Some authors seem to appear fully formed, but Beth Vogt’s path to publication began long before her first novel hit the shelves. A lifelong reader who once dreamed of writing for The Washington Post, Beth built a rich background in journalism, editing, and nonfiction storytelling before ever considering fiction. In this episode, I asked her to reflect on the habits, influences, and experiences that prepared her for the work she does today.
Beth won the 2019 AWSA Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year; she has also won a Christy Award and a Carol Award. Beth Vogt, welcome to the Christian Publishing Show!
What compelled you to become an author?
Beth: I was one of those little girls who always wanted to be a writer. I loved to read. I would go to the library, come home with a stack of books, finish them, ask to go back, and my mother would say no. She had other things to do besides take me back to the library. So I would write my own stories to keep myself busy until she finally took me back for more books.
Thomas: So the moral of the story is, don’t take your kids to the library, and they’ll become writers. Did you continue writing into high school and beyond?
Beth: I did a lot of writing that could be labeled as plagiarism. I copied the style of my favorite authors. When I graduated from high school, I declared a major in special education. I was interested in Braille and sign language. But before the end of my first year of college, I considered what I would love enough to do for the rest of my life. The answer was writing, but I still didn’t declare English or creative writing as my major.
Thomas: Which probably saved your career. Very few professional writers come out of university English departments because the style taught there isn’t viable in the market. There’s not a large audience for it. Many people think they need a college degree to be a writer, but you really don’t. Some authors get creative writing or English degrees, but they often have to overcome that training. Usually, if you get that degree, you end up as an editor, not a writer, because you still need something worth writing about.
Beth: I was in college during the Watergate era and ended up declaring a journalism major because I wanted to become a reporter. I hoped to write for the Washington Post, so I became an editor and a reporter. That love of writing changed my career path.
How did journalism shape your writing journey?
Thomas: You started off writing fiction and plagiarizing, which is more common than people admit. It’s actually a good exercise because you were mimicking masters. Imitation helps you build writing muscles so you can eventually write your own work. Then you went into journalism.
When I coach young writers, I often encourage journalism because it has to work. It has to find an audience. Today, newspapers know exactly how long readers spend on each article and how far they scroll. Your writing has to hold people’s attention. There’s data behind what works.
Beth: Interestingly, I abandoned the idea of writing novels and focused on nonfiction writing for newspapers, magazines, and editing. I loved it. For a long time, I said I would never write novels. I would hear novelists talk about listening to voices in their heads, and I would laugh and say, “There’s medication for that.”
I was very happy as a nonfiction writer. It wasn’t until I experienced burnout that God used that season to redirect me to writing novels.
I actually told my husband I wasn’t going to write anymore. He didn’t believe me. I started toying with the idea of a novel. One day, he came home and found me at the computer. He asked what I was doing. I said I was writing. He laughed and said, “I thought you weren’t going to write anymore.” I said, “Nobody’s going to see this. It’s just for fun.” That was exactly what I needed after burnout. And that just-for-fun novel became my debut novel.
How did you find an agent and bring your first novel to market?
Thomas: So you wrote this manuscript just for fun, but at some point you realized it had potential. How did you find your agent and editor and take it to market?
Beth: My agent is Rachelle Gardner. I consider her the best in the business. At the time, she was shopping a nonfiction book idea for me. It was controversial, and we couldn’t get it past the pub board. She was teaching at a fiction workshop in Colorado Springs, and I showed up. She looked at me and said, “What are you doing here?” She had taken me on as a nonfiction author. I said I had a fiction idea. She said, “Shouldn’t you have told me that?”
I talked to her about it, and she said, “I want to see it when you’re finished.” That changed everything because nobody was supposed to see this story. Handing over that manuscript was nerve-racking. I had never written fiction. She read it, we met for coffee, and she said, “We’re going to put aside the nonfiction idea and see if we can establish you as a novelist.”
Thomas: That was a great moment in your career to pivot. If that controversial nonfiction book had come out first, you would have had both advocates and enemies. You would have been branded as the author of that book. It’s harder to shift into fiction at that point. Not impossible, but harder, because instead of inserting a new brand into people’s minds, you’d be trying to erase the old one and replace it.
Maybe those rejections were God’s grace steering you in a better direction.
Beth: Absolutely. Along the way, I learned to trust the knowledge and expertise of others. I needed to learn how to write a novel, but I also needed to learn the industry. Knowing Rachelle and trusting her expertise, along with the mentors I met, changed me as a novelist and made a real difference.
Why is it important to listen to experts?
Thomas: If you have a literary agent, listen to your agent’s advice. And by the way, this podcast is brought to you by the Steve Laube Agency, so we are not biased at all. But there is real wisdom in listening to experts. Many authors think that because they are called by God, they are the exception to the rules and do not need to listen to anyone else. They imagine a glowing light over their heads that exempts them from the work.
That is not how life works. When God calls you to something, he calls you to do the work. It does not mean money falls from heaven and someone else writes your book or markets it for you. This is about learning to labor with God. God called Adam and Eve to work in the garden and name the animals.
Naming every animal was a job, a creative job. If you think naming your characters is hard, imagine naming all the animals with no prior names to draw from. Work is not less sacred. Scripture encourages us to work as unto the Lord.
Back to your story. You started with nonfiction. You created a proposal, found an agent, and the book did not sell. You gave her your fiction manuscript, and she said, “We are going to pivot.” What happened next?
How did your first manuscript find success?
Beth: Surprisingly, my first manuscript was accepted. Having mentors help me write that book made a huge difference. I started writing the manuscript, and while many writers finish a first book and then shove it in a drawer to start another, I am stubborn. I kept working on the same story.
Thomas: You also had the advantage of having written hundreds, possibly thousands, of short stories, even if you thought of them as journalistic articles. Journalism uses many of the same elements: dialogue, characters, story movement, and dramatic tension. It is not as different from novel writing as people assume when they read a newspaper.
In journalism, you craft a story. You gather interviews and backstory, then dig through everything to find the thread that holds a reader’s attention so that when the article says, “Continued on page 27,” they flip through the magazine or newspaper because their curiosity is sparked.
In many ways, God had already been preparing you through that exhausting season of newspaper work. You did not emerge with a novel fully formed. You had been doing the work.
Beth: I am not afraid to edit, and I am not afraid of hard work. I loved what I was doing. I was a freelance editor for MOPS Leadership Magazine from Mothers of Preschoolers International, and I wrote articles for them. I am not afraid of being told, “This is not working. Try again.”
Writers need to learn that failure is part of the process. Pick it up and start again. If something is not working, it does not mean it is a bad story. It is a story in process.
Thomas: If something is not working, it does not mean the story is bad. It just means it is not good yet. That is the beauty of a work in progress. You can keep tweaking and improving. And in traditional publishing, you receive a lot of free feedback through rejections. Many are stock responses, but as you build skill and relationships, you begin receiving helpful feedback that makes you better.
Why are relationships important for writers?
Beth: Writers often think writing is solitary. John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars, said, “Writing is something you do alone. It is a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but do not want to make eye contact while doing it.”
Much of writing happens alone at the computer with imaginary characters. But writing is also about relationships with other writers and what we learn from them. We learn from their successes and failures and from mentors who say, “This worked for me,” or “This didn’t.” That makes a tremendous difference.
Thomas: It is hard to read the label when you are standing inside the bottle, as James L. Rubart says. Many successful authors write in community. In my experience, the difference between authors who spin their wheels and those who see results is often community. The authors who thrive are in mastermind groups or critique groups with high-caliber writers.
This is why I started mastermind groups for authors at different levels. They give writers the chance to grow, get feedback, and have someone read the label on their bottle and say, “This is the wrong direction.” You needed Rachelle to tell you, “This nonfiction book is a no-go. Let’s go in this other direction.” You probably would not have seen that yourself.
Without that feedback, you might have kept your novel to yourself, thinking, “This is my private novel. I am not showing it to anyone.” Meanwhile, you believed you were called to write the nonfiction book.
The body of Christ needs itself. We are not all eyes, and we are not all feet. Community matters. And if possible, find community where you can truly know people. It does not have to be in person, though that helps. But it cannot be you and 200 people in a Facebook group. That is not community. You do not know each other’s children or know each other well enough to say, “This chapter is weak. You can do better.”
Beth: Absolutely. Danita K. Paul, an award-winning author, was the first person I whispered to, “I am writing a novel.” She later called and said, “I have a writers group. Would you like to join?” I found out she started that group so she could invite me.
She asked me to bring a chapter. I discovered they read their chapters out loud. Hearing her read my chapter for the first time, I sat on the couch and shook while she read it. Then came the feedback. Rachel Hauck and Susan May Warren have been my mentors. At one of Susie’s writers conferences, at two in the morning, she looked at me and said, “You can write novels.” She did not know that I had been praying that weekend, “Am I a novelist or not?” Her words were an answer to prayer.
I was struggling with some three-star reviews and talked to Rachel Hauck. She said, “I am going to read your book cover to cover and figure out what you need to do to up your game.” And she did. She said, “I want you to do this in your next book.” One thing made all the difference.
Thomas: Do not keep us in suspense. What was the one thing?
Beth: She said, “Take out all the movement. No ‘she walked,’ no ‘she moved.’ None of that.” She wanted me to use more specific action tags so readers could see my characters moving. Those vague phrases pull readers out of the point of view. She taught me to stay inside my character’s head.
Both Susie and Rachel talk about choosing one thing with every book to improve. Every book I write, I choose one area of craft to focus on. Maybe it is layering emotion or working on symbolism or metaphor. I always try to improve the overall book, but I also choose one specific area where I want to improve my skills.
Thomas: I love that. It is like treating each book as a drill to keep improving and to stay out of ruts.
Who offered your first publishing contract?
Beth: Interestingly, the publisher no longer exists. It was Howard Books, the faith imprint for Simon and Schuster. They offered me a contract. My debut novel was Wish You Were Here, a contemporary romance.
Thomas: Were they the only publisher to make an offer, or was there any bidding?
Beth: Other publishers were interested, but the offer came from Howard Books, and it was for a one-book contract. Rachelle said, “I am going to see if they will go for two,” and they did.
Thomas: Eventually, you shifted to a new publisher since you are still writing. Who are you with now?
Beth: I am with Tyndale. I also shifted genres. After a year of praying about my passion, I moved from contemporary romance to women’s fiction.
What is the difference between contemporary romance and women’s fiction?
Beth: In contemporary romance, you always need a happily ever after. It’s a romance. In women’s fiction, there’s no guaranteed happily ever after. You don’t even need a romance thread. Women’s fiction focuses on relationships between women, sisters, mothers and daughters, or best friends. There can be romance, but it’s not required.
When I pitched the Thatcher Sisters series to Rachelle, she said it needed a romance thread, so I added one.
Thomas: These genres are related, but not all readers cross over. Were you able to bring your fans with you?
Beth: I’ve brought many of my readers, and I’ve found new ones. My contemporary romances already had a strong women’s fiction feel because I like to explore the messy side of life. I believe life and relationships are messy, and God steps into our mess to show us there is more. He rescues us.
What have awards and the writing journey taught you?
Beth: One of my goals was to win awards, but I learned that in God’s economy, it’s not about the awards. When I walk into my office to write, I don’t look at them. Awards are great and worth celebrating, but God uses our writing journey to shape us into His image and allow us to reflect Him.
Thomas: And in the actual economy, awards don’t put food on the table.
What have you learned about God during your writing journey?
Beth: There have been failures along the way. There was a time when my writing journey wasn’t going the way I planned. I actually lay on my face in my bedroom and said, “God, if it’s going to happen, just tank my career.”
Thomas: That’s a scary prayer.
Beth: Especially when He says, “Okay.” And I thought, You could have said no to that. I had to trust God during that time and let it be.
Thomas: You had to follow God through two major pivots: from nonfiction into fiction, and then from one kind of fiction into another. You were on a path you thought was right, and then God led you in a new direction.
Beth: And now we’re having this interview during the coronavirus crisis, and I have a book releasing in May. I’m one of those authors struggling and saying, “What’s going to happen with this book release, God? This is not the best time.” But I’m seeing authors reach out to each other, asking, “How can I help you?” They could focus on themselves, but they’re not.
Once again, it’s not about isolation. It’s about how we help each other. That’s a beautiful thing. And turning to God, I can say, “You haven’t lost track of us. You haven’t turned your back on us.” This journey has grown my faith.
How can authors serve readers during a crisis?
Thomas: I really believe this pandemic is our time as authors. This is a strange moment in history. For the first time, no movies are being made. For the first time, no television shows are being produced. Everything has shut down. Production has stopped.
Some places are on lockdown for a month, others for two or three months. Some places are already extending their lockdowns. As this continues and people get more bored, we should remember that during the flood, Noah was not bored during the 40 days of rain. They were praying and scared. It was intense. But after the 40 days, it wasn’t immediately time to get off the mountain and plant crops.
Noah stayed in the boat for a year, sitting with nothing to do. As a society, we are approaching that phase. The rains will end, the apex will pass, but we won’t immediately be entering the world again. We’ll still be inside the ark, sending out birds and hoping they don’t return. Only those who can create from home will be able to keep producing.
People making small YouTube videos can film at home. Podcasters can record at home. And authors, with laptops, kids running around, and dogs barking, can write the stories that may become companions for people during this turbulent time.
There has been a lot of discussion in the church about how we can help and advance the kingdom during the pandemic because the normal things we do are not possible.
Thomas: I’m from Texas, and we get big hurricanes. The church excels in those situations. The Southern Baptist chainsaw crews clear fallen trees in hours. Their wives make food. Churches coordinate across denominations. But during a pandemic, we can’t do any of that. We’re not pulling out chainsaws or rescuing people from rising water. We can’t even gather in church.
So how do we help? We can encourage people emotionally and spiritually in their fear, worry, and anxiety. Our stories are a powerful way to do that. I don’t see your book releasing in May as a bad thing. I see it as good.
For independently published authors who can write and release quickly, this is the time to publish. Meet people in their place of need. Encourage them. That is powerful.
Why do stories matter in times of crisis?
Beth: There is power in the word. God is the word. We use words, and that is one of the ways we reflect him to the world. As I write, I pray that people are drawn closer to Jesus, wherever they are in their faith journey, with every turn of the page.
In the Thatcher Sister series, my main characters aren’t believers. They walk through crises without faith, and it’s interesting to write that while still bringing truth into the story. I remember being a nonbeliever and struggling, and how knowing the truth changed me. It brought comfort, stability, and made such a difference. That is why I write. People may not pick up a Bible, but they will pick up a novel.
What can readers expect in the new book?
Beth: The book coming out in May is the third and final book in the Thatcher Sisters series. It is called The Best We’ve Been. It was a fun book to write. Johanna, the eldest sister, is the main character. She has had the longest character arc. Readers have said, “She drives me crazy. She’s a control freak.” It has been wonderful to bring her to center stage.
The story asks the question, “What do you do when you get the one thing you want, but it is the one thing someone you love can never have?”
Connect With Beth Vogt
- Website/blog
- Goodreads
- Amazon Author Page
- Things I Never Told You (Affiliate Link)
- The Best We’ve Been (Affiliate Link)
Sponsor: Christian Writers Institute
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