Sermon Series to BookWhat’s it Take?

Athena Dean HoltzRedemption Press

Why Get a Message into Print?

• Inflate an ego• See your name on a book• Make a name for yourself

or

• Leave a legacy• Show the faithfulness of God• Make His Name great• Pass on particular insights that are unique to you.

Other Benefits of Being in Print?

• A new point of connection with congregation/ potential members

• Reach past four walls of your church

• Tell the story of your ministry

• Open new doors for the message God has given you

• Go deeper on the topic / use for small group study

• Other reasons?

Why You?

• We all have a story.

• Find out what makes yours unique.

• What is it that only you can say?

• What has your particular journey taught you?

• What have you gone through that will help others?

• Find a need and fill it.

Is It Self-Promotion?

• My experience – uneasiness about promoting myself

• Ever wonder who would want to read what you write?

• The question is: Is God speaking through you or not?

• The growth of social media and technology has created amazing opportunities to expand your reach

• Not just ego but a new way to fulfill the Great Commission AND get more exposure for your ministry

• So it’s not self-promotion if you’re sharing the message God has given you.

What it Isn’t:

The transcript of a group of sermons printed in book

form

What it Isn’t:

• One long sermon

• Brilliant exegesis of well-known passages

• A vanity piece

Two Routes for Sermon to Book

Depends on:• Your Schedule• Your Goals• Finances

Too busy – requires co-writer / collaborating writer

(more expensive, less time)

Flexible – coaching you to do the writing

(less expensive, more time)

Funding Options

• Pre-publication flier • Pastor Ray

Pre-Publication Flier

Funding Options

• Pre-publication flier • Pastor Ray

• Giving folks the optionto donate copies to prisons, shelters, libraries, etc.• Pastor Paul

Funding Options

• Signed / Numbered Limited Edition Fund Raiser• Pastor Frank

Funding Options

• Signed / Numbered Limited Edition Fund Raiser• Pastor Frank

• Crowdfunding• Pastor Jeff• Linda Grabeman• Tom Prinz

The Crucial Key – Editing Help

LEVELS OF EDITING:

• Ghostwriting (You are not involved – Chuck Swindoll)

• Co-Writer / Collaborative Partner (You are involved but writer does bulk of the work)

• Coach (Our coach leads you through the process of the rewrite)

The Case for Coaching

Parts of the Puzzle Needed• Sermon series outline

• Audio files – turned into:

• Word document of the transcription

• Added personal examples to keep it from being too

preachy

• Ideas for application questions / small group study to be

added

• Title / Subtitle idea

• Thoughts about purpose / audience

• What benefits will you offer your reader?

• The answer to this question:

• Why should I (the reader) care?

• Why should I take my time to read your book?

Tips from a Pro

• Use the sermon outline for the bones.

• Use the transcript to put meat on the bones.

• In a sermon, voice inflections help deliver the message.

• Not so in print.

• Be ready to defend points or desert them.

• When it’s in writing you must be able to back up your

points.

• Whomever you work with will need to hear and read the

sermon to capture the essence and voice of the author,

not just the words of the sermon.

• Get a volunteer to transcribe the sermon or invest in

speech to text software.

More Tips from a Pro

Another perspective:

Start a book from scratch

Before You Start

• Realize the power of STORY.

• Find a theme and stick with it.

• Does this fit or do I like the sound of my own words?

• Make yourself an outline then just write.

• Edit later.

• Include pertinent illustrations.

• Best if not copied out of pulpit helps. Personal is

powerful.

• Document and attribute as you go … where you got the

clips, and all the publishing info.

Before You Start

• Be aware of the copyright law on “Fair use.”

• Book – 350 Words

• Article – 100 Words

• Song or Poem – Only the TITLE

• Document Bible version you use for each verse. Unless

using only one, or one predominately, each one needs

to be documented.

• Consider endnotes instead of more distracting

footnotes.

Steps Once Written• Copy edit / new set of eyes

• Custom cover

• Layout / formatting

• Proof read

• Word for word or format only

• Bindings

• Softcover

• Hardcover

• eBook

• NO LONGER HAVE TO INVEST IN INVENTORY

• ISBN Registration / Copyright / LCCN

• Availability

• All channels should be covered

Where To Go From Here

• Lots of options today

• Anyone can get published

• Workshop tomorrow will point out the snakes in the jungle

• Stop by our booth to enter a drawing for ONE HOUR OF COACHING

“HOW TO PRESENT YOUR MESSAGE/MINISTRY”

NW MINISTRY CONFERENCE11:30 AMSATURDAY