Christian Writers Guild Closes
The Christian Writers Guild, purchased by Jerry Jenkins fourteen years ago, has come to an end.
Rebecca LuElla Miller on Nov 24, 2014 · 3 replies
Though this is not news exclusive to speculative fiction, it will affect some Christian writers—some who may visit Spec Faith. The Christian Writers Guild, purchased by Jerry Jenkins fourteen years ago, has come to an end. This organization provided teaching, mentoring, conferences, and most recently, self-publishing opportunities.
The news first came out in Publishers Weekly and was quickly picked up by the CBA publication Christian Retailing. Christianity Today posted the news as well, with remarks by Taylor University writing instructor Dennis Hensley.
From another source, I understand that Sally Stuart has re-acquired on a temporary basis The Christian Writers Market Guide which she established and recently sold to Jenkins’ group.
I, for one, will miss CWG’s Jenkins-mentored path to publication for the low, low price of $10,000. Or perhaps not.
When I was working at Lifeway in Lexington, Ky., I chanced to meet the first winner of the CWG’s novel-publication contest. Her book was published by Tyndale and one copy was on the shelf. She had some fun looking at it. But then … one copy. And then … I don’t recall her name and I’m not sure if she kept writing. So that also could tell you something.
This little enterprise bothered me because it bore all the hallmarks of the vanity press, that sucker pitch we warn new authors to avoid time and again. I suppose Mr. Jenkins’ mentoring was worth something, maybe even the price of admission, but yeah, I also wonder whether any clients had the wherewithal to keep peddling once the training wheels came off.