{"id":1097,"date":"2026-01-26T14:15:52","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T14:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/?p=1097"},"modified":"2026-01-26T14:15:54","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T14:15:54","slug":"how-faith-driven-writing-becomes-a-published-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/how-faith-driven-writing-becomes-a-published-book\/","title":{"rendered":"How Faith-Driven Writing Becomes a Published Book"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, you\u2019re listening to a sermon and a thought strikes lightning. You scribble it in a corner somewhere and maybe put it in your journal later on. Is it messy? Yes, but it\u2019s personal, and it\u2019s like fuel for your own faith. That\u2019s the good stuff, isn\u2019t it?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you ever thought it might not be only for you?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s a compelling question. And terrifying, as well.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you even think about turning your most private thoughts into a book, it\u2019s normal to feel some anxiety. Your scribbles make total sense to you, but you can\u2019t present them like that to other people, so this isn\u2019t something to take lightly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Besides, how do you even know if it\u2019s time to pull the plug and turn your private reflections into public content? And what will happen if you go through with it? There\u2019s a lot of content about publishing and the logistics of it, so that\u2019s not what I\u2019ll focus on today.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, let\u2019s dig into something much more fascinating \u2013 the why and the weight of that decision.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/how-faith-driven-writing-becomes-a-published-book\/#When_Writing_Is_No_Longer_Just_for_You\" >When Writing Is No Longer Just for You<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/how-faith-driven-writing-becomes-a-published-book\/#Questions_That_Shape_the_Book_Before_It_Even_Exists\" >Questions That Shape the Book Before It Even Exists<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/how-faith-driven-writing-becomes-a-published-book\/#Why_Are_You_Writing_This\" >Why Are You Writing This?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/how-faith-driven-writing-becomes-a-published-book\/#Who_Is_This_Really_For\" >Who Is This Really For?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/how-faith-driven-writing-becomes-a-published-book\/#Do_the_Ideas_Hold_Together\" >Do the Ideas Hold Together?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/how-faith-driven-writing-becomes-a-published-book\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Writing_Is_No_Longer_Just_for_You\"><\/span>When Writing Is No Longer Just for You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/every-essay-starts-with-a-blank-page-heres-how-to-beat-it\/\">When it comes to faith-driven writing<\/a>, you need to understand one thing: you\u2019re not writing for anyone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not really.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019re writing to God or to yourself. Or perhaps to the nagging question that refuses to leave you alone. It\u2019s more of a conversation than a presentation. It pours out in a journal or in a prayer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you\u2019re writing, something changes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You start to see that there\u2019s a bigger idea behind it all, one that might resonate with others and beyond just your own story. This is the moment when writing goes from release to responsibility. You\u2019re no longer thinking out loud but building an argument. You have a message to convey.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll probably feel the weight of it because how could you not? If you\u2019re just writing random thoughts in a notebook, it can all be messy and incomplete. But a book? That\u2019s permanent, which is a heavy thought in theological writing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Basically, what you\u2019re offering is a perspective on things that are SO deep and SO important for people\u2019s lives and faith.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Which brings me to the hardest part, and that\u2019s losing control of your context.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s say you shared part of your work with a friend. They know your story and your journey. They can pinpoint exactly which situation was the reason for that intense prayer. But a stranger doesn\u2019t know you from Adam, so they might take a point you made and stretch it way further than you ever intended. Or maybe they\u2019ll miss it entirely.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You have to be aware of that while you\u2019re writing, meaning you have to be extra clear.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The purpose of publishing isn\u2019t to put your name out there or to officially become an author. You have to take responsibility for the idea and ask yourself if this is just for you or if it is strong enough that it could help someone else.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you even look into <a href=\"https:\/\/reedsy.com\/blog\/how-to-publish-a-book\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">how to publish a book<\/a>, you have to be clear on whether what you\u2019re writing needs to be shared or not.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Questions_That_Shape_the_Book_Before_It_Even_Exists\"><\/span>Questions That Shape the Book Before It Even Exists<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what you want to ask yourself before you offer your writing to other people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Are_You_Writing_This\"><\/span><strong>Why Are You Writing This?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s one thing to write in order to process your own faith.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s just for you. But if you\u2019re writing because you want to communicate your faith to others? Now, that\u2019s the mindset of an author. Your purpose is the filter here, so think long and hard on it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If what you\u2019re doing is mostly working through your own doubts, that doesn\u2019t have to leave your journal. Ever.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In order to write a book, you need a clearer intention.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_Is_This_Really_For\"><\/span><strong>Who Is This Really For?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For anyone interested? If that\u2019s what you think, then you should know it\u2019s too vague. If you want to be a good writer, you need to picture a real person.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Are you writing this for a skeptical friend or a tired leader? A curious newcomer, perhaps?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until you choose, your writing won\u2019t resonate with anyone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_the_Ideas_Hold_Together\"><\/span><strong>Do the Ideas Hold Together?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A book has to have ideas that connect and build into something coherent. That\u2019s hard work because some thoughts are great if they\u2019re brief sentences, but fall apart when you start to expand them.<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC11378385\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Revision is a big part of writing a book, so if you\u2019re planning on doing this, you should know there will be a lot of back-and-forth.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, should you do it?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re still at \u201cI\u2019m just writing for me and God right now,\u201d that\u2019s a perfect answer. If you think you should give it a go, that works, too. If you keep your thoughts on the DL for now or forever, the only thing that matters is that you\u2019re the one getting something out of your writing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe someday, you\u2019ll get the urge to share it and, when you do, you\u2019ll be at the start of one of the most exciting journeys you can embark upon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes, you\u2019re listening to a sermon and a thought strikes lightning. You scribble it in a corner somewhere and maybe&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1098,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1097"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1099,"href":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1097\/revisions\/1099"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/derekdemars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}