4 Platform Building Lessons from Ephesians - Guest Post by Joan Campbell

Joan Campbell lives in Johannesburg with her husband and daughters. She is inspired by South Africa’s vibrant mix of culture, language, music and folklore. Her country’s history also impacts her writing, with the themes of discrimination and reconciliation woven through her fantasy novels. 

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I’ll just come right out and admit it. The constant advice to ‘build a platform’ used to irritate me. A lot. I followed it not because I wanted to, but only in the hopes of impressing publishers. 

Once I signed a publishing contract my attitude shifted. With a greater incentive to build an audience interested in my books, I began to pay attention to how other authors tackled this. I saw plenty of creativity, audience engagement, powerful messages and savvy use of social media. 

Inspirational, right? 

 Well…no. Instead, I felt more discouraged and uncertain on how to improve my half-hearted efforts.

That’s when I began to pray about it. I hadn’t ever thought of seeking God’s guidance, mainly because I didn’t think of him as a modern ‘platform guru’. Yet almost immediately I received the direction I sought through a passage from Ephesians 4. These four keys to platform building are changing my outlook, turning something I’ve always done rather resentfully into a joyful part of serving God. 

 Engaging others is part of our calling 

“Therefore I… beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling for you have been called by God.” (Eph. 4:1) 

As a Christian writer, I have a message and ministry from God. I might prefer to huddle over my computer, working only on my manuscripts, but that’s not all God calls me to. He calls us to love others and speak truth into their lives. Our platforms are a powerful tool to do that, be it in the form of a newsletter, blog, Facebook post or speaking engagement. 

Work as a team to build God’s kingdom 

“Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.” (Eph. 4:3-6) 

In the competitive world of publishing, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that—as Christian writers—we are called to build God’s Kingdom. To do that we need to unite and pull together by encouraging and supporting each other, promoting each others’ books and doing all we can to get the message of Christ’s love into the world. We are a team. 

 Let our uniqueness and gifts shine through 

“However, he has given each one of us a special gift according to the generosity of Christ. He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.” (Eph. 4:7,11) 

 As much as we are a team, we are also wonderfully unique. We have our own voice, own stories and message, own audience and own spiritual gifts. If our gift is teaching, this will be reflected in our posts and blogs. If it is evangelism or encouragement, that will be the thrust of our messages. Our platforms are not an end in itself, they are an extension of the unique ministry God has for each of us.  

Be authentic and vulnerable 

 “So put away all falsehood and tell your neighbour the truth because we belong to each other.” (Eph. 4:25) 

In our scramble for attention, it can be easy to project something other than the truth, but God calls us to be honest and authentic in our engagement with people. That is the vulnerable place where the real connection happens between us and our followers/readers, and where our words have the greatest impact. 

Ephesians 4:29 tells us that our words should be an encouragement to those who hear them. I love this verse in The Message, which says our words should be gifts to the world. What an honour that God has given us words to write and speak and share. We need the courage to do this not only in ways comfortable to us, but also in ways that challenge us. Platform building is not about us garnering readers and acclaim. It is about being true to God’s calling to bring words of truth, hope and salvation to the world. 

 (Verses from The New Living Translation) 

 Connect with Joan on her Website, Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter (she says she's still working on her attitude towards tweets). 

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 Joan’s Books 

Chains of Gwyndorr is the first book of The Poison Tree Path Chronicles and published by Enclave Publishing. Joan started writing this book after she read The Chronicles of Narnia to her two young daughters and realised the powerful way in which a story can convey redemption. 
Buy it on Amazon. 

Legends of the Loreteller, the trilogy’s companion book, is a collection of short stories set in Tirragyl, the fantasy world of the The Poison Tree Path Chronicles. 
Available as a FREE DOWNLOAD on Joan’s website 

Encounters: Life Changing Moments with Jesus brings readers face to face with Jesus, through stories from the gospels told in the voice of those Jesus encountered. The book is enhanced with reflections, prayers and art work.

Buy it on Amazon.

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Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author who grew up an Army brat. After twenty-five years of marriage, she and her hunky hero husband have a full life with their children, a Maltese Menace, and a retired military working dog in Northern Virginia. 

Find Ronie online:
     Website: www.roniekendig.com
     Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction)
     Twitter (@roniekendig)
     Goodreads (www.goodreads.com/RonieK)
     Instagram (@kendigronie)
     Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/roniek/)

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From Hobby to Novel - Guest Post by Joshua Johnston

Joshua Johnston was raised on science fiction television and film before being introduced, in his teenage years, to the wider universe of science fiction literature. In addition to his daily work teaching American history and American government, he is an occasional writer on a variety of topics, including video games and parenting. His debut novel, the science fiction epic Edge of Oblivion, released with Enclave Publishing in April 2016. You can find him online at www.joshuaajohnston.com

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Anyone who writes fiction for a hobby inevitably reaches a crossroads: do I want to take the next step and try to become a published author? The answer will be different for each person, and there are tradeoffs for each. Ahead are five questions that a prospective novelist should try to think about:

1. Do I want this to be a “hobby” or a “business?” In general, the IRS views a “hobby” as something that ultimately loses money, while a “business” is something that ultimately makes money (even by a small amount). Some fiction writers are content to pay someone to print their work just as a fun or valuable project, knowing they will never recoup their costs, while others write with the hope that their work sells enough to clear and exceed the investment they put into it. If your answer is a “hobby,” the next questions are useful. If you answer is a “business,” the next questions are crucial. 
2. Am I willing to surround myself with talent? While Google and how-to books are fantastic resources for answering questions, inevitably every aspiring author is going to need people around them. Depending on one’s skillset, an author may need help building a website, for example, or securing a quality professional photograph. And every author benefits from people who can give them feedback on their writing. 
3. Am I willing to respond to feedback and criticism? No author likes being told to make changes to a novel they’ve worked so hard to craft. It’s our baby, we have a vision for it, and change is both disappointing and time-consuming. And what if, you worry, they give bad advice? Ask any published author of even modest success and they’ll tell you two things: 1) that criticism is hard and 2) that most of the feedback they received made their writing better. My science fiction novel, Edge of Oblivion, went through beta readers (some authors, some just fans of sci-fi) as well as the publisher’s professional macro and line edits; I would estimate that about 90-95% of the advice I got across the board was not only spot-on in hindsight, but was corroborated by other people giving me feedback. That’s a lot more good than bad. 
4. Should I query an agent, pitch directly to publishers, or self-publish? There are plenty of articles espousing the virtues of one single approach, but the honest truth is that each has their own pros and cons. Securing an agent can help access bigger publishers but can make the process longer; self-publishing can shorten the process dramatically but places all the logistics – and their costs – on the writer. What is best for you depends on many things, including your writing credits and your preferences. Whatever course you take, you need to research it carefully: if you submit an unsolicited manuscript to a small publisher, for example, make sure you’ve got a proposal that tells them exactly what they want to know along with a complete, polished manuscript ready to go. 
5. Do I have the time and will to build a platform? For aspiring authors, it can feel a little awkward to establish a platform before you have a product. It’s worth the trouble; whether you’re self-published or under contract with a massive publishing conglomerate, the more ways readers can find and interact with you (including before you have a product!), the more credible and ultimately the more successful you’ll be. If you don’t believe me, try finding a reasonably successful author who doesn’t have some sort of online presence. As with many things, everyone has an opinion on what is “best,” whether it be blogging, specific social media sites, or some special sauce to put into a website. Every author needs to evaluate what they have the resources and will to do, but it’s a given that having something resembling a hub to interact with readers is a given. 

About Edge of Oblivion: 
Earth has emerged from a cataclysmic dark age with little knowledge of its past. Aided by the discovery of advanced alien technology, humanity ventures into the stars, joining other sentient races in a sprawling, prosperous interstellar Confederacy. That peace is soon shattered. Without warning, the Confederacy comes under attack by an unstoppable alien force from the unknown regions. With hopes for civilization’s survival dwindling, Commander Jared Carter is sent to pursue an unlikely lead: a collection of ancient alien religious fragments which may – or may not – hold the key to their salvation … Book one of The Chronicles of Sarco series.

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Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author who grew up an Army brat. After twenty-five years of marriage, she and her hunky hero husband have a full life with their children, a Maltese Menace, and a retired military working dog in Northern Virginia. She can be found at:
     www.roniekendig.com
     Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction)
     Twitter (@roniekendig)
     Goodreads (www.goodreads.com/RonieK)
     Instagram (@kendigronie)
     Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/roniek/)!

Reviewers call Ronie's newest release, EMBERS, "Simply amazing!" 

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Surprised By My Own Voice - Guest Post by Morgan Busse

Morgan L. Busse writes fantasy and steampunk for the adult market. She is the author of the Follower of the Word series, including Daughter of Light, Christy and Carol Award finalist, and currently free on Amazon. Morgan lives on the West Coast with her husband and four children. You can find out more about Morgan at www.morganlbusse.com

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Voice. That elusive part of writing. The part that distinguishes one writer from another. Voice is hard to nail down, but once found, brings a uniqueness to one’s writing. 

So what happens when your voice doesn’t match your genre? 

I write fantasy. When most people think of fantasy, they think of J.R.R. Tolkien. His voice is eloquent, lengthy, lyrical, and full of description. Many fantasy writers share a similar kind of voice. It’s the standard when it comes to this genre.

However, my voice is different. I discovered my voice after writing Daughter of Light, the first book in my epic fantasy series. My writing voice is blunt, short, and to the point. I tell the story in a strong, quick tempo, moving along at a clip pace. Not the style usually employed by the average fantasy writer. 

A couple reviews reflected the fact that some readers did not like my voice. They wanted the poetic sound usually found in fantasy. 

I didn’t know what to do, so I decided to try and change my voice. I believed I needed to write in a certain way in order to be a fantasy writer. It was like trying to write a square word into a round story. It didn’t work. In fact, those scenes stuck out so bad that my editor called me on it. He gave me the freedom to be me, and to write like me. 

So I tossed out those scenes and went back to writing like Morgan. 

After reading an article a friend of mine wrote about voice, I realized even more how important it is to embrace my own voice. Not only is voice my style of writing, it encompasses the stories I write and how I write them. No one can write the stories I write, in the manner that I write them. When I write a story, I draw on the things I have went through during my life: my parent’s divorce, death of loved ones, loss of jobs, loss of house, cancer scares, months of wondering how we would survive unemployment, deep depression, and emotional wounds dealt by people. 

Throughout my life, even in the darkest times, I found hope. And I clung to that hope like a life thread. Through my writing, I explore the darkness and how to find hope. 

My life and my writing style have formed my voice. To not be true to my voice would be the equivalent of not being true to myself. 
Sometimes I don’t like my voice. I wish I could write eloquent prose, running along with beautiful descriptions, long colorful sentences, and dialogue that sounds more ancient. 

But that’s not me. I’m Morgan and I will write in Morgan’s voice. After all, I’m the only one who can write my stories. 

How about you? As a writer, have you discovered your voice? Did you like it or did you wish you could write like someone else? 

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About Tainted: 

What Happens When Your Soul Dies?  

Kat Bloodmayne is one of the first women chosen to attend the Tower Academy of Sciences. But she carries a secret: she can twist the natural laws of science. She has no idea where this ability came from, only that every time she loses control and unleashes this power, it kills a part of her soul. If she doesn't find a cure soon, her soul will die and she will become something else entirely. 

After a devastating personal loss, Stephen Grey leaves the World City Police Force to become a bounty hunter. He believes in justice and will stop at nothing to ensure criminals are caught and locked up. However, when Kat Bloodmayne shows up in his office seeking his help, his world is turned upside down. 

Together they search World City and beyond for a doctor who can cure Kat. But what they discover on the way goes beyond science and into the dark sphere of magic. 

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Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author who grew up an Army brat. After twenty-five years of marriage, she and her hunky hero husband have a full life with their children, a Maltese Menace, and a retired military working dog in beautiful Northern Virginia. She can be found at:
     www.roniekendig.com
     Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction)
     Twitter (@roniekendig)
     Goodreads (www.goodreads.com/RonieK)
     Instagram (@kendigronie)
     Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/roniek/)!

Reviewers call Ronie's newest release, EMBERS, "Simply amazing!" 

Read More