From Thomas Nelson:

One of the highlights of our days in the Fiction department at Thomas Nelson? Receiving reader letters—either directly addressed to us or passed along from our talented authors. It’s critical to be reminded that at the end of our long days acquiring, editing, designing, selling, marketing, and publicizing books, those stories are reaching readers, striking nerves, changing lives.  We want readers’ feedback.  How stories have given you hope.  Which authors’ series you can’t help from sharing with everyone you meet. We want to know what makes you stay up late in the night to finish a story, and conversely what turns you away.

We’re conducting a series of surveys—seeking answers from readers who love Christian fiction.  Up for grabs is a free ebook for every respondent who completes the survery, as well as a $10,000 prize for one entrant.  The responses we gather will help shape the future of the books we publish for years to come.  As well as the data we’re collecting here, we’ll also seek more in-depth feedback from a panel we’ll develop over the next year.  More details to come. The note below from one of authors gives a specific picture of how reader feedback shapes her work.  In short, your opinion matters! We thank you for your time and appreciate your responding.

—Thomas Nelson Fiction

Dear Friends—

Publishing books is a team effort, and there are a lot of players—authors, editors, cover designers, marketing staff, and a host of other behind-the-scene folks who help get the books on the shelves.  And readers are also a large part of the process.  Your input matters, probably more than you know.

When I hear from readers, I really listen to what they want.  This is particularly true with my series books.  For example, Seek Me With All Your Heart (book #1 in the Land of Canaan series) wraps up nicely at the end, but one of my minor characters (Katie Ann) was left pregnant after her husband left her.  I received lots of emails about Katie Ann from readers, so book #2 in the series—The Wonder of Your Love—is Katie Ann’s story.

With the popularity of social media resources such as Facebook, it has allowed me to keep in close contact with readers and to seek opinions and advice.  Several times, the publisher and I couldn’t decide on a cover, so we posted the cover options on Facebook and let readers decide.  And if you’re posting anywhere on my Facebook Fans Page, your name could end up in a book.  I often scan the names there, so you are unknowingly helping me just by being on the site.
Readers also made it clear that they wanted books in digital format, large print, and audio versions.  Authors and publishers listened, and most (if not all) of my books are available in multiple formats.

As an author, I hope to write entertaining stories that will be enjoyed for many years.  As a reader, I have favorite authors, and I’m not afraid to let them know what I want in future books.  We listen to the likes and the dislikes in our effort to bring you the best stories we can, so don’t be shy.  Tell us what you think!

Warmly,
Beth Wiseman