How do you transition from being an author to an author-entrepreneur? How do you learn the business side of writing without making all the mistakes the hard way?

To help us answer those questions, we’re talking with Shae Bynes, founder and chief fire igniter of Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur, which is a global movement that helps entrepreneurs experience God’s best in business and make a greater Kingdom impact in the marketplace.

Why do authors struggle with the business side of writing?

Shae: I think some authors just want to write. God puts something on their heart, and they want to get it on paper and into the world. But it often ends there. They assume that because God gave them something to write, it will automatically reach the right people. It doesn’t work that way.

Thomas: That’s like the Israelites saying, “I just want to live in the Promised Land. I’m going to walk in and that’s it. I don’t need to deal with the giants because God called me here.”

Shae: Exactly. There’s a process. You have to walk it out and learn new things. God will meet you there, but you need to plant the seeds.

Thomas: Some authors view the business side as dirty. They think Christians shouldn’t be involved in business or making money. They just want to write and have someone else handle all the business stuff.

Shae: You can involve others. You can outsource, build a team, and get help with marketing, but you still need to understand the fundamentals. If you’re writing a book, there’s a business side to it.

Thomas: Business isn’t less holy than anything else. This whole sacred-secular divide, where pastors are thought to be more righteous than everyone else, isn’t biblical. That idea came from Thomas Aquinas, who wasn’t even a biblical writer. Most people don’t know what he wrote or when he lived, yet we’ve elevated his idea from 800 years ago as if it were Scripture.

I was at a missionary school in Switzerland recently, and the head of the school was talking about how we’re still trying to overcome that sacred-secular divide. Many believe that spreading the gospel is only for professionals. But Scripture says to do everything, including business, writing, or bricklaying, for the glory of God.

Shae: In my work with Kingdom-driven entrepreneurs, I see more people embracing the idea that we bring the Kingdom wherever we are. Over the last five or six decades, the faith and work movement has grown. People are recognizing that all work, when it’s done for God’s glory, is Kingdom work. That mindset shift is essential for advancing the Kingdom of God, and I’m excited about it.

Should you go into debt to launch your writing career?

Thomas: Let’s talk business specifics. One area that gets tricky is debt. Some authors think, “I’ll put my book on my credit card” or “I’ll spend $5,000 on a website and just charge it.” What would you say to someone starting their writing journey in debt?

Shae: I’d advise against it. It may seem like the easiest path, but we serve a creative God with better ideas. There are ways to generate income, whether through saving, earning, or pre-selling. There’s so much wisdom and strategy available without turning to debt.

Thomas: I agree 100%. Relying on debt kills creativity. Swiping a credit card doesn’t take any imagination. But what if, instead, you offered virtual assistant (VA) services to a successful author? You’d get paid and you’d learn how they run their business. You’d see first-hand how they structure their day, work with editors and agents, and write books while managing a busy life.

I’ve seen aspiring authors become VAs and eventually become successful authors themselves. One woman trained replacements and built her own team. By serving someone else, she learned what she needed to grow.

Shae: There are so many creative ways to fund your book. If you charge your editing, design, and printing to a credit card, it will easily cost you thousands. Think about how many books you’d need to sell just to break even. And if you’re not thinking about the broader business model, it could take a long time to recover those costs, especially with interest tacked on.

Instead, tap into the creativity that God’s placed in you. That’s part of working by His grace, not just grinding your way through.

What does it mean to work by grace over grind?

Thomas: Some people think the best way to succeed is to swing the ax harder. They don’t stop to sharpen the ax; they just work harder. But that’s not what your book Grace Over Grind (affiliate link) is about.

Shae: The message of the book has several layers. One is recognizing that in business, hustle and grind are often celebrated. It’s seen as a badge of honor to sacrifice sleep and power through in your own strength.

Grace Over Grind is about shifting that mindset. As believers, we can be led and empowered by the Holy Spirit in our work. We can operate in God’s rest and favor instead of trying to do everything ourselves.

If we’re working for God’s glory, our businesses should reflect who He is. When we do things in our own strength, we’re looking for our own glory. The whole book is about what it looks like to work diligently in God’s grace and rest.

Thomas: That’s so good. Being a Christian doesn’t mean we’re stuck doing things the hard way. In fact, following Christ is a huge advantage.

Shae: Exactly. It’s not about doing less; it’s about doing things with Him, not just for Him.

What is the believer’s advantage in business?

Shae: One of my dear friends, Dr. Jim Harris, wrote a book called Our Unfair Advantage: Unleash the Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Business (affiliate link). I love that title and the concept because that’s exactly what we have as believers. We’re led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. We have divine strategies, insight, and spiritual gifts. When we do business with Him, we’re carrying something the world doesn’t expect. It should astound people.

Thomas: When you’re working for God instead of people, your perspective shifts. You plan for the long term, unlike companies chasing quarterly returns. Even rest becomes an advantage.

I remember studying the Oregon Trail as a homeschooler. The textbook included a flyer that said, “If you rest one day in seven, you’ll get to Oregon sooner.” I didn’t believe it at first. How can stopping one day a week help you get there faster?

But in the video game version, rest made a huge difference. The big delays weren’t from moving slowly but from getting sick from typhoid, malaria, and dysentery. Taking breaks meant choosing better rest spots and avoiding catastrophe. The same principle applies to work and writing.

How do you turn writing into a restful journey?

Thomas: So how do you turn the hard work of writing and building a business into restful writing? What are some practical steps?

Shae: One of the greatest advantages we have as Christian authors is what I call the Holy Ghost writer. The Holy Spirit is partnering with us.

When I write with Him, it flows more easily. It’s more inspired and impactful. It carries God’s weight and presence. The key is finding a quiet time and space where you can connect with Him.

For me, that’s between 2:00 and 6:00 in the morning. Normally, I’d be asleep, but during writing season, that’s when I do my best work. I put on worship music, and there are no distractions. I can hear the Lord clearly, and He’ll even course-correct something I’m writing.

Everyone’s sweet spot is different. For someone else, it might be sitting by the water. But I always say, “I never want to write without my Holy Ghost writer.” That mindset has transformed my process and the impact of my writing.

Thomas: I like how you describe it as a writing season. That concept gives people permission to make changes without committing to a lifestyle. You’re not saying, “I’ll always wake up at 2:00 AM.” It’s just for this focused period.

I imagine that means you’re sleeping at different times and probably watching less TV. You’re making sacrifices for that season.

When we launched a course on book launches with Jim Rubart and Mary DeMuth, we told students they had to stop doing something for those three weeks. You can’t just add more work without making space for it. Writing a book is no different. You need to make room for the process.

I admire people who get up early every day to pray. I’m not one of them.

Shae: I hear you. I only get up at 2:00 AM if the Lord wakes me. I don’t even set an alarm. If I did, I’d just turn it off and go back to sleep. So I pray before bed and ask God to wake me if it’s writing season. And He does. Sometimes it’s 2:00 AM, and other times it’s 3:30. But He always comes through. When I stop waking up naturally, I know the writing season is ending.

How do you write in partnership with God?

Shae: Writing with God is restful because I don’t feel pressure to follow a rigid method. People often say you have to start with an outline and write in a specific order. But I don’t. I let it flow. I may know my book will cover five topics, but I don’t need to start with chapter one. I ask, “Lord, what are we writing today?” And whatever flows, that’s what I write.

That shift took practice. I was a software engineer, so my method was logical, methodical, and analytical. Naturally, I wanted to write everything in order and from an outline, but that kept me working in my own strength.

Maybe chapter one isn’t flowing today, but chapter six is. When I yield to that process, the writing is more impactful. It becomes a restful journey.

Should you outline or write by the seat of your pants?

Thomas: There are two main approaches to writing a book: outlining or writing by the seat of your pants. What’s restful depends on the author. For someone like you, who’s naturally organized, trusting God might mean writing more spontaneously. But for other authors who are spontaneous by nature, trusting God might mean creating an outline.

Shae: Writing with God looks different for both kinds of writers.

Thomas: That’s the essence of following God. We follow a living God who interacts with us now. Prayer isn’t just ritual. It’s a conversation with a real, living being. That’s powerful. And it’s easy to forget because we do have Scripture, and it’s inspired, but the Bible isn’t a substitute for God Himself. We don’t worship the Bible. The Bible doesn’t save us.

Shae: We often look for formulas or blueprints. It’s okay to get knowledge and information, but then you need to learn how to flow with God. That might look different from whatever blueprint you were given.

How did your integrated ministry evolve?

Thomas: How have you integrated your books, courses, podcast, and coaching? You’ve built one ministry that manifests in different ways. People might find your podcast, then read a book, or hear about your coaching through a friend. How did that come together?

Shae: It’s taken a lot of foundation-building over the course of seven years. We launched Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur with a book and had nothing on the back end. That book started the community.

Over time, we developed a course. Then, about a year and a half in, we started the podcast. From there, we connected each element. In the podcast, we’d mention the course or book. In the book, we’d point people to a resource. Every offering we create points to something else we do.

Whatever the entry point—book, podcast, or course—people will learn about the next step. It wasn’t perfect at first, but we discovered what worked as we built. After about five years, all the pieces were in place and integrated well. Now we can clearly guide people along a path, especially those who say, “I want to do business with God, but I don’t know how.” Each element we offer points to the next step.

How do you handle surprises and setbacks?

Thomas: I imagine it’s an iterative process. Some books or projects resonate more than others. Sometimes you create something you think is amazing, and it lands flat.

Shae: I’ve felt that way about one of our books. I was so excited about the message, but the response was silence. I wondered if it was the title. Still, it remains one of my favorites. And that’s okay. Not every book will resonate the same way.

Thomas: That’s so common. Artists, actors, and authors often have personal favorites that aren’t the audience’s favorites. It’s important to remember that as a creator, you’re not a representative sample of your audience. Hopefully, you’re a few steps ahead of them and not just struggling with the same things.

Shae: If you are, just write the book for yourself and don’t publish it yet.

Thomas: You need to give hope. The book must offer value, not just venting. Journaling is great, but it’s not for the market.

You’re also writing books that are hits. Some are surprises. Maybe you wrote something out of obedience or to fill a gap, and that becomes the hit. It’s not like we get a divine stone tablet outlining every book, podcast episode, or course.

Shae: Not at all. It took five years of being diligent and consistent before things really took off. We started in late 2012, but it wasn’t until 2017 that we saw real momentum. By 2018, things accelerated and kept progressing from there.

The growth was slow, steady, and faithful. Faith and patience are how we inherit God’s promises, as it says in Hebrews. You need both. Faith without patience isn’t enough, and patience without faith isn’t either. But together, they lead to results.

Be faithful, keep planting seeds, and at the right time, God breathes on it and things grow. We get too caught up in overnight success stories, and they’re not reality.

What happens to you as you write?

Thomas: That really captures the theme of this entire show. It doesn’t happen overnight. You must be faithful.

The author writes the book, but the book also writes the author. Writing changes you. You grow through the process. You don’t emerge fully formed after one key moment. It’s a journey like King David’s. First, you defeat the lion and the bear, then the giant, and then the army.

Shae: Thank God. One level of glory to the next, for the rest of our lives. I call it the wild, crazy, and amazing adventure with God. When you treat life as an adventure and embrace the journey, you’re less shaken by the ups and downs and more able to enjoy each stage.

Connect with Shae Bynes

• Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur
• Grace Over Grind
• The Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur Podcast