Sep 12, 2023 | Marketing
Public speaking is historically one of the best ways to sell books. Find out how you can turn your book into an engaging and memorable talk.
Aug 8, 2023 | Craft
Award-winning author Angela Hunt shares her reproducible revision process that has helped her write, revise, and publish more than 150 books.
Jul 11, 2023 | Author Interview, Publishing
Liz shares how she became a writer, what she learned from her victories and failures, and how new authors can learn from them as well.
Jun 13, 2023 | Craft
Find out why attending a local church in person can benefit your physical and spiritual health as well as your book sales.
May 9, 2023 | Craft
Writing books for boys is a worthy and noble pursuit. Find out what elements your book needs, and what to avoid, to thrill boys.
Apr 4, 2023 | Agent Interview, Publishing
Find out what to expect and how to make the most of your first in-person Christian writers conference.
Mar 28, 2023 | Publishing
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...
Mar 14, 2023 | Craft, Writing
Learn why Bible study is important for authors and how it improves your book as well as readers’ lives.
Feb 14, 2023 | Craft
Learn how Christian authors can organically incorporate their worldview without writing preachy novels that fall flat.
Jan 10, 2023 | Agent Interview, Author Interview
This year, set writing goals that are ambitious and reasonable and learn how to stick with your plan.
Dec 13, 2022 | Craft
Learn the tips and best practices for assembling and facilitating an effective and enjoyable writers critique group.
Nov 8, 2022 | Author Interview, Marketing, Publishing
Writing and marketing your book is a hard job. Find out how authors can avoid book marketing burnout.
Oct 25, 2022 | Author Interview, Writing
What would you do with two extra hours every day? Have lunch with a friend?Pick up a 10-hour-per-week, part-time job?Exercise?Read?Pray?Begin learning a new language?Write a book? Today, I’m sharing an episode from another podcast because it is relevant and important...
Oct 11, 2022 | Creativity
In this interview Allen Arnold shares a framework for creatives who want to create their art with God rather than as a performance for him.
Sep 13, 2022 | Author Interview, Craft
Learn how and why you need to choose a genre, and find out what to do if your book doesn’t conform to one specific genre.
Aug 9, 2022 | Author Interview, Craft, Writing
Author and writing coach Becca Puglisi shares tips and tools to help you write believable characters that your readers will love.
Jul 19, 2022 | Author Interview
Tips from busy mom and author Asheritah Ciuciu on setting boundaries and upholding your calling to parenting and writing.
Jun 7, 2022 | Publishing
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...
May 17, 2022 | Author Interview, Marketing, Publishing
Learn how to further engage your readers and earn income from your expertise by creating an online course that complements your book.
Apr 5, 2022 | Craft, Publishing, Writing
Write better sentences using fewer words. Angela Hunt teaches authors how to identify needless words and ruthlessly cut or replace them.
Mar 15, 2022 | Author Interview, Publishing, Writing
One author shares what he learned from eleven publishing mistakes. Find out how to avoid these common mistakes so you don’t have to learn the hard way.
Mar 1, 2022 | Publishing
Is your book launch budget filled with expenses or investments? Learn how and where to spend your time and money to get the greatest return.
Feb 8, 2022 | Author Interview, Publishing, Writing
Learn how you, as a Christian writer, can impact the world for Christ without having to publish a book first.
Jan 18, 2022 | News
Big changes are ahead for The Christian Publishing show. Find out how you can join us to get your publishing questions answered.
Jan 4, 2022 | Publishing
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...
Dec 7, 2021 | Author Interview, Craft
If you want your readers to connect with your writing, you need to immerse them deeply into the mind of your characters. Your readers need to hear, see, and experience everything that your character experiences. But how do you do this? The answer is deep point of...
Nov 23, 2021 | Author Interview, Craft
We have had episodes about protagonists, the characters who want something that drives the plot forward, and antagonists who get in their way. But stories do not live on protagonists alone. Side characters, or supporting characters, play a vital role in your novel....
Nov 9, 2021 | Creativity
You have a creative idea. You feel inspired to pursue it. But your head is filled with doubt. “What if I can’t make it work? What if I can’t provide for my family? What if my work isn’t good enough? What if people think my creation is stupid?” We have a guest on the...
Oct 26, 2021 | Author Interview, Publishing
The saying goes, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” While some authors are able to support a full-time writing career with only their books, the reality is most authors need additional income, at least at the beginning. But does that mean you need to...
Oct 12, 2021 | Author Interview
It’s no question that we live in a “cancel” culture. It may be tempting to bury our heads in the sand and be sure we never do anything to offend anyone. But that’s not how the Bible calls us to live. Countless times throughout the Bible, men and women of God...
Sep 28, 2021 | Editor Interview, Publishing
Have you ever wondered where Christian publishing came from? I sure have. In the olden days, there were only publishers. But then Christian publishers started to emerge. Why did that happen? What caused it? To find out, we have a special guest who has worked in...
Sep 14, 2021 | Craft, Creativity, Writing
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...
Aug 31, 2021 | Publishing
Writing a book doesn’t need to be hard for many writers. All you need to do to write faster is learn how to get out of your own way. Our guest today is co-founder of Girl Defined Ministries and author of several books for young girls, including Girl Defined and Love...
Aug 17, 2021 | Craft, Editor Interview, Writing
How do I write a novel? This is one of the most common questions writers ask. They ask it as they get started, they ask it after they finish their first book, and sometimes they ask it after writing half a dozen books. When writing a novel, there are four...
Aug 10, 2021 | Craft, Editor Interview
There are two ways to get better at writing. One is to practice writing, so your first drafts are better. The second is to learn how to edit your first drafts into better second drafts. It is common for some beginning authors to feel like the second draft is...
Jul 20, 2021 | Marketing, Publishing
Many times Christian writers think that once their book is published, then they can minister to people. But they have it all backwards. You can and should start ministering to and blessing people right now, and your book will be an overflow of that ministry. We have...
Jul 6, 2021 | News, Writing
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...
Jun 22, 2021 | Author Interview, Craft
“The first page of a book sells that book. The last page sells your next book.” –– American crime novelist Mickey Spillane When you write a novel, you want your readers to be so thrilled by the ending of your story that they immediately buy your next book. And...
Jun 8, 2021 | Author Interview, Writing
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...
May 25, 2021 | Agent Interview, Publishing
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...
May 11, 2021 | Author Interview, Publishing
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...
Apr 27, 2021 | News
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...
Apr 13, 2021 | Author Interview, Writing
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...
Apr 6, 2021 | Publishing
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...
Mar 30, 2021 | Author Interview, Craft, Writing
In this interview, Jerry Jenkins tells authors how he got his start as a writer and how he’s maintained his career for decades.
Mar 16, 2021 | Marketing
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...
Mar 2, 2021 | Author Interview, Craft, Writing
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?...
Feb 16, 2021 | Creativity, Publishing
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...
Feb 2, 2021 | Craft, Writing
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...
Jan 19, 2021 | Editor Interview, Writing
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...
Jan 5, 2021 | Author Interview, Craft, Writing
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...
Dec 8, 2020 | Publishing
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...
Nov 24, 2020 | Craft, Editor Interview, Writing
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...
Nov 10, 2020 | Author Interview, Marketing, Publishing
How do trees turn into books and get into people’s hands? At first glance, you may think they appear on bookshelves and in the mail as if by magic. But it is not magic. Behind the scenes thousands of people are working hard to make sure books get from the printer and...
Oct 27, 2020 | Author Interview, Writing
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...
Oct 13, 2020 | Author Interview, Craft, Writing
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...
Sep 29, 2020 | Author Interview, Writing
Writing is hard. Writing during difficult times is even harder. And yet, it is persistence through adversity that separates successful writers from those that don’t make it. So, how do you write when the going gets tough? How do you do it with joy? We have a special...
Sep 22, 2020 | Publishing
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...
Sep 15, 2020 | Author Interview, Craft, Writing
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,...
Sep 1, 2020 | Craft, Writing
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...
Aug 18, 2020 | Author Interview, Craft, Writing
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,...
Aug 11, 2020 | Publishing
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...
Aug 4, 2020 | Author Interview, Marketing, Publishing
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 Man Series. He writes epic, imaginative, biblical fiction with...
Jul 21, 2020 | Craft, Creativity, Writing
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...
Jul 14, 2020 | Agent Interview, News, Publishing
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...
Jul 7, 2020 | Agent Interview, Publishing, Writing
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...
Jun 30, 2020 | Author Interview, Craft, Writing
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...
Jun 23, 2020 | Author Interview, Writing
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...
Jun 9, 2020 | Publishing
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...
Jun 2, 2020 | Publishing
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...
May 26, 2020 | Author Interview, Writing
Our guest today is an award-winning screenwriter; his first feature film was To End All Wars. He is also the best-selling author of the Chronicles of the Nephilim series and a new series, Chronicles of the Watchers. Links: https://godawa.com/ Sponsor: Book...
May 19, 2020 | Author Interview, Marketing, Publishing
Crowdfunding is a powerful and underused tool in the author’s tool kit. Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo allow you to see if there is an audience for your book while simultaneously raising funds to help make it happen. How they work: You set a goal of...
May 12, 2020 | Publishing
One goal of Christian books is to convey a powerful Christian message through literature. But readers won’t get that message if they are turned off by the writing. One thing that turns potential readers away is heavy-handed preachiness. So how can Christian writers...
May 5, 2020 | Publishing
Our guest today 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! Links:...
Apr 28, 2020 | Marketing
Book Launch Branding and How to Launch a Book With a Small Email List with Randy Ingermanson
Apr 21, 2020 | Marketing
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....
Apr 7, 2020 | Author Interview, Craft, Creativity, Writing
Our guest today is a New York Times bestselling author whose novel Once Upon a Prince (affiliate link), was made into an original Hallmark movie. She writes from a quarantined location in sunny, central Florida. Links: Website: RachelHauck.comInstagram:...
Mar 31, 2020 | Author Interview, Creativity, Writing
Our guest today is an award-winning screenwriter, his first feature film was To End All Wars. He is also the best-selling author of the Chronicles of the Nephilim and his new series, Chronicles of the Watchers.
Mar 24, 2020 | Publishing
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...
Mar 17, 2020 | Publishing
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.
Mar 10, 2020 | Publishing
How to Write Cinematic with Deborah Raney
Mar 3, 2020 | Author Interview
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...
Feb 25, 2020 | Publishing
Learn about Ebook Publishing with Mark Coker.
Feb 18, 2020 | Marketing, Publishing
Ten tips for authors who want to sell books to the homeschool market.
Feb 11, 2020 | Publishing
We join guest James L. Rubart as we discuss what success looks like for Christian authors.
Feb 4, 2020 | Craft, Creativity, Publishing
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...
Jan 28, 2020 | Publishing
Learn how to write a believable fight scene with guest Carla Hoch
Jan 21, 2020 | Publishing
Find out what an author platform is, why it’s not as important as you’ve heard, and what you can do instead.
Jan 14, 2020 | Publishing
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...
Jan 6, 2020 | Craft, Marketing, Publishing, Writing
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. “Tommy” was born weighing 8 pounds, 14 ounces and he and my wife are both home and doing well. Why we are...
Dec 17, 2019 | Publishing
Finding an Agent using the Christian Writers Market Guide 2020 Edition
Dec 10, 2019 | Publishing
Do you ever feel alone in the writing journey? Or perhaps you are not sure what to do next. You don’t need to! In this episode, Thomas talks about 10 different places to find mentorship and the pros and cons of each.
Dec 3, 2019 | Author Interview, Publishing
Learn how to become an organized writer featuring Susan May Warren
Nov 26, 2019 | Publishing
Learn how to market to homeschoolers
Nov 12, 2019 | Author Interview, Publishing
Between Contract and Launch – What it is like to have a book under contract
Nov 5, 2019 | Publishing
Business Mistakes Authors Make (and how to avoid them) With Steve Lubae
Oct 29, 2019 | Publishing
The Pros & Cons of Small Publishing Houses
Oct 22, 2019 | Marketing, Publishing
How to Start Your Own Podcast
Oct 15, 2019 | Agent Interview
A Christian Author’s Guide to Getting an Agent with Bob Hostetler
Oct 8, 2019 | Publishing
How to Avoid the #1 Cause of Bad Book Covers: Design by Committee