Feeding Your Readers’ Interests

by Elizabeth Ludwig

My husband and I recently made a trip to Sugarcreek, Ohio, to visit the setting for my latest series of cozy mysteries from Guideposts. One of things I loved about the experience was sampling the authentic Amish cooking. I even found several Amish cookbooks to add to my treasure trove of books. Unfortunately, if you’ve ever used one of these cookbooks, you know that many of the recipes can be very vague—a “pinch” of this, a “smidge” of that. LOL! Apparently, the authors of these recipes assume you know what temperature to bake a pie or exactly how much of each ingredient to add. I assume it’s because many of these dishes have been passed down for generations, and the cooks in the family know exactly how something should taste.

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That Magic Moment (when your setting comes to life)

By Elizabeth Ludwig

I’ve always dreamed of traveling to New York City. Ever since I set my Historical Romances there—Edge of Freedom Series (Bethany House Publishers)—I’ve imagined what it must have been like to walk the streets a hundred years ago, to see the ships sail into the harbor and witness the eager faces of the people as they stepped into America from Ellis Island. Alas, life intervened, and the trip I’d thought to take was pushed to the back burner.

The desire to travel to the places I wrote about stayed with me, however, which is why I was so excited when my husband offered me the chance of a lifetime…the chance to choose where I wanted to go on vacation. Anywhere. Just the two of us. A second honeymoon, of sorts.

While I appreciated the offer, I really couldn’t believe that my hubby was going to let me choose our destination with entirely no input from him.

“I get to pick?” I asked, a trifle skeptically. “Anywhere at all?”

“Absolutely,” he said. “Anywhere you want to go.”

With a broad spectrum of places to choose from spread out before me, I found I didn’t even hesitate. I knew where I wanted to go. I was writing about it in my newest series.

“I want to go to Sugarcreek, Ohio,” I said.

My husband stared back at me unblinking. “You want to go…where is Sugarcreek, Ohio?”

I have to laugh, thinking back on the expression on his face as I write this. For those who aren’t familiar with it (like my poor hubby), Sugarcreek lies in the heart of Amish country. It’s nestled amidst rolling hills and acres of farmland…basically it’s about as far away socially from New York City as you can get, but I was determined to see it and experience for myself the sights and sounds and people I’d only written about.

And so, with surprisingly little argument from my husband, we packed our suitcases and headed north to the Carlisle Inn, a gracious little gem perched on the outskirts of Sugarcreek. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend you visit. It was by far the most beautiful, restful place we’ve ever stayed, and the staff were both friendly and accommodating.

Carlisle Inn

Once in Sugarcreek, my husband and I picked up a handful of maps and set off to discover what there was to do in Amish country on a Sunday afternoon. Don’t laugh…we actually found the drive through the acres and acres of carefully maintained farmland to be quite enjoyable and relaxing! More importantly, I got to see with my own eyes the things my character, Cheryl Cooper, saw when she first came to Sugarcreek in my book Where Hope Dwells.

Afterward, my husband and I popped into Park Street Pizza for a delectable bite of their famous Rueben Pizza—the same pizza Cheryl nibbled on with her date, Levi Miller, in At Home in Sugarcreek. I have to admit, I probably looked pretty silly gawking about the place, imagining where my characters sat, what they said, who they saw. I was also honored to do a book signing at the Honey Bee Café, another one of Cheryl’s favorite places to eat. It was all quite surreal, and very much a dream come true for this author gal.

Of course, I couldn’t leave Ohio without snapping a picture against the giant billboard that first welcomed me—and Cheryl—to Sugarcreek. It will forever serve as a reminder of that magical moment when the places I’d written about sprang to life, and when I could, however briefly, step into the pages of my very own books. I hope you’ll join me there!

Elizabeth Ludwig is the author of No Safe Harbor and Dark Road Home, books one and two in the popular Edge of Freedom series. Book three in the series, Tide and Tempest, was recently named a finalist for the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Elizabeth was also named a finalist in the 2015 Selah Awards for her novella “One Holy Night”, part of the bestselling anthology collection, Christmas Comes to Bethlehem, Maine. Currently, she is working on a series called the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries available from Guideposts. She is an accomplished speaker and teacher, often attending conferences and seminars where she lectures on editing for fiction writers, crafting effective novel proposals, and conducting successful editor/agent interviews. Along with her husband and children, she makes her home in the great state of Texas. To learn more, visit ElizabethLudwig.com.

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Understanding Work-for-Hire

By Elizabeth Ludwig

I started a new project last year…one that I have been fairly quiet about as I learned the ins-and-outs of the subject I was about to tackle. You see, for the first time in my career, I was undertaking an Amish cozy mystery (see below for a preview of my new book cover!). And it was a work-made-for-hire project for Guideposts. Two things I had never before done! God has certainly been stretching my boundaries and making me see beyond what I thought was possible. 

But what exactly is a work-made-for-hire, and why did I agree to do it?

Weighing Work-for-Hire

A work-made-for-hire (sometimes abbreviated as work for hire or WFH) basically just means that the author agrees to create a work as part of their job and that both the author and the company they are writing for agree in writing to the WFH designation. The author does not own the work, but is contractually obligated to submit the work on the same basis as they would any other standard publishing agreement.

I should also note that in standard publishing agreements, the person who actually creates a work is the legally recognized author of that work. According to copyright law in the United States and certain other copyright jurisdictions, if a work is "made for hire", the employer—not the employee—is considered the legal author.

Confused yet?

Where Hope Dwells, 2015

So then, what are the benefits to WFH? I admit, there is some disagreement over this. For me, the benefits were simply signing on to work for a major publishing house and everything that entails, IE: access to marketing, promotion, readership, networking, etc. It also enabled me to expand my publishing credentials, earn valuable writing experience, and finally, to “get my foot in the door with an attractive publisher”, for lack of better explanation. All of these swayed me in favor of the idea of a WFH project.

 Others would disagree and say that they are not willing to give up ownership of a created work, especially if they were not going to get credit for the work by having their name printed on the cover (which can also happen, but didn’t in my case).

Both views are arguably correct. I suppose the bottom line would have to lie in the heart of the author and what they are attempting to achieve. What do you think? Is a work-made-for-hire something you would ever consider? I’d love to hear what you think! 

 

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Elizabeth Ludwig is the bestselling author of Christmas Comes to Bethlehem, Maine and the highly successful Edge of Freedom series from Bethany House Publishers. Her popular literary blog, The Borrowed Book, enjoys a wide readership. Elizabeth is an accomplished speaker and teacher, often attending conferences and seminars where she lectures on editing for fiction writers, crafting effective novel proposals, and conducting successful editor/agent interviews. Along with her husband and children, she makes her home in the great state of Texas. To learn more, visit ElizabethLudwig.com.

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Executive Editor of Guideposts Interviewed by Julie Garmon

Rick Hamlin is the executive editor of Guideposts where he was worked for over 25 years. His memoir, Finding God on the A Train (Harper) was a Book of the Month Club alternate selection.  He has also published three novels, most recently Reading Between the Lines (Howard).  His book on prayer, Ten Prayers You Can’t Live Without (Guideposts) was published in the spring of 2013.  He was been a contributor to Daily Guideposts since 1985 and blogs about prayer twice at week at Guideposts.org.  He and his wife, Carol, live in New York City and both sing in their church choir.  They are the parents of two boys.

I’m honored to interview Rick Hamlin, the Executive Editor for Guideposts magazine. He’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met—and he’s also my editor.

You are too kind, Julie. 

Rick, what thrills you about reading a story submission? Please give us the secret.

The basics first: name, address, phone numbers, email right there on top.  You’d be surprised how many people forget that.  And then I’m looking for a story that surprises me, that offers the unexpected.

What is the wow factor you’re looking for in first person inspirational writing?

Passion.  And someone who “shows” rather than “tells.”

Do you admire a writer who continues to rewrite and resubmit the same story or does it irritate you?

If you come back to me with another attempt at the same story, that’s cool.  You’re telling me this is important.  Heck, I might have missed something the first time around, and you might have missed something.  But after a couple of passes no is no. 

You’re an incredible listener, which is evident in your new book, 10 Prayers You Can’t Live Without.  I have underlined my way through it. My favorite two sentences are, “Oh, to be heard. Oh, to be understood.” You possess the uncanny ability to listen on a deeper level. Is this part of being a good editor—to hear what a writer is afraid to write?

Hey we get so few chances in life.  If I can really hear someone I feel like I’m doing a godly thing.  But geez, I blow it all the time.  I’m just as easily distracted as the next person.  The gift an editor can bring is to hear something or see something you didn’t know was there.  My editors, bless them, do that for me.

 

What was the writing process like for 10 Prayers You Can’t Live Without? Did you have to turn off your internal editor? Did your fingers dance across the keyboard? Were there moments of doubt?

Being a writer is like being a person of faith – they both involve doubt.  I doubt myself all the time when I write, but then I forge on ahead, like I try to do in my faith.  You finally have to heed that inner voice, whether you call it your muse or the Holy Spirit.  Not that it will take you to perfection but it will keep you honest.  “Doubt is the ants in the pants of faith” said Frederick Buechner.  That’s true of writing, too.

Tell us about your novels. I fell in love with Reading Between the Lines.

That book started with a shelf of my wife’s favorite novels, some of which she’s re-read almost a dozen times.  I started to imagine a wife who wanted to communicate with her dense husband (we can be clueless at times) by scrawling messages in between the lines of the novels, knowing that if he loved her, as he does, he would eventually find them because they were a key to her soul. 

Which is most difficult for you—writing fiction or nonfiction?

If I go by my publishing record, fiction wins hands down.  For every published novel there’s at least one unpublished one in a drawer.  They might have been fun to write, but they didn’t work.  And yet, I always tell myself, “Nothing’s wasted.  What you learned here is going to help you somewhere else.”  Hope is the fuel for all writers.  Isn’t your next book going to be your best yet?  Mine is.  Oh, if I could just tell you all about it…but that’s another rule of mine.  I don’t talk about a book until I’ve finished a first draft.  The talk should be on the page, not in someone else’s ear.

Thank you, Rick. It’s been an honor. Blessings on your writing and editing.

Be sure to check out all Rick’s writings—both fiction and nonfiction!

Reading Between the Lines (novel on Amazon) http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Between-Lines-Rick-Hamlin/dp/1582295786

Video 10 Prayers You Can’t Live Without Video from Guideposts website http://www.guideposts.org/video/how-to-pray-effectively/10-prayers-you-cant-live-without

10 Prayers You Can’t Live Without (Amazon) http://www.amazon.com/Prayers-You-Cant-Live-Without/dp/0824932188

Julie Garmon’s been a regular contributor to Daily Guideposts since 2003 and won a coveted spot to the Guideposts’ writers contest in 2004. She’s published with Guideposts, Sweet 16, PLUS, Angels on Earth, Homelife, Today’s Christian, Today’s Christian Woman, www.sober24.com, www.crosswalk.com, and www.urbanministries.com.

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