Occasionally, I receive questions from blog readers who are curious to know how I wound up writing a book. Many bloggers have similar aspirations of writing for a larger audience. So questions inevitably come up:

“How did you get published?”

“What kind of proposal did you do?”

“What is the key to getting a book deal?”

Of course, the questioners are not merely interested in my personal story; they want to follow the same road and get published themselves.

The only advice that I can give about publishing comes solely from the author’s standpoint. I usually recommend that you try to get published in some magazines first. Building a blog audience is a good idea. Try to get your work into other places (whether there is a financial benefit or not). Sometimes, I will tell someone to consider self-publishing, especially if they have many traveling and speaking opportunities.

Of course, all this advice is from the author’s standpoint. The best thing you can do is hear the editor’s point of view.

The world of Christian publishing differs quite a bit from the world of non-Christian publishing, but enough of the same rules apply to non-fiction that one can glean important insights from editors of secular non-fiction. Thinking Like Your Editor: How to Write Great Serious Nonfiction–and Get It Published (W. W. Norton & Company, New York, 2003) by Susan Rabiner and Alfred Fortunato is a good place to get started.

Aspiring authors need to know what editors look for when they see a book proposal. They also need to know a little about the decision-making process. I learned from experience how to craft a book proposal, but it would have been helpful for me to have known some of the suggestions in this book before starting the proposal.

For example, when I first began speaking with an editor of a Christian publishing house, I quickly came to discover that although my editor really liked my proposal, the decision was not his alone. He was going to have to “sell it”, so to speak, to the board of editors that makes these decisions.

It’s a little like American Idol. The first major step forward is simply getting your work to an editor’s desk, just like the thousands of Idol contestants hope they will get the chance to audition for the judges. Once you have an editor who is in your court, you move pass the initial round of going “solo” and now must compete against all the other proposals. (It’s like Hollywood Week.) It’s no longer just you and the editor. Now your proposal has to stand out in a room with lots of other proposals, each of which has support from other editors. If you pass this test, you’re on your way.

If you want think like an editor, I recommend this book. It comes highly recommended by my friend, Justin Taylor, editor at Crossway. And no wonder. This book takes you through the thought processes of a non-fiction editor. The five big questions that every editor wants to answer are:

1. What is this book about?
2. What is the book’s thesis and what’s new about it?
3. Why are you the person to write this book?
4. Why is now the time to publish this book?
5. Who makes up the core audience for the proposed book, and why will they find it appealing?

If you can satisfactorily explain all five of these things, you have at least a shot at getting published.

The book also includes a couple of chapters on how to write well. The authors give tips on writing, using narrative tension, and treating other arguments fairly, etc. There is also a good deal of advice for authors once they have a book proposal that has been accepted. What can an author expect from the publisher? What can an author expect in terms of marketing?

Reading this book after going through the publishing process was especially enlightening. Looking over my initial proposal for Holy Subversion, I can see some of the things I did right. And thinking ahead, I can see some things I will do differently when making future proposals.

Thinking Like Your Editor is what I’m going to start recommending to people when they ask about being published or how to be published. You really don’t need to talk to an author so much as you need to talk to an editor. If you don’t know an editor, this book is the next best thing for writing non-fiction and getting it published.

When it comes to making predictions about internet usage and blog-reading, I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet. However, in the past few years, I have noticed some recent trends in the blogosphere – developments that will probably become more pronounced as we enter the next decade.

Because each of these trends follows a logical progression, I suggest you read them in order.

#1. The Slow Death of a Large Number of Blogs

Back in 2005-07, blogs were popping up all over the place. Many people discovered that starting a blog is quick and easy. Few realized how difficult it is to maintain one.

Today, millions of blog start-ups still exist on the web, but much of the blogosphere is beginning to look like a graveyard. “Sorry I haven’t posted lately” is the first line of many a front-page post.

People who began blogging as a way of keeping friends and family up to date about their goings on have now discovered other avenues of communication, which brings me to point #2…

#2. The Turn to Other Social Media for Connection

Back in 2007, a college friend of mine took a road trip to Montana. I told him I wanted to see the pictures. He said, “They’re on FaceBook.”

My response: “I don’t have FaceBook. Can you send me the pics on email?”

His answer: “No. Get a FaceBook.”

I held out another year, but finally relented. I’m not the only one who eventually gave in.

In the past five years, we have seen an explosion in social media through sites like MySpace, FaceBook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. These sites enabled former bloggers (who didn’t always feel inspired to write long blog posts) to access other ways of communication.

Why keep up a blog for friends and family? FaceBook is much simpler. Twitter is even faster.

Blogs are content-heavy. The other social media sites keep it simple and light. With the turn to other social media, the number of active blogs is on the decline. The explosion in social media leads to development #3…

#3. The Solidifying Reading Patterns of Blog Readers

When I first discovered Google Reader, I thought I had died and gone to blog heaven. No more clicking through to visit each blog I wanted to read, I now could read blogs without ever leaving one page. I could conveniently scroll through dozens (even hundreds) of blogs and find the content that most interested me.

When “RSS” first came on the scene a few years ago, Google Reader, Bloglines and other blogging services became tools for millions of blog readers. But many of these RSS feed readers are like me. For awhile, we added blogs to our Reader. But now, I rarely add a new blog to my RSS unless I know the blogger or have seen the blog highly recommended by another well-respected blog.

What does this habit signal? Simply this. Patterns for blog reading are solidifying. People find a comfortable number of blogs they consider worthwhile reading and then stop looking for new additions. Some have abandoned Google Reader altogether and rely solely on Twitter for their blog perusal. These facts lead to another development…

#4. The Difficulty of Beginning a Successful Blog without an Already-Existing Platform

I have no doubt that it is more difficult today for an unknown blogger to begin a successful blog than it was five years ago. In the early 2000′s, anyone and everyone could begin a blog. If you wrote well and figured out your audience, you could build a following. Just ask Hugh Hewitt, Tim Challies, or Justin Taylor.

But today, with the social media revolution and the solidifying reading habits of many blog readers, it is much more difficult to carve out an audience. Blog saturation makes it difficult to start a new blog.

Most of the evangelical blogs that have popped up in the past year (and seen success) are from people who already have platforms: Kevin DeYoung, for example, coming off the success of Why We’re Not Emergent or the “Evangel” blog that includes a number of popular bloggers, including Joe Carter.

At the beginning of the blog wave, bloggers were rogue. They stood against the mainstream media, delighting in the democratization of information. Today, many blogs are as respectable as their mainstream counterparts.

In Southern Baptist life, bloggers were once criticized as troublemakers. Today, a surprising number of SBC leaders have started blogging themselves. There’s no one-size-fits-all category “blogger” anymore (not that there ever was).

More and more, blogging is a tool of the “establishment,” not just the “fringe.” This leads to one more development…

#5. The Building of Blog Congregations at the Expense of Blog Conversation

Since it is harder for new blogs to build a following, it becomes more common for people with already-existing platforms to maintain successful blogs. The people who subscribe to these blogs already know what kind of information they are going to receive. They subscribe because they know and like what this person has to say.

Unfortunately, congregation-building diminishes conversations that cross through different streams of religious life. Popular blogs build big congregations – hundreds or thousands of readers who agree in large part with the bloggers they read. Blogs continue to be a place for in-house conversation, but they are less likely to be places for serious conversation with people from other groups.

Blogs create people who agree – whether they be Reformed, Emerging, Republican, or converted Catholics. You find a niche, write for that niche, and then get pats on the back from the readers who enjoy your writing.

Where to Now?

Where will blogging go in the 2010′s? I’m not sure. I suspect that the initial stage of the blog wave is over. What we are seeing now is the maturation of the blogosphere, as blogging continues to take on characteristics of traditional media, while leaving the door cracked open for newcomers to make their voices heard.

I am grateful that so many readers took my brief, four-question survey last week. At the start of my fourth year blogging here at Kingdom People, I needed to get some input from those of you who read this blog consistently.

Because of your input, I’ve made a few decisions regarding the content here at Kingdom People.

1. Trevin’s Seven.

Many readers indicated their desire for more frequent links to other blogs. In the past, I have saved my links for Friday’s post called “In the Blogosphere.” As of this week, that feature will cease.

Instead, on Fridays, I will provide a list of seven links that deserve the most attention. We’ll be calling the feature “Trevin’s Seven.”

Throughout the week, I will be posting links to other articles that merit attention. I will usually label the ongoing posts “Worth a Look.”

2. Book Reviews

My book reviews continue to be one of the main reasons that readers frequent this blog. In the past, I have tried to write reviews of every book I read. The more I read, the harder it gets for me to give every book that much attention.

So… in the future, I will concentrate on one book review (maybe two) per week. For some of the other books I read, I will offer some notable quotes or paragraphs.

3. More Articles

If I can back off (a little) regarding book reviews, I can devote a little more time to writing articles and doing some cultural commentary. The reason I have focused on book reviews and interviews in the past is because I felt the blog was stronger if I continually pointed to other authors and other’s ideas. The results of the survey indicated that many readers want to hear from me more often. I’m honored by that request, and so I will try. If the blog’s content suffers as a result, we’ll go back to more book reviews!

Thanks again to those of you who read this blog daily. I am honored that you would consider this blog worthy of your time and attention, and I hope to be a good steward of your time in future service to our King.

Three years ago this week, I launched Kingdom People. I have enjoyed having a forum in which to share book reviews, prayers, quotes, personal thoughts and (hopefully) interesting interviews.

As I look ahead to beginning my fourth year of blogging at Kingdom People, I would like to offer readers a chance to answer the poll questions below and then to leave comments below about the blog. I am considering some structural changes in the future and would like some feedback.

Thanks for participating!

During my blog fast, I decided to give Twitter a try. I was a hold-out when it came to FaceBook (my grandfather had an account before I did!), and I held out a long time with Twitter too. My reasons for disliking the idea of “tweeting” were:

1. It can be narcissistic. Does anyone care what I had for lunch?
   
2. It can be boring. Is my average day so exciting that I have to share its details with the world?
3. It can be redundant. I already have a daily blog. Why do I need Twitter?
   
4. It can be time-consuming. It will distract from other, more important tasks.
   
5. It can be dangerous. Letting someone know where I am at all times is like legalized stalking.
   
6. It can contribute to the dumbing down of society. Most people don’t have the attention span for a well-crafted argument in a book. The blog is a step-down. Are we taking an even further step down, demanding our information in bite-sized chunks?

I still think each of these concerns are valid. But I now have a Twitter account for some other reasons.

1. The rapidness of disseminating information. A friend of mine linked to my recent article in Christianity Today regarding the Southern Baptist Convention and the Clark Logan controversy. Within an hour it was being passed along to dozens of Twitter followers and hundreds of readers. I was amazed at how quickly the information went out.
   
2. The ability to share interesting articles. I usually save my best links for Friday’s blog post, “In the Blogosphere.” Twitter enables me to link other articles that might not be included in Friday’s list.
   
3. The importance of conciseness. The brilliance of Twitter is its limitation of 140 characters. Most blogs are surfed, not read. Putting out a brief quote will probably be read by more people than a long blog post.
   
4. Connecting with others. I am on Twitter primarily because I get to “follow” other people on Twitter. It keeps me connected to others who put out edifying “tweets” and who pass along interesting information.
   
5. Boosting the blog. It takes a lot of work to maintain a daily blog. Linking to a blog post on Twitter gives my “followers” the opportunity to pass the article on to others who may benefit from it.

Even though I only list five “pro’s” for being on Twitter, I still think these slightly outweigh the six “cons” mentioned earlier. With a little oversight, one can mitigate the negative aspects of Twitter. Here’s how:

Narcissism? Don’t make the majority of your “tweets” about you.

Boring? Again, don’t make the majority of your “tweets” about you.

Redundant? Instead of letting Twitter compete with your blog, let it point people to your blog.

Time-consuming? Limit the number of people you follow and don’t constantly check for updates.

Dangerous? Avoid giving details of your whereabouts and plans.

Dumbing Down Society? Send along good links to thoughtful articles and news stories.

While it is impossible to completely eradicate the negative aspects of a social tool like Twitter, it is possible to “tweet” in such a way that the “pro’s” outweigh the “cons.” And so, for now, I am willing to take part in the Twitterverse.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of a personal sabbatical from blogging. No new material will appear at Kingdom People during the month of July. On August 1, I will resume blogging here at Kingdom People.

I know that the short-term nature of the blogosphere makes an extended absence unwise from a blogger’s standpoint, but I took a month-long hiatus last year and found it to be good for my soul. Here are some reasons I am taking a break this month.

1. Need for Spiritual Refreshment
I look forward to directing some of the time I would have spent blogging to more prayer, Bible study, and devotional reading.

2. Other Important Responsibilities Vying for My Time

• Things quiet down at church during the summer. It is a good time to think about the upcoming fall and what God envisions for our church in the upcoming year.
• Our son, Timothy, enters kindergarten in August. We are about to enter the “school-year” schedule for the next dozen years or so. I want to enjoy this summer with Timothy before he begins a new chapter of his life.
• I am taking two more summer classes this month. These classes will demand much of my reading time.

3. Blogging can be addictive.

I do not want to be constantly concerned about blog statistics, comments, and links. The best way to avoid the danger of caring too much about a blog is by taking a break from it for awhile.

4. Blogs are also inherently self-promoting.

My blog may have good and helpful content in the short-term, but if I ever view the blog as a way to promote myself before others, I will become a self-centered, self-absorbed person whose contributions to the Kingdom will be diminished in the long-term. Having blogged consistently for almost three years now, I think it would be wise to take a step back and evaluate the spiritual effects (both good and bad) that blogging has on me. Last July was spiritually beneficial for me.

I appreciate the readers who subscribe to Kingdom People and those who visit this site regularly. If you happen upon this site during the month of July, you might enjoy looking through the archives. I believe you will find some articles, interviews, or devotional thoughts that may be helpful.

So, until August 1… I pray you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.

Hilarious video!

The blogosphere is changing the world.

Am I exaggerating? Maybe. After all, there are plenty of people who have never seen a blog. Many people give you a blank stare if you ask them what a “blogger” is. But there is no doubt that the way we obtain information in this Internet age is changing, and the blogosphere is a big part of that information revolution.

Blogging has democratized the way we access information. It has also democratized the way we publish information.

The New Media Frontier: Blogging, Vlogging, and Podcasting for Christ (Crossway, 2008) illuminates the promises and pitfalls of engaging in this new media. Especially helpful is the Christian focus that this book brings to blogging.

John Mark Reynolds starts off the book by describing the difference between “live” and “preserved” discourse. He shows how the world has moved from “live” performance to “preserved” performance. Now this pendulum is swinging back towards “live” performance. Maintaing the balance between instant communication and preserved communicatio is of the utmost importance.

An interesting phenomena that Reynolds does not address: ”live” performance sometimes leads to “preserved” performance. Take American Idol for example - direct performances (“live”) that (hopefully) lead to recording contracts (“preserved”). Or the success of bloggers (“live”) who wound up writing “preserved” discourse for this book!

Matthew Lee Anderson warns us about the blogosphere. He sees a number of deficiencies in online communication and so he points out some dangers that should be avoided. Of primary concern is the way that connecting online is inferior than connecting face to face. Likewise, the emphasis in blogging is on posting and publishing. You cannot simply “be” an online presence. He worries that our souls might become shallow and that we might mistakenly assume we can and should control how we present ourselves to the world.

Because this book comes from a variety of bloggers, it contains a wide variety of insights.

• Technical advice on starting a podcast? See the “Beginner’s Toolbox” on podcasting.
• Want to start a blog? Make sure you read Joe Carter’s terrific chapter before you begin.
• Are you a pastor wanting to facilitate more discussion with your congregation? Then see Mark D. Roberts’ chapter (and his blog) for a great model of how it can be done.
• Thanks to Rhett Smith’s chapter on youth ministry, I have now opened a FaceBook account. Otherwise, according to Rhett, I might be unintentionally telling the 20somethings in my Sunday School class that I do not care about their online life.

Blogging is changing how pastors relate to their people, how people engage in apologetics for Christian truth, how classrooms and ”the academy” relate to one another. The New Media Frontier is a must-have book for all those interested in the current revolution in media intake and output. Get this book. And then get to work glorifying Christ on your blog.

My month-long sabbatical from blogging has come to an end. I am glad that I took the time off, as the month of July proved to be even more demanding and tiring than I had expected. I am coming away from my sabbatical with a few lessons that I am glad to have learned.

1. The blog is not the center of my life.

After nearly two years of blogging, I enjoyed the time off, and was surprised to discover that I hardly missed blogging at all. Before the sabbatical, I was beginning to worry that I was becoming too interested in blogging (my stats, my posts, my links, etc.). The month of July convinced me, happily, that such is not the case. There were no symptoms of “blog withdrawal.” My time away from the internet simply reminded me that there was life before blogging and life continues just fine without it as well.

2. I enjoy writing.

Several times in July, I experienced the urge to write. But interestingly enough, my desire to write was not tied specifically to blogging. In fact, I found that my joy in writing was refreshed during the sabbatical, since I was not writing for the blog. Come to find out, I enjoy writing. Pure and simple. The fact that blogging gives me an outlet with which to (hopefully) encourage and challenge other believers is merely icing on the cake. My true joy in the blogging experience is writing.

3. Time away gave me some perspective.

In the blogging world, it is so easy to overestimate your importance and your readership. Seeing the number of visitors or subscribers in any given day might give you the impression that you have a large number of devoted readers. Such is not the case. A Google reader does not a thoughtful reader make. Taking July off helped me to gain some perspective. For me, blogging is a tool in which I can improve my writing skills and (hopefully) provide some insights that might be of some value to other believers.

4. I would be just fine if I never blogged again.

The sabbatical helped me see what it would be like if I were to close down Kingdom People one day. I’m not sure I would miss it! That doesn’t mean that I plan on stopping. It only serves as a reminder that I truly hope, first and foremost, to be a godly husband and father, a faithful minister of the gospel, and only after that a “blogger.” Blogging is farther down on my list of priorities.

5. The way I have blogged in the past is the way I should continue blogging.

I did not miss blogging because I have never been a daily blogger anyway. Usually, I spend one day a week (for about two hours) crafting and scheduling my posts for the upcoming week. Confining my regular blogging time to one period of two hours a week helps me stay disciplined and keeps me from posting something too hastily.

If you are a regular blogger, let me encourage you to take some time away. You might learn some different lessons than the ones I’ve learned. But I guarantee you that a vacation from blogging will provide you with some perspective.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of a personal sabbatical from blogging. No new material will appear at Kingdom People during the month of July. On August 1, I will resume blogging here at Kingdom People. I will also be making an announcement that my regular readers may find exciting!

I know that the short-term nature of the blogosphere makes an extended absence unwise from a blogger’s standpoint, but I have several good reasons for taking a 31-day hiatus this summer:

1. Need for Spiritual Refreshment
I look forward to directing some of the time I would have spent blogging to more prayer, Bible study, and devotional reading.

2. Other Important Responsibilities Vying for My Time

• Less than a month ago, my wife gave birth to our second child. I believe I will better serve my family if I devote a little extra attention to my wife, son, and new daughter during this month.
• Also, my parents-in-law have just arrived from Romania. They are staying with us for the next five weeks, and I look forward to some quality time with them.
• My responsibilities at church this month are many: including the preparation for a renewed discipleship emphasis in August as well as a mission trip to Moldova in September.
• I will be taking a J-Term in Louisville this month – a class which demands much of my reading time.
• I am also planning to attend a conference at the end of the month.

3. Blogging can be addictive.
I do not want to be constantly concerned about blog statistics, comments, and links. The best way to avoid the danger of caring too much about a blog is by taking a break from it for awhile.

4. Blogs are also inherently self-promoting.
My blog may have good and helpful content in the short-term, but if I ever view the blog as a way to promote myself before others, I will become a self-centered, self-absorbed person whose contributions to the Kingdom will be diminished in the long-term. Having blogged consistently for almost two years now, I think it would be wise to take a step back and evaluate the spiritual effects (both good and bad) that blogging has on me.

I appreciate the readers who subscribe to Kingdom People and those who visit this site regularly. If you happen upon this site during the month of July, you might enjoy looking through the archives. I believe you will find some articles, interviews, or devotional thoughts that may be helpful.

So, until August 1… I pray you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.