SWEETWATER STILL PUBLISHING COMPANY, NE OKLAHOMA, USA

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Sweetwater Still Publishing began with a simple goal: to share quality stories and a life-changing message with at least one person. This might sound odd, but a lot of people don't write (though they have an inspired message) and they won't speak the words trapped inside because there isn't a large enough audience. What if nobody reads my story? What if nobody - except my relatives and a few people who felt sorry for me - wants to hear what I'm saying?

Really. What if only your mother reads what you write?

Our attitudes about this changed with the revelation that just one person - even Mom - is important enough to warrant all of our time and effort to share the hope that's within us.

Considering submitting your work to Sweetwater Still Publishing?

Dear friends and writers:

If you're interested in being published through Sweetwater Still Publishing, please read through all of the following before querying us.

Sweetwater Still Publishing is an independent/small press. (We are not a subsidy publisher.) Our goal is to be an outlet for inspiring stories of faith, resources for evangelism and graphic novels/comics that communicate the truth of the Gospel. We desire to meet needs where materials are presently lacking.

If you're hoping to get rich as a writer, this isn't the publishing house for you. But if you have a burden to share the truth and see people set free through the Good News of Jesus Christ, then we'd love to meet you.

Why another publishing house? Aren't there enough already?

Good question. There's an equally good answer.

Are you aware that large secular corporations have bought up many of the Christian publishing houses? Also, a majority of those that remain in the hands of Christians are run by denominations that have moved away from literal Biblical interpretation or any sort of Biblical world view. For this reason, the mission of many "Christian" publishers has changed from one of saving souls to that of making money.

This is a dangerous shift in the mission of Christian Publishing and Sweetwater Still Publishing will not be following in the wake. Please ask yourself the question,

When and why did “preach” become a dirty word to Christians?

More and more Christian publishers pride themselves because their books are not preachy. We turn on the Christian radio station and hear the same thing; our radio station is spiritual without being preachy.

Is that supposed to impress me?

Satan is also spiritual . . . and not at all preachy.

The current trend to erase preaching from our Christian message is, at best, driven by greed. People want to sell more books or music or whatever and will compromise and quench the Holy Spirit to reach that goal. But I’m also convinced there’s a darker spirit at work, whispering the lie that you’ll reach more souls if you approach them gently . . . with a watered down message.

Beware. Your enemy the devil (and the demons) have more experience in the world of writing and publishing than you could ever dream of. Unlike you, they’ve been alive for thousands of years and their list of published works is immense. They’re extremely intelligent and intent upon deceiving you. The only way to stand firm is to learn to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, and let him lead you.

We don’t want to publish poor writing, sensationalism or weak and weird doctrine. But preaching is the great commission. “Here am I, Lord. Send me.” How can you obey God and proclaim the message he gives you, without being considered preachy?

If you’re a writer, or even a person who talks, you are a voice proclaiming a message. The question to ask yourself is, WHAT MESSAGE am I preaching?

As a writer who’s been published many times and worked as an editor as well, I admit that I haven’t always realized that. I began by writing what I knew God wanted me to say. But after awhile I wrote simply to build my resume. Later I wrote because . . . I’m a writer; that’s what we do!

But this isn’t what God desires. If you’ve been given a talent for writing, you must invest it for His kingdom and bring a return for your master who entrusted you with this talent. Read Matthew chapter 25.

Also:

<Jesus said> “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.” Matthew 12:30

AND

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

Do not be quick with your mouth; do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.

God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.

As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.” Ecclesiastes 5:1-3

I love that God desires to talk to us! I hope that we'll all listen intently and learn to hear Him. If you don’t know your Bible inside and out yet (or are studying, wanting to know and understand God’s word) and if God hasn’t given you a message or story to tell, then be quiet, listen and learn. Don't let your talking or writing be unholy babbling.

If you feel led toward being a part of Sweetwater Still Publishing, we desire that your beliefs are securely grounded in diligent study of the Bible and that your lifestyle reflects passages like Galatians 2:20:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

If your motives are wrong and your lifestyle shows rebellion to Jesus' lordship in your life, please deal with that first.

In addition to accepting submissions from trained writers, we also accept submissions from non-trained believers who feel God is telling them to share. Not necessarily writers – many people can learn to write, but few hear God’s voice and experience his power in their lives. If you have a story that God wants you to share, but you're not a writer, contact us anyway. If we believe the story needs to be told, we may decide to get it into readable format.

Remember, it's not by might, nor by power, but by God's spirit. If this is the house he's building, then I will gladly be a little hammer or nail. I pray that you will also.

Thanks for reading through this information.

Cheryl Ellicott

SUBMISSION INFORMATION:

If you're a trained writer or aspiring author please review our genre guidelines specific to your manuscript and then send a Query letter and brief synopsis to: cheryl.cityonahill@yahoo.com

If you're a non-writer with a story to share, please email us anyway. If your story is worth telling, we may be able to provide a co-author to help you get it written.

YA / Young Adult literature

Information on other categories coming soon.