Interview with a local editor

Published 5:03 pm Thursday, January 17, 2019

Ramona Richards is the associate publisher for New Hope Publishers in Birmingham. In September 2017, New Hope Publishers was sold and became a part of Iron Stream Media, and in March of 2018, Richards became a part of that team and moved to Moody.

Richards is no novice at editing. Over the past 30 years, she has been an editor for Abingdon Press, Thomas Nelson, Rutledge Hill Press, and “Ideals” magazine. She has also freelanced for more than a dozen other publishers and has edited more than 500 publications.

She is also no stranger to writing. She is the author of eight novels, three devotional books, and numerous magazine articles. She has another book coming out in October.

Although born in Gadsden, Richards lived in Nashville for 50 years before moving back to Alabama. When asked how she liked coming back to Alabama, she said, “I love it. Returning to Alabama, and especially St. Clair County, was like returning home.”

Q. What are the best and worst parts of your job?

A: I love most aspects of my job, especially reviewing potential new products. The worst part of the job is sending rejection letters. I hate that part.

Q: Why is it important for new writers to go to conferences and workshops?

A: It’s vital for new writers to network and listen to people in the industry, to hear what works and what doesn’t and to bounce ideas off other people. Networking is not only great for a writer’s craft either. It’s essential in learning how editors and agents think and the best way to pitch ideas.

Q: Is it important for seasoned authors to continue going to conferences?

A: Absolutely. Established authors can benefit from conferences by that next level of networking, where you get to know peers and how they are working with readers, agents, etc. You gain new marketing ideas and ways of building a base of readers to help sell books.

Q: How have you benefitted from conferences?

A: I met my first agent at a conference, and got to know my current agent through networking with editors and peers. She was an editor when we first met, and we had a great peer-to-peer relationship. When she transitioned to being an agent, she had already made a lot of connections.

Q: What makes Iron Stream Media unique? 

A: Iron Stream Media is the home of New Hope Publishers, Iron Stream Books, Ascenders Books, and New Hope Kidz. We are a small but growing press, which gives a lot of attention to all our current authors, and we focus on helping them build a career. The four lines allow us to approach a variety of markets. Our books are distributed through Baker & Taylor, which sells titles to all the major retailers.

Q: What kinds of books does Iron Stream Media publish?

A: All our books are Christian in orientation. We don’t accept books without a strong Christian world view, even our fiction.

Q: What one piece of advice would you give to aspiring writers?

A:Never give up. I’ve been writing since I was ten and submitting to markets since I was 17. I sold the first thing I submitted. I didn’t sell anything again for ten years. I sold two stories in two years, then nothing for another nine. I sold my first book when I was 42; my second when I was 48. I have now sold 11 books, but I have a box at home with more than 350 rejection letters and dozens more rejection emails. A rare few writers sell immediately and have a great career. The rest of us just have to keep at it, with our butts in chairs, typing away madly.

Q: Why is the Mid-Winter Writers Conference the only conference you’re doing this year?

A: Last year I did nine conferences, and that took a lot out of me as I tried to keep up with my other responsibilities. We’re expanding the number of books we’re publishing, which will take more time. I also want to spend more time on my own writing.

Q: What can you offer attendees at the MWWC?

A: They can pitch book ideas to me, or they may just want to chat about writing and publishing. I’m glad to answers questions they may have about the publishing industry, viability of their manuscript or book ideas, brainstorming, or suggestions for other directions for their writing. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I’ve seen a lot of things come and go.

The Mid-Winter Writers Conference is Saturday, January 26, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. You can learn more about the conference and register online or print out a mail-in registration at https://mwwconference.com