#442 Expert Edition - Writing a Faith-Based Memoir

Welcome to Kingdom Writers, where we help equip and empower Christian writers of all genres to share your unique gifts with the world. We're your hosts, C.J. and Shelley Hitz.

This podcast is filled with spiritual encouragement as well as prayers to help you overcome the resistance you face as a writer. Your story matters.

Welcome back, friends, to the Kingdom Writers Podcast. My name is Shelly Hitz, one of your hosts, and I'm excited to introduce to you some of my colleagues that are experts in writing, publishing and marketing in these expert edition podcasts. And I think you're going to really enjoy these episodes. So I'm going to let them introduce themselves and share this training with you. And I hope you get a ton of value out out of it. So let's dive in.

Hello everyone. I'd like to say thank you to CJ and Shelley Hitz for having me here today. I'm really excited about doing my very first podcast, so thank you for joining me. My name is Marcia Laycock and I've been writing for as long as I can remember. My mother used to say she thought I must have been born with a pencil in my hand because I was always scribbling something or other. I started off writing short poems and stories for my dolls. They didn't complain, so I kept it up. My writing career has been rather diverse. My first book, Spur of the Moment, was a devotional book, which is now in its third edition. I published a few other slim volumes of devotionals through Amazon. Then I won the Best New Canadian Christian Author award for my first novel, One Smooth Stone. I followed that with the Tumbled Stone, the sequel, which was also shortlisted for a Word Award through Write through the Word Guild, based in Ontario. I have since written a fantasy series for middle grade readers and a picture book for young children.

My writer's Memoir is my 16th book and that's what I'd like to talk to you about today. Some time ago, I was interviewed by Marg Gibb of Women Together on her podcast Fresh Words. Marg asked me to talk about how God showed up in my writing life. As I began to answer the questions she sent me, I was overcome with gratitude and deeply humbled. God has indeed showed up in so many ways over the 30 plus years I've been writing and publishing. When my current publisher, Colleen McCubbin of Serotona Creative Publishing, listened to the interview, her response was, you have to write a memoir. Many people are intimidated by the idea of writing a memoir, and I was one of them. I think people are especially concerned about writing about their faith journey. I certainly was in the beginning. Who am I, I thought, to do such a thing. I'm no saint, no one who has done anything out of the ordinary for God. But when I went back and reviewed my responses to Marg's interview questions, I saw that it would be a wonderful way to give glory to God, to show that God has a plan not only for our lives but for the work he calls us to do. I realized, too, that my writing life would make a perfect frame of reference for a memoir, but I knew I would have to expand on it to make it into a full book. That seemed daunting. My mind suddenly went blank when I tried to think of doing it, and I almost gave up on the idea. But then I felt God's nudge. So I began. Today I'd like to talk a bit about that process in the hope that by telling you how it came all together for me, I might encourage you to take the step of writing your own memoir. All to God's Glory.

A common question people often ask about writing, and especially about writing memoirs, is how do I begin? Where do I begin? First and foremost, I would tell you to pray. For Christian writers, that's a bit of a no brainer, right? But sometimes we charge ahead and forget to ask God to guide the process. We or we sit at our desks staring at the blank monitor after prayer. It helps to jot down a few ideas. As God leads you, decide what the core message of your memoir will be. For ponderings, I chose to use the tagline God has a plan for your life and for your work. He will lead you on a path that might not always be easy, but one that will always result in the revelation of his love and deep care for you. The next step is to pick something that will hold your story together. Alison Waring calls this the Container, and she warns that trying to put everything about your life into a memoir is a recipe for frustration and failure. She's also said narrowing the focus of a story is also what allows us to plummet's depth. It's an essential aspect of memoir writing. Cheryl Strayed's book Wild, for instance, is about trying to get her life back on track after several upheavals. The Container is her solo journey of more than a thousand miles of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Tim Tebow's book Through My Eyes is not about his entire life, but is held together by his time as a football player. For her book the hiding place, Corrie 10 boom chose that segment of time during the Nazi occupation of Holland when her family hid Jewish people in their home. The container for my memoir, Ponderings is the path God laid out for my writing life.

I included only those events in my life that gave context to that journey.

I had to decide what bits of my life and my testimony were needed and what could and perhaps should be left out. This can be a tricky business, but it's necessary. Again, beginning at birth and making your way to present day will not only be overwhelming to you, but will likely dilute the core message you are wanting to convey to your audience. And that brings me to point number three. Consider your audience. Consider it carefully. Know who specifically you are writing this book for and how it will help them as they make their journey in faith. I decided at the beginning that I was not writing this memoir for all Christian women, but for young Christian women who want to write for the building of God's kingdom on this earth. Perhaps those who are just beginning. I found that as I poured out the story into my computer, keeping that one person in mind made me feel like I was telling my story to a friend across my kitchen table. That helped to keep the tone I wanted. Then, once the editing process began, I decided to delete some portions that would not be relevant to that one person.

When I began writing Ponderings, I did a kind of mind map. I drew a circle on a page and wrote my main purpose in it. God had a plan for my life and my work. Then I drew one, spoke out from that circle, and thought of an incident in my writing life that proved that premise. I wrote that chapter. Then I found I came to a full stop and thought, oh, what's next? More prayer. And I went back to the mind map and drew another spoke for the next incident. It was interesting that these incidents all came to me one after the other. After I prayed and asked God to show me what I should add, as he had led me through my writing career, he led me now to recall and record each incident. Not all of these bits came to me in a chronological order. And that leads me to point number five. Don't worry about the format in the beginning, just get the stories down. The editing process then will help you to decide what the format will be. Perhaps chronological or a character arc. Or both. Ponderings has ended up being both. As I moved the bits and even whole chapters around to fit a chronological frame, I realized the character arc, my growth as a writer of faith evolved. Then I came to point 6. Working on the transitions detailing the testimony segments and what God did through various circumstances both in my writing life and in my day to day life as a pastor's wife and mother. Even if you have chosen to write an episodic memoir in which each chapter is in a sense a standalone piece, there should be some kind of transition to help your reader move logically from one segment to the next. By the way, I recommend that you find Susie Florey's podcast about the different kinds of memoir. It's excellent. And now we come to number seven. We're leaping ahead a bit now you've written the manuscript and now it's time to find a few trusted friends to read the book. They are often called beta readers. You aren't asking them to edit the manuscript, but just give feedback on the whole of it. It's a good idea to ask them to answer a few questions. Questions like does the manuscript flow well? Does it make sense? Are there any places that jar you? Are there any holes in the progression of the story? Are there any bits you don't understand? And finally, what is your overall impression of the manuscript? Then we come to number eight Find a good substantive editor. The substantive editor will look at the complete manuscript for clarity and cohesion. They will look for unresolved threads and points that need a bit more explanation. They may suggest moving paragraphs or even whole chapters around, follow the editor's suggestions and reorganize the content. Keep in mind though, that you don't have to agree with every suggestion. This is your work and ultimately the choice is yours. But it is wise to consider the advice of an impartial party very carefully. And now we come to step 10. Once the manuscript script has been revised, you might decide to give it back to your friends, asking them if the changes made do make the manuscript clear, then it's time to find a good copy editor and proofreader who will check the entire manuscript for typos and spelling and those nasty grammar mistakes. Some writers think they can skip this step, especially if the beta readers have caught some of those mistakes, but it's not wise to do so. A professional editor will catch things that others miss. There is nothing more frustrating than holding your brand new book in your hands and having someone tell you there are typos or grammatical errors in the text.

And finally we come to number 11 publish your book. There are many options for publishing these days and many, many things to consider when you reach this point. Generally speaking, there are two types of traditional or royalty publishers who do not require you to pay anything up front for the book to be published, and independent publishing done by smaller companies, usually whom you will pay to produce your book for you. There are pros and cons to both. I have published by I have been published by a royalty publisher and I have published myself on Kindle on Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing. I have worked with independent presses and am currently working with a small boutique publishing company, Serotona Creative Publishing, which is a hybrid of both. Companies like Serotona will offer different packages which within which you can pick and choose which services you want them to do and which you will do yourself. I have found this option works very well for me. My advice is whichever paths you choose, do your research. Sadly, there are publishers who are not concerned at all about the quality of the book produced, but only about the money they demand for you to pay for it from you to pay for it. There are scammers out there. I have been taken in by a shyster who promised the moon but never delivered. Buyer beware. The whole process can be quite frustrating at times, but there are also some wonderful coaches and publishing companies out there who are committed to helping you get your story on paper. People like Shelley and CJ Hitz who offer courses and coaching that are well worth the money and time spent. Writing is not a solitary affair as it seems. They say it takes a village to raise a child. It takes a small army to produce a quality book. Your challenge is to find those with whom you can work well and efficiently, and I would give you a few cautions.

Be prepared to invest in your work. This process can be quite expensive, especially if you are outsourcing things like the editing, cover design and layout.

2. Temper your expectations. I've met many people who think their book will automatically zoom to the top of the best selling lists and money will pour into their bank accounts. The reality is it is very difficult to make a living writing books. Most authors have many streams to feed the ocean. Writing short pieces for magazines for instance, contributing to anthologies, setting up a public speaking schedule, teaching, creating merchandise that is connected to your book, and on and on and on. There are many, many ways to help you market. It takes time and a lot of energy to build your platform and find a community of readers who love your work. With over 500,000 books being published each year on Amazon alone, it is difficult for your book to get noticed. It's estimated that only 10% of those 500,000 books will even break even and even fewer will make any kind of profit. Are you discouraged yet? I can relate, but as writers of faith, there is something more to consider Writing for the building of the Kingdom of God is a calling that has benefits far beyond financial rewards. If God is calling you to write, he will provide the encouragement and energy to fulfill that purpose. And he will give you the joy of serving your audience and discovering that you are making a difference in people's lives. When I first began to write a faith column in a local newspaper, the editor wanted to put my photo in the header. I wasn't too keen on that at first, but then people started stopping me on the street or calling and emailing to tell me that something I wrote had changed the way they thought or even acted. When I began to distribute my writing online, I often heard from readers around the world. This email, for instance, from a young woman in a far away and very dangerous place who wrote, I have to deal with the bombs and fighting every day. Just reading this story Tarnished mirrors made me look outside the box I am in and thank God for every blessing that I have received. Thanks from a little Texas girl in Iraq. I've also received some amazing and rather humbling responses to my first novel, One Smooth Stone. When the first box of those books arrived on my doorstep, I gave a copy to a friend who gave it to her daughter, a young woman who had been raped when she was just a young teenager. Understandably, she was bitter and angry with God. But her mom never stopped praying and often gave her books and music that she hoped would bring her back to the Lord. When that young woman looked at One Smooth Stone, she thought, oh yeah, there goes mom again with the God stuff. She put it on a shelf in her apartment, never intending to read it. But then she got the flu and her TV was broken and she had nothing in her small apartment to read except One Smooth Stone. She started reading it and called her mom at midnight in tears, and she said, I think, Mom, I finally believe that God still loves me in spite of everything that's happened. Responses like that make everything worth it. All the hours spent writing, all the hours spent marketing, all the frustrations along the way. They're all worth it because God has a plan for your words. I've been blessed with the opportunity to speak to women's groups on many occasions, and of course I always take my books with me. I was about to speak to a group one day when the coordinator touched my arm and pointed to a woman at the registration desk. That woman has been coming to this club for years, she said. She even helps out in various positions, but she's not a believer. We keep praying, but so far the coordinator sighed and shrugged as I stepped up to the podium. That morning, I prayed for that woman and was pleased to chat with her for a moment at the book table. Later, I prayed again when she left the room at the end of the event with a copy of my devotional book, spur of the moment in her hand. A few weeks later, the coordinator called me. She was obviously excited when she asked if I remembered the woman she had pointed out to me. When I said yes, she told me the woman had asked her to come over for coffee and told her she had committed her life to Christ. When the coordinator asked her what had finally made her make that decision, she held up my book and said, this book answered my questions. One soul brought into the kingdom by a wonderful Savior through words written down in obedience. That's God's economy, and I am thrilled to be part of it. Perhaps you're wondering if you should write a memoir of faith, a God story that proves that he does indeed have a plan for your life and your work. Perhaps you think it's all been said. Or perhaps you're afraid of what some people might think or say about it. Perhaps you think you're not capable or worthy enough. I would encourage you to remember and trust in the truth in Isaiah 41:13 for I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear. I will help you.

In conclusion, I'd like to read a short excerpt from Ponderings. It's a poem that I wrote many years ago called what if?

What if Abram didn't pull up the tent pegs and set off from Ur? What if Noah didn't pick up the hammer? What if Moses didn't pick up the staff? What if Gideon didn't climb out of that winepress and break down the altar to baal? What if Joshua didn't march around Jericho? What if Ruth didn't go with Naomi? What if David didn't take the provisions to his brothers on the front lines? What if Solomon didn't build the temple? What if Shaphan the secretary didn't read the Book of the Law to Josiah? What if Josiah didn't tear his robes? What if Esther stayed home? What if Daniel didn't pay attention to his dreams? What if Matthew didn't walk away from the tax collector's booth? What if Peter didn't put down his nets?

What if you don't pick up your pen?

I urge you to do so. Pray and ask the Lord to help you find a container for your story. Pray and ask him to build to bring to mind the the memories he wants you to include. Then delight in watching how he will do it and how he will bless those who read it.

As a small thank you for listening today, I'd like to offer you a free download of my devotional book, Spur of the Moment.

You'll be sent a coupon to use so that that Spur of the Moment can be downloaded as an ebook for free. I'd also like to offer you a 20% discount on the devotional course that I run called Writing Devotionals of Distinction. Just email me for more details on that and I'll be happy to assist you. Thank you so much for being with me here today and thanks again to Shelley and CJ for inviting me to their wonderful podcast. May God bless you all abundantly.

If you're ready to take a step of faith and finally finish your book, we have a few ways we can help you. First of all, you can join our Free Writing Week challenge to create a writing habit in just 15 minutes a day. Thousands of writers have taken this over the years and it is incredible the progress that you'll see. So join us@writingweek.com and again, this is completely free. Inside our Book Writing Lab workshop you can choose your book topic, write an outline, and create a writing plan in just 90 minutes so you'll finally feel confident that you'll actually finish your book. Get started@bookwritinglab.com and finally you can get more support and personalized feedback from myself and our team by joining Christian Book Academy because the honest truth is most writers stay stuck and never finish their first draft. But inside Christian Book Academy we help you partner with God to write your book so you can become a published author. So finally ditch your self doubt and take a step of faith so you can finish your book. Join Christian book academy@christianbookacademy.com and get 50% off your first month by using the Coupon Code Podcast at checkout. There's a special coupon code for our podcast listeners. We love you. So come on over to ChristianBookAcademy.com use the coupon code podcast and we look forward to working closely with you. Would you like more? If you are enjoying this podcast but want more, I have something exciting to share with you. We have released what's called a private podcast. So a private podcast you will not find by searching in Apple. You have to know specifically how to subscribe to it. It's more and exclusive and it just can be more relaxed behind the scenes. And my new private Podcast is called Hits Blitz and it's wisdom for writers that you're gonna learn from my 18 plus years of experience in publishing and online marketing so that you can move forward in God's call to write. I am best known for injecting energy and enthusiasm into everything I do and inspiring those around me to take action. So I encourage you to listen in to this exclusive private podcast. It is free, 100% free. You don't have to pay for it. And be prepared to be inspired by my next Hits Blitz. So you can sign up@trainingauthors.com hitsblit and if you have any other writing friends that you think could benefit from it, definitely share it with them. They can go to the same link trainingauthors.com hit hits blitz to get access. Again, this is a private podcast so you cannot get access to it any other way. It's completely free. All you have to do is sign up and then you'll get all the information on how to add it to your podcast player of choice. So I can't wait for you to join me over there. I share a lot of things behind the scenes and more content just in a real time basis. So it's more like chatting with a friend or following someone on stories on social media. Except you don't have to get caught up in any of the algorithms. You'll just have this in your podcast player and be able to listen in wherever you're at, whatever you're doing. Some of the listeners told me this week that they were listening while waiting in the Target parking lot, while brushing their teeth. You can fit this into the pockets of time that you have, so I hope you'll join me. Come over to trainingauthors.com hitsbullitz.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Kingdom Writers. We believe that you, as a Christian writer, have a specific role to play in the Kingdom of Heaven to impact lives for eternity.

And because of this, we choose to pour out our lives into encouraging writers like you to not only tell your stories, but to take the courageous step of self publishing your stories in books that will outlive you you and leave behind a powerful legacy. This podcast is sponsored by Christian Book Academy, where we help you give birth to your books. We invite you to join our community of Kingdom writers.