Ink and Impact for Christian Writers | How to Write a Book, Self-Publish, Christian Book, Book Marketing, Nonfiction Book

Whether you write middle-grade fiction or not, this episode is packed full of helpful insights and practical tips to benefit you throughout your author journey! Just a few of the topics covered in this episode include: Why  middle-grade fiction is needed now more than ever, What happens when you invite God into the writing (and marketing) process, How to incorporate your experience and culture int...

Today I discuss the foundation of our writing efforts. Without a vision and mission, the author life is much more difficult, and dare I say less fruitful. You might be thinking that a vision and mission statement are only for businesses. But guess what?  Your writing is a business! If you plan to sell your book and earn money from it, you need to treat your writing as a business. Even if you plan...

Daylight Savings Time takes place this weekend in many portions of the United States. What will you do with your extra hour? If you're like me, you might be tempted to sleep in. But perhaps we could better utilize that hour, and our time in general, regardless of which equinox we’re in. So, today I’m going to share 5 time & mind management tips for writers. ******* Resources Mentioned on...

How do you know if you’re called to write a book?  What do you do when you feel like an imposter in your faith or as a writer?  How do you develop a writing niche? Naomi Fata generously shares her personal experience in each of these areas, which all fall under one overarching theme: relationships - with Christ and others. Listen in to discover why relationship building is important to your own wr...

Today we're talking about your leadership role as a writer and the ten characteristics that define leadership as they pertain to writers and authors.    You don't want to miss it! Listen, read, and watch at inkandimpact.com . Learn more about The Inkwell Collective . Send us Fan Mail Join my new free Publish with Purpose Substack community for industry updates, live Q&A sessions, and...

Since we celebrated Valentine’s Day earlier this week, I thought I’d play off of that theme and ask you:  Are you in love with your book’s appearance?  Even more importantly, do you know how to ensure that your target audience will fall in love with your cover and interior design? The most important marketing aspect of your book – whether ebook or print - is its cover.  We’ve worked long and hard...

Writers know they need to build a platform. But what is an author platform and why does it really matter? How do you even start to build a platform? Writing a book is much more than simply putting words on a page. In today's episode, Dalene Bickel discusses how platform and publishing go hand in hand and shares ways writers can begin to grow their platform while staying true to their calling....

I'm kicking off Season 2 with a giveaway (free book, anyone?!) and practical advice to help you wrap your mind around the book creation process.  Whether you’re planning to indie or traditionally publish, these 5 components are critical across the board. So be sure to stick around to the very end for full giveaway details and prepare to make an impact with your book! ****** I’ve been reminded...

As you review your writing in 2022, can you say with confidence that it has positively impacted your readers? Sometimes when we sense God prompting us to do a particular thing, we try to talk ourselves out of doing it. But when we push aside our excuses and fears, something wonderful happens: God opens doors and is glorified. I know this for a fact ... and I share a recent experience of mine that...

Do you struggle to express yourself? You're not alone. Today's episode addresses this issue and encourages us not to just take the easy way out. Listen in to learn what we're to do instead. Read show notes and SUBSCRIBE at inkandimpact.com . Get your free copy of the Christian Book Catalog mentioned in this episode  here . Send us Fan Mail Join my new free Publish with Purpose Subst...

Do you like journals? Have you ever wondered how crowdfunding works? Curious about the differences between offset printing and print-on-demand? No matter what kind of book you're self-publishing, this episode will help you make informed decisions throughout your journey. Be sure to listen all the way to the end! Christa has a special offer for you AND I have an important announcement about th...

Be aware of some important book industry updates , especially if you're: rushing to publish (or revise) your book before Christmas, planning to only publish a print version in the new year, or currently writing a children's book. And, as always, there are several helpful writing resources mentioned as well. Be sure to subscribe and mention the podcast to your writing friends! Read show n...

If you’re listening from the U.S. on the day this episode airs, you’re probably trying to get comfortable after stuffing yourself with turkey and all the other accompanying gastronomical goodies of a typical Thanksgiving feast. While I was prepping for my own family’s feast this week, I listened to a podcast that shared a portion of George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789. The histor...

Could you use some encouragement in your writing life? Do you wish you had an opportunity to hang out with fellow Christian writers and learn from their experiences? Are you looking for a book to read that will not just educate or entertain, but truly make an impact on you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this episode is for you! In this special Friendsgiving episode of Ink and...

In honor of Veterans Day this week in the United States, Ink and Impact is featuring interview clips of two veterans' military experiences. Host Dalene Bickel also shares a couple of interview tips for writers, plus discusses how we should see ourselves as being in service not only for our readers, but for our God as well. Listen and subscribe at inkandimpact.com or on your podcast player of...

We know we're to serve our readers ... but what about our fellow writers? In today's episode, author Kent Sanders shares three easy ways to be generous to both our readers and other creatives, and why it matters. We also discuss such related topics as: Pricing models (should you give your info away for free or charge?) Time considerations (when you should consider outsourcing tasks) Be s...

Staying on top of industry trends is important. Not only does it provide you with a bigger picture of the book industry as a whole, but the information allows you to take advantage of new opportunities, better understand your audience, and improve your own bottom line. On today's episode, you'll learn about:  the new Amazon Attribution tags, the State of the Bible, and two takeaways from...

One of the best ways authors can reach new readers and make industry connections is to become a podcast guest. But how exactly do you do that?  Kim Stewart, a marketing publicist who specializes in helping authors acquire those coveted podcast guest spots, is going to share some simple, practical ways.  Listen in to our conversation to learn how to pitch with clarity and confidence! Listen, SUBSCR...

Sometimes a title just doesn't do a podcast episode justice.  That's definitely the case today. My recent interview with Douglas Bond - a prolific author, hymn writer, educator, and church history tour guide - is chock full of so much valuable content, I debated whether I should separate it out into two episodes for you. Ultimately, I decided to keep it all together in one convenient, ea...

The world is full of self-help books, YouTube tutorials, and industry gurus clamoring for our attention to build us up. While some of their advice is helpful, the reality is that much of it actually tends to make us MORE discouraged. The good news is that there is a better encouragement out there - including for us writers! Listen in to my conversation with author Lindsey Carlson about where - and...

Aspiring authors know they need to BUILD a platform . Established authors know they need to GROW their platform . But doing those things often seem to sap us of our energy, take up inordinate amounts of time, and just plain frustrate us. ** Maybe ** we're making it more difficult than it needs to be. Listen in to today's episode with our guest expert Ruthie Gray as she shares how we can...

Today I share some of the most recent statistics about the book publishing industry and America's reading habits. Based on those stats, should you write a book? Tune in to hear my thoughts and receive points to consider about your own book project. Subscribe and access show notes at inkandimpact.com . Send us Fan Mail Join my new free Publish with Purpose Substack community for industry updat...

Many aspiring authors decide to write a book and immediately dive into the deep end without testing the waters first. While that’s laudable on one hand - you do have to put in the work and write - it’s also foolhardy on the other.  Without proper preparation, you can unintentionally forego quality, lose money, and invite negative criticisms. If you’re a writer aspiring to become an author, it’s wi...

Today I’m going to answer one of the top questions I receive from aspiring authors:  What are the best tools to help me write and market my book? This "10 Important Tech Tools for Authors" episode includes tools to help you with: website creation,  email service providers,  software,  backups,  systems, and  marketing. This episode will also provide tips to help you determine if these to...

There are lots of podcasts and websites that teach you how to write, publish, and market your book. In fact, this is one of them.  But something that's often overlooked is a reminder of your identity and influence as a Christian writer. So that's what we're diving into today, in keeping with the third part of the Ink and Impact mission: to embolden Christian writers. Listen in to re...