Back in October, Christianity Today approached me about writing an article exploring the degree to which Christian publishers weigh an author’s platform (or lack thereof) in their publishing process. Having been in publishing-adjacent roles for the better part of the last seven years, this topic has been of interest to me for a while. It’s a pernicious issue that has driven many authors to an undue emphasis on marketing themselves at the expense of their craft, which causes both the authors and their readers to suffer.
After dozens of conversations with authors, editors, marketers, agents, and publishers, that article finally went out in CT’s latest print issue last week. Going into this process, I expected my research to confirm my misgivings with the publishing industry, but what surprised me most was how encouraged I was as a result of these conversations.
There’s still plenty of room for improvement across the board when it comes to prioritizing the quality and worthiness of an author’s message over their platform in Christian publishing, but there are some bright leaders emerging in the field who recognize this issue and prioritize a faithful witness in their approach to the job. I think that bodes well long-term.
Below is an excerpt of the article with a link to the full piece, which I hope contributes to the ongoing conversation about how to improve the quality of publishing moving forward.
In Christian Publishing, ‘Platform’ Is Being Weighed and Found Wanting
“Best seller dropped by publishing house for factual errors.” This story grabbed my attention as I was scrolling through the news one day during my first year of seminary in the fall of 2012. The book in question was written by a name I knew well: David Barton.
Growing up homeschooled and raised in a Southern Baptist congregation, I was familiar with Barton’s writings, which purport to show that America was founded as an explicitly Christian nation. Knowing his influence among churches, I didn’t doubt his credentials, either as a historian or a political activist. I found it surprising, then, when his publisher, Thomas Nelson, discontinued The Jefferson Lies only months following its release, after it was proven to contain basic factual inaccuracies. In the years leading up to this, Barton had built an influential brand through self-published books and educational videos, one that helped pave the way for a book deal that his work didn’t justify.
That was my first encounter with something people in and around the world of Christian book publishing know well: the problem of platform. Broadly speaking, platform is an indicator of an author’s sales potential, based on certain measures of preexisting popularity. Ask ten publishers for a definition, however, and you’ll get ten different answers: things like reputation within a community, institutional backing, number of social media followers or newsletter subscribers, or ticket sales at speaking engagements. The industry has no consensus on the matter, but platform remains a core consideration throughout the publishing world today.
Of course, Christian publishers are not the only ones weighing the extent to which platform should influence the choice of what authors to publish. Evaluating a writer’s platform is standard practice for book acquisitions across the publishing industry. But Christian publishers do bear a unique responsibility of stewarding their work well by virtue of their commitments to Christ and his kingdom. As I interviewed dozens of authors, publishers, and agents across the spectrum of Christian publishing for this article, it became clear to me that faithful stewardship in this industry is often easier said than done…