The Top 3 Mistakes ✏️ New Christian Authors 🕇 📖 Make (and How to Avoid Them) | Sebastien Richard

The Top 3 Mistakes ✏️ New Christian Authors 🕇 📖 Make (and How to Avoid Them)

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1. They Want Something for Nothing. Many make the mistake of thinking they can get a book out for free, or close to free. Like John Maxwell said, “The dream is free, but the journey isn’t.”

Make no mistake, while the price of getting a book out into the marketplace can vary greatly–it will cost you something. This could be anywhere between $200 and thousands. Even if you find a traditional publisher, you will have to bear the brunt of the marketing efforts and budget.

I have met many budding Christian authors who are shocked or insulted that I’m charging for a writing masterclass. Others are shocked when they begin shopping around for an editor. Others are shocked when browsing for a cover designer.

Many in the Christian world like to use the words of Jesus out of context when He said (about healing and casting out devils) “Freely you have received, freely give.”

This, of course, speaks of healing and deliverance, not marketplace ministry and entrepreneurship – the areas authors touch on and belong to, whether they believe it or not.

As Kingdom ambassadors, we have to overcome being cheap. After all, if we work for the King of kings, can we afford to be?

Now, your book will yield as much as you put into it. It may be a great book, but if you’re too frugal and it is poorly edited, or the cover doesn’t stand out, your book will be quickly forgotten. So, you must plan for a budget to get that baby out the right way – it’s only normal.

2. They believe their life story is a mind-blowing epic!
The Bible tells us, in Romans 12:3: “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”

I have encountered many first-time authors whose desire is to write their memoir or life-story. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course.

However, let’s be honest, the majority of people’s lives are not epic, for some, dare I say it… even book worthy. For example, I doubt my story is–and I’ve been through a lot.

Now, does this mean you shouldn’t write it? Not necessarily. You just have to write it from the right perspective.

Here are 4 reasons you may want to pen your memoir or autobiography:

a) For therapeutic/healing purposes on your own journey (my aunt)

b) For that one tidbit within your life story that can be developed into a powerful teaching and/or cautionary tale, or a powerful lesson on how to overcome.

c) It can change lives. If you understand that every life matters, and that your life story may inspire or bless a few people without necessarily becoming a NYT bestseller, then, by all means, go ahead and do it. Remember that even if your life isn’t necessarily epic, it can be for someone out there.

d) It is epic. If that's the case, it is your duty to share it, because it could change the lives of countless people. Although this applies to a minority of people, some of you have had an amazing life experience or journey, and it can potentially change the world. Write it!

3. They think God will market their book supernaturally. Here’s a punchline… He most probably won’t.

Why? Because, at the end of the day, platforms matter.

I have to admit that I was somewhat guilty of this mindset. When I wrote Kingdom Fundamentals, I was so impressed by how much God poured out through me and my pen, that I was sure the book would sell itself. I thought, “This book is anointed… I’ll just witness miracles when it’s on Amazon.”

Well, I didn’t. But that doesn’t mean the book is a failure. It just means: Welcome to the book marketplace… where you have to learn how to market your book if you want it to be seen or to sell.

While it is true that God poured through me to write it, I had to put in a lot of work to get it seen in the marketplace.

Does this mean God didn’t back up this book? No. It just means that as a people of God, we have to be doers – to go and do.

The same way the missionary isn’t usually just carried supernaturally to the other country, or the pastor’s church isn’t always full, or the evangelist’s crusade isn’t always full of converts or revival… your book may or may not get noticed on Amazon – depending on a multitude of factors, which I will not get into here.

Now, does God want to bless your efforts? He does. And, if you show diligence… He will.