by Dan Gibson

Joel Kneedler is relatively new to employment as a literary agent with the powerful Colorado Springs agency Alive Communications, but his experience in the Christian publishing business is astounding, from directing publicity for titles including as the mega-selling Prayer of Jabez and authors like Karen Kingsbury and Washington Redskins coaching legend Joe Gibbs.

A Christian author would have a difficult time finding an agent who understands what it takes to introduce readers to a book better than Joel, which is why The Editorial Department was excited that he was willing to answer a few of our questions.

DG:  What is your perception of the state of Christian publishing?  At ICRS, I felt a sense of an industry trying to find its way in the midst of a compressed marketplace and an aging audience, but you would know better than I, for sure.

JK:  I joined Christian publishing nine years ago, during what seemed to be its heyday. The Left Behind series was very popular along with a few other titles that were garnering attention from general market bookstores and general market publishers. Now, the show seems smaller with less intensity and excitement. Yes, the traditional audience is aging. Younger writers and readers seem more comfortable with an open message that will have the ability to reach a wider audience. I’ve also noticed a trend in “Christian” writers simply wanting to be known as a great writer, and not necessarily defined by their faith. This means they are comfortable publishing with a general market house just as much as a Christian house.

We’ve also noticed a greater emphasis on an author’s platform in recent years. You may have written a heart-felt book, but who are you? How will you promote it? Who follows you on Facebook, Twitter, church networks, blogs, etc?

It’s a strange time. On the one hand, the days of the mom-and-pop publishing houses seem to be fading, while the days of corporate conglomerates are upon us. On the other hand, there has been a huge rise in self-publishing and content proliferation via the internet.

DG:  As someone who has working on both the promotional and agency side of the business, what would you say is the "secret" (if there is one) to a Christian best-seller?  To a book crossing over as a secular hit?

JK:  I wish I knew. Paul Young proved everyone wrong with The Shack. I can tell you that when a Christian title hits the New York Times, then you will have the attention of the general market.

I think the average writer must work hard to develop an audience, an identifiable platform and be willing to get on some kind of speaking circuit. Now, that is counter intuitive to most writers who may be introverted, but it is the new business reality of publishing a book. Author web sites have also proven vital to keeping in touch with fans.

Or simply write a fantastic book, and that should take care of the rest.

Promotional side: Don’t wait for the publisher’s marketing department to do everything. Typically, they are understaffed and overworked. Unless you are Max Lucado, you should not expect to see the publisher spend (risk) many promotional dollars on your project. Be a team player and find out what they are planning to do and then build around that. Also, please be willing to do the small shows. As a publicist, it was frustrating to book an interview only to have the author say, “I only do interviews with audiences of one million or more people.” Ummmm, guess what? It’s a catch 22.

The successful authors that I have worked with over the years have all worked very hard to build an audience, are easy to work with and are willing to do almost any interview.

Agency side: There are a lot of writers out there! Whew. Who knew?

DG:  What trends are you most excited about in the industry?  Are there any topics/subjects/themes that you feel have run their course?

I think we have some great novelists in the CBA.

DG:  Where do you see Christian publishing in 5 years?  In 10?

The Gospel of John says, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” So I think we are in good shape.

DG:  How would you sum up your advice to aspiring authors?

Go for it. Give it your all. Take your time on your first manuscript, do the homework, get feedback, etc. Don’t be afraid of rejection and keep knocking on doors. Create a blog or join a writers group for support. Also, keep your day job. Please.