If you want to be traditionally published in today’s book market, you are going to need a literary agent. But you don’t just “hire” a literary agent like you would a plumber. Agents have a vetting process in which they decide if you and your book are a good fit for their agency. They want […] You can listen to this episode How to Write a Query Letter with Mary DeMuth on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
Many first-time authors think that all they need to do is write a book, upload it to Amazon, and voilà Readers will come flocking. This is not the case. The reality is that the journey of writing and publishing a book is a long and arduous one. For most authors it takes 5 to 15 […] You can listen to this episode How to Develop Patience and Endurance in Publishing with Chase Replogle on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
This episode comes with a trigger warning. We are going to talk about social media, politics, culture, and what to do as a Christian author in a world that is growing more hostile to Christian authors. If you don’t want to hear about that today, I can recommend a great podcast called Compelled, hosted by […] You can listen to this episode How to Navigate the Fragmenting of Social Media As a Christian Author with Scott Minor on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
It is hard to read the label when you are standing inside the bottle. This is why almost all successful authors are in a writers group. Whether it was J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis sitting in an English pub talking about fantasy stories or a socially distant mastermind group meeting on Zoom, writers write better […] You can listen to this episode How to Find a Good Critique Group with Eva Marie Everson on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
A couple of weeks ago, Thomas Umstattd Jr. and Steve Laube hosted a Book Launch Secrets webinar. More than 500 authors registered for the webinar from five different continents. This episode of the Christian Publishing Show is the audio of that webinar. If you prefer to watch the webinar with slides, you can watch the replay […] You can listen to this episode Book Launch Secrets Webinar Replay on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
This is the 100th episode of the Christian Publishing Show. Over the last two years, we have had downloads from 92 different countries. I want to thank all of you who have shared the show with a friend or left us a review at Apple Podcasts. To celebrate 100 episodes, we have a very special […] You can listen to this episode 100th Episode Celebration with Jerry B. Jenkins on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
Sometimes using the right tool for the job makes all the difference. If you are still using Microsoft Word to write your book, I have some good news: Much better tools exist. The challenge with writing is that each writer is different. This means different writers will do better with different tools. To help us […] You can listen to this episode Writing App Roundup with Dave Chesson, Kindlepreneur on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
Children’s books are a hot genre right now. With libraries closed, more parents are purchasing children’s books; and more authors are trying their hand at writing a children’s book. These books are so short, how hard could they be to write? Actually, very hard. Or, at least, it is hard to write a book parents […] You can listen to this episode How to Write for Children with Jennifer Grant on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
It’s very common these days for books, especially nonfiction, to come with additional workbooks, study guides, and video courses. These extra materials are also a great way to connect with your readers on a deeper level, while at the same time creating additional income and incentives. Paper and digital don’t need to be at war; […] You can listen to this episode How to Create Companion Products for your Book with D’vorah Lansky on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
Devotionals are almost unique to Christian publishing. While some non-Christian publishers dabble with devotionals of different kinds, Christians have been writing and reading devotionals for centuries. So how do you write a devotional? Well, that is what we are going to talk about today. Our guest today is the author of 16 Ways to Create […] You can listen to this episode How to Write Devotionals with David Sluka on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
One of the big differences between Christian and non-Christian books is that Christian books have an absolute standard of truth they are compared to. Or, put another way, Christian books are all a derivative of the Bible in one way or another. We are a people of the Book, and so biblical accuracy is important. […] You can listen to this episode How to Write a Biblically Accurate Book with Catherine DeVries on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
As a kid, peanut butter was always paired with only one thing: jelly. The big discussion between the other kids was if your mom used grape or strawberry jelly. Then one day, one of my friends told me about a new candy that combined peanut butter with chocolate. How on earth could that be good? […] You can listen to this episode How to Write Better & Faster With Plottr and the Snowflake Method on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
For everything there is a season. A time to gather stones and a time to scatter stones. A time to merge companies and a time to spin off new companies. Right now, it is a time for merging companies. The “Big Five” are now the “Big Four.” You may have heard about the recent […] You can listen to this episode Simon & Schuster Bought by Penguin Random House Discussion With Steve Laube on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
Children’s books are the fastest growing segment of publishing in 2020. There was a time a few months ago when The Very Hungry Caterpillar was in the top 10 of all products on Amazon–not only books, but all products in the everything store. The pandemic has caused many parents to spend more time with their […] You can listen to this episode How to Write for Children with Linda Howard on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
You can listen to this episode Behind the Publishing Curtain: Fulfillment & Distribution with Tracy Higley on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show
One popular genre in Christian publishing right now is split-time fiction. Split-time fiction is when you tell two stories separated by time that are connected in some way, sometimes by a theme or an item. Some popular split-time books include The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck in the Christian market and The Nightingale by Kristin […] You can listen to this episode How to Write Split-Time Fiction with Melanie Dobson on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
You would like to think that as soon as you are done with your proposal and send it off to an agent that he or she is sitting there by the inbox ready to read it as soon as it comes in. If only. Before email became the submission method, agents and acquisitions editors threw […] You can listen to this episode How to Get Out of the Slush Pile – With Deborah Raney on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
You can listen to this episode How to Write with Joy in Hard Times with Mary DeMuth on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show
Recently, I heard a publishing “guru” talk about his approach to writing and marketing books. He publishes dozens of books each year with nothing more than quick proofread, which he does himself. He then promotes them using various Amazon hacks. This guy was breaking most of the book marketing commandments! While cranking out lots of […] You can listen to this episode The 10 Commandments of Book Marketing on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
In the general market, young-adult books are one of the most popular genres. While these books are written for readers ages 12-18, readers of all ages enjoy series books like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and Divergent. At the same time, in Christian publishing, many YA authors have struggled to connect with young readers. So […] You can listen to this episode How to Write YA with Jill Williamson on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
Writing is hard. But using the right tools can make it easier. One popular tool many authors rely on is Scrivener. But others find it impenetrable. This is why I am excited to introduce our guest today. He is an ordained pastor, church planter, author, and a creative Christian coach who has as much passion […] You can listen to this episode How to Use Scrivener with David Martin on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
If readers don’t care about your characters, they won’t care about your book. If your characters are wooden, generic, or forgettable, readers won’t buy, read, finish, or recommend your book. If you want to write a book people not only finish but recommend to friends, you must craft compelling characters. So how do you do […] You can listen to this episode How to Craft Unforgettable Characters with James Scott Bell on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
Kickstarter Update Here is a quick update on the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference Kickstarter Campaign. The Christian Author’s Guide to Cancel Culture This post first appeared here and is shared with permission. Last month tens of thousands of Twitter accounts attacked J. K. Rowling. They tried to get her books pulled from publication. Her […] You can listen to this episode How to Survive Cancel Culture As a Writer on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
Kickstarter Update Here is the current progress of the Kickstarter campaign to save the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference: Episode Notes Audiobooks are one of the fastest growing segments of the book business. So how do you turn your book into an audiobook? Our guest today is an indie author of the popular Fall of […] You can listen to this episode Audiobook Production and Promotion with Brennan McPherson on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
A lot of writers think, If I could just have more time, I could do more writing. Well, 2020 gave most writers a lot more time; and, yet, most of them are writing about the same as they were before. What keeps us from being more productive as writers? Is it writer’s block? If so, […] You can listen to this episode How to Overcome Writer’s Block With Robin Lee Hatcher on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
In this episode, Steve Laube and Thomas Umstattd Jr. talk about the 2021 Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference Kickstarter Campaign. If you have any questions about the conference or about the Kickstarter campaign, this is not an episode you will want to miss. You can see the progress of the Kickstarter campaign here: You can listen to this episode Everything You Need to Know About the 2021 Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
Readers in other countries read American books. American readers also read books by authors from other countries. For American authors, the most important country to think about and write for is Canada. Our guest today is the author of multiple books, including The Herringford and Watts Mysteries, and is a senior associate agent at the […] You can listen to this episode Writing for a Canadian Market on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
If there is one guiding light in excellent writing, the one thing almost everyone agrees on, is “show, don’t tell.” Telling is one of the most-common mistakes new authors make and one of the biggest reasons their manuscripts get rejected. It is also one of the biggest reasons readers give up on a book. If […] You can listen to this episode Show, Don’t Tell With Tim Shoemaker on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
Some novelists see themselves as character-first writers. Others start with the plot. Which is better? Does it depend on the genre? Could you be making a mistake that is crippling your writing? Our guest today will help us answer these questions and more. She is a bestselling author who has won two Christy Awards and […] You can listen to this episode Character vs. Plot With DiAnn Mills on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
It is possible to make a full-time living as a writer. One way to do so is to write one book that sells like crazy. Another way is to write a bunch of books. Our guest today makes a full-time living with her writing. She has written over 70 books. Whether offering a critique of […] You can listen to this episode How to Overcome Book Marketing & Money Challenges With Chautona Havig on Christian Publishing Show . Support the show...
