The Market for Writers: An Expert Speaks

Meet Mark Kuyper, the pleasant and interesting President and CEO of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA).

The ECPA is an international non-profit trade organization comprised of member companies involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide. (Think of all the Christian book publishers you've ever heard of, and then some.) ECPA helps publishing folks to network, share information, and benefit from advocacy on behalf of the industry.

So...you can imagine that the person leading that group might know a few things about the publishing industry, right?

When he and I talked last month at the Evangelical Press Association national meeting in Anaheim, we discussed the need for both online and physical book store models. Case in point: He recently tried to buy a Bible as a gift for someone, and online ordering didn't cut it. It's not that easy to order the size, color, binding, and translation you want online. Bible selection requires way too many options for the one- or two-click model, especially when it comes to buying the world's most important book. We need stores.

And get this: I asked him what he thought about "the market" from the perspective of writers. And the president and CEO of the ECPA told me there has never been a better time to seek publication. And this is the best time ever for writers.

So take heart, okay? Keep writing.