Edie Melson's Blog, page 2
September 21, 2025
The Writer’s Well: How to Store and Use Emotions for Transformational Fiction
From Edie: Discover how Christian writers can draw from life’s emotions—both pain and joy—to create transformational fiction that touches hearts and deepens faith.
The Writer’s Well: How to Store and Use Emotions for Transformational Fictionby Ane Mulligan @AneMulligan
When life slaps the humor out of you, pray. Then use the experience and emotions in your writing.
I love laughter and live to make others laugh. However, this week has knocked the funny right out of me—first with the death of a baby moments before the mother began to push, and then with the murder of Charlie Kirk. Both were personal and hit my heart hard.
How do I move ahead? By allowing God to redeem the hurt.
Recently, God smacked me upside the head with a new story, and there isn't one iota of humor in its theme. So how do I write it?
Draw from the well of emotions I've stored for this very purpose.
We're taught to forgive the wrongs done to us, and I do. But we can't forget them, so I learned long ago to label them "research" and store them for future use. After all, God promised to work all things for our good, right? We can use all those things that hurt us for the benefit of our stories.
Remember the emotion not the one who caused it.
Hurt feelings? Store it.A thoughtless comment? Store it.The forgotten birthday? Store it.Wrongful accusation? Store it.Devastating diagnosis? Store it.The fall of someone revered? Store it.Death of a loved one? Store it.
On the other hand, the things that elate us can also be useful. Each joyful emotion is different, study and store them.The thrill of learning of an impending birth? Store it.A baby's first smile? Store it.A thoughtful note? Store it.An unexpected gift? Store it.Words of love? Store it.A blessing from God? Store it.A loved one saved? Store it.Nobody skates through life without being hurt or thrilled. It's our job as authors to show the emotions and how they affect the character.
People let down their guard when they think they're being entertained. Fiction uses our emotions and senses and draws us in. Then when we least expect it, the story touches, teaches, and transforms us.
Turn your experiences and emotions into a well from which to draw rich fodder.
TWEETABLE
Ane Mulligan lives life from a director’s chair, both in theatre and at her desk creating novels. Entranced with story by age three, at five she saw PETER PAN onstage and was struck with a fever from which she never recovered—stage fever. One day, her passions collided, and an award-winning, bestselling novelist emerged. She believes chocolate and coffee are two of the four major food groups and lives in Sugar Hill, GA, with her artist husband and a rascally Rottweiler. Find Ane on her website, Amazon Author page, Facebook, Instagram,Pinterest, The Write Conversation, and Blue Ridge Conference Blog.
September 20, 2025
Writing Sprints Explained: How Writers Can Write More Words in Less Time
From Edie: Discover how writing sprints can help writers boost productivity, silence perfectionism, and add more words to their work in less time.
Writing Sprints Explained: How Writers Can Write More Words in Less Timeby Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam
Alone or in a group, there is great value in a writing word sprint. There are many variations on how you can do a sprint. I’ve participated in word sprints with a group in person as well as online. Online you can meet-up on Zoom, Facebook group, Discord, and more. I prefer the in-person sprint, but it’s not always easy to get together if you’re spread out around the country.
The most important part of a word sprint is you are not allowed to stop and edit. You must free write without thought about your spelling or incorrect sentences. As soon as the leader says go—you start typing until the leader says stop. The first time I did one, I had a hard time not pausing, reading what I’d just wrote and editing. I’ll be honest, when I heard we could not backspace or correct spelling, it made this perfectionist sweat a bit. So I cheated and did a little editing. Just a little. Then the person beside me told on me—rude! But the leader said I had missed the point of free writing and the freedom to let your mind get into the story, not the mechanics of writing. I did the next sprint and did as instructed. I realized how freeing it actually was. Awkward or not, the benefits are fantastic.
One of the in-person word sprints I participated in was a blast! Once we all arrived and set up our little writing spot, we each had to use the paper the leader passed out to write down the number of words we’d like to achieve in the first 30-minute sprint just for us to see. At the end of the 30-minute sprint, the leader yelled stop and made us raise our hands off the keyboard, look at our word count on our piece, then write that number beside the number we already wrote on our paper. Each person who hit or surpassed their goal had to stand up. Each of those folks received a full-size candy bar. Those that didn’t, received a mini candy bar for their effort. This group had other kinds of prizes at the end of each 30-minute sprint. Once we finished up for the day, we all received a writing sticker if we hit our goal at least four out of the six-word sprint sessions. Prizes or not, it’s your choice how you set one up.
The other fun part of the Word Sprint Write-In was at the end of each of those 30-minutes sprints we were given a chance to read out loud one sentence we wrote that we loved if we wanted to. This particular writing session was in a Zoom Word Sprint group.
When you decide to gather writers and do a word sprint, you can design it any way you’d like. Sprints can be for 15 minutes or 30. One sprint I did was an hour long. I wasn’t a fan of that one. But you could even split them up—do a couple short ones, then a longer one, and back to a couple short ones to finish up the time you’re together.
Word Sprints can be done in person or online. I’ve done both and had a great time doing them. In person was my favorite, but I still participate those online from time to time. Whether you have incentives or you just set the timer and go, make sure each writer understands what they are to do. Explain this is not a competition with each other, but rather a challenge to get your juices flowing. The competition is within yourself to push harder to meet your goal. Remember to be realistic, though. You might dream of writing 10,000 words in a 30-minute sprint, but you’ll be let down when you see you didn’t make that goal.
How about you? Have you participated in a Word Sprint with your writing buddies? If so, share with us how you set up your session? If you haven’t done a Word Sprint, won’t you consider finding a couple of your writing buddies willing to meet up and do one together? I know you’ll have fun and you’ll come away with words added to your current work in progress.
TWEETABLEWriting Sprints Explained: How Writers Can Write More Words in Less Time from @TickledPinkTam on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Tammy Karasek uses humor and wit to bring joy and hope to every aspect in life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, drives her passion to encourage and inspire others and give them The Reason to smile. She’s gone from down and defeated to living a “Tickled Pink” life as she believes there’s always a giggle wanting to come out! A writer of Romance—with a splash of sass. She’s also The Launch Team Geek helping authors launch their books and also a Virtual Assistant for several best-selling authors. Don't miss her recent book, LAUNCH THAT BOOK, just released in November.
Her work was also published in a Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments. She’s also the Social Media Manager for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Founding President and current Vice-President of ACFW Upstate SC, and Founding President of Word Weavers Upstate SC. She’s a writing team member for The Write Conversation Blog, Novel Academy, MBT Monday Devotions, The Write Editing and more. Connect with Tammy at HTTPS://WWW.TAMMYKARASEK.COM.
Writing Sprints Explained: How Writers Can Write More Words in Less Timeby Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam
Alone or in a group, there is great value in a writing word sprint. There are many variations on how you can do a sprint. I’ve participated in word sprints with a group in person as well as online. Online you can meet-up on Zoom, Facebook group, Discord, and more. I prefer the in-person sprint, but it’s not always easy to get together if you’re spread out around the country.
The most important part of a word sprint is you are not allowed to stop and edit. You must free write without thought about your spelling or incorrect sentences. As soon as the leader says go—you start typing until the leader says stop. The first time I did one, I had a hard time not pausing, reading what I’d just wrote and editing. I’ll be honest, when I heard we could not backspace or correct spelling, it made this perfectionist sweat a bit. So I cheated and did a little editing. Just a little. Then the person beside me told on me—rude! But the leader said I had missed the point of free writing and the freedom to let your mind get into the story, not the mechanics of writing. I did the next sprint and did as instructed. I realized how freeing it actually was. Awkward or not, the benefits are fantastic.
One of the in-person word sprints I participated in was a blast! Once we all arrived and set up our little writing spot, we each had to use the paper the leader passed out to write down the number of words we’d like to achieve in the first 30-minute sprint just for us to see. At the end of the 30-minute sprint, the leader yelled stop and made us raise our hands off the keyboard, look at our word count on our piece, then write that number beside the number we already wrote on our paper. Each person who hit or surpassed their goal had to stand up. Each of those folks received a full-size candy bar. Those that didn’t, received a mini candy bar for their effort. This group had other kinds of prizes at the end of each 30-minute sprint. Once we finished up for the day, we all received a writing sticker if we hit our goal at least four out of the six-word sprint sessions. Prizes or not, it’s your choice how you set one up.
The other fun part of the Word Sprint Write-In was at the end of each of those 30-minutes sprints we were given a chance to read out loud one sentence we wrote that we loved if we wanted to. This particular writing session was in a Zoom Word Sprint group.
When you decide to gather writers and do a word sprint, you can design it any way you’d like. Sprints can be for 15 minutes or 30. One sprint I did was an hour long. I wasn’t a fan of that one. But you could even split them up—do a couple short ones, then a longer one, and back to a couple short ones to finish up the time you’re together.
Word Sprints can be done in person or online. I’ve done both and had a great time doing them. In person was my favorite, but I still participate those online from time to time. Whether you have incentives or you just set the timer and go, make sure each writer understands what they are to do. Explain this is not a competition with each other, but rather a challenge to get your juices flowing. The competition is within yourself to push harder to meet your goal. Remember to be realistic, though. You might dream of writing 10,000 words in a 30-minute sprint, but you’ll be let down when you see you didn’t make that goal.
How about you? Have you participated in a Word Sprint with your writing buddies? If so, share with us how you set up your session? If you haven’t done a Word Sprint, won’t you consider finding a couple of your writing buddies willing to meet up and do one together? I know you’ll have fun and you’ll come away with words added to your current work in progress.
TWEETABLEWriting Sprints Explained: How Writers Can Write More Words in Less Time from @TickledPinkTam on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Tammy Karasek uses humor and wit to bring joy and hope to every aspect in life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, drives her passion to encourage and inspire others and give them The Reason to smile. She’s gone from down and defeated to living a “Tickled Pink” life as she believes there’s always a giggle wanting to come out! A writer of Romance—with a splash of sass. She’s also The Launch Team Geek helping authors launch their books and also a Virtual Assistant for several best-selling authors. Don't miss her recent book, LAUNCH THAT BOOK, just released in November. Her work was also published in a Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments. She’s also the Social Media Manager for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Founding President and current Vice-President of ACFW Upstate SC, and Founding President of Word Weavers Upstate SC. She’s a writing team member for The Write Conversation Blog, Novel Academy, MBT Monday Devotions, The Write Editing and more. Connect with Tammy at HTTPS://WWW.TAMMYKARASEK.COM.
September 19, 2025
The Be-Attitudes for Writers: Finding God’s Purpose in Your Writing (Part 2)
From Edie: Explore the final Be-Attitudes for Writers from Matthew 5. See how righteousness, mercy, purity, and perseverance reveal God’s purpose in your writing."
The Be-Attitudes for Writers: Finding God’s Purpose in Your Writing (part 2)by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
Yesterday we covered the first three Be-Attitudes for Writers in Part 1 and today I'd like to tackle the rest.
The Be-Attitudes for Writers (continued)
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. A hunger and thirst for righteousness should never be confused with a desire for what we consider fairness. A hunger for what is right, isn’t a hunger for what is fair.
So often I speak with writers who either blatantly or indirectly express a desire to just get what they deserve. They’ve put in the work, paid their dues, and now they’re owed something. That isn’t actually the way this writing thing works.
As I was so fond of reminding my kids growing up, the world is not fair. I would go on to make an even more disturbing pronouncement. God is not fair—at least not in our limited vision of fairness. God is something more—God is just. And God’s justice is encased in grace and mercy.
Unpacking this for WritersThe writing world is not fair. Unless we want to spend a lifetime of bitterness and disappointment, we need to surrender our writing dreams to God right now. We must offer them up to Him in exchange for a hunger and thirst for righteousness.
In this writing life I can guarantee you a couple of things.1. God will never abandon you. 2. You will not be treated fairly. Things will happen that you don’t deserve and there won’t be a single thing you can do about it—except trust the situation to God and to His righteousness.
I experienced that early on in my own writing life. After I was rejected by that publisher, I picked myself up and decided to follow the advice I was getting. So I attended a conference. In the 90s it was one of the biggest writing conferences out there. It was NOT Mount Hermon, but another one equally respected, although it too is now no longer in business.
I packed up my business cards, my one sheets, my proposal, and my little writer-self and off I went. The project I took to pitch and the topic I wanted to learn about was writing Bible studies. I had—much more meekly—decided to let God do what He wanted with my Bible study, Taking Captive Every Thought.
When I arrived, I asked those in charge who I should meet with and what classes I should attend. Not many people those days were writing or publishing Bible studies. Agents weren’t representing them and the folks I spoke with sort of looked at me like a deer in headlights.
Finally, they encouraged me to attend the continuing session on writing nonfiction and meet with the editor who was teaching that class.
I followed their advice…and it didn't turn out well. Not only didn't I get a request for my manuscript, in one of my classes, my Bible study proposal was held up to ridicule. I went home and decided to quit. However, God had other plans. He resurrected my writing and sent me off to another conference, the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and everything changed. But it was a rough couple of years in between.
So why am I sharing this story? Not to make you feel sorry about the unfairness with which I was treated. No, I’m sharing this with you to give you, as Paul Harvey would say, The REST of the Story.
Look at me now. What positions has God put me in and what strengths am I known for? Just so you don’t think I came up with these just to prove a point, I actually asked a lot of people what THEY considered my strengths in this industry.
Two things kept recurring in all the answers I got:Growing a Platform: Social Media and Platform buildingShepherding writers: through my blog and directing this conferenceWhat do you think grew those two strengths? Yep, the experiences God allowed in my life are the very things that became the strengths He instilled in me.
Was I treated unfairly? You bet I was.
Did God’s justice bring about more than I dreamed? You bet it did.
God loves me more than to just let me settle for my own writing dreams, goals, and desires. God wants to bless me with exceeding abundance in this writing life.
But so often I’m my own worst enemy.
I get caught up with expectations and desires and lose sight of the fact that I’m writing with God, not for Him. As believer who lives in a fallen world we can get side-tracked by the pursuit of many things—power, authority, success, and respect—especially when it comes to our writing.
We need to turn the pursuit of those things over to God and learn what it means to have a hunger and thirst for righteousness. Because only when we’re filled with the righteousness of God can we be trusted with those other things.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Even when I’m caught up in pursuit of worldly goals, God’s mercy will always bring me back to His side. He doesn’t leave me stuck in the muddy mess of searching for success. Instead, God does what He needs to do to bring me back close to Him.
Unpacking this for Writers God was so merciful in NOT allowing me to find instant success. God was so merciful in using my humiliation to instill a passion for making sure the dreams of others are shepherded responsibly.
He used all of the things He allowed on my path to refine me. Each of those difficult times was also a crossroads. It was an opportunity for me to continue on, with God, or quit. What happens when we continue? The 6th be-attitude
6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. When God frees us from the expectations and dreams we come up with, we are gifted with a purer vision of who God is. And that equips us for climbing even higher with Him.
Unpacking this for WritersOnly when we let God purify or ambitions and turn our dreams over to Him can we experience writing with God. He doesn't ask us to go away and write alone. NO—He is right here in the trenches with us. He is in every process of our writing creation. We truly see and experience God in every word, sentence, revelation, and in the result as we watch how the words He gave us impact others.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. Sometimes the hardest peace to achieve is with the path God has given us to walk. We can do every single thing right—incorporate all these be-attitudes into our hearts and still get blind-sided by the truly awfulness of life.
Unpacking this for WritersThis one is hard because sometimes writing the truth doesn't always lead to peace. However notice what the scripture says, PeaceMAKERS, not PeaceBRINGERS. God didn't ask us to bring peace, He asked us to—as much as we are able—to make peace. When I saw this, I felt a huge burden lifted off my shoulders. My job is to be loving, respectful, and submissive to God's will—letting the Holy Spirit do the heavy lifting.
8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
I want to focus in on the life of Joseph, from the Old Testament, to illustrate this point. I’m sure the majority of us are familiar with the story of Joseph. The story takes place in Genesis and one of the themes woven throughout Genesis is the Covenant, the Seed and the Promised Land. When we look at Joseph’s story, we must examine it through the filter of that ongoing theme. And when I did that, I found what I needed on my own journey.
We remember how the story begins. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and spent the next 20 years in Egypt, experiencing incredibly unfairness, remaining faithful, while God worked in the dark.
finally we see that Joseph is elevated to second in command to pharaoh. God uses Joseph to save that part of the world—including his betraying brothers—from a horrible famine. But how does the story end? does Joseph get to go home, back to the promised land? Nope, Joseph finishes his life in Egypt.
Let’s take up the story in Genesis 41:50 – 52
Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh[e] and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’shousehold.” The second son he named Ephraim[f] and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
For years I looked at this part of the story of Joseph as victory—he’d forgotten his past and moved on to new things. But following your dream in the land of exile is never ideal—and Joseph knew that. I don’t know I always celebrated Joseph having to live out his life in Egypt. We don’t treat the book of Daniel that way when He was exiled to Babylon. We don’t get excited that He and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael & Azariah were forced into exile and given new names and expected to forget they were Hebrew.
So let’s abandon our preconceptions of what the point of Joseph’s story is and read the scripture for the truth.
We gain some insight into Joseph’s mindset as he finished life in Egypt by the names he chose for his sons. Let’s step into that scene. He’s out running the country after the birth of his first son and an Egyptian stops him to congratulate him. He asks the name of his son and Joseph says Manassah. The Egyptian is brought up short. Here’s a man who’s been adopted—by the Egyptians and specifically the Pharoah—into their country and their culture. He’s been given a prestigious wife and a new name, Zaphnath-Paaneah (ZAPH nath Parneah). And now he has a son. But he doesn’t give his son an Egyptian name, instead He gives him a Hebrew name. Manasseh. Scripture quotes Joseph as saying it’s because God has made him forget all his trouble and his father’s household. But a better way of defining the name Manasseh would be I’ve let that go.
Unpacking this for Writers
So here he is, in the wrong land, under the wrong covenant, bearing a seed. He hasn’t forgotten God has a purpose and that purpose is not to celebrate that he’s no longer Hebrew. He still belongs to God.The brothers who betrayed him? I’ve let that goThe family that believed him dead and didn’t look for him? I’ve let that go. We all need a Manasseh in our writing walk. Didn’t win or place in a contest? ManassehManuscript rejected? ManassehPoor Sales, Bad Review? Manasseh
But the story doesn’t end here.
Now we see a second son born to him, Ephriam.
Again, a similar circumstance and he chooses a Hebrew name. Ephriam: God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.
We too are following our dreams in the land of exile, sometimes better known as the land of our suffering. We must remember, JUST LIKE JOSEPH. This place is not our home. We don’t fit in, no matter how hard the world urges us to try. We must hold fast to the truth that this is not our promised land. The world isn’t offering a covenant worth keeping.
But God is providing the seed through us.
I believe the point of Joseph’s story is the fact that by sending him to Egypt, the seed survived. The seed that would become our Messiah was protected.
We live in a world that is hungry and thirsty. God wants to use our circumstances to bring the water of life to a world that is dying of thirst. Dying for lack of the LIVING water.
Our suffering has meaning, our suffering has purpose—and it’s not to make us rich and famous.
We are the means for God to remind the world that there is salvation in His Son, Jesus Christ.
And God has NOT abandoned us here. He is with us—often in ways we cannot imagine. He is making us fruitful. As well as Manasseh, we have Ephriam. But we must never forget who our covenant is with and where the promised land is.
TWEETABLEThe Be-Attitudes for Writers: Finding God’s Purpose in Your Writing Part 2 from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Edie uses the truths God has taught her as an author, photographer, and blogger to encourage others. She’s learned to embrace the ultimate contradiction of being an organized creative. As a sought-after speaker, she’s empowered and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others call on God’s strength during challenging times, often using creativity to empower this connection. She also knows the necessity of Soul Care and leads retreats, conferences, and workshops on ways to use creativity to help strengthen our connection with God.
She and husband Kirk have been married 43+ years with three grown sons and four grandchildren. They live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and can often be found with their big black dog hiking the mountains.
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The Be-Attitudes for Writers: Finding God’s Purpose in Your Writing (part 2)by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
Yesterday we covered the first three Be-Attitudes for Writers in Part 1 and today I'd like to tackle the rest.
The Be-Attitudes for Writers (continued)
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. A hunger and thirst for righteousness should never be confused with a desire for what we consider fairness. A hunger for what is right, isn’t a hunger for what is fair.
So often I speak with writers who either blatantly or indirectly express a desire to just get what they deserve. They’ve put in the work, paid their dues, and now they’re owed something. That isn’t actually the way this writing thing works.
As I was so fond of reminding my kids growing up, the world is not fair. I would go on to make an even more disturbing pronouncement. God is not fair—at least not in our limited vision of fairness. God is something more—God is just. And God’s justice is encased in grace and mercy.
Unpacking this for WritersThe writing world is not fair. Unless we want to spend a lifetime of bitterness and disappointment, we need to surrender our writing dreams to God right now. We must offer them up to Him in exchange for a hunger and thirst for righteousness.
In this writing life I can guarantee you a couple of things.1. God will never abandon you. 2. You will not be treated fairly. Things will happen that you don’t deserve and there won’t be a single thing you can do about it—except trust the situation to God and to His righteousness.
I experienced that early on in my own writing life. After I was rejected by that publisher, I picked myself up and decided to follow the advice I was getting. So I attended a conference. In the 90s it was one of the biggest writing conferences out there. It was NOT Mount Hermon, but another one equally respected, although it too is now no longer in business.
I packed up my business cards, my one sheets, my proposal, and my little writer-self and off I went. The project I took to pitch and the topic I wanted to learn about was writing Bible studies. I had—much more meekly—decided to let God do what He wanted with my Bible study, Taking Captive Every Thought.
When I arrived, I asked those in charge who I should meet with and what classes I should attend. Not many people those days were writing or publishing Bible studies. Agents weren’t representing them and the folks I spoke with sort of looked at me like a deer in headlights.
Finally, they encouraged me to attend the continuing session on writing nonfiction and meet with the editor who was teaching that class.
I followed their advice…and it didn't turn out well. Not only didn't I get a request for my manuscript, in one of my classes, my Bible study proposal was held up to ridicule. I went home and decided to quit. However, God had other plans. He resurrected my writing and sent me off to another conference, the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and everything changed. But it was a rough couple of years in between.
So why am I sharing this story? Not to make you feel sorry about the unfairness with which I was treated. No, I’m sharing this with you to give you, as Paul Harvey would say, The REST of the Story.
Look at me now. What positions has God put me in and what strengths am I known for? Just so you don’t think I came up with these just to prove a point, I actually asked a lot of people what THEY considered my strengths in this industry.
Two things kept recurring in all the answers I got:Growing a Platform: Social Media and Platform buildingShepherding writers: through my blog and directing this conferenceWhat do you think grew those two strengths? Yep, the experiences God allowed in my life are the very things that became the strengths He instilled in me.
Was I treated unfairly? You bet I was.
Did God’s justice bring about more than I dreamed? You bet it did.
God loves me more than to just let me settle for my own writing dreams, goals, and desires. God wants to bless me with exceeding abundance in this writing life.
But so often I’m my own worst enemy.
I get caught up with expectations and desires and lose sight of the fact that I’m writing with God, not for Him. As believer who lives in a fallen world we can get side-tracked by the pursuit of many things—power, authority, success, and respect—especially when it comes to our writing.
We need to turn the pursuit of those things over to God and learn what it means to have a hunger and thirst for righteousness. Because only when we’re filled with the righteousness of God can we be trusted with those other things.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Even when I’m caught up in pursuit of worldly goals, God’s mercy will always bring me back to His side. He doesn’t leave me stuck in the muddy mess of searching for success. Instead, God does what He needs to do to bring me back close to Him.
Unpacking this for Writers God was so merciful in NOT allowing me to find instant success. God was so merciful in using my humiliation to instill a passion for making sure the dreams of others are shepherded responsibly.
He used all of the things He allowed on my path to refine me. Each of those difficult times was also a crossroads. It was an opportunity for me to continue on, with God, or quit. What happens when we continue? The 6th be-attitude
6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. When God frees us from the expectations and dreams we come up with, we are gifted with a purer vision of who God is. And that equips us for climbing even higher with Him.
Unpacking this for WritersOnly when we let God purify or ambitions and turn our dreams over to Him can we experience writing with God. He doesn't ask us to go away and write alone. NO—He is right here in the trenches with us. He is in every process of our writing creation. We truly see and experience God in every word, sentence, revelation, and in the result as we watch how the words He gave us impact others.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. Sometimes the hardest peace to achieve is with the path God has given us to walk. We can do every single thing right—incorporate all these be-attitudes into our hearts and still get blind-sided by the truly awfulness of life.
Unpacking this for WritersThis one is hard because sometimes writing the truth doesn't always lead to peace. However notice what the scripture says, PeaceMAKERS, not PeaceBRINGERS. God didn't ask us to bring peace, He asked us to—as much as we are able—to make peace. When I saw this, I felt a huge burden lifted off my shoulders. My job is to be loving, respectful, and submissive to God's will—letting the Holy Spirit do the heavy lifting.
8. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
I want to focus in on the life of Joseph, from the Old Testament, to illustrate this point. I’m sure the majority of us are familiar with the story of Joseph. The story takes place in Genesis and one of the themes woven throughout Genesis is the Covenant, the Seed and the Promised Land. When we look at Joseph’s story, we must examine it through the filter of that ongoing theme. And when I did that, I found what I needed on my own journey.
We remember how the story begins. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and spent the next 20 years in Egypt, experiencing incredibly unfairness, remaining faithful, while God worked in the dark.
finally we see that Joseph is elevated to second in command to pharaoh. God uses Joseph to save that part of the world—including his betraying brothers—from a horrible famine. But how does the story end? does Joseph get to go home, back to the promised land? Nope, Joseph finishes his life in Egypt.
Let’s take up the story in Genesis 41:50 – 52
Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh[e] and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’shousehold.” The second son he named Ephraim[f] and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
For years I looked at this part of the story of Joseph as victory—he’d forgotten his past and moved on to new things. But following your dream in the land of exile is never ideal—and Joseph knew that. I don’t know I always celebrated Joseph having to live out his life in Egypt. We don’t treat the book of Daniel that way when He was exiled to Babylon. We don’t get excited that He and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael & Azariah were forced into exile and given new names and expected to forget they were Hebrew.
So let’s abandon our preconceptions of what the point of Joseph’s story is and read the scripture for the truth.
We gain some insight into Joseph’s mindset as he finished life in Egypt by the names he chose for his sons. Let’s step into that scene. He’s out running the country after the birth of his first son and an Egyptian stops him to congratulate him. He asks the name of his son and Joseph says Manassah. The Egyptian is brought up short. Here’s a man who’s been adopted—by the Egyptians and specifically the Pharoah—into their country and their culture. He’s been given a prestigious wife and a new name, Zaphnath-Paaneah (ZAPH nath Parneah). And now he has a son. But he doesn’t give his son an Egyptian name, instead He gives him a Hebrew name. Manasseh. Scripture quotes Joseph as saying it’s because God has made him forget all his trouble and his father’s household. But a better way of defining the name Manasseh would be I’ve let that go.
Unpacking this for Writers
So here he is, in the wrong land, under the wrong covenant, bearing a seed. He hasn’t forgotten God has a purpose and that purpose is not to celebrate that he’s no longer Hebrew. He still belongs to God.The brothers who betrayed him? I’ve let that goThe family that believed him dead and didn’t look for him? I’ve let that go. We all need a Manasseh in our writing walk. Didn’t win or place in a contest? ManassehManuscript rejected? ManassehPoor Sales, Bad Review? Manasseh
But the story doesn’t end here.
Now we see a second son born to him, Ephriam.
Again, a similar circumstance and he chooses a Hebrew name. Ephriam: God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.
We too are following our dreams in the land of exile, sometimes better known as the land of our suffering. We must remember, JUST LIKE JOSEPH. This place is not our home. We don’t fit in, no matter how hard the world urges us to try. We must hold fast to the truth that this is not our promised land. The world isn’t offering a covenant worth keeping.
But God is providing the seed through us.
I believe the point of Joseph’s story is the fact that by sending him to Egypt, the seed survived. The seed that would become our Messiah was protected.
We live in a world that is hungry and thirsty. God wants to use our circumstances to bring the water of life to a world that is dying of thirst. Dying for lack of the LIVING water.
Our suffering has meaning, our suffering has purpose—and it’s not to make us rich and famous.
We are the means for God to remind the world that there is salvation in His Son, Jesus Christ.
And God has NOT abandoned us here. He is with us—often in ways we cannot imagine. He is making us fruitful. As well as Manasseh, we have Ephriam. But we must never forget who our covenant is with and where the promised land is.
TWEETABLEThe Be-Attitudes for Writers: Finding God’s Purpose in Your Writing Part 2 from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Edie uses the truths God has taught her as an author, photographer, and blogger to encourage others. She’s learned to embrace the ultimate contradiction of being an organized creative. As a sought-after speaker, she’s empowered and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others call on God’s strength during challenging times, often using creativity to empower this connection. She also knows the necessity of Soul Care and leads retreats, conferences, and workshops on ways to use creativity to help strengthen our connection with God. She and husband Kirk have been married 43+ years with three grown sons and four grandchildren. They live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and can often be found with their big black dog hiking the mountains.
September 18, 2025
The Be-Attitudes for Writers: Finding God’s Purpose in Your Writing (Part 1)
From Edie: Discover the first three Be-Attitudes for Writers from Matthew 5. Learn how humility, mourning, and meekness shape God’s purpose in your writing.
The Be-Attitudes for Writers: Finding God’s Purpose in Your Writing (Part 1)by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
I want to share some attitudes and practices that I found in Scripture. I took all of these from Matthew 5, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. If you're like me, they'll fuel your path of writing for years to come!
The Be-attitudes for Writers
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. What does it mean to be poor in spirit? In God’s economy being poor in spiritual means we are spiritually bankrupt. We have nothing within ourselves that will save us. It does NOT mean we’re worthless, Jesus loved each of us enough to die for us. Each of us is precious to God. No, Instead it’s an acknowledgement that apart from Christ, we bring nothing to the table. I believe Jesus begins with this beatitude because before we can learn anything or serve Him or allow Him to work through us, we must acknowledge He is all we have. We are essentially bankrupt.
Unpacking this for WritersI think every writer must begin here, with humility. We must understand this is a calling, an endeavor we practice, but we never arrive. I talk to writers every week who are just coming into this industry and they have everything mapped out.
They come in looking for confirmation that their plan and way is right instead of being open to hearing from God.
They're not alone. This is exactly what I did after I accepted God’s call to write, I began praying about what He wanted me to write. At the time, He was doing a great thing in the lives of Kirk and I. He was teaching us to study His word through Precept ministries. Because of what I’d learned, I’d just ventured away from someone else’s Bible study and began writing my own.
It was modeled after the precept method and was a 12 week study about taking captive every thought. As I sat down to continue my personal study, I felt God’s nudge to write that for more than just me.
Within weeks of finishing it, my first opportunity came to speak at a women’s retreat on that subject. It was a heady experience—even for someone who wasn’t comfortable with public speaking.
After that, I purchased the Writer’s Market Guide and sent off a query letter to Broadman and Holman publishers. They were the main arm of the Southern Baptists publishing and since I was Baptist, I thought it would be a great fit.
I received a letter back, requesting the full manuscript. And there was rejoicing in the Melson household that night! I was certain of the path God had planned. I’d begin speaking and teaching, essentially becoming just like Beth More and Kay Arthur.
Almost a year later I actually got a phone call from the editor who had my manuscript. He’d taken it to the editorial board and it had passed. Next he would present it to the sales and marketing team.
On December 23, I received, not a phone call, but a letter. In it he explained how sorry he was and that I should continue to write and grow, but that they had to be good stewards of their money and I had no platform. In the letter it actually mentioned that the answer would have been different if my name had been Beth Moore. Ouch.
It was a difficult Christmas. Not only was I dealing with the devastation of being rejected, I immediately saw that the root of the issue was my expectations were wrong. God was explaining to me—in a way I could understand that He didn’t intend for me to be the next Beth More, or anyone else. He had a plan specifically suited to me, Edie Melson. So I had to decide. Would I quit because things hadn’t gone the way I planned, or would I remain obedient and admit I was nothing without God.
2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Boy oh boy did I have mourning down that Christmas. But what exactly does mourn mean, here in this context, in the original language? This specific use of the word mourn in the Greek is the strongest word for mourning in that language. It’s a word used for mourning the dead and is a passionate outcrying for someone who is greatly loved.
Unpacking this for WritersI don’t know about you, but I LOVED my idea of what my writing could do for the world and how God could use it.
But in the context of this verse and passage, the great mourning is specifically over our personal sin and the sins of the world. This mourning should never lead us into an I’ve got an answer for that, mindset. God allows this kind of cleansing grief into our lives as a path, not as a destination.
This path leads us somewhere beautiful. We’re promised comfort and the ability to fellowship with Jesus in His sufferings. We embrace a closeness to the Man of Sorrows. This mourning and periods of grief in our lives gives our writing depth. And allows us to engage with a hurting world, not just as one who has all the answers, but people who have been there and walked through this difficult path.
I’ve experienced this several times. With my writing and devastated dreams. And also in life. This leads me to the next attitude I’ve learned to embrace.
3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. This Greek word is difficult, actually impossible, to translate into a single English word. The best definition I’ve ever heard was strength under control. The idea would be similar to a strong stallion that was trained for a job, like warfare, and used his strength to do the job instead of running wild. This idea of meekness also implies humility and a freedom from malice or vengeance. Someone who is truly meek is able to get angry and not sin. They are not easily provoked by others.
Unpacking this for WritersStrength under authority—as believers who write, we have the power of God’s Spirit running through us. When we are yoked with Christ, we have unlimited strength. Words are powerful, the world has known this for eons. That’s why we have common sayings like the pen is mightier than the sword.
Like a stallion trained for warfare—I used that specific metaphor on purpose. Anytime we do anything with God, we will come under attack. Our writing is no exception. What we are doing here, has the potential to impact the entire world. You better believe that the enemy is all over that. But when we’re operating under God’s authority, all the enemies of hell cannot stand against us.
But when we enter into this writing thing with our plans all mapped out—just asking God’s approval—we find ourselves operating in our own strength. This isn’t meekness. This attitude can limit the reach of our words. God promises that the meek will inherit the earth. This means we can be confident God watches out for us and won’t allow us to end up on the short end of the stick. That promise finds it’s culmination in God’s timing though, not ours.
These first 3 be-attitudes have to do with fleshly desires and appetites that we must bring into submission to God. Once we have brought, or are in the process of bringing these fleshly attitudes under God’s authority, we go on to the remaining be-attitudes in tomorrow's post.
Now it's your turn, what experiences do you have with these attitudes? What questions? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Don't forget to join the conversation!BlessingsEdie
TWEETABLEThe Be-Attitudes for Writers: Finding God’s Purpose in Your Writing Part 1 from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Edie uses the truths God has taught her as an author, photographer, and blogger to encourage others. She’s learned to embrace the ultimate contradiction of being an organized creative. As a sought-after speaker, she’s empowered and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others call on God’s strength during challenging times, often using creativity to empower this connection. She also knows the necessity of Soul Care and leads retreats, conferences, and workshops on ways to use creativity to help strengthen our connection with God.
She and husband Kirk have been married 43+ years with three grown sons and four grandchildren. They live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and can often be found with their big black dog hiking the mountains.
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The Be-Attitudes for Writers: Finding God’s Purpose in Your Writing (Part 1)by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
I want to share some attitudes and practices that I found in Scripture. I took all of these from Matthew 5, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. If you're like me, they'll fuel your path of writing for years to come!
The Be-attitudes for Writers
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. What does it mean to be poor in spirit? In God’s economy being poor in spiritual means we are spiritually bankrupt. We have nothing within ourselves that will save us. It does NOT mean we’re worthless, Jesus loved each of us enough to die for us. Each of us is precious to God. No, Instead it’s an acknowledgement that apart from Christ, we bring nothing to the table. I believe Jesus begins with this beatitude because before we can learn anything or serve Him or allow Him to work through us, we must acknowledge He is all we have. We are essentially bankrupt.
Unpacking this for WritersI think every writer must begin here, with humility. We must understand this is a calling, an endeavor we practice, but we never arrive. I talk to writers every week who are just coming into this industry and they have everything mapped out.
They come in looking for confirmation that their plan and way is right instead of being open to hearing from God.
They're not alone. This is exactly what I did after I accepted God’s call to write, I began praying about what He wanted me to write. At the time, He was doing a great thing in the lives of Kirk and I. He was teaching us to study His word through Precept ministries. Because of what I’d learned, I’d just ventured away from someone else’s Bible study and began writing my own.
It was modeled after the precept method and was a 12 week study about taking captive every thought. As I sat down to continue my personal study, I felt God’s nudge to write that for more than just me.
Within weeks of finishing it, my first opportunity came to speak at a women’s retreat on that subject. It was a heady experience—even for someone who wasn’t comfortable with public speaking.
After that, I purchased the Writer’s Market Guide and sent off a query letter to Broadman and Holman publishers. They were the main arm of the Southern Baptists publishing and since I was Baptist, I thought it would be a great fit.
I received a letter back, requesting the full manuscript. And there was rejoicing in the Melson household that night! I was certain of the path God had planned. I’d begin speaking and teaching, essentially becoming just like Beth More and Kay Arthur.
Almost a year later I actually got a phone call from the editor who had my manuscript. He’d taken it to the editorial board and it had passed. Next he would present it to the sales and marketing team.
On December 23, I received, not a phone call, but a letter. In it he explained how sorry he was and that I should continue to write and grow, but that they had to be good stewards of their money and I had no platform. In the letter it actually mentioned that the answer would have been different if my name had been Beth Moore. Ouch.
It was a difficult Christmas. Not only was I dealing with the devastation of being rejected, I immediately saw that the root of the issue was my expectations were wrong. God was explaining to me—in a way I could understand that He didn’t intend for me to be the next Beth More, or anyone else. He had a plan specifically suited to me, Edie Melson. So I had to decide. Would I quit because things hadn’t gone the way I planned, or would I remain obedient and admit I was nothing without God.
2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Boy oh boy did I have mourning down that Christmas. But what exactly does mourn mean, here in this context, in the original language? This specific use of the word mourn in the Greek is the strongest word for mourning in that language. It’s a word used for mourning the dead and is a passionate outcrying for someone who is greatly loved.
Unpacking this for WritersI don’t know about you, but I LOVED my idea of what my writing could do for the world and how God could use it.
But in the context of this verse and passage, the great mourning is specifically over our personal sin and the sins of the world. This mourning should never lead us into an I’ve got an answer for that, mindset. God allows this kind of cleansing grief into our lives as a path, not as a destination.
This path leads us somewhere beautiful. We’re promised comfort and the ability to fellowship with Jesus in His sufferings. We embrace a closeness to the Man of Sorrows. This mourning and periods of grief in our lives gives our writing depth. And allows us to engage with a hurting world, not just as one who has all the answers, but people who have been there and walked through this difficult path.
I’ve experienced this several times. With my writing and devastated dreams. And also in life. This leads me to the next attitude I’ve learned to embrace.
3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. This Greek word is difficult, actually impossible, to translate into a single English word. The best definition I’ve ever heard was strength under control. The idea would be similar to a strong stallion that was trained for a job, like warfare, and used his strength to do the job instead of running wild. This idea of meekness also implies humility and a freedom from malice or vengeance. Someone who is truly meek is able to get angry and not sin. They are not easily provoked by others.
Unpacking this for WritersStrength under authority—as believers who write, we have the power of God’s Spirit running through us. When we are yoked with Christ, we have unlimited strength. Words are powerful, the world has known this for eons. That’s why we have common sayings like the pen is mightier than the sword.
Like a stallion trained for warfare—I used that specific metaphor on purpose. Anytime we do anything with God, we will come under attack. Our writing is no exception. What we are doing here, has the potential to impact the entire world. You better believe that the enemy is all over that. But when we’re operating under God’s authority, all the enemies of hell cannot stand against us.
But when we enter into this writing thing with our plans all mapped out—just asking God’s approval—we find ourselves operating in our own strength. This isn’t meekness. This attitude can limit the reach of our words. God promises that the meek will inherit the earth. This means we can be confident God watches out for us and won’t allow us to end up on the short end of the stick. That promise finds it’s culmination in God’s timing though, not ours.
These first 3 be-attitudes have to do with fleshly desires and appetites that we must bring into submission to God. Once we have brought, or are in the process of bringing these fleshly attitudes under God’s authority, we go on to the remaining be-attitudes in tomorrow's post.
Now it's your turn, what experiences do you have with these attitudes? What questions? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Don't forget to join the conversation!BlessingsEdie
TWEETABLEThe Be-Attitudes for Writers: Finding God’s Purpose in Your Writing Part 1 from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Edie uses the truths God has taught her as an author, photographer, and blogger to encourage others. She’s learned to embrace the ultimate contradiction of being an organized creative. As a sought-after speaker, she’s empowered and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others call on God’s strength during challenging times, often using creativity to empower this connection. She also knows the necessity of Soul Care and leads retreats, conferences, and workshops on ways to use creativity to help strengthen our connection with God. She and husband Kirk have been married 43+ years with three grown sons and four grandchildren. They live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and can often be found with their big black dog hiking the mountains.
September 17, 2025
Book Marketing Awards for Christian Authors: Why You Should Enter CAN 2025–2026
From Edie: Discover how Christian authors can gain recognition, prizes, and publicity by entering the CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards 2025–2026. Showcase your book marketing today!
Book Marketing Awards for Christian Authors: Why You Should Enter CAN 2025–2026by Susan U. Neal @SusanNealYoga
As Christian authors, we know that writing the book is only half the journey—getting it into readers' hands is the other half. That’s where marketing comes in. If we don’t market our books, how will the people who need it ever find it?
To recognize writers who have marketed their books, the Christian Authors Network (CAN) hosts the CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards every year from September 1 through December 1. These awards recognize the marketing efforts of both fiction and nonfiction Christian authors—whether traditionally or independently published.
What’s In It for You!
The grand prize is a $1995 publicity packet with Jones Literary , a Christian publicity firm in Nashville, Tennessee. A previous winner had this comment about the publicity package:
“Winning first place in the CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards was truly a thrill, but the extra prize of getting a free publicity package from Jones Literary was hugely helpful to me as an author and speaker. Initially, I had a long interview with the agency's owner, Jason Jones, who has a long history of doing publicity for Christian figures. He then determined what might help me best, which included the creation of a press release and a two-page media kit I am using to approach media for podcast, radio, and television interviews. I also had an hour-long mock interview with a woman on his team who herself was a Moody radio host for many years. Then his team also provided me with a long list of media contacts I could use to set up interviews. The whole experience was professional and confidence-building. I highly recommend Jones Literary's publicity services.”
~Janet McHenry, author of Praying Personalities: Finding Your Natural Prayer Style
But that's not all! Three first-place winners will receive:A publicity packet that includes a book announcement (cover, description, and buy button) sent to:15,000 Christian readers1,400 Christian retailers300 book review bloggers400 Christian media outletsPromotion on the CAN blog and featured on several member blogs Celebrate Lit’s Social Media Building Giveaway Share PromoA trophy and certificate awarded at the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference in March 2026.Choose Your Award Category
If you enter the awards, what category would you choose? There are three to choose from for both fiction and nonfiction:Online Presentation: website, blog, newsletter, memes, social media posts, email marketing—anything you published online to promote your book.Physical Media: print materials such as bookmarks, flyers, postcards, posters, pamphlets, greeting cards, direct mail campaigns, etc.Broadcasting: TV, radio, podcast, vlog, video, YouTube, speaking engagements—anything audio or video.
You don’t need a year-long campaign to enter the CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards. As long as your campaign ran at any point between January 1 and December 1, 2025, it’s eligible.
Judging is based on what truly matters:35% on creativity and innovation 35% on reader engagement20% on marketing investmentOnly 10% on return, like sales or revenue
That means your brilliant ideas and ability to connect with readers are far more important than big budgets or high sales numbers.
So don’t be intimidated! If you created something meaningful, fresh, and engaging, your campaign has every chance to win. The CAN Marketing Awards are about honoring your heart-driven efforts to spread your message—and we want to celebrate your unique approach.
Winning Marketing Campaigns
Over the past several years, a wide variety of winners have used unique marketing strategies to win. Janet McHenry won the grand prize in 2025 by creating an online praying personality quiz . She also appeared on loads of podcasts to promote her book, Praying Personalities . Do you market based on your personality (guest blogs and articles for introverts and interviews for extroverts)? Karen Brough won the 2024 grand prize through launching her book, I Can't Believe They're Gone via a crowdfunding Kickstarter program. She succeeded in her goal to create a marketing campaign for an introvert. Have you ever thought of doing a crowd funding book launch? Allen Brokken won the grand prize in 2023 with his Amazon ad campaigns to drive sales and reach a wider audience for his Towers of Light series . Do you use Amazon ads? Grace Fox won first place for visual media by developing bookmarks, greeting cards, notepads, stickers, and coloring pages that she handed out at in-person events for her book, Fresh Hope for Today . What creative physical media products could you develop? Julia Fikse won first place for online presentation for her book, Dear Food, I Love You. I Hate You. Don't Leave Me! through building her Substack newsletter to over 6000 subscribers. Have you used Substack? Allen Taylor won first place in physical media by hosting I Am Not the King book signings at Kroger and Harris Teeter grocery stores. Did you know these grocery stores allow authors to perform book signings? Jenny Leavitt won first place in broadcasting through posting over forty YouTube videos and 30 media interview about her book, GodPrints: Finding Evidence of God in the Shattered Pieces of Life . Do you use YouTube to market your book? Carissa Lovvorn won first place for her book, Seeds for Sharing in broadcast media through booking dozens of radio, podcast, and television interviews by attending the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Convention with Christian Indie Publishing Association (CIPA). While attending NRB, she met the founder of Operation Care International and was invited to speak at their Christmas event. Have you ever attended NRB?
You can obtain a year’s worth of interviews through attending the three-day NRB event. Learn how you can attend with CAN/CIPA at https://christianpublishers.net/trade-shows/ .
Each of these authors used the creative gifts God gave them to spread their message. Does this list of creative marketing techniques stimulate your marketing ideas? What creative efforts have you used to market your books?
Your books reflect the message God has entrusted to you. By entering the CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards you invite His light to shine through your story reaching more readers in life-changing ways.
TWEETABLEBook Marketing Awards for Christian Authors: Why You Should Enter CAN 2025–2026 from @SusanNealYoga on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Susan U. Neal, RN, MBA, MHS: Susan’s mission is to improve the health of the body of Christ. She has her RN and MBA degrees, as well as a master’s in health science. She is a CERTIFIED HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACHwith the American Association of Christian Counselors. She published five books, the Selah award winner 7 STEPS TO GET OFF SUGAR AND CARBOHYDRATES, CHRISTIAN STUDY GUIDE FOR 7 STEPS TO GET OFF SUGAR AND CARBOHYDRATES, HEALTHY LIVING JOURNAL, SCRIPTURE YOGAa #1 Amazon best-selling yoga book, and YOGA FOR BEGINNERSwhich ranked #3. She published two sets of Christian Yoga Card Decks and two Christian Yoga DVDs that are available at CHRISTINAYOGA.COM. Her digital product HOW TO PREVENT, IMPROVE, AND REVERSE ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIAis a great resource. To learn more about Susan visit her website SUSANUNEAL.COM You can also connect with Susan on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and INSTAGRAM.
Book Marketing Awards for Christian Authors: Why You Should Enter CAN 2025–2026by Susan U. Neal @SusanNealYoga
As Christian authors, we know that writing the book is only half the journey—getting it into readers' hands is the other half. That’s where marketing comes in. If we don’t market our books, how will the people who need it ever find it?
To recognize writers who have marketed their books, the Christian Authors Network (CAN) hosts the CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards every year from September 1 through December 1. These awards recognize the marketing efforts of both fiction and nonfiction Christian authors—whether traditionally or independently published.
What’s In It for You!
The grand prize is a $1995 publicity packet with Jones Literary , a Christian publicity firm in Nashville, Tennessee. A previous winner had this comment about the publicity package:
“Winning first place in the CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards was truly a thrill, but the extra prize of getting a free publicity package from Jones Literary was hugely helpful to me as an author and speaker. Initially, I had a long interview with the agency's owner, Jason Jones, who has a long history of doing publicity for Christian figures. He then determined what might help me best, which included the creation of a press release and a two-page media kit I am using to approach media for podcast, radio, and television interviews. I also had an hour-long mock interview with a woman on his team who herself was a Moody radio host for many years. Then his team also provided me with a long list of media contacts I could use to set up interviews. The whole experience was professional and confidence-building. I highly recommend Jones Literary's publicity services.”
~Janet McHenry, author of Praying Personalities: Finding Your Natural Prayer Style
But that's not all! Three first-place winners will receive:A publicity packet that includes a book announcement (cover, description, and buy button) sent to:15,000 Christian readers1,400 Christian retailers300 book review bloggers400 Christian media outletsPromotion on the CAN blog and featured on several member blogs Celebrate Lit’s Social Media Building Giveaway Share PromoA trophy and certificate awarded at the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference in March 2026.Choose Your Award Category
If you enter the awards, what category would you choose? There are three to choose from for both fiction and nonfiction:Online Presentation: website, blog, newsletter, memes, social media posts, email marketing—anything you published online to promote your book.Physical Media: print materials such as bookmarks, flyers, postcards, posters, pamphlets, greeting cards, direct mail campaigns, etc.Broadcasting: TV, radio, podcast, vlog, video, YouTube, speaking engagements—anything audio or video.
You don’t need a year-long campaign to enter the CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards. As long as your campaign ran at any point between January 1 and December 1, 2025, it’s eligible.
Judging is based on what truly matters:35% on creativity and innovation 35% on reader engagement20% on marketing investmentOnly 10% on return, like sales or revenue
That means your brilliant ideas and ability to connect with readers are far more important than big budgets or high sales numbers.
So don’t be intimidated! If you created something meaningful, fresh, and engaging, your campaign has every chance to win. The CAN Marketing Awards are about honoring your heart-driven efforts to spread your message—and we want to celebrate your unique approach.
Winning Marketing Campaigns
Over the past several years, a wide variety of winners have used unique marketing strategies to win. Janet McHenry won the grand prize in 2025 by creating an online praying personality quiz . She also appeared on loads of podcasts to promote her book, Praying Personalities . Do you market based on your personality (guest blogs and articles for introverts and interviews for extroverts)? Karen Brough won the 2024 grand prize through launching her book, I Can't Believe They're Gone via a crowdfunding Kickstarter program. She succeeded in her goal to create a marketing campaign for an introvert. Have you ever thought of doing a crowd funding book launch? Allen Brokken won the grand prize in 2023 with his Amazon ad campaigns to drive sales and reach a wider audience for his Towers of Light series . Do you use Amazon ads? Grace Fox won first place for visual media by developing bookmarks, greeting cards, notepads, stickers, and coloring pages that she handed out at in-person events for her book, Fresh Hope for Today . What creative physical media products could you develop? Julia Fikse won first place for online presentation for her book, Dear Food, I Love You. I Hate You. Don't Leave Me! through building her Substack newsletter to over 6000 subscribers. Have you used Substack? Allen Taylor won first place in physical media by hosting I Am Not the King book signings at Kroger and Harris Teeter grocery stores. Did you know these grocery stores allow authors to perform book signings? Jenny Leavitt won first place in broadcasting through posting over forty YouTube videos and 30 media interview about her book, GodPrints: Finding Evidence of God in the Shattered Pieces of Life . Do you use YouTube to market your book? Carissa Lovvorn won first place for her book, Seeds for Sharing in broadcast media through booking dozens of radio, podcast, and television interviews by attending the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Convention with Christian Indie Publishing Association (CIPA). While attending NRB, she met the founder of Operation Care International and was invited to speak at their Christmas event. Have you ever attended NRB?
You can obtain a year’s worth of interviews through attending the three-day NRB event. Learn how you can attend with CAN/CIPA at https://christianpublishers.net/trade-shows/ .
Each of these authors used the creative gifts God gave them to spread their message. Does this list of creative marketing techniques stimulate your marketing ideas? What creative efforts have you used to market your books?
Your books reflect the message God has entrusted to you. By entering the CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards you invite His light to shine through your story reaching more readers in life-changing ways.
TWEETABLEBook Marketing Awards for Christian Authors: Why You Should Enter CAN 2025–2026 from @SusanNealYoga on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Susan U. Neal, RN, MBA, MHS: Susan’s mission is to improve the health of the body of Christ. She has her RN and MBA degrees, as well as a master’s in health science. She is a CERTIFIED HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACHwith the American Association of Christian Counselors. She published five books, the Selah award winner 7 STEPS TO GET OFF SUGAR AND CARBOHYDRATES, CHRISTIAN STUDY GUIDE FOR 7 STEPS TO GET OFF SUGAR AND CARBOHYDRATES, HEALTHY LIVING JOURNAL, SCRIPTURE YOGAa #1 Amazon best-selling yoga book, and YOGA FOR BEGINNERSwhich ranked #3. She published two sets of Christian Yoga Card Decks and two Christian Yoga DVDs that are available at CHRISTINAYOGA.COM. Her digital product HOW TO PREVENT, IMPROVE, AND REVERSE ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIAis a great resource. To learn more about Susan visit her website SUSANUNEAL.COM You can also connect with Susan on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and INSTAGRAM.
September 16, 2025
How Christian Communicators Can Speak From Peace in a Shaking World
From Edie: Discover how Christian writers, speakers, and leaders can anchor in God’s peace to communicate hope and clarity when the world feels unsteady.
How Christian Communicators Can Speak From Peace in a Shaking Worldby Kennita (Kay) Williams
There are moments when the world feels unsteady beneath our feet. The news cycle churns with tragedy, voices of influence rise and fall, and grief leaves us searching for stability. Recently, I found myself unsettled by the unrest that seems to press in from every direction. As a leader, communicator, and believer, I felt the weight of needing to steady others while I was still seeking balance myself.
Maybe you’ve felt it too, the tension of trying to write, speak, or minister with clarity while your own spirit feels rattled.
In moments like these, I return to the words of Jesus in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Jesus spoke this to His disciples just before His crucifixion. They were anxious, confused, and bracing for uncertainty. Yet, His message wasn’t about avoiding trouble, it was about finding peace in the midst of it.
That’s the message I believe we, as Christian communicators, need to carry into this season.
Personal Unrest, Personal EncounterI’ll be honest. In my own quiet moments, I’ve felt the turbulence in my soul. The unrest in our nation, the grief of loss, and the noise of conflicting voices sometimes swirl together into a storm.
But here’s what God reminded me: At the end of God’s hand is peace. If I find I don’t have peace, it’s a signal that I need to reach for His hand again.
This truth steadied me. And it’s what I believe we, as writers, podcasters, speakers, and leaders, are called to model for others. We don’t communicate from a place of perfection. We communicate from the anchor of God’s presence.
Why Peace Matters for CommunicatorsOur words carry weight. What we write, speak, or record doesn’t just inform, it FORMS. It shapes perspective, offers hope, and sometimes stirs hearts toward faith.
When people are looking for guidance, they don’t just need polished words. They need to sense the peace of God flowing through us. That’s why peace isn’t optional for communicators of the Gospel. It’s essential.
Philippians 4:7 reminds us, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Notice the imagery: God’s peace acts like a guard standing watch over our hearts and minds. As communicators, that guarding is what allows us to speak from a place of calm instead of chaos.
The Reality: Leaders Come and GoThis past season has reminded us all too clearly: leaders, influencers, and public voices will rise and fall. Some inspire deeply, others disappoint, and some leave this earth unexpectedly.
If our confidence is rooted in people, we’ll always be shaken. But Hebrews 13:8 declares, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Our calling as Christian communicators is to continually point people back to the One who stays steady when everything else shifts.
Practical Ways to Seek PeaceSo how do we as communicators, live this out? Here are a few practices that have helped me:
1. Pause before you pour out.Before I write a word or record a podcast, I pause. I take a breath and pray, “Lord, let me write from Your peace, not from my pressure.”
2. Anchor in Scripture.When my thoughts scatter, I open to passages like John 14:27, Philippians 4:7, or Deuteronomy 31:6 (“The Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you”). Reading aloud reminds me of His steady presence.
3. Be honest in your communication.Peace doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. Share your own struggle and then share how God steadies you. That authenticity invites others to seek His peace too.
Encouraging Others to Seek God’s HandAt the end of the day, this isn’t just about our own calm. As communicators, our words are bridges. They invite others to take God’s hand for themselves.
Think about the ripple effect: a devotional you write, a podcast you record, or a message you preach might be the very lifeline someone needs in a moment of turmoil. If your words carry the peace of Christ, they can anchor someone else’s soul.
That’s why I always return to this reminder: At the end of God’s hand is peace. If you or those you lead don’t have peace, it’s time to seek His hand again.
Closing EncouragementJesus never promised us a life free of trouble. In fact, He said in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
As Christian communicators, we are called to echo that hope. To let our words be steady when the world is shaking. To let our stories carry His presence. And to remind people that peace is not found in the absence of conflict, but in the presence of Christ.
So today, let’s reach for His hand. Let’s write, speak, and lead from the peace that only He can give. And let’s encourage others to do the same.
Because at the end of God’s hand is peace, and that’s exactly what the world needs most right now.
TWEETABLEHow Christian Communicators Can Speak From Peace in a Shaking World from Kennita (Kay) Williams on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Dr. Kennita Williams is a visionary leadership coach, author, and founder of Clear Vision Consulting. With a passion for helping leaders overcome fear, lead with clarity, and live whole, healthy, and healed, she equips others to write, speak, and lead from a place of faith and obedience. She is the author of multiple devotionals and leadership tools, and serves as a monthly contributor to The Write Conversation. Contact: drkay@clearvisionleader.com www.clearvisionleader.com
How Christian Communicators Can Speak From Peace in a Shaking Worldby Kennita (Kay) Williams
There are moments when the world feels unsteady beneath our feet. The news cycle churns with tragedy, voices of influence rise and fall, and grief leaves us searching for stability. Recently, I found myself unsettled by the unrest that seems to press in from every direction. As a leader, communicator, and believer, I felt the weight of needing to steady others while I was still seeking balance myself.
Maybe you’ve felt it too, the tension of trying to write, speak, or minister with clarity while your own spirit feels rattled.
In moments like these, I return to the words of Jesus in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Jesus spoke this to His disciples just before His crucifixion. They were anxious, confused, and bracing for uncertainty. Yet, His message wasn’t about avoiding trouble, it was about finding peace in the midst of it.
That’s the message I believe we, as Christian communicators, need to carry into this season.
Personal Unrest, Personal EncounterI’ll be honest. In my own quiet moments, I’ve felt the turbulence in my soul. The unrest in our nation, the grief of loss, and the noise of conflicting voices sometimes swirl together into a storm.
But here’s what God reminded me: At the end of God’s hand is peace. If I find I don’t have peace, it’s a signal that I need to reach for His hand again.
This truth steadied me. And it’s what I believe we, as writers, podcasters, speakers, and leaders, are called to model for others. We don’t communicate from a place of perfection. We communicate from the anchor of God’s presence.
Why Peace Matters for CommunicatorsOur words carry weight. What we write, speak, or record doesn’t just inform, it FORMS. It shapes perspective, offers hope, and sometimes stirs hearts toward faith.
When people are looking for guidance, they don’t just need polished words. They need to sense the peace of God flowing through us. That’s why peace isn’t optional for communicators of the Gospel. It’s essential.
Philippians 4:7 reminds us, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Notice the imagery: God’s peace acts like a guard standing watch over our hearts and minds. As communicators, that guarding is what allows us to speak from a place of calm instead of chaos.
The Reality: Leaders Come and GoThis past season has reminded us all too clearly: leaders, influencers, and public voices will rise and fall. Some inspire deeply, others disappoint, and some leave this earth unexpectedly.
If our confidence is rooted in people, we’ll always be shaken. But Hebrews 13:8 declares, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Our calling as Christian communicators is to continually point people back to the One who stays steady when everything else shifts.
Practical Ways to Seek PeaceSo how do we as communicators, live this out? Here are a few practices that have helped me:
1. Pause before you pour out.Before I write a word or record a podcast, I pause. I take a breath and pray, “Lord, let me write from Your peace, not from my pressure.”
2. Anchor in Scripture.When my thoughts scatter, I open to passages like John 14:27, Philippians 4:7, or Deuteronomy 31:6 (“The Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you”). Reading aloud reminds me of His steady presence.
3. Be honest in your communication.Peace doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. Share your own struggle and then share how God steadies you. That authenticity invites others to seek His peace too.
Encouraging Others to Seek God’s HandAt the end of the day, this isn’t just about our own calm. As communicators, our words are bridges. They invite others to take God’s hand for themselves.
Think about the ripple effect: a devotional you write, a podcast you record, or a message you preach might be the very lifeline someone needs in a moment of turmoil. If your words carry the peace of Christ, they can anchor someone else’s soul.
That’s why I always return to this reminder: At the end of God’s hand is peace. If you or those you lead don’t have peace, it’s time to seek His hand again.
Closing EncouragementJesus never promised us a life free of trouble. In fact, He said in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
As Christian communicators, we are called to echo that hope. To let our words be steady when the world is shaking. To let our stories carry His presence. And to remind people that peace is not found in the absence of conflict, but in the presence of Christ.
So today, let’s reach for His hand. Let’s write, speak, and lead from the peace that only He can give. And let’s encourage others to do the same.
Because at the end of God’s hand is peace, and that’s exactly what the world needs most right now.
TWEETABLEHow Christian Communicators Can Speak From Peace in a Shaking World from Kennita (Kay) Williams on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Dr. Kennita Williams is a visionary leadership coach, author, and founder of Clear Vision Consulting. With a passion for helping leaders overcome fear, lead with clarity, and live whole, healthy, and healed, she equips others to write, speak, and lead from a place of faith and obedience. She is the author of multiple devotionals and leadership tools, and serves as a monthly contributor to The Write Conversation. Contact: drkay@clearvisionleader.com www.clearvisionleader.com
September 15, 2025
Writing Through Setbacks: Lessons From Crashed Programs, Broken Cameras, and Lost Words
From Edie: Discover how writers can overcome setbacks—from crashed programs to lost words—and find resilience, perspective, and renewed joy in the writing journey.
Writing Through Setbacks: Lessons From Crashed Programs, Broken Cameras, and Lost Wordsby Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes @KHutch 0767
As a new owner of a publishing company, I was thrilled to acquire several book projects and couldn’t wait to dive into the work. My calendar was full, my energy was high, and my vision was clear. Then, almost immediately, everything seemed to fall apart.
It began with my high-speed internet—the heartbeat of my meetings and email correspondence. One moment, it was reliable; the next, it crashed mid-Zoom, freezing my screen and locking essential emails in the outbox. The podcast recording I had scheduled with a celebrity author for my show was delayed. Mortified, I apologized profusely while trying to salvage the remaining time we had to record. It seemed like all the progress I’d worked hard to accomplish had ground to a halt, and frustration set in.
“When the internet fails, so does patience.”
Next came my Word application. I was nearly finished editing an entire nonfiction manuscript when the program froze. Because I hadn’t turned on auto-save, hours of work vanished. I sat there, staring at a blank screen, realizing I had to start over from scratch. Later that evening, my husband found me sobbing in our bathroom—my favorite place for most of my pity parties.
Even my health goals began to crumble. Determined to fast, exercise, and lose weight, I instead found myself in late-night binges with sherbet ice cream and sweet tea. My home gym still had a thick layer of dust on it. Stress undid every ounce of discipline I had built.
The final blow came with my brand-new specialty camera. Right before an important video podcast interview, it stopped working altogether. I sat frozen, staring into the lifeless lens, wondering if the universe was laughing at me. When Life Hits Pause
Moments like these can tempt us to quit, but I’ve learned they’re an invitation to pause instead.Take a bike ride.Call a trusted friend and vent.Watch something funny and laugh hard.Do something kind for someone.Cry if you need to (but don’t stay in self-pity mode for too long).
“Taking a break isn’t quitting—it’s refueling.”The Bigger Picture
Technology will fail. Plans will go sideways. Healthy habits will get trampled under stress. But none of these things defines the writer’s journey. They’re temporary setbacks, not permanent endings.
The bigger picture is this—the work still gets done, we’re still in the right place, and we’re still pursuing what we love. And sometimes, the interruptions we hate most become the moments that help us rediscover joy, perspective, and purpose.
TWEETABLEWriting Through Setbacks: Lessons From Crashed Programs, Broken Cameras, and Lost Words from @KHutch0767 on @Ediemelson (Click to Tweet)
Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes is a review board member and contributor to Inkspirations (an online magazine for Christian writers), and her writing has been published in Guideposts. Her work in art/writing is distinguished by awards, including the New York Mayor’s Contribution to the Arts, Outstanding Resident Artist of Arizona, and the Foundations Awards at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference (2016, 2019, 2021). She is a member of Word Weavers International and serves as an online chapter president and mentor. She belongs to FWA (Florida Writers Association), ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), CWoC (Crime Writers of Color),
AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), and AASA (American Association of School Administrators). She serves on the nonprofit organization Submersion 14 board and the 540 Writer’s Community board and is an art instructor for the nonprofit organization Light for the Future. Katherine hosts the podcast Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality. She has authored a Christian Bible study for women and is currently working on the sequel to her first general market thriller novel. Her thriller A Fifth of the Story will debut in February 2024 through Endgame Press.
Katherine flourishes in developmental editing and coaching writers. She has a twenty-year career in education, leadership, and journalism. Katherine freelances as an educational consultant for charter schools, home school programs, and churches. In this role, she has written and edited curriculum, led program development, and helped manage growth facilitating and public relations. She also works as an editor and book coach through her consulting business. Katherine provides skill, accountability, and professionalism so clients can begin, develop, and finish their writing projects for publication.
Writing Through Setbacks: Lessons From Crashed Programs, Broken Cameras, and Lost Wordsby Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes @KHutch 0767
As a new owner of a publishing company, I was thrilled to acquire several book projects and couldn’t wait to dive into the work. My calendar was full, my energy was high, and my vision was clear. Then, almost immediately, everything seemed to fall apart.
It began with my high-speed internet—the heartbeat of my meetings and email correspondence. One moment, it was reliable; the next, it crashed mid-Zoom, freezing my screen and locking essential emails in the outbox. The podcast recording I had scheduled with a celebrity author for my show was delayed. Mortified, I apologized profusely while trying to salvage the remaining time we had to record. It seemed like all the progress I’d worked hard to accomplish had ground to a halt, and frustration set in.
“When the internet fails, so does patience.”
Next came my Word application. I was nearly finished editing an entire nonfiction manuscript when the program froze. Because I hadn’t turned on auto-save, hours of work vanished. I sat there, staring at a blank screen, realizing I had to start over from scratch. Later that evening, my husband found me sobbing in our bathroom—my favorite place for most of my pity parties.
Even my health goals began to crumble. Determined to fast, exercise, and lose weight, I instead found myself in late-night binges with sherbet ice cream and sweet tea. My home gym still had a thick layer of dust on it. Stress undid every ounce of discipline I had built.
The final blow came with my brand-new specialty camera. Right before an important video podcast interview, it stopped working altogether. I sat frozen, staring into the lifeless lens, wondering if the universe was laughing at me. When Life Hits Pause
Moments like these can tempt us to quit, but I’ve learned they’re an invitation to pause instead.Take a bike ride.Call a trusted friend and vent.Watch something funny and laugh hard.Do something kind for someone.Cry if you need to (but don’t stay in self-pity mode for too long).
“Taking a break isn’t quitting—it’s refueling.”The Bigger Picture
Technology will fail. Plans will go sideways. Healthy habits will get trampled under stress. But none of these things defines the writer’s journey. They’re temporary setbacks, not permanent endings.
The bigger picture is this—the work still gets done, we’re still in the right place, and we’re still pursuing what we love. And sometimes, the interruptions we hate most become the moments that help us rediscover joy, perspective, and purpose.
TWEETABLEWriting Through Setbacks: Lessons From Crashed Programs, Broken Cameras, and Lost Words from @KHutch0767 on @Ediemelson (Click to Tweet)
Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes is a review board member and contributor to Inkspirations (an online magazine for Christian writers), and her writing has been published in Guideposts. Her work in art/writing is distinguished by awards, including the New York Mayor’s Contribution to the Arts, Outstanding Resident Artist of Arizona, and the Foundations Awards at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference (2016, 2019, 2021). She is a member of Word Weavers International and serves as an online chapter president and mentor. She belongs to FWA (Florida Writers Association), ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), CWoC (Crime Writers of Color),AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), and AASA (American Association of School Administrators). She serves on the nonprofit organization Submersion 14 board and the 540 Writer’s Community board and is an art instructor for the nonprofit organization Light for the Future. Katherine hosts the podcast Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality. She has authored a Christian Bible study for women and is currently working on the sequel to her first general market thriller novel. Her thriller A Fifth of the Story will debut in February 2024 through Endgame Press.
Katherine flourishes in developmental editing and coaching writers. She has a twenty-year career in education, leadership, and journalism. Katherine freelances as an educational consultant for charter schools, home school programs, and churches. In this role, she has written and edited curriculum, led program development, and helped manage growth facilitating and public relations. She also works as an editor and book coach through her consulting business. Katherine provides skill, accountability, and professionalism so clients can begin, develop, and finish their writing projects for publication.
September 14, 2025
Writers: How to Read Email Reports to Improve Your Newsletters and Book Sales
From Edie: Learn how to read email reports as a writer. Discover what open rates, clicks, and unsubscribes reveal—and how they can boost your book sales.
Writers: How to Read Email Reports to Improve Your Newsletters and Book Salesby Kate Huff @KateOliviaHuff
When you hit “send” on your newsletter, it’s tempting to check the “send newsletter” box and move on to the next thing on your list. But don’t forget about the little report your email platform generates after your email is sent.
That’s golden information, you shouldn’t ignore it! (Or forget about it.)
Your email reports are like a quiet conversation with your readers. They may not always reply directly, but their clicks, opens, and even their unsubscribes are speaking louder than you think. If you learn how to listen, those numbers become the key to writing better emails, building stronger relationships, and even growing your book sales.
Let’s break down the information on your reports, so you know what to look for when you read those handy pieces of information next time!
Open Rates: Did Your Subject Line Work?
Your subject line is the front door to your newsletter. Open rates show you whether or not readers decided to walk through it.A higher open rate usually means your subject line did its job—it was clear, intriguing, or personal enough to grab attention.A lower open rate can be a signal that your subject line didn’t connect, or maybe your send time wasn’t right.
Pro tip: Experiment with tone. Try a playful subject line one week and a straightforward one the next. Watch which one sparks more opens and go with that tone the next time you send an email.
Research is showing that if you include your name in the subject line, it will increase open rates. (This is current as of the day this article was posted, and these things change often, so make sure you double-check this information!)
Click Rates: Did Your Content Trigger Action?
Once readers are inside, the next question is: did they do anything? Click rates measure whether your content inspired action.High click rates mean your content resonated and was easy to engage with.Low click rates may mean your links weren’t visible enough, or your content didn’t feel relevant.
Pro tip: There is a balance between too many clickable links and not enough links. If there are too many, you may get dinged as spam. If there are not enough, you won’t learn anything from your readers. I tend to lean towards the “more is better” side and have never been dinged as spam. (Email me if you want to run your email through a spam checker. I’ll send you the link!)
Unsubscribes: A Hidden Gift
Unsubscribes can sting (especially if it’s someone you know personally), but in general, they’re not bad. In fact, they help keep your list healthy.Sometimes people unsubscribe because they’ve outgrown your content, and that’s okay.Other times, it can be a nudge to rethink your content strategy if you see an unusual spike after a specific email.Most likely, it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the number of emails people receive in a day.
Pro tip: Take a moment to reframe unsubscribes as list-cleaning or removing dead weight. A smaller, engaged list is far more valuable than a large, silent one. (If you’re having to pay for the number of subscribers, you really don’t mind when they drop off!)
Replies: The Golden Ticket
If someone takes the time to hit “reply,” that’s gold. It means your email felt personal enough for them to talk back. These replies can tell you more than any metric ever could.Notice what sparked that conversation—a story, a question, or a specific resource?Use that insight to craft more emails that feel like a two-way street instead of a broadcast.
Pro tip: Make sure you’re asking questions in your email that ask for engagement. (The fancy marketing word is “Call to Action.”) If you don’t ask your readers to respond, they probably won’t unless you’re sending them life-changing information. And let’s be real. That’s usually not happening in an author’s newsletter!
Spotting the Patterns
The real treasure in email reports isn’t in one single number. It’s in the patterns over time.Which topics consistently perform well?Do readers prefer your funny subject lines or your straightforward ones?What kinds of links get the most clicks—resources, stories, or offers?
When you start leaning into what works, you’ll notice your engagement steadily increases. And the best part? It won’t be by accident. It’ll be on purpose, backed by the clues your readers are already giving you.
Let’s sum it up!
Email reports may look like dry stats at first glance, but they’re actually a window into your readers’ behavior and preferences. Treat them as a conversation, not just a scoreboard. The more you pay attention, the more you’ll be able to serve your audience with content they want to read, making a deeper connection.
So the next time you send an email, don’t stop at “send.” Open that report, study the clues, and let your readers quietly tell you exactly how to keep the conversation going.
TWEETABLEWriters: How to Read Email Reports to Improve Your Newsletters and Book Sales from @KateOliviaHuff on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Kate Huff is a storyteller at heart and loves finding Gospel elements in all stories, especially fairytales. She believes fairytales that explain the Gospel in clear and captivating ways have the power to change the world, one person at a time. Her first manuscript is currently with an agent, and she’s working on her second fiction novel along with a few non-fiction projects.
Kate works as a freelance content writer and newsletter specialist. She has over twenty years of experience crafting content, specifically newsletters, across diverse sectors, including non-profits, sales, and fundraising. She helps authors and entrepreneurs create compelling newsletters that connect with their audiences and offers tailored content creation services, as well as training on how to build newsletters and grow subscriber bases.
You can find her at WWW.KATEOLIVIAHUFF.COM or on most socials as @kateoliviahuff. Sign up for Newsletters Made Simple for Authors at HTTPS://REBRAND.LY/NEWSLETTERS-MADE-SIMPLEfor simple tips to take your newsletter from good to great!
Writers: How to Read Email Reports to Improve Your Newsletters and Book Salesby Kate Huff @KateOliviaHuff
When you hit “send” on your newsletter, it’s tempting to check the “send newsletter” box and move on to the next thing on your list. But don’t forget about the little report your email platform generates after your email is sent.
That’s golden information, you shouldn’t ignore it! (Or forget about it.)
Your email reports are like a quiet conversation with your readers. They may not always reply directly, but their clicks, opens, and even their unsubscribes are speaking louder than you think. If you learn how to listen, those numbers become the key to writing better emails, building stronger relationships, and even growing your book sales.
Let’s break down the information on your reports, so you know what to look for when you read those handy pieces of information next time!
Open Rates: Did Your Subject Line Work?
Your subject line is the front door to your newsletter. Open rates show you whether or not readers decided to walk through it.A higher open rate usually means your subject line did its job—it was clear, intriguing, or personal enough to grab attention.A lower open rate can be a signal that your subject line didn’t connect, or maybe your send time wasn’t right.
Pro tip: Experiment with tone. Try a playful subject line one week and a straightforward one the next. Watch which one sparks more opens and go with that tone the next time you send an email.
Research is showing that if you include your name in the subject line, it will increase open rates. (This is current as of the day this article was posted, and these things change often, so make sure you double-check this information!)
Click Rates: Did Your Content Trigger Action?
Once readers are inside, the next question is: did they do anything? Click rates measure whether your content inspired action.High click rates mean your content resonated and was easy to engage with.Low click rates may mean your links weren’t visible enough, or your content didn’t feel relevant.
Pro tip: There is a balance between too many clickable links and not enough links. If there are too many, you may get dinged as spam. If there are not enough, you won’t learn anything from your readers. I tend to lean towards the “more is better” side and have never been dinged as spam. (Email me if you want to run your email through a spam checker. I’ll send you the link!)
Unsubscribes: A Hidden Gift
Unsubscribes can sting (especially if it’s someone you know personally), but in general, they’re not bad. In fact, they help keep your list healthy.Sometimes people unsubscribe because they’ve outgrown your content, and that’s okay.Other times, it can be a nudge to rethink your content strategy if you see an unusual spike after a specific email.Most likely, it has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the number of emails people receive in a day.
Pro tip: Take a moment to reframe unsubscribes as list-cleaning or removing dead weight. A smaller, engaged list is far more valuable than a large, silent one. (If you’re having to pay for the number of subscribers, you really don’t mind when they drop off!)
Replies: The Golden Ticket
If someone takes the time to hit “reply,” that’s gold. It means your email felt personal enough for them to talk back. These replies can tell you more than any metric ever could.Notice what sparked that conversation—a story, a question, or a specific resource?Use that insight to craft more emails that feel like a two-way street instead of a broadcast.
Pro tip: Make sure you’re asking questions in your email that ask for engagement. (The fancy marketing word is “Call to Action.”) If you don’t ask your readers to respond, they probably won’t unless you’re sending them life-changing information. And let’s be real. That’s usually not happening in an author’s newsletter!
Spotting the Patterns
The real treasure in email reports isn’t in one single number. It’s in the patterns over time.Which topics consistently perform well?Do readers prefer your funny subject lines or your straightforward ones?What kinds of links get the most clicks—resources, stories, or offers?
When you start leaning into what works, you’ll notice your engagement steadily increases. And the best part? It won’t be by accident. It’ll be on purpose, backed by the clues your readers are already giving you.
Let’s sum it up!
Email reports may look like dry stats at first glance, but they’re actually a window into your readers’ behavior and preferences. Treat them as a conversation, not just a scoreboard. The more you pay attention, the more you’ll be able to serve your audience with content they want to read, making a deeper connection.
So the next time you send an email, don’t stop at “send.” Open that report, study the clues, and let your readers quietly tell you exactly how to keep the conversation going.
TWEETABLEWriters: How to Read Email Reports to Improve Your Newsletters and Book Sales from @KateOliviaHuff on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Kate Huff is a storyteller at heart and loves finding Gospel elements in all stories, especially fairytales. She believes fairytales that explain the Gospel in clear and captivating ways have the power to change the world, one person at a time. Her first manuscript is currently with an agent, and she’s working on her second fiction novel along with a few non-fiction projects. Kate works as a freelance content writer and newsletter specialist. She has over twenty years of experience crafting content, specifically newsletters, across diverse sectors, including non-profits, sales, and fundraising. She helps authors and entrepreneurs create compelling newsletters that connect with their audiences and offers tailored content creation services, as well as training on how to build newsletters and grow subscriber bases.
You can find her at WWW.KATEOLIVIAHUFF.COM or on most socials as @kateoliviahuff. Sign up for Newsletters Made Simple for Authors at HTTPS://REBRAND.LY/NEWSLETTERS-MADE-SIMPLEfor simple tips to take your newsletter from good to great!
September 13, 2025
The Importance of Following Guidelines in Writing and Faith
From Edie: Writers often fail when they ignore submission rules. Explore how following guidelines in writing and faith leads to purpose, clarity, and impact.
The Importance of Following Guidelines in Writing and Faithby Martin Wiles @LinesFromGod
One by one, I filtered through the email submissions and then, sadly, returned three-fourths of them. Of late, this hasn’t been a not-so-unusual occurrence. Why? The writers did not follow the guidelines.
For more than a decade, I have served as Managing Editor for a non-profit organization’s website. My duties include receiving submissions, ensuring they follow our guidelines, editing them as needed, corresponding with writers, and scheduling the devotions on the website. However, the issue of guidelines increasingly keeps many of them from seeing the light of day on the website.
Our website makes the guidelines clear: give an opening verse (one verse), write an opening paragraph that hooks the reader, write a second paragraph that explains the Bible verse, compose a final section that shows the reader how to apply the verse, and keep the entire piece under four hundred words. Easy enough ... seemingly. We even give a sample for writers to peruse. We strive to communicate effectively because we want to serve as a platform that helps budding writers do what God has called them to do and to help them build their writing resume.
More often than not, many writers fail to follow two of the guidelines. Either the word count exceeds our limit, or the Hook is absent. Some will make the necessary edits and return their submission. Others don’t want to make the effort and give up.
One writer submitted a devotion with several verses. When I returned it and explained that she needed to choose only one verse, she responded, “God gave me two verses, and I refuse to compromise.” There are times when we writers need to “die on a hill,” but this probably wasn’t it.
But we writers aren’t the only ones who can ignore guidelines. I have seen students do it numerous times. As a middle school Language Arts teacher, I have given more low grades than I care to remember on research papers because students failed to follow the guidelines. They completely disregarded the MLA format and created their own. They forgot the in-text citations. Some even forget to include the Works Cited page. Having good information in the body of the paper doesn’t compensate for failing to follow directions.
Yet, the most critical place for us to follow the guidelines resides in our spiritual lives. This is where King Solomon missed the boat. “Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. (1 Kings 3:3 NLT).
For one, he married multiple women, not to mention that he had a few hundred on the side whom he wasn’t married to. Additionally, he married women from foreign lands who worshipped pagan gods. Many of these marriages entailed political alliances. Ultimately, they turned his heart to their gods, leading him to disobey the one true God and face the consequences.
God loves us and wants us to enter a relationship with him, but he does have guidelines. When we don’t follow them, he must return us to our way of disobedience. But when we follow them through faith in Jesus Christ and what he has done on the cross, God welcomes us into his family, forgives our sins, gives us a rich life presently, and promises us an eternity with him.
Following the guidelines is essential for success in the writing profession, but more importantly, in our spiritual journey—and in many other areas of life. As writers, we have the privilege of influencing thousands through our writing if we follow the guidelines of the places for which we write. If the publication’s guidelines cause us to compromise our beliefs, we shouldn’t submit our work. And if we are not willing to adjust our writing to fit the publication’s guidelines, submitting will also waste our time and the editor’s time. They are unlikely to change their guidelines to suit our opinions or convictions. Make sure you have followed the guidelines so God can use your writing for his Kingdom work.
TWEETABLEThe Importance of Following Guidelines in Writing and Faith from Martin Wiles (@LinesFromGod) on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Martin Wiles lives in Greenwood, SC, and is the founder of Love Lines from God. He is a freelance editor, English teacher, pastor, and author. He serves as Managing Editor for both Christian Devotions and Vinewords.net and is an instructor for the Christian PEN (professional editor’s network). Wiles is a multi-published author. His most recent book, Hurt, Hope and Healing: 52 Devotions That Will Lead to Spiritual Health, is available on Amazon. He and his wife are parents of two and grandparents of seven. He can be contacted at mandmwiles@gmail.com.
The Importance of Following Guidelines in Writing and Faithby Martin Wiles @LinesFromGod
One by one, I filtered through the email submissions and then, sadly, returned three-fourths of them. Of late, this hasn’t been a not-so-unusual occurrence. Why? The writers did not follow the guidelines.
For more than a decade, I have served as Managing Editor for a non-profit organization’s website. My duties include receiving submissions, ensuring they follow our guidelines, editing them as needed, corresponding with writers, and scheduling the devotions on the website. However, the issue of guidelines increasingly keeps many of them from seeing the light of day on the website.
Our website makes the guidelines clear: give an opening verse (one verse), write an opening paragraph that hooks the reader, write a second paragraph that explains the Bible verse, compose a final section that shows the reader how to apply the verse, and keep the entire piece under four hundred words. Easy enough ... seemingly. We even give a sample for writers to peruse. We strive to communicate effectively because we want to serve as a platform that helps budding writers do what God has called them to do and to help them build their writing resume.
More often than not, many writers fail to follow two of the guidelines. Either the word count exceeds our limit, or the Hook is absent. Some will make the necessary edits and return their submission. Others don’t want to make the effort and give up.
One writer submitted a devotion with several verses. When I returned it and explained that she needed to choose only one verse, she responded, “God gave me two verses, and I refuse to compromise.” There are times when we writers need to “die on a hill,” but this probably wasn’t it.
But we writers aren’t the only ones who can ignore guidelines. I have seen students do it numerous times. As a middle school Language Arts teacher, I have given more low grades than I care to remember on research papers because students failed to follow the guidelines. They completely disregarded the MLA format and created their own. They forgot the in-text citations. Some even forget to include the Works Cited page. Having good information in the body of the paper doesn’t compensate for failing to follow directions.
Yet, the most critical place for us to follow the guidelines resides in our spiritual lives. This is where King Solomon missed the boat. “Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. (1 Kings 3:3 NLT).
For one, he married multiple women, not to mention that he had a few hundred on the side whom he wasn’t married to. Additionally, he married women from foreign lands who worshipped pagan gods. Many of these marriages entailed political alliances. Ultimately, they turned his heart to their gods, leading him to disobey the one true God and face the consequences.
God loves us and wants us to enter a relationship with him, but he does have guidelines. When we don’t follow them, he must return us to our way of disobedience. But when we follow them through faith in Jesus Christ and what he has done on the cross, God welcomes us into his family, forgives our sins, gives us a rich life presently, and promises us an eternity with him.
Following the guidelines is essential for success in the writing profession, but more importantly, in our spiritual journey—and in many other areas of life. As writers, we have the privilege of influencing thousands through our writing if we follow the guidelines of the places for which we write. If the publication’s guidelines cause us to compromise our beliefs, we shouldn’t submit our work. And if we are not willing to adjust our writing to fit the publication’s guidelines, submitting will also waste our time and the editor’s time. They are unlikely to change their guidelines to suit our opinions or convictions. Make sure you have followed the guidelines so God can use your writing for his Kingdom work.
TWEETABLEThe Importance of Following Guidelines in Writing and Faith from Martin Wiles (@LinesFromGod) on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Martin Wiles lives in Greenwood, SC, and is the founder of Love Lines from God. He is a freelance editor, English teacher, pastor, and author. He serves as Managing Editor for both Christian Devotions and Vinewords.net and is an instructor for the Christian PEN (professional editor’s network). Wiles is a multi-published author. His most recent book, Hurt, Hope and Healing: 52 Devotions That Will Lead to Spiritual Health, is available on Amazon. He and his wife are parents of two and grandparents of seven. He can be contacted at mandmwiles@gmail.com.
September 12, 2025
Learning to Read with Joy: How to Inspire a Child’s Love of Books
From Edie: Discover fun ways to teach kids to read while sparking a lifelong love of books, stories, and learning through joy-filled reading experiences.
Learning to Read with Joy: How to Inspire a Child’s Love of Booksby Beth K. Vogt @BethVogt
I added an unexpected activity to my life this month.
I’m teaching my 5-year-old granddaughter, Myka, who just started kindergarten, how to read.
ASIDE: This is not where I go on and on about what children are expected to know by the time they start kindergarten. Nope. Staying focused.
Back to Myka. And reading. And what I’m calling “GiGi and Myka’s Reading Fun Time.”
Yes, I want Myka to learn how to read. But while she’s learning letters and sounds and rhyming words and all the right skills so one day she can open a book and read it all by herself, I want her to have fun.
I want Myka to fall in love with reading. With books. With stories. If she loves reading when she’s 5 years old, then a whole wide world of adventure awaits her for years to come.
I loved the “Dick and Jane” readers when I was in school—and yes, I’m dating myself, but we all have different starting dates, right? Those simple books launched me into a lifelong love of reading, which led to my becoming an author.
It was also fun teaching my own four kiddos to read. First words, and then a book. A real book, all on their own. It was almost a magical moment for them to turn the pages and realize they didn’t need Mom or Dad to read to them.
That didn’t mean my husband and I stopped reading aloud to our kiddos. Nope, we read all sorts of books out loud to our kiddos as they grew up, including the Little House on the Prairie Series and the Chronicles of Narnia Series, both more than once.
As authors, we want readers to fall in love with our stories, don’t we?
With Myka, I’m reminded falling in love with books begins with learning to read.
It’s a special privilege to help my youngest granddaughter realize that cat rhymes with bat and hat and pat. To go over her sight words. To help her with letter sounds because, oh yes! We’re doing phonics too.
Learning to read? Like I said at the beginning, it’s going to be fun, thanks to a computer app with silly songs and animated animals—hey, it’s 2025, right?—and stickers and sharing popsicles when we’re done until the next time.
Tell me, my friends, how did you learn to read? Any challenges you had to overcome? Any favorite children’s books I should put on my “must read” list for Myka?
TWEETABLELearning to Read with Joy: How to Inspire a Child’s Love of Books from @BethVogt on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” She’s authored 15 novels and novellas, both contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Beth is a Christy Award winner, an ACFW Carol Award winner, and a RITA® finalist. Her newest contemporary romance novel, Dedicated to the One I Love, released June 20, 2023. Her novel Things I Never Told You, book one in her Thatcher Sisters Series by Tyndale House Publishers, won the 2019 AWSA Golden Scroll Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Learn How to Write a Novel and The Write Conversation and also enjoys speaking to writers group and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to discussing the lives of imaginary people. Connect with Beth at BETHVOGT.COM.
Learning to Read with Joy: How to Inspire a Child’s Love of Booksby Beth K. Vogt @BethVogt
I added an unexpected activity to my life this month.
I’m teaching my 5-year-old granddaughter, Myka, who just started kindergarten, how to read.
ASIDE: This is not where I go on and on about what children are expected to know by the time they start kindergarten. Nope. Staying focused.
Back to Myka. And reading. And what I’m calling “GiGi and Myka’s Reading Fun Time.”
Yes, I want Myka to learn how to read. But while she’s learning letters and sounds and rhyming words and all the right skills so one day she can open a book and read it all by herself, I want her to have fun.
I want Myka to fall in love with reading. With books. With stories. If she loves reading when she’s 5 years old, then a whole wide world of adventure awaits her for years to come.
I loved the “Dick and Jane” readers when I was in school—and yes, I’m dating myself, but we all have different starting dates, right? Those simple books launched me into a lifelong love of reading, which led to my becoming an author.
It was also fun teaching my own four kiddos to read. First words, and then a book. A real book, all on their own. It was almost a magical moment for them to turn the pages and realize they didn’t need Mom or Dad to read to them.
That didn’t mean my husband and I stopped reading aloud to our kiddos. Nope, we read all sorts of books out loud to our kiddos as they grew up, including the Little House on the Prairie Series and the Chronicles of Narnia Series, both more than once.
As authors, we want readers to fall in love with our stories, don’t we?
With Myka, I’m reminded falling in love with books begins with learning to read.
It’s a special privilege to help my youngest granddaughter realize that cat rhymes with bat and hat and pat. To go over her sight words. To help her with letter sounds because, oh yes! We’re doing phonics too.
Learning to read? Like I said at the beginning, it’s going to be fun, thanks to a computer app with silly songs and animated animals—hey, it’s 2025, right?—and stickers and sharing popsicles when we’re done until the next time.
Tell me, my friends, how did you learn to read? Any challenges you had to overcome? Any favorite children’s books I should put on my “must read” list for Myka?
TWEETABLELearning to Read with Joy: How to Inspire a Child’s Love of Books from @BethVogt on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” She’s authored 15 novels and novellas, both contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Beth is a Christy Award winner, an ACFW Carol Award winner, and a RITA® finalist. Her newest contemporary romance novel, Dedicated to the One I Love, released June 20, 2023. Her novel Things I Never Told You, book one in her Thatcher Sisters Series by Tyndale House Publishers, won the 2019 AWSA Golden Scroll Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Learn How to Write a Novel and The Write Conversation and also enjoys speaking to writers group and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to discussing the lives of imaginary people. Connect with Beth at BETHVOGT.COM.
