Understanding Work-for-Hire by Elizabeth Ludwig

On Tuesday, I mentioned that I had started a new series of Amish cozy mysteries, and that it was work-made-for-hire. But what exactly does that mean, and why did I agree to do it?

A work-made-for-hire (sometimes abbreviated as work for hire or WFH) basically just means that the author agrees to create a work as part of their job and that both the author and the company they are writing for agree in writing to the WFH designation. The author does not own the work, but is contractually obligated to submit the work on the same basis as they would any other standard publishing agreement.

 I should also note that in standard publishing agreements, the person who actually creates a work is the legally recognized author of that work. According to copyright law in the United States and certain other copyright jurisdictions, if a work is "made for hire", the employer—not the employee—is considered the legal author.

Confused yet?

So then, what are the benefits to WFH? I admit, there is some disagreement over this. For me, the benefits were simply signing on to work for a major publishing house and everything that entails, IE: access to marketing, promotion, readership, networking, etc. It also enabled me to expand my publishing credentials, earn valuable writing experience, and finally, to “get my foot in the door with an attractive publisher”, for lack of better explanation. All of these swayed me in favor of the idea of a WFH project.

Others would disagree and say that they are not willing to give up ownership of a created work, especially if they were not going to get credit for the work by having their name printed on the cover (which can also happen, but didn’t in my case).

Both views are arguably correct. I suppose the bottom line would have to lie in the heart of the author and what they are attempting to achieve. What do you think? Is a work-made-for-hire something you would ever consider? I’d love to hear what you think!

Elizabeth Ludwig is the bestselling author of Christmas Comes to Bethlehem, Maine and the highly successful Edge of Freedom series from Bethany House Publishers. She is an accomplished speaker and teacher, often attending conferences and seminars where she lectures on editing for fiction writers, crafting effective novel proposals, and conducting successful editor/agent interviews. Along with her husband and children, she makes her home in the great state of Texas. To learn more, visit ElizabethLudwig.com.

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Stepping Outside the Boundaries

I started a new project last year…one that I have been fairly quiet about as I learned the ins-and-outs of the subject I was about to tackle. You see, for the first time in my career, I was undertaking an Amish cozy mystery (see below for a preview of my new book cover!). And it was a work-for-hire project for Guideposts. Two things I had never before done! God has certainly been stretching my boundaries and making me see beyond what I thought was possible. I’ll tell you more about the work-for-hire process on Thursday. For now, let’s concentrate on what it means to write Amish! 

I’ve written cozy mysteries before. In fact, I began my career with a series of cozies for Barbour Publishing. I knew I would enjoy that part of the experience. The part that concerned was learning how much I didn’t know about the Amish or the setting for the stories—which happens to be Sugarcreek, Ohio, a place I have determined to visit based on the research I’ve conducted so far. 

As it turns out, I learned a lot about the Amish right along with Cheryl Cooper, the main character in the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries series. One of the things that interested me most was the practice of rumspringa or the “running around” time of Amish youth. I quickly learned that there are many commonly held misconceptions about rumspringa, including the idea that it is a “time out” from being Amish. In actuality, rumspringa is intended to be a period during which boys and girls are given greater personal freedom so that they may make the decision to either become Amish or leave the community. While it is true that some Amish youth may choose to engage in what would otherwise be considered sinful behavior, their parents do not encourage such. 

Just as with all young adults, the late teen years are a confusing time in an Amish person’s life. Rumspringa is intended to help these young people “find themselves,” and thereby enable them to make a fully informed choice to accept the lifelong requirements of the Amish church. 

Where Hope Dwells/Guideposts, 2015

Isn’t that interesting? What a blessing it has been to dwell with these characters in Sugarcreek! Though I was a little reluctant to step outside of my comfort zone, God has proven that moving along the path He has laid out before me can be rewarding despite the challenges. I am looking forward to seeing all that He has in store for this series and for my writing. 

Elizabeth Ludwig is the bestselling author of Christmas Comes to Bethlehem, Maine and the highly successful EDGE OF FREEDOM series from Bethany House Publishers. She is an accomplished speaker and teacher, often attending conferences and seminars where she lectures on editing for fiction writers, crafting effective novel proposals, and conducting successful editor/agent interviews. Along with her husband and children, she makes her home in the great state of Texas. To learn more, visit ElizabethLudwig.com. Contact Elizabeth: HERE

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Devotional: To Walk Worthy

Attending the funeral of a young woman who just flew away home to heaven after a six-year battle with cancer will give a person perspective like little else. I couldn’t wait to get home and hug my husband and tell him I love him, and hopefully sweep away some of the stupid, petty drama we engaged in this morning.

Even though I know in a couple of hours there will probably be even more stupid, petty drama, because we’re human.

I’ve been thinking this week about that saying, “Only the good die young,” and how that has some truth to it, if we believe that a person only reaches “perfection”—spiritual maturity—at a point more or less close to when God calls them home. Maybe those who die young are those who have reached perfection sooner than the rest of us.

Of course, that probably means I’ll be here until I’m a hundred and thirty, if God doesn’t call us home until we get our lives more or less straight. Why can’t I just get a grip on loving my family and ignoring the urge to create stupid, petty drama? Life is feeling shorter than ever these days, even though I’ve always believed in living with an eye to eternity.

After hearing this young woman’s family talk about her bravery and determination to bless others, and the impact of her faith and life on theirs, I’m more determined than ever to not waste the time God has given me. To heed the apostle Paul’s admonishment that we live our lives in a way that brings honor to Christ.

But Lord, You have to help me do this, because I sure can’t do it on my own ...

⁶... He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ ...

²⁷ Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel ... (Philippians 1, NKJV)

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An Interview With Author Kristy Cambron

Everything is new when you become an author for the first time. It’s as if you’ve had this momentum driving you toward publication and when you reach it, there’s this an entirely new world that opens up.

How long were you writing before your first publication?

I spent fifteen years as a professional writer and speaker before my debut novel was published in 2014. The years spent as a corporate trainer, instructional designer, and communications consultant for a Fortune-100 Company helped me gain experience that I hope will make me a better fiction writer. As for pursuing publication? That journey began in 2011 when I pitched my work at the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Conference and signed with an agent about a month later. It was almost two years down the road before I signed my first contract with my publisher. The Butterfly and the Violin was the first book I’ve had published, but it was the ninth full-length manuscript I’d written.

Have you published any of your early works since?

I haven’t, mainly because I feel called to write historical novels, and I actually started out writing contemporary fiction. Interestingly enough, those early manuscripts always had some sort of vintage inspiration or a tie-back to history (such as Jane Austen’s England as the back-drop). I decided to give historical fiction a try after that and felt at home almost immediately. As for publishing those earlier works – who knows what the future could bring?

Do you ever read your dialog aloud to see how it sounds?

Absolutely! You’ve probably heard that writers have their quirks. Well, one of mine is that I have a “reading” voice. That is, I regularly read my manuscripts aloud – only with a British accent. (I know, I know. #majorwriterquirk) But it works for me.

What aspect of being a writer is the most challenging for you?
I think it’s feeling brand new at something all over again that holds the biggest challenge. There’s a certain amount of vulnerability that accompanies stepping out of your comfort zone. I’d been in my corporate career for quite a while, so I was used to traveling and speaking for that role. To enter a brand new industry – even if it is for your dream job – brings a measure of uncertainty with it. You have to be okay with living in a “fail fast” environment for a while, and try to learn as you go.

What steps have you taken to overcome this hurdle?

The best advice I can give aspiring authors about overcoming the rookie hurdle is to be teachable. I learned a tip from my time in Corporate America that has been indispensable in my first year as an author: develop your own “board of directors” to help guide you. Seek wise counsel from author friends, mentors and industry professionals who understand where you want to go. Rely on your agent, the sales, marketing and editorial teams at your publisher, and other authors who have experience in the industry. They’ll help you learn and will provide invaluable encouragement along the way.

If you’re a pantser, have you ever given plotting a try?

I am a self-professed hybrid writer. I’m mostly a pantser, as I love the unanticipated flow that a story can have when you’re free-form writing. But because I’ve spent so many years developing within the structure of curriculum design in a corporate setting, I storyboard through the editing process. I also map out my story timelines to stay consistent between novels. I guess that makes me a part-time plotter?

Do you prefer writing the initial draft, or do you enjoy the revision process more?
I enjoy both, but there’s a certain magic in meeting your characters and telling their story for the first time. I wrote The Butterfly and the Violin during the eight weeks I was on maternity leave with our youngest son. Because I was up late most nights to feed him his bottles and wanted to use all the writing time I could, I began typing those first chapters on my iPhone. With A Sparrow in Terezin, I was traveling for work so much that I had to write on my phone wherever I was – at the airport, in hotels late at night, even an elevator ride could turn out a few sentences. Both experiences of writing were on-the-go, but I loved finding out what the stories would become.

Kristy Cambron fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her debut historical novel, The Butterfly and the Violin (Thomas Nelson, 2014), was named to Library Journal’s Best Books of 2014, Family Fiction’s Top Ten Novels of 2014, and received nominations for RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards Best Inspirational Novel of 2014 and the 2015 INSPY Awards for Best Debut Novel. Her second novel, A Sparrow in Terezin (Thomas Nelson, April 2015), was named Library Journal’s Reviews’ Pick of the Month (Christian Fiction, February 2015) and a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews.

Kristy is an Art/Design Manager at TheGROVEstory.com and holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good Christian fiction read.



You can connect with Kristy at: Facebook: Kristy Cambron

Twitter: @KCambronAuthor | Instagram: kristycambron
Pinterest: KCambronAuthor | Web: KristyCambron.com | TheGROVEstory.com

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Fail Like You Mean It! by Kristy Cambron

I fought against my slumping shoulders as I stood in the line at Panera Bread. I had a handful of change – dimes, nickels, and pennies – I’d swiped from the kids’ piggy banks, just to have enough to buy the pastries I needed.

It was the morning of the holiday party at my former office in the career I’d walked away from to focus on writing full time. I hadn’t anticipated that the day would come that I wouldn’t have enough money to buy a cup of coffee, let alone a box of breakfast goodies to share with old friends. I kept wanting to embrace authenticity. To get real and say, Yes! This is it – our new reality. Everything’s changed. I’m not that girl in a suit that I used to be. Dream chasing is hard, I’d been warned. But I never knew it could be like this. I thought I’d be gloriously happy to look through life with a new lens, not battling my pride as I stood in a bakery line. 

In truth, I felt like a failure.

It wasn’t about putting on a brave face that bothered me. I could do it. In some ways, I was a master at it. I’d been so afraid to fail in God’s calling to become a writer that running from His will had become a companion in my long corporate career. The possibility of failure was always right in front of me, blocking my view and holding me to a future I’d chased– not one that God was leading me to. So if I had to go to the office party and gloss over our struggles, I supposed I could find a smile before I walked in the room.

But that’s not what happened.

Instead, I sat in my car in the parking lot with a box of pastries in my lap, tears in my eyes, and prayers tumbling from my lips. I made a decision right there that if I was a failure, then I was going to be the best I could at it. I wouldn’t go down easily. I was going to get real and say, “This is my first attempt at something really BIG, and I’m scared out of my socks!” We were trusting everything to God like we never had and it felt both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. It was a whole new level of faith walking that we’d only heard about before.

I realized then that failure is not the enemy; regret is.

It’s like picking up a camera and looking at the world through its lens. You see things differently with new eyes. Priorities shift. Expectations topple. The potential of a new path is revealed and sometimes, it humbles you into submission.

That was the new me. I realized that if I didn’t step out and embrace the possibility of failure, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 NIV

Failure can be discouraging. Fear? Debilitating. Pain, pride and even regret… They can prove consuming. But it’s the strength from a loving, all-powerful, gracious, omnipresent, heart-healing, restoring, teaching, comforting, courage-infusing and victorious God that picks you up again! Joshua 1:9 is a constant reminder of why failure is a good thing – because He’s always there to fight on our side.

I went to the office party that morning and smiled because I really meant it. It didn’t change our circumstances or add coins to my pocket. But as I sat there eating my cherry danish, I couldn’t help but think how sweet that moment was. To get real. To be authentic with myself. To embrace the bumpy failure-laden road that leads to leaning solely on His grace.

Our road hasn’t been perfect since that day. I’ve tasted a bit of failure, but I’ve had incredible sweetness too. And maybe you’re weathering the storms of rejection in your own dreams. Perhaps failure and fear have a tight grip. If that’s you, I encourage you to pick up the camera. Look at your world through the lens of God and see how different failure is through His eyes. Yes, it shakes us to our core. But that’s what’s so amazing! He’s there, in the thick of everything, waiting to pick us up every time we fall.

Kristy Cambron fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her debut historical novel, The Butterfly and the Violin (Thomas Nelson, 2014), was named to Library Journal’s Best Books of 2014, Family Fiction’s Top Ten Novels of 2014, and received nominations for RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards Best Inspirational Novel of 2014 and the 2015 INSPY Awards for Best Debut Novel. Her second novel, A Sparrow in Terezin (Thomas Nelson, April 2015), was named Library Journal’s Reviews’ Pick of the Month (Christian Fiction, February 2015) and a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews.

Kristy is an Art/Design Manager at TheGROVEstory.com and holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good Christian fiction read.

You can connect with Kristy on Facebook: Kristy Cambron 

Twitter: @KCambronAuthor | Instagram: kristycambron
Pinterest: KCambronAuthor | Web: KristyCambron.com | TheGROVEstory.com

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Kellie Coates Gilbert’s A Woman of Fortune ~ Reviewed

Revell, 2014

BACK COVER: You never know what you're really made of until you lose everything. Texas socialite Claire Massey is living the dream--designer clothes, luxury cars, stunning homes. But everything comes crashing down when her charming cattle broker husband is arrested for fraud. Suddenly she finds herself facing attorneys, a media frenzy, and a trail of broken hearts. Betrayed and humiliated, Claire must face incredible odds to save her family—and discover a life worth living.

REVIEW: I was intrigued by the premise of Kellie Coates Gilbert’s novel, A Woman of Fortune. Having read her debut novel, I knew the writing would be outstanding, but I was curious if the storyline would be strong enough to keep me engaged. After all, a billionaire socialite who falls on hard times was hardly something I thought would snag me by the heartstrings. However, this book was so much more! Gilbert takes a hard look at the inner workings of a family struggling to find their way back to each other. She examines the heart of the main character, Claire Massey, and forces the reader to look at their own beliefs and prejudices. This was a complex, intriguing read, well worth the afternoon it took me to read it (because I couldn’t put it down!). I highly recommend it!

 Review by Elizabeth Ludwig

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Devotional: Hard Pressed But Not Crushed

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. (Philippians 3:1 NKJV)

I often say that I know we aren’t finished until the moment we step through the veil of time into eternity, but ...

We really aren’t finished yet.

Sometimes I’m weary just of the sameness of life. Dishes, laundry, getting up, going to work, come home, eat dinner, bedtime, just to do it all over again. That’s the stuff of everyday life.

I write repeatedly of grace, finding strength in God, of renewing our trust in Him ... that too is the stuff of everyday life.

And really, what else is there, but to continually turn ourselves back to the glory of God? Do we ever tire of admiring beauty? Should we tire of it? Just because there was a sunset yesterday, do we not stop to look at today’s, and marvel over the play of light and color?

Paul makes it clear that we aren’t here just to endure the everyday grind of life. That even when things are tough, or beyond so—even when a situation seems impossible, and our soul and spirit cries out for the release of our homegoing—God has a specific purpose in our remaining here. And although our own refining and spiritual growth is part of that purpose, it may not be the only one.

Sometimes, it’s because those around us still need us.

Part of me flinches at that. I’m not one who thrives upon being needed—as a mother of many I battle an almost constant, low-level resentment against the demands on my time and energy. Nurturing doesn’t come naturally to me, either. But when I let go ... stop thinking of it as myself meeting a need but the Lord meeting needs through me, it becomes peaceful, even joyful ... almost easy.

Paul seemed to have a pretty good grip on that concept. Me, I’m still learning. How to say the words of encouragement that God is leading me to, in the moment. That praying for others is so much more satisfying than praying for myself. Oh, I know in my head that it’s more blessed to give than receive, but in those moments—days, weeks, months—that God is calling me to push through my own pain, weakness, and need to be there for another, it can feel near impossible. Like, of course God couldn’t let life be simple, at least not for very long, without one more wave of drama to come along and upset my equilibrium.

And yet, when I remind myself that He is God—that He holds every single detail and has a purpose even in what seems too hard to bear—I can feel the peace. I can rest in knowing He’s got it all figured out, even as He seems to delight in keeping us guessing.

In the moments where He must somehow be enough ... He always is.

⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. ⁸ We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— ¹⁰ always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then death is working in us, but life in you. (2 Corinthians 4, NKJV)

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