have yet to hear from or that will be receiving a package from my agent soon. Companies like Penguin Putnam, Harper San Francisco, NavPress, and Thomas Nelson. So, if you don't mind, say a little prayer that there is an editor out there that likes it and wants to print it. I'll definitely let you know when that happens.
In the meantime, if you're thinking about getting published, get ready for rejection. But consider it progress, not failure. More "no's" just get you closer to "yes."
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
See What I Mean?
See my previous post and then click the link above for an article from World magazine. Here's the first two paragraphs...
Of every dollar given to a Protestant church, the average amount that goes to overseas missions is two cents. In contrast, of every dollar Antioch Presbyterian Church in Chonju, Korea, takes in, 70 cents goes to missions.
For 15 years, the mission research and advocacy organization Empty Tomb, of Champaign, Ill., has analyzed the contributions and spending patterns of American churches. The latest report, "The State of Church Giving through 2003" (available at emptytomb.org), crunches the numbers for 41 Protestant denominations and surveys giving trends going back almost a century. In doing so, the study gives a not-too-flattering snapshot of the priorities of American Christians today.
Of every dollar given to a Protestant church, the average amount that goes to overseas missions is two cents. In contrast, of every dollar Antioch Presbyterian Church in Chonju, Korea, takes in, 70 cents goes to missions.
For 15 years, the mission research and advocacy organization Empty Tomb, of Champaign, Ill., has analyzed the contributions and spending patterns of American churches. The latest report, "The State of Church Giving through 2003" (available at emptytomb.org), crunches the numbers for 41 Protestant denominations and surveys giving trends going back almost a century. In doing so, the study gives a not-too-flattering snapshot of the priorities of American Christians today.
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