April 2, 2023 
Reviewed by:
Connor Salter, Professional Writing alumnus from Taylor University, Upland, IN.
Title:
Pathway to Publication: Move Your Writing from Manuscript to Book
Author:
Publisher:
Publication Date:
March 2023
Length:
156 pages
OVERVIEW
Surveys show that over 80 percent of Americans think they have a story that would make a good book. However, as Linda K. Taylor observes in Pathway to Publication, only a fraction of people who say they want to write a book ever do. A smaller fraction finish writing their books. Even the finished books may languish in Amazon’s self-published book listings because the writers didn’t revise their work enough.
Taylor gives clear advice on how to avoid that fate. She guides readers through the process of writing a manuscript, revising it, and navigating the process of getting it published. She breaks her advice down into 15 easy chapters, including:
- Writing and revising your manuscript
- Creating your platform (blog and social media pages that generate an audience who will buy your book)
- Finding an agent to sell your book
- Creating the necessary documents (a query sheet, an author bio, short pitch, etc.)
Books on writing tend to be either very good or very surface-level. Partly that’s just the industry’s nature (how-to books generally sell regardless of their quality, making it easy to write shallow books that sell well). Partly it’s because it’s easy to give technical tips (How to Do Suchlike to Your Manuscript with Windows 5.Whatever), which soon get replaced. Taylor uses her decades of experience to give advice that works across the board, and won’t age. She details how to avoid “Christianese,” how to build a writing schedule, how to overcome the misconceptions every writer starts with. Even when talking about the most intimidating activity most writers will face—attending a writers’ conference—she emphasizes that it’s not scary; just connecting with other human beings (who are probably just as nervous).
There are a few technical tips here and there—how to double-space a manuscript, why you don’t need to start a sentence with two spaces like you would with a typewriter. Taylor even provides a website (https://lindaktaylor.com/pathway-to-publication/) containing useful documents and tips (but, you’ll have to buy the book to get the password to access them). However, even the technical tips primarily cover things that won’t be changing any time soon. As for the documents, they are mainly aids for things that writers will always do (like building a writing schedule and tracking where they’ve submitted material). So, even at its most technical, this book won’t age too poorly.
Perhaps what makes Taylor’s book most notable is she gives writing tips, but guides readers into something larger. She never loses track of the fact writers are people—something especially important for Christians who want to write. She finds ways to make her material personable—working in anecdotes, and using the story of her sister preparing a thru-hiking trip to illustrate her points (plan ahead, create a consistent schedule, seek experienced advice, etc.). Taylor also talks about what she’s learned from teaching writing at Taylor University (several students are thanked for their advice), showing that this book is the product of writers learning together.
Taylor ends the book on a refreshing note that readers may not expect. Chapter 15 encourages writers to ultimately write for God, not for others’ praise. Some readers may groan at that sentence, thinking how many badly-written books open with “the Lord told me to write this…” Taylor makes it clear that this lesson should lead somewhere else. Christians honoring their God-given gifts will learn to use those gifts well. For example, she observes that Christian writers who make their lives sound perfect create impossible standards, whereas honesty about struggles shows readers they are not alone. Her final chapter gives the best kind of inspirational advice—hopeful but not treacly, honest yet kind.
A refreshingly honest, time-tested guide to writing and publishing.
Rating:
5 out of 5
Suggested audience:
Those interested in the process of getting books published.
Christian impact:
Taylor urges writers to ultimately write for God, not for others’ praise.
NOTE: ECLA readers can read Linda K. Taylor’s ECLA reviews of Christian books here.
For anyone interested, you can buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Pathway-Publication-Move-Writing-Manuscript/dp/1946708879