Devotionals are one of the few publishing categories that are largely unique to Christian publishing. You occasionally see something similar in the secular market, but devotionals primarily belong to the Christian tradition. That is part of what makes them so interesting. There are not many publishing forms exclusive to Christian readers. Christians have been reading devotionals for centuries.
So how do you write a devotional? What actually makes something devotional writing?
To explore those questions, I spoke with David Sluka. He is the author of 16 Ways to Create Devotional Writing to Renew the Spirit and Refresh the Soul and the senior acquisitions editor for Chosen Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Why do people read devotionals instead of just the Bible?
Thomas: Why do people read devotionals? Why not just read the Bible?
David: That is a great question. Personally, I have not traditionally read many devotionals. I tend to dig directly into the Bible. I am gifted as a teacher, and I love how the Word of God comes alive and how principles emerge for daily life. Because of that, it is easier for me to read Scripture and extract practical application on my own.
Not everyone has that ability. Devotional writing creates an opportunity to take the life we receive from the Word of God and share it in bite-sized pieces for people who are looking for encouragement. It helps bridge that gap for readers who may not know how to make those connections yet.
How is a devotional different from a Bible study?
David: A devotional is typically shorter, inspirational, and reflective. It is not designed to go deep into study or research. A Bible study, by contrast, focuses on digging into the text, consulting other resources, and learning for the sake of knowledge. A devotional tends to refresh the heart.
That is an oversimplification, but generally speaking, devotionals are more refreshing for the heart, while Bible studies are more knowledge-based.
Thomas: In that sense, it is closer to prayer than seminary. It is more about worship and spiritual discipline. It’s about drawing closer to God rather than improving theological precision.
David: Yes, that is an excellent distinction.
Thomas: They are not really in competition. Someone might read a devotional in the morning and attend a Bible study at church in the evening. They fill different needs. You could say one is carbohydrates and the other is protein. Sometimes you crave one more than the other, and sometimes your body really needs the one you’re craving.
David: I think we need both. If we only read the words of other people and never return to the Word of God itself, we miss something. Together, they form a healthy pairing for spiritual growth.
Are devotionals still relevant today?
Thomas: It is 2020. Are devotionals still a thing? Are younger readers still engaging with them?
David: Absolutely. Adults certainly are, both men and women. Younger readers vary by personality. Some are readers, some are not.
In publishing, when ebooks first appeared, people wondered whether print books would disappear. Content does not go away. The way it is delivered changes.
These bite-sized pieces of inspiration that awaken the heart and deepen our understanding of God are always needed. I do not see devotionals disappearing, although the formats may continue to evolve.
How are devotionals evolving in new formats?
Thomas: One thing I am noticing is devotionals delivered as podcasts. The Daily Audio Bible, for example, combines Scripture reading, devotional reflection, and prayer. It is almost like a daily church service. Then there are podcasts like Pray Every Day with Mary DeMuth, where she reads a verse and prays for a few minutes.
David: That kind of content works well because it fits into busy schedules. A devotional offers quick encouragement and inspiration when people do not have time for longer study. That desire for focus is not exclusive to Christians. Many non-Christians meditate or focus on a word or phrase for the day. Focus is important for everyone.
Thomas: I think this is growing in the secular world, especially among people who grew up in church and later left. They often want to keep certain spiritual practices. They think, “I benefited from devotional time. Can I do that without faith?” Hopefully, they eventually rediscover that the power of the devotional comes from the One you are devoting yourself to.
How should someone begin writing a devotional?
Thomas: For someone interested in writing a devotional, what should they do first? Do they sit down and write 365 meditations?
David: Absolutely not. That would overwhelm just about anyone. When I work with writers who feel called to write but are unsure where to begin, I ask a simple question. What are you full of? What is on your heart? What has God been speaking to you about lately? When you read Scripture, what comes alive?
That is where devotional writing begins. You can read something that is technically sound and well written, but if it lacks heart, something is missing. Judges on shows like The Voice or American Idol often say, “You did not connect with the lyric.” The same is true with devotional writing. Excellence matters, but connection matters more.
The world is not short on ideas. It is short on God-inspired words that flow from changed hearts. That is what truly touches people.
Thomas: There is a quote, often attributed to an evangelist, that says something like, “If you get close enough to Christ, people will come watch you burn.” I think the first step is having a faith and a walk that makes it possible to say, “Follow me as I follow Christ” as the apostle Paul said.
You need a faith worth replicating. Errors replicate too, just like in biology. That is ultimately what leads to breakdown. The same is true spiritually.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to grow closer to God so they have something worth sharing?
David: It starts with going to the Word and encountering God personally. Listening to good teaching is valuable, but encountering God yourself is different. That is one reason the Jesus Calling series has resonated so deeply. People feel they are hearing God’s heart for them.
If someone wants to write devotionals, drawing closer to God, digging into Scripture, and processing that through relationships is essential.
Thomas: I would add this: be faithful in the small things. Nothing prevents you from journaling.
For a long time, I read Scripture, underlined passages, wrote dates, and kept a companion journal. I never intended to share it. Even my wife has not seen it. I am not aspiring to write devotionals, but if I were, that would be a natural starting point.
Eventually, I would recommend sharing that writing publicly, perhaps on a blog or as a podcast, to see how people respond. Before asking people to buy a devotional, give it away. In 2020, I would consider podcasting alongside blogging since audio has less competition and fewer distractions.
What do you think about blogging devotional content as you go?
David: I think that is a fantastic idea. It helps you see how others respond to what impacted you deeply.
I once shared something repeatedly with a roommate because it had meant so much to me, but it clearly was not resonating with him. He was not my audience for that message, but others might have been.
Journaling or note-taking is a great place to begin. Turning those reflections into a blog allows you to share what God is giving you. Some people hesitate because they fear their content will be stolen. The truth is, you own the copyright the moment you write it, and content theft happens regardless. Most likely, no one is going to steal your work.
Do not let fear keep you from sharing what God has given you. The same God who gave you one insight has more to give. Share what He gives you now, and you will continue to receive more to encourage others.
Why does motive matter when sharing devotional content?
Thomas: I ask authors to consider, “Why are you doing this?” Are you trying to build your own kingdom and make sure you get credit for everything, or are you trying to build God’s kingdom? I am not condoning piracy, but you do have to examine your motives.
Jesus faced something similar. Someone outside the disciples’ circle was casting out demons in Jesus’ name, and the disciples complained, “This guy is not with us. He is using your name. What should we do? Should we stop him?” Jesus responded, “Whoever is not against us is for us.” He was focused on something far bigger than what the disciples had in mind.
That is a helpful posture for us too. If two devotional writers exist and one is being pirated and shared widely, while the other is not, who is more likely to be successful when their next book releases? Early on, your primary enemy is obscurity, not piracy.
How can blogging strengthen a future devotional book?
Thomas: Blogging is also helpful because you build writing muscles over time, and you can see which posts resonate most. After you have written 500 or 600 devotionals, you will know which ones are most popular. You do not have to rely on an editor’s opinion. You have data. You can say, “This one performed best. Maybe this should shape the book’s title, structure, or emphasis.”
A classic example, not exactly a devotional but similar in format, is Jon Acuff’s Stuff Christians Like. It is humorous and still gets into deep spiritual themes. He knew to put Side Hugs on the cover because that was his most popular blog post. He had tested his ideas in the market ahead of time.
It also helps to remember that God’s insight is not limited. Scripture is complete, but our understanding and application continue to deepen. Journaling and blogging build those muscles.
What comes after journaling and blogging?
David: The next step is to make a plan. Early in my professional life, I was not a big advocate of planning. I taught English, and I had to teach outlining because it was required, but I did not always value it.
You can write a chapter or a devotional without an outline, but writing an entire book without one becomes a mess. Trust me, I have charged clients thousands of dollars to fix manuscripts that were either a heart dump full of passion, a head dump full of information, or a list of things to do. Without a plan, people run into writer’s block, or the content feels scattered and disorganized.
Planning helps you choose a theme, organize your ideas, and build a simple structure. I recommend using a basic spreadsheet so you know what you will tackle and when. If you are writing a 31-day devotional, that organization lets you write out of order. Once you have the topics planned, you can choose what you feel like writing that day without losing coherence. Organization gives you freedom to follow inspiration instead of forcing it.
In my book, I include simple examples of how to organize this. In my view, it is required, with no exceptions.
How do you organize a 31-day devotional?
Thomas: If you are writing 31 daily meditations on faith, do you not just write 31 meditations on faith and put them in order?
David: Picture a spreadsheet. I recommend at least three columns. Column one is the day number. Column two is a working title or theme for that devotional. Column three is the key Scripture passage for that devotional.
If you can add more columns, I recommend adding a reflection prompt or an action step, something that encourages response. This helps you see the shape of the entire devotional up front. It prevents accidental repetition and helps you spot gaps.
When you know what you want the reader to do or reflect on, and you can see it in advance, the writing process becomes much easier. You can see overlap, avoid redundancy, and keep the content balanced.
Thomas: It also forces you to do research. You realize, “I need 31 passages on faith.” You might discover you only have 25, so you have to go back and find more.
David: Another major obstacle to writing is being underprepared. Outlining helps you clarify what you are full of, what you actually have to say, and where the gaps are.
I see this often with itinerant speakers. They think they have more content than they do because they speak frequently, but in reality they often rotate through a small set of messages. That means they may need more research and planning when writing a book.
The blessing of organization is that once you start writing, the content can flow. You are not stuck wondering what comes next or whether you already said something. You can simply write what you planned.
Thomas: Benjamin Franklin talks about this in his autobiography when he describes hearing George Whitefield preach. Franklin had heard Whitefield could speak to tens of thousands of people in the 1700s, without microphones. Franklin was skeptical, so he went to hear him.
He was astonished. Franklin estimated there were around 20,000 people present and believed Whitefield could reach 40,000 with acoustic techniques such as a raised platform and careful crowd control. But Franklin was also struck by how much better Whitefield was than his local pastor.
Franklin concluded that Whitefield became so strong because he preached the same sermon hundreds of times up and down the colonies. Every phrase and turn of speech was refined. Meanwhile, Franklin’s pastor had to deliver a new sermon each week.
That highlights what you are saying. Today, with podcasts and YouTube, it is harder for itinerant speakers to keep repeating the same message to a fresh audience. Writing devotionals can help expand their content so they are not relying on the same stories, examples, and passages over and over.
What mistakes to devotional writers make?
David: Devotional writing builds another key skill, the ability to say one thing and one thing only. One of the most common errors I see in writing is a lack of focus. People struggle to stay on one point.
Devotional writers must learn focus because space is limited. A devotional forces you to keep it encouraging, stay centered on a single idea, and then move on.
Thomas: Jesus does this well. In the Gospels, he has a few longer sermons, but often he delivers short, focused teachings that feel devotional in length. There is often narrative text between them, then another short teaching. Jesus is remarkably focused.
Paul is different. Paul can feel like a bowl of spaghetti, which is why Peter says Paul is hard to understand. In a sense, Paul can feel more like Bible study, while Jesus often feels more like a devotional.
How do you decide the right length for a devotional?
David: That is a great question. Chapter two of my book is the most important because it explains how to organize a devotional and how long it should be.
The length depends on how much you have to say and what kind of product you are creating. You might organize your material and realize you can write 31 days, but you do not have enough content for 40. Once you know the number of entries, you can work backward from the page count required to make it a viable book.
At Baker Publishing Group, a product needs a certain number of pages to feel like a real book and to support the economics of publishing. It is hard to sell a book for $4.99 and make a profit. Even $9.99 can be challenging unless volume is very high.
For a 31-day devotional, a minimum of 128 pages often feels like a true book, especially with a smaller trim size. If you take 128 pages and divide by 31, then account for front matter and back matter, you can estimate how many pages each devotional needs to be. You can then estimate words per page. A rough guideline is around 200 words per page for a smaller trim size.
This is why organization matters. You are not only writing content. You are shaping it into a product, something a reader will pay for because they believe it will help them. Thinking like a publisher or businessperson, whether you plan to self-publish or pursue traditional publishing, is valuable. It can feel frustrating because you want to write, but consistency and product thinking matter if you want people to invest in it.
How does a digital-first mindset change the method?
Thomas: That is fascinating, because it is different from how I have approached it. When an author asked me how long her teen devotional should be, I started with the reader’s desired experience. Is it a five-minute devotional or a 15-minute devotional? How much is reading versus activities?
I also approached the math using reading speed. The average adult reads roughly 200 to 250 words per minute. A younger audience or non-native audience will likely read more slowly. An academic audience may read faster. People in publishing probably read very fast because it is part of their job.
That is a digital-first approach. With a book, there needs to be enough “thud” to justify a higher price. With a digital product, readers cannot physically feel the weight of it the same way.
David: You’re making a great point. In my book, chapter one is about connecting to your audience through your topic, title, and voice. Chapter four focuses on making the reader’s needs your priority. What I described earlier works from the back forward. What you’re describing works from the front, starting with the reader and asking, “What needs should my writing meet?”
Both matter. You don’t want to do only one. Start with the audience, then once you know what you’re writing and how long it should be, evaluate whether you have enough content to sustain that length. If you’re aiming for 250 words per entry and you only have 21 days of content, you either keep digging into Scripture, or you make a shorter project. Maybe it becomes a booklet or a digital product.
What can you add to improve the experience and the value?
Thomas: You can also add supporting elements. Some devotionals include journaling sections, and readers wonder why they’re there. Part of it is to add substance, but it also improves the experience. If you encourage people to reflect and journal, they’re more likely to treasure the book, reread it, and keep it. It becomes more personal.
When I say “thud,” I mean the sound a book makes when you drop it on a table. The louder the thud, the more the book tends to cost. That’s basic economics. Paper and ink cost money.
David: You can include a lot besides the devotional entry itself. You might add additional Bible verses, reflective questions, prayers or prayer starters, action steps, declarations or confessions, discussion questions, summaries of key points, or relevant quotes. Those elements can flesh out the devotional without relying only on inspirational paragraphs.
Is publishing a devotional different from publishing other books?
Thomas: Once the devotional is written, what does the publishing process look like? Is it similar to a typical book?
David: It’s very similar. If you’re self-publishing, you still need an editor. I’m a fan of a hybrid approach, doing what you do best and letting others do what they do best, so you can create a product with professional quality.
If you’re submitting to a traditional publisher, or doing work-for-hire projects, you’re still building a proposal and pitching it. That’s why planning matters. If you’re pitching a publisher, you need to think like they think. Do the work for them. Help them see the vision.
You also need to understand what’s already in the market. Readers expect consistency. Many people write by inspiration and end up with one devotional that’s 100 words and another that’s 750. Most readers don’t want that. They want something predictable each day. So publishing a devotional is similar to publishing any book, but it’s a different genre and you need to look for publishers who serve devotionals well.
Thomas: We skipped this earlier, but if you want to write devotionals, you should be reading them. At minimum, it helps you understand the genre. You start noticing structure. You see how writers use questions, prayers, Scripture, and word count. You begin reading devotionals with new eyes, and that helps you write better.
You also mentioned a term that industry folks understand, but some listeners may not, work for hire. What is work for hire, and how does it apply to devotionals?
What is “work for hire” writing?
David: Sometimes a publisher wants to own content so they can use it in multiple formats. In that case, they hire a writer on a work-for-hire basis. The writer is paid for the work but does not receive ongoing royalties. Sometimes the writer is credited. Other times they are essentially a ghostwriter.
Work for hire can be a great opportunity. You build skill, hone your craft, learn what works in the market, and gain professional experience while getting paid. Some people get frustrated because they want to transition from work for hire into being a named author, which usually requires platform-building. But as a way to gain experience and earn income, it can be valuable.
Thomas: The advantage is that you know exactly how much you’ll be paid, and you get paid that amount if you do the work.
With a book, you’ll get the advance, but you may never earn beyond that, or you might sell a million copies. With authoring, you share risk and reward with the publisher, and you also share branding. Your name becomes part of the product, so platform matters. If you’re only a writer, why put your name on the cover? In many cases, the publisher’s brand is enough.
A lot of background writing is work for hire too. Website copy is a good example. When you read an About page without an author name, someone still wrote it, but it’s not credited.
Do devotionals sell even when the author is unknown?
David: People will often buy devotionals by authors they don’t know. That’s less true for parenting books, marriage books, or memoirs. Those categories are harder to sell without author recognition.
With devotionals, readers are looking to meet a felt need, faith, fear, anxiety, worry, joy, hope. If the title clearly addresses that need, they buy it. The author’s name matters less. That makes devotionals a unique entry point because you don’t always need a massive platform. You need to write well and meet the reader’s need.
Thomas: A big part of marketing a devotional is positioning.
It’s making a promise. You’re selling it as medicine for the soul. It needs to help with something specific. “Be a better Christian” is too vague. But if someone is dealing with grief after losing a family member, a devotional that helps them walk through that season is valuable, and they may not care who wrote it. They care whether it will help.
What is unique about marketing devotionals?
David: Devotionals can be challenging to promote through publicity. You rarely see devotionals featured on drive-time radio, major Christian media, or television programs, unless they come from a well-known author and align with something happening nationally.
Devotionals often sell through impulse channels, airport book racks, checkout displays, and grab-and-go sections in bookstores. A reader sees a title like “Hope for Today” or “Overcoming Fear,” recognizes their need, and buys quickly. That makes devotionals harder in publicity but easier in retail moments because they connect directly to the heart.
Thomas: That’s why I think devotionals lend themselves to episodic marketing. Daily podcast devotionals or daily blog devotionals can promote the print edition. You can say, “If you’ve been enjoying this, here’s the printed version.”
The Daily Audio Bible even released an NIV Bible edition. Pray Every Day has devotionals that pair with the podcast. You’re essentially giving away similar content for free. People wonder why anyone would pay, but paper offers something different. It’s hard to enter a contemplative state with a glowing screen in front of you, full of distractions.
Do print devotionals still matter?
David: Physical devotionals often feel special. Many are hardcover or faux leather. They have embossing or debossing. They’re giftable products. You can hold them, feel the cover, and set aside dedicated time with God in a way that feels different from reading on a device.
Thomas: And you can mark them up. Many people read devotionals with a pen in hand. Some devotionals are designed for that kind of interaction, which you can’t fully replicate with a blog post or a podcast. So you’re not competing with the free content as much as you might think.
Can you pray for our listeners?
Thomas: Would you pray for our listeners, that God would guide them in their spiritual walks, whether they write devotionals or not?
David: Father, thank you for each person listening to this podcast. Thank you that you desire a personal, intimate relationship with each of us. Thank you for your Word, which for thousands of years has inspired thought, creativity, intimacy, and connection with you. Thank you that you reach out to us, and that you invite us to respond.
I bless every person you are calling to write devotionally, whether for the first time or after many years. Help them protect and guard their relationship with you. As they open your Word, reveal yourself, and reveal what you want them to see and what you want them to share.
You are fully capable of taking these messages and bringing them to the people who need them. Bless the work of organizing, writing, promoting, and sharing. Let your will be done. We ask that your glory would cover the earth through the messages your people write. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Links:
- 16 Ways to Create Devotional Writing to Renew the Spirit and Refresh the Soul
- http://bakerpublishinggroup.com
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