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Kingdom Writers: A Podcast for Christian Writers of All Genres

Welcome to Kingdom Writers where CJ and Shelley Hitz help you take a step of faith to finally finish your book. This podcast is filled with spiritual encouragement as well as prayers to help you overcome the resistance you face as a writer. Your story matters! We believe that you have a specific role to play in the kingdom of heaven to impact lives for eternity. And because of this, we will pour out our lives encouraging writers like you to not only tell your stories but to take the courageous step of self-publishing your stories in books that will outlive you and leave behind a powerful legacy. This podcast is sponsored by our membership Christian Book Academy where we help you give birth to your books. We invite you to join our community of Kingdom Writers!
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Kingdom Writers: A Podcast for Christian Writers of All Genres
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Now displaying: Page 6
Nov 10, 2021

In this episode, we have some encouragement for you regarding publishing a book that has Biblical undertones without being too preachy. 

This was a question asked by someone during our 2021 Kingdom Writers Conference.

Did you miss the conference? 

If so, you can still get all 15 presentations as well as 13 bonus training in the all-access pass here: https://kingdomwritersconference.com/battleplan/

We pray that this short encouragement blesses you today! 

Nov 3, 2021

Do you ever struggle with anxiety when you sit down to write? Does it stop you and keep you moving forward on your book?

In this episode, we have some encouragement for you when you face resistance. 

This was a question asked by someone during our 2021 Kingdom Writers Conference.

Did you miss the conference? 

If so, you can still get all 15 presentations as well as 13 bonus training in the all-access pass here: https://kingdomwritersconference.com/battleplan/

We pray that this short encouragement blesses you today! 

Oct 27, 2021

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. – Romans 5:8 (NLT)

On February 5th, 2017, things looked pretty bleak for the New England Patriots in Super Bowl Fifty-One. By the middle of the third quarter, they found themselves down 28-3 to the Atlanta Falcons. No team had ever come back to win a Super Bowl after such a deficit.

But as can happen in sports across the spectrum, a swing in momentum can change things in a hurry. There would be no Falcons blowout that day. Instead, the Patriots would score thirty-one unanswered points to win the game 34-28 in overtime. As baseball legend, Yogi Berra used to say, “It ain’t over til it’s over.”

When it comes to a momentum swing in life, two little words can change the outcome…

But God.

From Joseph to Paul, we see so many But God moments.

There will be moments in our own lives when the odds seem overwhelmingly against us. Defeat is a foregone conclusion. A comeback? Impossible.

But God.

Oct 20, 2021

Disappointment is part of every writer's journey but when used the right way it can help you find your target audience, clarify the message God has equipped you to share, and expand your platform.

This was the first recording with Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith for the Kingdom Writers Conference. We had some bizarre tech issues and so he graciously re-recorded his presentation. This one will be slightly different than what you heard at the conference.

By the way, did you miss the conference? 

If so, you can still get all 15 presentations as well as 13 bonus training in the all-access pass here: https://kingdomwritersconference.com/battleplan/

We pray that this teaching blesses you today!

 

Oct 13, 2021

Many people want to write and publish a book but feel they don't have the time to succeed. Learn productivity principles that will help you accomplish your writing goals regardless of how full your calendar is today.

This was the first recording with Dr. Tim Riordan for the Kingdom Writers Conference. We had some bizarre tech issues and so he graciously re-recorded his presentation. This one will be slightly different than what you heard at the conference.

By the way, did you miss the conference? 

If so, you can still get all 15 presentations as well as 13 bonus training in the all-access pass here: https://kingdomwritersconference.com/battleplan/

We pray that this teaching blesses you today!

 

Oct 6, 2021

We are the Priestly Pens in the author of Life as we are writing our books. However, does your “pen” ever feel dry?

If so, enjoy this encouragement today which is an excerpt from the kickoff presentation of the Kingdom Writers Conference.

Did you miss the conference?

If so, you can still get all 15 presentations as well as 13 bonus training in the all-access pass here: https://kingdomwritersconference.com/battleplan/

We pray that this short encouragement blesses you today!

 

Sep 29, 2021

“For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.”

– Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT)

In his classic book, Miracles, author C.S. Lewis gives us a wonderful illustration of Christ representing a pearl diver in search of hidden treasure. It’s a beautiful passage that your own eyes should read,

“One may think of a diver, first reducing himself to nakedness, then glancing in mid-air, then gone with a splash, vanishing rushing down through green and warm water into black and cold water, down through increasing pressure into the deathlike region of ooze and slime and old decay; then up again, back to colour and light, his lungs almost bursting, till suddenly he breaks the surface again, holding in his hand the dripping, precious thing he went down to recover. He and it are both coloured now that they have come up into the light: down below, where it lay colorless in the dark, he lost his color too.” (Miracles, chap. 14).

Can you believe that you and I are that ‘dripping, precious thing’ Jesus went down to recover? If you’re like me, it’s a thought that seems beyond what my little finite mind can comprehend.

We’ve become quite comfortable here in our ‘region of ooze and slime and old decay.’ So comfortable that we forget that we were created for much more. The Son of God volunteered to descend into the depths of darkness in order to bring us into His glorious light.

Not only is this pearl diver the One who retrieves us, but his very life becomes the currency used in order to purchase us for display in the Father’s kingdom collection.

I can imagine the great Pearl Diver regaling the angels in heaven with stories from some of his deep dives…

“I found this one in the depths of despair and depression.”

“This beauty was pulled from the sea of drug & alcohol addiction.”

“A shark tried to snatch this one away from me but I eventually got her to safety. Got a few scars to prove it but you should see the shark…at least what’s left of him.”

Perhaps even now the angels are on the edge of their seats hearing Him tell your story.

Reflection: How does it feel to know how valuable you are to the Pearl Diver and his Father? As a Kingdom Writer, can you find creative ways to weave in your story of going from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of light with your readers?

 

Sep 22, 2021

What a fun month of celebration this has been! 

This month marks 10 years since I took the big, scary step of faith of quitting my physical therapy job (and a regular income behind) to be full-time in our ministry and business alongside my husband CJ. 

And we just finished our first-ever Kingdom Writers Conference. WooHoo!

Thank you to everyone who joined us. What a fun week it has been!

And right now our doors to Christian Book Academy are open. We only open a few times a year so if you've been wanting to join us now is the time to get in. Go to www.christianbookacademy.com and join us. 

We have so many great resources for you including monthly two-day Virtual Writing Retreats to help you get your book done or your marketing finished for the month. 

We also have a new Mini-Marketing Messages kit for you every month. These are social media templates and email templates you can use in your marketing to easily engage with your audience and sell more books. 

We have so many trainings for you that go in the order of the Kingdom Writers Path as well, starting at the first draft, then your final draft, self publish, book launch and finally ongoing marketing which is in the stage called impact lives. 

And so depending on where you're at in the Kingdom Writers Path, you can stay focused and find the training you can benefit from in your stage of the Kingdom Writers path. 

We encourage you to join us if you're ready to write a book, want to publish a book before the holidays, or if you're ready to market your book before the biggest book-buying season of the year. Come join us at www.christianbookacademy.com. We cannot wait to serve you. 

And to continue the celebration this month, we are highlighting Christian Book Academy member Jennifer Waddle. She was also one of the speakers at our conference. Today she's going to share a case study of how she put together a profitable book bundle and how you can do the same.

Join Christian Book Academy

Our doors are open for a short time this week to Christian Book Academy. Get in before we close enrollment here: www.christianbookacademy.com

We help you write words that outlive you, self-publish books that fulfill your calling, and reach more readers with your message.

 

Sep 15, 2021

Can you believe it? This month marks a decade since I resigned from my physical therapy job. We have been working full-time in our business and ministry since that day. 

Honestly, it hasn't been easy. 

There have been so many times we wanted to give up. But God has provided what we needed and He has brought us to the place where we are today. One of the things we're doing to celebrate is hosting our Kingdom Writers Conference...and it kicks off today the 15th of September. WooHoo! 

So if you have not joined us yet, make sure to go right now and claim your free ticket at www.kingdomwritersconference.com before registration closes. 

You will not want to miss 15 speakers over the course of five days helping equip you to move forward in God’s call to write. 

Today I want to introduce you to one of our Christian Book Academy members and one of our conference speakers, Ruth L Snyder. 

She has been taking some action in her marketing and she's going to share how using a simple tool that we provide in Christian Book Academy has helped her move forward in her marketing. Plus, on a recent post she was able to get 15 book sales. Yay!

I hope you enjoy hearing from her and get inspired for the marketing of your books as well.

DON’T MISS OUT...Get Your FREE Ticket to the Kingdom Writers Conference

A FREE 5-day event ONLY for Christian writers with 15 industry experts to equip you to move forward with God’s call to write. Get your FREE ticket and join us 9/15/21 - 9/21/21 (skipping the weekend) at https://kingdomwritersconference.com

 

Sep 8, 2021

If you haven't heard yet, September 2021 is an incredibly special year for CJ and me. It marks the 10th anniversary of taking that big scary step of faith for me to quit my physical therapy job and getting a regular paycheck. CJ was already working full-time in our business and 10 years ago I took that crazy step as well.

We have been two full-time entrepreneurs since that day and it has been a wild and crazy ride. 

We've been mentoring writers for over 11 years and also have had Christian Book Academy for 6.5 years. Therefore we wanted to celebrate!

We're celebrating and kicking off this month with our Kingdom Writers Conference and we want you to be part of it. It's going to be 15 speakers over five days and starts September 15th. Join us for free at www.kingdomwritersconference.com and tell all your writing friends. 

It's going to be a fun, inspiring, and amazing time to come together as Kingdom writers for such a time as this. 

This month we also wanted to highlight some of our speakers. By the way, all of our speakers have also been academy members over the last 6.5 years and we wanted to feature them and what God has been doing in their lives. 

Today I want to share with you Beth Jones and the path that she took with Kindle publishing as well as the power of publishing a series. She will also share several other things that have really been beneficial In her journey of publishing over 20 books and the list keeps growing. 

I hope you enjoy hearing from Beth Jones and get inspired to publish your next book. 

Get Your FREE Ticket to the Kingdom Writers Conference

A FREE 5-day event ONLY for Christian writers with 15 industry experts to equip you to move forward with God’s call to write. Get your FREE ticket and join us 9/15/21 - 9/21/21 (skipping the weekend) at https://kingdomwritersconference.com

 

Sep 1, 2021

This year we wanted to do something a little bit different for September it is the 10th year anniversary since I quit my physical therapy job and went full time in our ministry and business with my husband. 

This is a significant milestone for us. We have been leading Christian Book Academy now for 6.5 years, mentoring writers for over 11 years and we have so many things to celebrate.

We're kicking this month off with a bang by opening registration to our very first Kingdom Writers Conference. The theme this year is Battle Plan: equipping you to move forward in the writing God has called you to do.

Make sure to get your free ticket at www.KingdomWritersConference.com and invite all your writing friends, it's going to be fun. 

We are celebrating this month all that God has done not only in our lives but in your lives as well. Therefore we want to feature different members in our Christian Book Academy and in fact all of our speakers this year have been in our academy at one time or another and now they are also helping and equipping writers. It's so fun to see the ripple effect.

Today you will learn two of the writing tips Karen Lindwall-Bourg learned from Christian Book Academy that has helped her write and publish multiple books. I hope that you learn a lot from Karen as she shares some of her successes in writing.

Kingdom Writers Conference

A FREE 5-day event ONLY for Christian writers with 15 industry experts to equip you to move forward with God’s call to write.

Get your FREE ticket and join us 9/15/21 - 9/21/21 (skipping the weekend) at https://kingdomwritersconference.com

 

Aug 25, 2021

Have you had failures in your life? If so, it’s a good indication that you’ve taken some risks along the way. 

A few notable “failures”

  • John Creasey received 743 rejection slips from publishers before one word was published. He eventually published 560 books and sold over 60 million copies 
  • Michael Waltrip lost 530 races before winning his first NASCAR race in 2001…the Daytona 500
  • Abraham Lincoln lost 18 elections for various offices before being elected 16th President 

We’re going to look at one of my favorite stories in the Bible about a man who took a big risk.

- 1 Samuel 14:1-23

  • Saul & his troops were down to 600 men and only 2 swords among them (Jonathan holding one of the swords)
  • Depressing situation under this pomegranate tree while the Philistines were wreaking havoc in every direction.
  • Jonathan has had enough and decides to take a risk. Jonathan realized he couldn’t win a battle without entering a battle. 

How about you & I? Have we reached a point where we’re tired of seeing nothing happen with our books? Tired of allowing the enemy to run amok all around us?

Jonathan seized his divine moment while everyone else was asleep. I want to touch on 4 things from this story we can apply to our own lives. 

When we choose to take risks as Kingdom Writers…

  1. We inspire the faithful closest to us. Jonathan’s armor-bearer was with him “completely” (heart and soul) (14:7)
  2. The paralyzed are moved - Saul and his troops represent the paralyzed who were waiting for the perfect opportunity. With Saul, we learn there’s a time for prayer and a time to leave the shade of the pomegranate tree to engage in battle 
  3. The prodigals are restored (v. 14:21). 
  4. The weak become strong (v. 14:22). Jonathan’s risk motivated those in hiding to come out and join the battle 

No doubt you & I have felt paralyzed, prodigal or weak at various times as writers. Let’s allow Jonathan’s example from over 3000 years ago to inspire us to take risks for the Lord in these days we are living in. In Jonathan’s words, 

“Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭14:6‬b

Prayer

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

…and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

 

Aug 18, 2021

Do you want to harness the power of partner promos by borrowing someone else’s audience? If so keep listening as this is one of the fastest ways to grow your audience and sell more books.

My name is Shelley Hitz and I’m here with my husband CJ Hitz. We have been coaching authors for over a decade helping you reach more readers with your message by using our social media templates and bridge-building system so you can consistently market your books without feeling pushy or salesy. 

In each of our trainings, we promise to share at least one thing that will help you write, self-publish, and market your books so that the message of your books can impact lives.

In the next few minutes, we are going to talk about the power of partner promos.

When it comes to partner marketing I recommend that you do something to give first. Instead of looking for ways you can benefit, how can you help that person first.

"You Can Have Everything in Life You Want if You Will Just Help Enough Other People Get What They Want.” - Zig Ziglar 

Three ideas:

  1. Show up and like/comment on their posts a couple times a week. You will get noticed if you add valuable comments on a consistent basis.
  2. Give them a shoutout on social media and tag them. This could be a book they've written that you love or a concept they teach you recommend or a quote of theirs, etc. Anything that would highlight them in a positive way.

If you want to go to the next step, read and review their book on Amazon. Then do a post on social media and tag them in it. Make it more about the book. For example "I loved this book and this is why I recommend it" instead of about them personally. But mention that you gave the book a 5-star review on Amazon and why. This will get any author's attention.

  1. Here’s a courageous writer's idea. Host them on a live video either on Facebook or Instagram live. This could also work if you have a podcast to interview them. Make it all about them and featuring them and getting to know them. 

Once you've built a relationship with them, then invite them to do a promotion with you. A 10-book author giveaway is a great option. You can also do a top 10 favorite podcasts (or books or blogs) in your niche and feature them. You can do this on social media if you don't have a blog yet. Then reach out and ask them to share it. Since they know you they’ll be more likely to share it.

I gave 11 ideas in last month’s podcast.

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

…and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

Aug 11, 2021

Would you like to get more done without exerting as much energy? That’s exactly what having a system will help you do and what we are going to talk about today.

My name is Shelley Hitz and I’m here with my husband CJ Hitz. We have been mentoring writers for over a decade helping you self-publish your books in multiple formats using our publishing map and step-by-step system so that you can write words that outlive you and self-publish books that fulfill your calling.

In each of our trainings we promise to share at least one thing that will help you write, self-publish, and market your books so that the message of your books can impact lives.

Today we’re going to talk about how systems can be YOUR secret sauce.

  1. What is a system? In the simplest form, it is a checklist you create for a repeatable task.
  2. How does having a publishing system help? You save brain power because you don’t have to think about what to do next. You simply follow the checklist.
  3. What is the best way to start using systems? Start writing down the steps of tasks you do often. Include the websites you need, copy/paste text you can reuse etc. In Christian Book Academy we provide a checklist for you for each stage of the Kingdom Writer’s Path. You can then adapt the checklist to the steps you take.

Will you start using systems to save time and energy? It takes some upfront effort but is so worth it.

I’m often asked how I get so much done and I say that systems are my secret sauce and now they can be yours too.

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

…and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

Aug 4, 2021

What could happen if you devoted just 15-minutes a day to your writing? Keep listening over the next few minutes to this encouragement that when applied can help you finish writing your book.

My name is Shelley Hitz and I’m here with my husband CJ Hitz. We have been mentoring writers for over a decade helping you get your books out of your heads and onto paper with our book writing formulas so that you can write words that outlive you and self-publish books that fulfill your calling.

In each of our trainings we promise to share at least one thing that will help you write, self-publish, and market your books so that the message of your books can impact lives.

Today we’re going to talk about being a 15-minute writer.

Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful novelists of the Victorian era. Over the course of 35 years, he wrote 47 novels. He did all of this while working a demanding job as a post office inspector.

He committed 15 minutes of every workday hour to writing 250 words. This commitment could produce up to 10 pages of a novel each day. Trollope made the decision to turn off all distractions during those 15-minute segments, only hearing the ticking of his watch.

Although this may not be realistic for all of us, this practice shows what can happen during uninterrupted 15-minute intervals. When we become intentional about scheduling these 15-minute writing sessions, it can add up over the course of weeks, months and years. Even if we haven’t written 250 words, these segments could allow us to organize our thoughts or ideas. Productivity can be defined in numerous ways.

What if you and I committed to writing just 15 minutes a day? Surely this is a realistic goal for each of us. Could you commit to 15 minutes of focused writing each day?

Once you get going, you may get into a writing flow that seemingly never ends.

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

...and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

Jul 28, 2021

What does it look like to worship God through our writing?

Read: 1 Kings 7:13-22; 40-45

Huram was an “extremely skillful and talented” craftsman from the area of Tyre in Lebanon who was commissioned by King Solomon to help enhance and decorate the temple. After reading about the precision and detail of Huram’s work, we see that he was a man who glorified and worshiped God through his skills. There was thought, purpose, and intentionality in his work.

Imagine all the worshipers who would journey to this magnificent temple which stood for over 400 years. Upon entering the temple, they were set in the right frame of mind to worship the Lord as they saw the beauty of Huram's craftsmanship.

As Kingdom Writers, we have been given the wonderful privilege of being commissioned by God in our calling to write words that outlive us.

Just as Huram was hired and appointed to furnish and magnify the beauty of Solomon’s temple, we as Kingdom Writers are called to glorify and magnify the beauty of Christ. Our writings can help display a God more than worthy to be worshiped.

We have no idea who will walk through the front doors of our books. Many of those readers may not notice the painstaking detail and effort we’ve poured into our books. But you and I can rest assured that God notices. Our books and writings are one of the primary ways we've been called to worship and glorify our great King. This is why we refer to ourselves as Kingdom Writers. Priestly Pens in the hands of the Author of Life!

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

...and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

Jul 21, 2021

Email marketing is such an important part of a long-term marketing strategy for authors and yet one most avoid. In this training, Shelley shares 11 ways you can grow your email list as an author.

Here’s the list:

Option One: Strategic Partnerships

  1. Podcast Interviews
  2. Guest Blog Posts
  3. Social Media Takeover
  4. Social Media Swap
  5. Solo Email Swap

Option Two: Gather Authors/Experts in Your Genre/Niche

  1. Collaborative blog post
  2. Top 10 Books in XX Genre Post
  3. Online Summit or Host Q&A’s or Coffee Chats)
  4. Anthology
  5. Group Giveaway
  6. Group Promotions

The challenge?

Choose one option from the strategic partnerships and one option from gathering authors/experts in your genre/niche. Then, implement them over the next two months.

Let me know how it goes for you!

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

...and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

Jul 14, 2021

Do you have a book that you’ve started but you’ve struggled to finish? If so, today we want to share with you three ways to renew your commitment to write so you can click the publish button. 

Ready to dive in?

1. Remember the reason you write. What is your why?

When you have a strong purpose behind your writing, it will help you overcome the resistance we all face as a writer and the difficult days.

2. Who are you writing for?

Who is your target audience? I want you to picture one person who is your ideal reader. If possible, choose someone you know from real life. Write down who this person is and why your book would be impactful to them. 

This will serve as a reminder of why you write and that your readers are waiting for you to finish your book. Start praying for your future readers and the impact your book will have on their lives.

3. Write out your commitment to God and yourself and your future readers.

Write this out with pen and paper and post it where you can see it every day.

I am committed to writing and publishing my book (INSERT TENTATIVE BOOK TITLE HERE) by (INSERT DATE). ______________________ (add your signature)

If you write out this commitment and sign it, let us know!

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

...and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

Jul 7, 2021

Do you want to find peace in your writing? If so, CJ has some encouragement for you today from the Word of God that will help to bring calm to your chaos and peace to the panic when it comes to your writing.

Kingdom Writers have access to a peace that can’t be manufactured through human means. It’s a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 15:13 NLT

Jesus confirms this with his words in John 14:27 - “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Have you been troubled or afraid regarding your writing? Afraid of failure? Afraid of what others will think? Afraid you’ll give up before your book is finished?

Most of us can relate to those feelings.

Jesus wants to bring calm to our chaos. Peace to our panic.

If your heart and mind are feeling like that storm on the sea of Galilee, cry out to Jesus. Ask him to speak the words “Peace be still!” over your life and writing.

We can be conduits of this supernatural peace through our writing. Jesus can use our words to put out little chaotic wildfires in the lives of others.

How can we pray for you today?

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

...and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

Jun 23, 2021

Zechariah 4:10a

My small beginnings as a runner after reading a book by Dean Karnazes

After coming out of an 80 year Babylonian exile and having the glorious temple that King Solomon built be reduced to rubble, it was now time for God’s people to rebuild a new temple where Yahweh would reside and be worshiped.

To the younger generation, this was a huge milestone. But to the “old-timers” who saw or heard firsthand stories about the glory & splendor of the previous temple, this latest edition paled in comparison. You can almost hear the chatter among the seasoned veterans, “I miss the good-ole days” or “They just don’t make em like they used to.” “You call THAT a temple?”

God had a message for Zechariah to pass along to both young and old alike…

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” (Zech. 4:10a NLT)

Sure, this latest temple 2.0 seemed modest compared to the previous version 1.0 but God still wanted them to celebrate the fact that construction had begun. Progress was now being made. A hopeful momentum was now set in motion.

Zechariah is an invitation for us to surrender our expectations of what our books have to look like and the process that we go through to finish them. It’s also moving on from the “good ole days” and looking forward to what the Lord has ahead.

We hear all kinds of naysayers both outside and inside our heads: “Who are YOU to be writing a book?”, “My writing isn’t as good as so and so...maybe I should quit this writing thing.”, “This is simply too overwhelming for me to finish.”

One of the worst lies we can believe is that what we’re writing is insignificant and will not matter in the end. We rebuke that lie in Jesus’s name. It DOES matter!

Our books & writings may not look like much to us at times but it’s still hallowed ground that we’ve set aside to bring glory to the Lord. 

So whether it’s rebuilding a temple or working on our books, we can rejoice with the Lord to see the work begin. We can also rejoice in knowing that the same God who resided in a temple made of stones now resides in these bodies of ours (1 Corinthians 6:19) thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus.

With the help of God, each of us can watch the momentum build with our small beginnings!

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

...and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

Jun 16, 2021

One way to launch a new book is by using Amazon’s KDP Select program.  This program launched in December 2011 and I first enrolled one of our books in the program in early January 2012.   The program is no longer as effective as it was in 2012, but we have still seen success with our books as well as the books of other authors.

Why Free?

When you are a new author it can give you exposure to new readers. We consider it a ministry and have given away over half a million eBooks on Kindle alone.

For books that are part of a series, it may be beneficial to keep the first book in the KDP select program to gain exposure and interest in the rest of the books in your series.  Also, make sure you put an excerpt of the next book in the back of your book as well as links to the books from the entire series. Many authors find this is an effective way to promote the next book in the series.

I also recommend having a call to action within your book for readers to join your email list so that those that do read your book could continue to connect with you on an ongoing basis. 

You can also use your free days to get verified reviews from your reviewers. You send them a PDF copy and let them know the dates it will be free. When the book is free you ask them to download it on Kindle and post their review.

Another Option

One option is to use the KDP Select program to launch your new books and then remove them after your 90-day contract.  This allows you to publish them to other eBook platforms.  Draft2Digital is one option you can use to do this.

Please note, that you have to go in and choose to remove your book from the KDP Select program or else it will automatically renew.  You can do this by logging into http://kdp.amazon.com, clicking the link for the bookshelf, and then clicking “info” on the right side under the column for KDP Select.  There you can choose to remove the checkmark that automatically re-enrolls your book in KDP Select.

Results will Vary

Realize that your results will vary. One of the most powerful aspects of running a KDP Select promotion is the free advertising Amazon will give you afterward.  For each person that downloaded your book, they have also downloaded other free books or bought other books from Amazon.  Amazon then figures out which books were most likely to be bought from the same customer and will include them in the list “Customers Who Bought This Book Also Bought.”   Therefore, your book starts showing up on other book pages and getting free advertising which often boosts your sales and rankings.

Things change often at Amazon, so I encourage you to do your research and decide what is best for your books.

Find out more about KDP free promotions and get our checklist of places to submit your book to here: https://www.trainingauthors.com/47-places-to-submit-your-free-kdp-promotion-for-your-kindle-ebook/ 

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

...and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

Mini-Marketing Messages Kit

We have brand new templates available inside Christian Book Academy. They are called Mini-Marketing Messages Kits. Yay!

These kits will help you with your book marketing, start conversations with your audience, stay connected with your readers, get new sales for your book, and a lot more!

Join us and get access here: http://www.christianbookacademy.com/

Jun 9, 2021

If you have published blog posts, podcasts, videos, or have given presentations; you may already have content you can use for your book.  

Take a moment to look over the content you have already created to see if you can repurpose it and include it in your book.  

For example:

  • Podcasts and videos can be transcribed.
  • Presentation slides can be used as part of your outline. 
  • Deleted scenes can be fleshed out and used as a free gift for newsletter subscribers.
  • Journal content can be used when sharing your own story or journey.
  • Even social media posts and emails can be repurposed into content for your books.

Here are a few of my personal examples:

  • My very first book, “Mirror Mirror…Am I Beautiful,” was created from articles on my website. 
  • The outline for our book, “Forgiveness Formula,” came from our presentations on the topics that were well received. I also used some of my journal content in this book.
  • “Procrastination to Publication,” was transcribed from one-hour audio and then edited into a book.
  • “Prolific Publisher,” was transcribed from a webinar presentation and then edited into a book.
  • “Self-Publishing Books 101,” was created from blog posts and expanded into a resource many writers have used to self publish their books.

The options are limitless! Don’t forget to consider the content you already have as you write.

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

...and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

 

Jun 2, 2021

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Romans 15:13 (NLT)

  • Kingdom Writers have access to a joy that can’t be manufactured through human means. It’s something that we’re given by the Holy Spirit
  • We can follow Paul’s example by praying that we are filled with this joy.

Read John 16:20-24

  • We should expect some pain and struggle in the process of writing our book
  • Pain and anguish eventually give way to joy as our books are birthed into the world.
  • Jesus tells us to ask in his name - what are the requests of our hearts regarding our writing?
  • As we ask and see the prayers of our hearts answered, abundant joy follows.

We should approach our writing with relaxed, open hands, not clenched fists. When we’re open to the Spirit’s leading, a beautiful melody of words can follow.

Book Writing Lab

Get your book out of your head and onto paper using our 3 proven book writing formulas

...and then create a writing plan to finish your first draft.

We just launched our brand new workshop, Book Writing Lab, and you can get in today for just $27. WooHoo!

Get started here: https://bookwritinglab.com/

May 26, 2021

“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:8-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God is creating weakness in our lives in order to drive us to Him. Our weaknesses are meant to create dependence upon Him alone. He’ll spend decades cultivating weakness in our lives. 

There is only one hero in this story we find ourselves and that hero is Jesus Christ 

Brother Lawrence gives us a picture of almost pathetic weakness and dependence during his time as a cook and dishwasher for a monastery in the 1600s.

“He was a great awkward fellow, who broke everything.”

“When he had failed in his duty, he simply confessed his fault, saying to God, I shall never do otherwise if Thou leavest me to myself; ‘tis Thou must hinder my fallings, and mend what is amiss.’

Brother Lawrence was lame which made simple tasks much more difficult, including traveling to Burgundy to buy the provision of wine for the monastery. On many occasions, he could hardly remember how the task was accomplished except God helped him moment by moment. 

“He accustomed himself to do everything for the love of God, and with prayer, upon all occasions, for His grace to do his work well.”

“We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, for He regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.”

“The higher perfection a soul aspires after, the more dependent it is upon Divine Grace.”

Before setting about his work in the kitchen, he prayed, “O MY GOD, since Thou art with me, and I must now, in obedience to Thy commands, apply my mind to these outward things, I beseech Thee to grant me the grace to continue in Thy Presence; and to this end, do Thou prosper me with Thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections.”

Closing Story: Whitewater rafting trip in West Virginia with Youth For Christ. Almost lost our foreign exchange student from Hungary when a girl grabbed onto him for dear life after their raft tipped over. She was just a little thing but her fear of drowning drove her to cling to anything or anybody within reach. Her utter helplessness and weakness caused her to grab ahold of the exchange student. “I’m going to die unless someone else acts on my behalf.”

As Kingdom Writers, we MUST cling to Jesus with all of our beings, knowing how utterly weak we are. He will uphold us one word at a time, one sentence at a time, one paragraph, one chapter, one finished book at a time. HE’S the hero of the story, not you & I.

The Power of Having a Weekly Business Meeting with God

Learn the simple steps you can take to implement a weekly business meeting with God. This is one of the most important actions you can take as a Christian writer to ask God for the strategies to write, publish, and market your books successfully.

Get access to the video and PDF download now here: https://www.trainingauthors.com/businessmeeting/ 

May 19, 2021

Turn Your Passion into a Platform

Are you one of the many people who long to ditch the cubicle and go to work for yourself, on your own terms? What's holding you back? Self-doubt, fear, technology challenges, the feeling that there are already too many other people doing what you want to do? It's time to face those things head-on and transform your passion into a thriving business. Why? Because 

Your Message Matters.

His most recent book is Your Message Matters: How to rise above the noise and get paid for what you know.

Get a free copy of the book and just pay shipping at: https://www.yourmessagemattersbook.com/

100+ Places to Market Your Christian Book

Want some recommendations on where to publish your Christian book? Check out our list of over 100 places to consider here: 

https://www.trainingauthors.com/100-places-to-promote-christian-books/

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