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The journeys we’ve walked make us who we are. They dictate our passions and perceptions. They help us relate to others who have also felt life’s joys and pains so deeply.

Be vulnerable in the words you write. Let your honest struggles -- both past and present -- infuse your writing and offer your readers a safe place to wrestle with their own. Be the friend who comes alongside them to say, “Me too. But we can move on from here.”

“A friend of mine once told me ‘you have to bleed before they will.’ What he meant is I had to be vulnerable and show where I found healing if I expected readers to do the same. And in doing so, feel like you are sharing with one person, not an audience.” - Jefferson

Bethke, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus>Religion

“I learned early on, one mustn’t have a stellar vocabulary to write. However, there is one thing we absolutely need: Honesty. I’ve al-ways aimed to be forthright without incriminating others. We cannot share their journey, only our own. This truth-telling is a grace. It offers

us the opportunity to dig deeper into the story behind the story. Often you get 500 words into a topic before you realize the real gem was hidden beneath the rubble.” - Rebekah Lyons, Author of Freefall to Fly, Cofounder of Q Ideas

“The key that will open up the door to a reader’s heart most wonder-fully and authentically is not making a point from our strength, but telling a story from our struggle. And in the end, they will trust our advice because they know we’ve been where they are and we’ve

felt what they feel.” - Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author, President of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“Write from your own well. If you want to bring relief to weary souls, you need to write from what God has done in and through you.” - Sarah Mae, Author of Desperate and Longing for Paris

“Don’t be afraid to write your first thoughts; it is what will help you find your best words.” - Patsy Clairmont, Author of You Are More Than You Know, Women of Faith founding speaker

“Writing will expose insecurities in ways you have never imagined. With this in mind, you must know that writing is a calling and not just something you think might be fun.” - Perry Noble, Author of Over-whelmed and Unleash!, Senior Pastor of NewSpring Church

Reflect & Respond What events from your life story have shaped your heart and perspective the most? What vulnerable places are you currently dealing with?_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How can you write from these raw places and let your honesty invite a reader’s vulnerability in return?_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why is it sometimes easier to write “buttoned up” and safe words, rather than allowing our struggles and imperfections to be woven through our writing?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Being raw and real is beautiful and authentic. But we must make sure that we are inspiring our readers toward healing not infecting them with toxins not yet addressed in our own lives. Who can I get to read my writing and help me see this delicate balance? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Writing isn’t always easy or fun. Sometimes the words don’t flow. Sometimes they feel clunky or obligatory. This is normal! Remember: writing is a discipline. Be committed to the craft, and spend time writing daily.

“Be ruthlessly persistent to make yourself write. Write every day. Write when you don’t feel like it. Write when you do. Write when you can’t find the words and write when they flow effortlessly.” - Jenni Catron, Author of Clout, Executive Pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church

“Writing is a discipline. You have to commit to it daily. It’s like exer-cise, there are some days you don’t want to do it, and then other days you are excited about it -- but if you will write a page per day you will complete a pretty nice size book in less than a year.” - Perry Noble, Author of Overwhelmed and Unleash!, Senior Pastor of

NewSpring Church

“Exercise the muscle of habit. Write something of meaning every single day. Cranking out a lot of words isn’t as important as being faithful to write something of worth daily, if even only to yourself or perhaps an encouraging few sentences to a loved one or friend. As we train our brains to purpose each day to create meaningful con-

tent, our muscle of habit strengthens. Good writing is a habit to cultivate con-sistently in the daily small doses of ordinary that will one day lead to something great.” - Karen Ehman, New York Times bestselling author of Keep It Shut

“My best advice is to start a blog and commit to writing on a con-sistent basis -- at least once a week, preferably more. This will pro-vide you with the opportunity to find your voice, gain confidence, and build an audience. You will need all three if you are going to succeed as a writer.” - Michael Hyatt, New York Times bestselling author

of Platform, Former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers

“Write. Write on a blog, write a book, write in your journal. Writing is like a well -- the more you pull out of it, the more there is to pull from.” - Annie Downs, Author of Let’s All Be Brave, Speaker, Blogger

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“Re-write, re-write, re-write. And, when you think the book is ready, re-write it again.” - Max Lucado, New York Times bestselling author of Glory Days and 30+ other books, Pastor at Oak Hills Church “No time working on your writing is ever wasted. There is beauty in every word you write.” - Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times best-selling author, President of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Reflect & Respond How can you carve out time to write daily? What changes need to be made to prioritize writing in your schedule?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is a realistic goal for you to work toward as you consider making writing an everyday habit?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How does this idea of small steps through regular, steady work “feel” to you? Is it overwhelming? Is it comforting?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Let your own God-given passions lead you to a place where your best messages can emerge. The most impactful and successful books are those where the author’s passion led to a message that was an answer to the heart cry of an audience. When your answer becomes someone else’s solution, your book will shift from the “might read” category to a must read!

“What message are you absolutely passionate about sharing? The one vital truth that beats inside you, something you can’t keep to yourself?” - Liz Curtis Higgs, Bestselling author of Bad Girls of the Bible and 30+ other books

“What stirs you up inside and gets you excited? What could you spend endless hours discussing with someone? Write about that. Not only will passion fuel your productivity and longevity as a writer, but it will cause you to enjoy the process so much more!” - Crystal

Paine, New York Times bestselling author of Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, Blogger

“Don’t go looking for something to write about; discover what is already burning in your heart and spirit and write about that. God will anoint you and the message He has placed in you, so don’t try to be someone else.” - Christine Caine, Bestselling author of

Unstoppable and Undaunted, Cofounder of The A21 Campaign

“Someone told me once that there is nothing new under the sun to write. Everything has been said. But here’s the thing to remember: it hasn’t been said in your unique voice with your words. So that’s my advice. Don’t try to emulate someone else’s writing style; find

your voice, use your words, write about that thing in a way that will be fresh and new.” - Melanie Shankle, New York Times bestselling author of Sparkly Green Earrings, Speaker, Blogger

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“One of the things I wished I’d known earlier in my writing journey is the importance of developing a personal focus. This just means narrowing your writing topics to what you believe is your expertise.This is a challenging process, because our interests tend to be

varied. But start writing on your blog faithfully and soon you’ll see patterns. Maybe you find yourself drawn to prayer or parenting topics. Maybe you love writing on living out your faith in your work or showing hospitality. A brand helps readers see you as someone they can trust on a certain topic.” - Glynnis Whitwer, Author of Taming the To-Do List, Executive Director of Communications at Proverbs 31 Ministries

“I spent everything I had trying to get people to listen to me and I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to say. I think this happens to a lot of writers in the very beginning. We fight for traffic and views and clicks and retweets and exposure instead of for our own voice and what happens is our voices silently fade away. Our voices get lost

in the background, in the noise, and we get lost with them. And there really are very few things in this world more devastating and painful than losing your own voice.” - Allison Vesterfelt, Author of Packing Light, Blogger, Speaker

“For me a book usually begins with me paying attention to three things:1. A string of life lessons I’m learning that have a common theme.2. Conversations I have with others where they bring up this same theme.

3. A deep conviction that God wants me to park my brain and my heart on this topic for a good long while.” - Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author, President of Proverbs 31 Ministries

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Reflect & Respond What are your passions--those topics and experiences that are unique to your story, that make your heart feel most alive, that naturally pour out of your most honest writing?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In what ways can you let these passions infuse and shape your writing and your focus? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reading - it’s a simple thing that has a huge impact on how we write! It’s important to read a variety of different writing styles and to do it often. Be a student of other writers and make notes as to what you like and dislike about each one.

“First, ask yourself: Do you love reading and read widely—fiction and nonfiction, poetry and memoir?” - Liz Curtis Higgs, Bestsell-ing author of Bad Girls of the Bible and 30+ other books

“Read as much as your eyes and brain can take in, from authors you love, authors just like you, and authors that are totally different than you. Books, magazines, blogs, everywhere. Also, read your Bible every day. You have to stay plugged in there first.” - Annie

Downs, Author of Let’s All Be Brave, Speaker, Blogger

“Read constantly, from all different genres, current and classics, fiction and nonfiction. And as you read, pay attention to what the author is doing -- what words or patterns resonate with you, how pacing and punctuation change a passage, how language and

theme and cadence shape the reader’s experience. Reading is your training, your research, your vitamins.” - Shauna Niequist, New York Times bestsell-ing author of Savor

“I read with two things in mind: How can this author’s perspectives challenge/grow me? And how did they work to make their words beautiful? When I spot stunning art in word form, I highlight it, write it in the margin, and let that lovely phrase dance in my head all day

long.” - Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author, President of Proverbs 31 Ministries

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Reflect & Respond What do you love to read? What are your least favorite types of literature? How can you commit to read both? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What keeps you from incorporating reading more into your schedule? How can you further build the habit of reading into your day?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What does “studying” that reading look like for you? How can you capture and organize the things you are learning?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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The writing journey can feel long and bumpy. It’s easy to get discouraged. Extend grace to yourself, be patient with the process, and pay attention to how you’re measuring success. Resist the urge to compare yourself to those around you, and learn to recognize the lies perfectionism whispers to you.

“Be patient in understanding that writing takes time. Write, write some more and then re-write. Be patient with the process. Your audience doesn’t grow overnight but is developed with patient consistency.” - Jenni Catron, Author of Clout, Executive Pastor

at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church

“Think of your writing career as a marathon, not a 100-yard dash. Developing your writing style and unique voice takes time, so pace yourself and try not to rush ahead. It’s better to become a great writer over time, than a frustrated writer who wants to quit.” - Leah

DiPascal, Member of Proverbs 31 Ministries writing team

“The process from the very beginning of building a community of readers, to writing a proposal, to seeking publishers, to writing the manuscript, to being published takes a very long time. There will be many ups and downs. Be patient and faithful in the waiting.” - Ruth

Schwenk, Blogger at The Better Mom

“My best advice for a young writer is to not be a perfectionist, be patient and pay attention to what connects with your readers.” - Courtney Joseph, Author of Women Living Well

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“Instead of getting caught up in doing everything you can to reach a non-existent level of perfection, ask yourself, ‘What’s one small thing I can do today to move my calling forward?’” - Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author,

President of Proverbs 31 Ministries

“Strive for excellence and not perfection. Do the absolute best you can, with what you have, where you are. Trust God with the results. The pursuit of perfection will paralyze you; the pursuit of excellence will empower you.” - Christine Caine, Bestselling author of

Unstoppable and Undaunted, Cofounder of The A21 Campaign

“Done is better than perfect. My father-in-law once told me, ‘Don’t make this the most important thing you’ve ever done.’ Some days it felt like writing my first book was the most important thing and the pressure became too much. Letting go and remembering the

big picture helped me to keep moving forward, pressure-free.” - Lara Casey, Author of Make It Happen, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Southern Weddings

“When it comes to my writing, one of the most important questions I have to ask myself is this: How do I define success? It’s tempting to base success on an outcome - an agent acquired, a book proposal accepted, number of books sold. The problem with these measures

is they are beyond my ability to control and they betray my soul’s deepest longing. While I know there are times when real metrics have to be used to measure progress, I also know when my breathing begins to feel shallow and my soul confused, it may be time to re-define success in my writing.” - Emily P. Freeman, Bestselling author of Simply Tuesday

Reflect & Respond How do you define success for yourself as a writer?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you compare your own writing journey to others? How can you release those expectations? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Are you impatient in longing for a certain degree of success or anxious about your own imperfections? What truth do you need to believe that would free you from unfair expectations?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Surround yourself with others--writers, dreamers, professionals, friends, be-lievers--who can link arms with you in the pursuit of writing. Seek those a few steps ahead of you for guidance, find peers who listen well and empathize, cultivate faithful friendships where you can pray and encourage one another.

“I think the best thing you can do is a lot of things. But if I had to pick one, finding a team of unofficial mentors to learn from and guide in the ways of writing, publishing, etc. was invaluable.” - Jeff Goins, Bestselling author of The Art of Work

“Find a friend who is at the same place you are in your writing life... bonus points if she’s a little further along. A friend who understands the unique/crazy/weirdo emotions and intricacies of the writing life will be worth her weight in Starbucks gift cards.” - Myquillyn Smith,

Author of The Nesting Place

“Learn the business of writing as well as the art of writing. Discover a network of writers and editors and agents, because this is the team who loves words like you and who become your colleagues in your calling.” - Suzanne Eller, Author of The Mended Heart

“You need to be in community with other writers. It is essential if you want to go the distance. More than anyone else in your life, family and best friends included, other writers will understand the specific sort of crazy that comes with the writing life. Like the

African proverb says, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ Do not, I repeat, do not ever let a seed of jealousy take root in any of your relationships with other writers. Pray for them. Love them. Encourage them.” - Robin Gunn, Author of Christy & Todd: The Married Years and 80+ other books

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“Approach a couple of wise people whom you love and who at least like you in return and are, more importantly, madly in love with Jesus, and ask them to pray with and for you as you embark on this grand writing adventure.” - Lisa Harper, Author of Believing

Jesus, Speaker

“Say thank you. This seems so simple, but I can’t tell you how many people on my publishing, PR, and editing teams were amazed when I offered those two simple words. They often said they rarely heard them from authors. People work hard to make meaningful

books come to life, so let them know you appreciate them.” - Lara Casey, Author of Make It Happen, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Southern Weddings

“Invest wisely in your writing. Get outside of your typical bubble and get others to read your writing. Then ask this question: ‘What am I missing?’” - Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author, President of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Reflect & Respond Who can you ask to come alongside you for personal support and prayer in your writing journey?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Who would you like to have on your team from a professional perspective? Publishing insiders, mentors, etc.?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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What kind of help could you use from a supportive writing community?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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As followers of God, we commit our lives and our words to Him. If we believe that writing is a calling and our words are divinely inspired and uniquely given, we must approach the Lord in prayer and be committed to seeking Him first.

“Each time I sit down to write, I pray for God to fill me with His Spirit in all its fullness and to lead my head and my heart to write what HE wants to write because only He knows in whose hands it will end up. I pray for a Spirit of wisdom and revelation. And I pray for

understanding and for His Spirit to teach and remind me just as He promises in His Word.” - Wendy Blight, Author of Living So That

“Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are God’s handiwork and created in Christ to do good works. The best part of that verse though is that it says that it was all already prepared in advance by the God of the universe. You just have to walk with Him in it. So, all that to

say: always write, but don’t strive. Ask God to give you the words and He’ll be good to show you where they should go.” - Hayley Morgan, Author of The No-Brainer Wardrobe, Cofounder of The Influence Network

“Go to God first. All good things come from above, so go to Him for words to put down on the page too. While writing my first book, I would often get sidetracked looking to social media, comparing myself to others, or trying to write a ‘best-selling book’ instead of

the book God had for me. But, when I surrendered my pride and humbled myself before the Lord, meaningful words came. In order to let go of ‘perfect’ and lean into the message God has given you, start with Him. Ask Him first. Seek Him first. Knock on His door first. And then say yes to the words He gives you!” - Lara Casey, Author of Make It Happen, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Southern Weddings

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“We all need to remember that we are called to be listeners first and writers second. That means the most important thing we can do is spend time each day hearing God’s heart. Our role is simply sharing with others what God has already shared with us.” - Holley

Gerth, Author of You’re Loved No Matter What

“Print out and laminate Frederick Buechner’s profound quote on calling (from Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC):‘The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.’ ” - Lisa Harper, Author of

Believing Jesus

“Our job is to be obedient to God throughout this writing journey. His job is everything else.” - Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author, President of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Reflect & Respond As you consider your writing goals, what role does God’s divine hand and “calling” have upon your perspective?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are you spending time in prayer and in God’s Word daily, giving your writing dreams to Him first and foremost?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Acknowledgements

Jefferson Bethkejeffbethke.com/

wendy Blightwendyblight.com/ christine cAinechristinecaine.com/

lArA cAseylaracasey.com/

Jenni cAtronjennicatron.com/

PAtsy clAirmontpatsyclairmont.com/

leAh diPAscAlleahdipascal.com/ Annie downsanniefdowns.com/ kAren ehmAnkarenehman.com/

suzAnne ellertsuzanneeller.com/

A Special Thanks to All these generous writers who contriButed their wisdom to this ProJect. you eAch insPire the world with your

courAge And unique voice.

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emily P. freemAnemilypfreeman.com/ holley gerthholleygerth.com/

Jeff goinsgoinswriter.com/

roBin gunnrobingunn.com/ lisA hArPerlisaharper.net/

liz curtis higgslizcurtishiggs.com/

michAel hyAttmichaelhyatt.com/

courtney JosePhwomenlivingwell.org/

mAx lucAdomaxlucado.com/

reBekAh lyons rebekahlyons.com/

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sArAh mAesarahmae.com/ hAyley morgAnthetinytwig.com/

shAunA niequist shaunaniequist.com/

Perry noBleperrynoble.com/

crystAl PAinemoneysavingmom.com/

ruth schwenkthebettermom.com/

melAnie shAnklethebigmamablog.com/

myquillyn smiththenester.com/

Allison vesterfelt allisonvesterfelt.com/

glynnis whitwerglynniswhitwer.com/

lysA terkeurstlysaterkeurst.com

Lysa TerKeurst is the New York Times bestselling author of The Best Yes, Unglued and Made to Crave as well as 16 other titles. As president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, Lysa and her team reach millions of women daily through their Biblical messages of encouragement. Their latest development of the First 5 Mobile App landed them the number 1 spot of most searched for apps in the App Store, with over 400,000 downloads in the first 2 months. In addition to speaking at Catalyst, Lifeway’s Abundance Conferences and Women of Joy, she speaks at 40+ events annually where she is passionate about teaching the Bible in ways people enjoy it and understand how to apply what they learn. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, Art, their five kids, three dogs and a mouse that refuses to leave her kitchen.