Is becoming a published author your New Year’s aspiration? Merriam-Webster defines aspirations as a strong desire to achieve something high or great. Writing a book and publishing it in a year is obtainable if you have the facts you need to do it.
And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. Habakkuk 2:2 (KJV)
Pre-2023, I knew I was called to be a writer, but I didn’t know how to get started. On January 1, 2023, I discovered Christian Book Academy. In September 2024, Shelley Hitz held a workshop, Procrastination to Publication, which helped me to publish my first book, A Case of Mistaken Identity. I tell people that this workshop was the best investment I ever made. It was a 90-day, weekly, step-by-step plan starting with an idea and ending with a published book. This workshop gave me the knowledge of how to become a published author.
Three-Step Approach
- Ask …Ye have not, because you ask not. James 4:2 b
- Believe… Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9:23
- Work on your business…and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you. I Thessalonians 4:11
This three-step approach will help you succeed from idea to publication of your book. The first step – Ask. It is never a good idea to start a venture without asking God what He thinks. I remember one time I really wanted to join this one MLM, and I asked God reluctantly if it was okay. “That is all you will have,” he replied. Nevermind! I will pass on that. Trust me on this when I say you don’t want to start a book to find that God isn’t backing you. We need Him. You don’t want to do anything alone.
The second step- believe. We need to believe if God is for us, who or what can be against us. If he is with us, then it is possible with his help to come up with an idea, and write and publish a book.
Third Step
The third step- work on your business. This one is important. Don’t focus on how many books someone else has written, or how much time they have to write, or what their book sales look like, etc. Focus on what God has placed before you and work with the resources he has given you. He will see you through from start to finish.
Before we move on, take a moment and think of a situation where God saw you through from start to finish, and believe that he will do it again.
What Should I Write?
What should I write about? Let’s look at it in a different way- what is the message you want to share with the world? What is the legacy you want to leave behind? Is there a hobby that you love so much that you are bursting inside to tell someone about it? Is there a skill you are good at, like crocheting? Your testimony of what your life was like before Christ?
Write down some ideas and then ask God to show you which one he thinks you should write on. Once you have that in place, write down everything you can think of on that book idea. If you find that you have a lot to work on, then move on to creating an outline.
How to Get Started Writing a Book?
How to start a book? Once you have your idea and an outline, you will need to arrange your content in order. Break down your idea into a step format. For example, if you are writing a book on crocheting, you could start with the history behind crocheting and how you got started in crocheting. Expand on who taught you how to crochet, types of crocheting, and the benefits of crocheting. I think you get the jist.
Don’t worry about where to start. Just start. Set realistic goals for yourself. How much time do you have to spare daily to write? Once you have that time slot, write it on your calendar. Then, do your best to stick with it. Remember the verse I mentioned at the beginning of this post?
And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. Habakkuk 2:2 KJV
Make a plan and then work it. Give yourself some grace, though, because as a writer, as with anything life will happen, and you will have to adjust to accommodate the changes. The important thing is to keep at it.
Where Should I Publish?
Have you considered publishing your book on Amazon? I have published all my books through KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon’s self-publishing platform. What is KDP? A service for authors and publishers to upload, format, and sell books without a traditional publisher. Amazon is a highly trafficked site with many advantages for self-publishers.
Just yesterday, I learned about A+ Content through customer service. A+ Content will give me the ability to add more content to my detail page. By having that feature, I can show more of my book, connect with my readers, and share my story behind that book. This will be a great way to bring My ABCs & God more out. I publish all of my books through KDP.
You will have your own store on Amazon, free, and the process you follow to list your books is pretty simple. You also have control of what categories to list your book under, and you get to choose your price. What is there not to love about that? I highly recommend publishing your book through KDP.
There you have it. I hope this has given you some insight into how to become a published author.
Author Bio
EO Writes is an Author and an Illustrator. A Case of Mistaken Identity was her first book. You can reach her at https://www.eowrites.com. While there, you can get to know her, see what she is currently working on, and sign up for her monthly newsletter, The Pen of a Ready Writer, for updates on new releases and her weekly musings. She is currently working on another children’s book, which will be the first in a series, with the first book being Luna Goes Exploring. She hopes to launch her podcast, “A Writer’s Call,” in March. When she is not writing, she and her husband enjoy traveling throughout the United States on their Harley.
“Never judge a book by its cover. What you find inside the pages might surprise you.”
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