Try to get as specific as possible. The narrower your niche, the more focused and impactful your writing will be. For example, instead of writing for women, write for women in their 30s going through a divorce. Take into account your own faith or personal experiences when choosing a theme or message. Writing what you know is often the most successful way to author a book. Other formats can include a script, short story, graphic novel, etc.

For example, you could take the coming-of-age motif in the prodigal son parable and adapt it for your book. Another creative option is to tell the story of a primary Bible character in a modern-day setting. Imagine the traitor Judas as an investment banker in New York City during the financial crisis, for instance. Keep a running list of all of your ideas throughout the day. Jot them down in the notes app on your phone or on a piece of paper.

You can draw a mind map by hand on a large sheet of paper or use online software that will create a digital version for you. This step should be a free flow of thoughts. Write down whatever you think of without censoring yourself. For example, the center bubble for a romance novel might be “Jane, who’s a Christian, falls in love with an atheist man. " The next branches might be “characters,” “themes,” and “main events. " You can make as many mind maps as you’d like. For instance, you can make separate mini diagrams for each character.

For instance, if one of your branches was “main events,” arrange those events into the order that they’ll occur in. Then group the characters, themes, or other plot details under the corresponding section. The more detailed your outline is before you begin writing, the easier it will be to write.

The exception to this is the introduction. Leave that until the end so you can reflect on the whole book when you write it. Create self-imposed deadlines for each chapter or section to hold yourself accountable. For example, say you’ll have Chapter 1 finished in 2 weeks, then Chapter 2 in another 2 weeks.

Turn off all distractions during your scheduled writing time. Find a quiet place where you can be alone and silence your phone. Write even when you don’t feel like it or when it’s difficult.

Sprinkle your Christian theme throughout the book to have the most impact. For instance, one chapter might have a prayer in it and the next might mention a conversation the main character had with God. Don’t beat your readers over the head with your message. It will dilute the value of what you have to say and make for a frustrating read.

Every character needs to have a flaw, no matter how small, in order to be taken seriously. For example, maybe your main character, Mary, is a born-again virgin, yet she has a nasty habit of ghosting the men she dates when she loses interest.

One key way to do this is by narrating the book in an active voice instead of recounting what happened in a passive voice. An example of “showing” would be a sentence like, “I was sitting on the couch when I heard the noise. ” Make it “telling” by saying, “Snuggled up with a cozy blanket, I reached for my cup of coffee, only to knock it over suddenly when a sharp screeching pierced the air. ” Adding more dialogue can help when you’re trying to avoid telling a character’s feelings. For instance, rather than saying “Sara felt sad,” you can say, “‘I can’t do this anymore. My world is falling apart,’ Sara wept. "

For example, in a section about a sermon the fictional preacher is delivering, instead of writing out the entire sermon complete with Bible verses, focus on what the main character is thinking or feeling or how they’re reacting to the message. Think about how you can subtly connect the reader to your theme without preaching it to them. For instance, instead of lecturing the reader on the importance of forgiveness, show the positive benefits of it through your character’s actions, like if someone forgives their sister for saying something mean and their relationship becomes stronger because of it.

You may want to wait a couple of days in between finishing the story and self-editing. That way, you have a fresh set of eyes to look at it. If you want to copyedit your piece and proofread for grammatical errors, do that in a separate read-through. It’s best to focus on one thing at a time.

You don’t have to agree with or use every piece of feedback. Pick and choose what you think is helpful and what is irrelevant or goes against your values. For example, a non-Christian friend might complain that there are too many Bible verse quotes in your book. However, if the inclusion of those quotes was purposeful, you might disregard that comment.

Two popular websites to use are http://www. christianwritingtoday. com and https://www. faithwriters. com. You can also join a Christian writer’s club in your area for face-to-face meetings. Ask your local bookstore or library if they know of any. To ask for input on a part of your story, you might say something like, “Hey fellow writers! I can’t decide if this passage about praying for a sick parent is too cliche. What do you think?”