The Writer’s Desk

On today’s episode, Chelsey DeMatteis joins The Writer’s Desk! Chelsey is an author, speaker, wife, and mom living in central Ohio. She’s written for a variety of publications, including Lifeway’s Journey Magazine, iBelieve, and Christianity.com. Chelsey published her first book, More of Him, Less of Me, through a small publisher in 2021. Then, she self-published an Advent devotional in 2024. Her...

Today, I’m welcoming Katy Boatman to The Writer’s Desk! Katy is an author, speaker, and mentor. She is the author of two devotionals, You Can Rest, a devotional for preteen girls, and You Can Trust, a devotional for preteen boys. In addition to her personal writing pursuits, she works alongside author and podcaster Annie F. Downs, helping create resources that connect people to fun, purpose, and J...

On today’s episode, Caroline Lunne joins The Writer’s Desk! Caroline is a content creator, founder of Migrate Marketing, a boutique marketing agency based in Charleston, South Carolina, and author of Noticing, a weekly newsletter on Substack. For years, Caroline felt like the creative world was passing her by, but now she treats the Internet like an art form and inspires others to do the same. In...

Today, I’m welcoming Mary Spencer Veazey to The Writer’s Desk! Mary Spencer is an author and speaker who published her first book, Cul-de-sac Crossroads in 2024. Her book serves as a guide for how young adults in their twenties can navigate life’s twists and turns with courageous clarity. Mary Spencer continues to write on topics relevant to young adults on her Substack. If you’re interested in le...

Today, I’m welcoming Courtney Hope Jones to The Writer’s Desk! Courtney is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and podcast host. In 2018, Courtney released It Is Written, a devotional that teaches you how to use Scripture to speak truth over lies. Since then, she started Little Creative Company, which provides website design and SEO for creatives and service providers. She’s also the host of the new...

Today, I’m welcoming Addison (Addie) Ott to The Writer’s Desk! Addie is an author, podcaster, and entrepreneur living in Indiana. She is the founder of gentle & lowly co., a clothing brand that helps you carry the gentle love of Jesus. Her first book, Fellowship Over Followers, was published in 2024, and Addie is currently working on her second, which we will discuss in today’s episode. Addie...

Today on the show, I chat with Sarah Spradlin. Sarah is a poet and farmer raised in Georgia, now living in Central America, where she's worked in cross-cultural ministry since 2020, which pretty much boils down to planting things, talking to people, and writing poetry on long bus rides. Her poetry has been published on Story Embers and Kingdom Pen (just to name a few). In this conversation, we dis...

Today on the show, I chat with Katherine Hall, author, speaker, and creator of Everyday Scripture, a free Bible study resource. Katherine is passionate about making Scripture engaging and easier to understand. In this wide-ranging conversation on writing, publishing, theology, and faith, Katherine not only shares the backstory of Everyday Scripture and what’s next, but also a verse that makes clea...

Today on the show, I get to talk with Jessica Kitchel! Jessica and I first met through North Point Community Church back in 2013. I’ve always admired how Jessica has honestly and openly shared the good and the hard things she has walked through. Jessica first began publicly sharing her writing on a blog, but now shares on Instagram. As you’ll hear more about in our conversation, Jessica began shar...

In this episode, Lydia shares her progress on her Christian nonfiction manuscript and an inspiring conversation with author, artist, and disability advocate, Alyssa Kumle. Alyssa’s debut book, Doubtless, was published in April 2025. More than a memoir, Alyssa's story is an invitation to anyone facing life's hardest battles to see that challenges don't have to define us. They can refine us. Lydia a...

In this episode, Lydia shares her progress on her Christian nonfiction manuscript, a newfound realization about the consistent role of doubt in the creative process, an exciting update on the podcast's future, and more! If you’re an aspiring Christian author or just interested in learning more about how a book comes to life, listen in! For episode visual guides and other resources, follow The Writ...

In this episode, Lydia shares her progress on writing her Christian nonfiction manuscript, the unexpected inspiration she found from the winter Olympics and U.S. skier Breezy Johnson, and details on other behind-the-scenes things like writing copy for her new website and figuring out what to wear for the headshots she’ll be doing in a few weeks. If you’re an aspiring Christian author or just inter...

In this episode, Lydia shares her progress on writing her Christian nonfiction manuscript, encouragement for dealing with self-doubt, and her decision to register for She Speaks, a writers’ conference put on by Proverbs 31 Ministries, led by best-selling author and speaker Lysa TerKeurst. If you’re an aspiring Christian author or just interested in learning more about how a book comes to life, lis...

In this episode, Lydia shares her progress on writing her Christian nonfiction manuscript, a writing mistake she’s still figuring out how to fix, the importance of protecting your writing time, Biblical encouragement for why you should share your work with others, and more! If you’re an aspiring Christian author or simply interested in learning more about the creative process behind writing and se...

In this episode, Lydia discusses the compounding effects of short writing blocks and why consistency is what matters most in achieving big goals. As always, Lydia shares her weekly progress on her Christian nonfiction manuscript, along with a few helpful platform-building tips and resources for anyone who struggles to use social media effectively but knows it’s an important part of reaching their...

In this episode, Lydia shares progress from the first official week of writing her Christian nonfiction manuscript. She shares her surprise in learning to shift from writing “short” to “long”, how to fit writing time into a busy schedule, why it’s important to limit self-editing when you’re just trying to get words on a page, and how to keep your writing focused on the reader’s transformation. For...

In this episode, Lydia introduces herself and her background as a writer, shares why she decided to write and self-publish a Christian non-fiction book, and gives a behind-the-scenes look at creating an outline that will serve as a roadmap for writing the manuscript. For anyone interested in writing and/or self-publishing a nonfiction book, this episode will give you a better understanding of the...

Have you ever wondered how a book goes from just an idea to the physical copy you hold in your hands? Join Lydia Johnson as she shares a behind-the-scenes look at her book-writing journey from outline to publication. If you’re a writer or simply interested in the self-publishing process, listen in!