The 2023 Book Launch Blueprint

Thirty days. That’s all you’ve got. Do it wrong, and you’re toast. Do it right, and it’s crème brûlée that will last for months, maybe even years.  What 30 days are we talking about? The first 30 days after you make your book available to the world.  During...

Book Proposal Tips and Tricks with Ann Kroeker

If you want to be traditionally published, you need to attract an agent and a publisher. To get an agent and publisher, you need an amazing book proposal.  For an author, a book proposal is like a business plan and resume all in one. It communicates all the...

Big News!

I have a couple of big announcements. If you have been wondering why there hasn’t been a new episode in a few weeks I have a good reason.  Announcement #1: New Baby! We just had a baby! Jack Umstattd was born on December 23rd weighing 9 pounds 10 ounces. Both he...

Why You Need a Writing Retreat with Kathy Ide

Do you feel discouraged or burnt out by your writing journey? Do you want to connect with other writers who understand your goals and pain? Do you need some time to get away from life, refocus on your goals, and connect with God? Perhaps what you need is a writing...

A New Social Network for Authors

Are you tired of getting distracted every time you log in to one of your Facebook author groups? Are you sick of feeling discouraged by the spammers and trolls who lurk in the depths of the group? Are you hesitant to trust the information shared in Facebook groups...

How to Write a Bible Study with Mindy Kiker

Perhaps you’ve considered writing Bible studies for your local church, or maybe you’re interested in writing Bible studies for publication. How do you write Bible studies that people want to read? We have a special guest with us today who is going to share her...

How to Write a Query Letter with Mary DeMuth

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...

Book Launch Secrets Webinar Replay

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...

Writing App Roundup with Dave Chesson, Kindlepreneur

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...

How to Write Devotionals with David Sluka

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...

How to Write for Children with Linda Howard

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...

The 10 Commandments of Book Marketing

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...

How to Write YA with Jill Williamson

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,...

How to Use Scrivener with David Martin

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 creative...

How to Survive Cancel Culture As a Writer

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 books were burned, and...

Writing for a Canadian Market

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...

Show, Don’t Tell With Tim Shoemaker

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...

Character vs. Plot With DiAnn Mills

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...

How to Overcome Fear and Comparison

Fear can be crippling. If we let it, it will become our master and sit on the throne in our hearts. And here is the crazy thing: We can’t make fear go away. And we wouldn’t want to even if we could. Sometimes fear is helpful to keep us from doing something stupid. But...

How to Start an Author Podcast

This episode originally aired on the Novel Marketing Podcast. This is effectively a short audiobook on how to start a podcast. If you have ever thought about starting your own podcast, this is not an episode you will want to miss. You can find a blog version here....

How to Write Faster with Tricia Goyer

To walk us through this process, we have a special guest. She is a USA Today bestselling author, has published seventy-five books in both fiction and nonfiction, and is a two-time Carol Award winner. And if that wasn’t enough, she’s also a wife and mother of 10...

How to Prepare Your Next Writers Conference

Writers’ conferences are a key step in your publishing journey. Especially if you hope to be traditionally published. They are also very expensive and time-consuming. The key to getting the most out of your next writers conference is preparation. And a key tool to prepare ahead of time is a one-sheet.

How to Write a Memoir with Susy Flory

Every year, millions of people set out to write a memoir; and every year, most of them fail. Memoirs are hard to write and even harder to sell to publishers and readers. And yet, every year, millions of readers buy and read memoirs. So how do you write a memoir worth...

How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome

Do you feel like a charlatan and that everyone might find out you have no idea what you are talking about?  Here is the crazy thing: There is a chance it’s true. You may be an impostor. It may also be a lie.  Dunning–Kruger Effect This effect is often...

056 How to Find Your Hustle

For the next few weeks, we will be releasing some “best of” episodes while I spend time with our new baby Thomas Gregory Umstattd, III. Episode Notes This episode originally aired in 2018. We live in a world that is cursed. Because of our sin, God cursed...