Susan, at Marketing Christian Books, makes an excellent point this morning—even for non-believers. You have to believe your book will change lives to market it effectively. This is contrary to the publisher’s position which is to believe your book will make them money. That may drive your publisher, but it will not drive your readers. Here’s a quote from Susan:

Do I believe that my book has the power to help someone change their life for eternity?

Marketing a Christian book is a lot like sharing the Gospel. How will people hear and believe unless you tell them?

It’s not “send someone else” but “Here I am, send me.”

You won’t spread the Gospel if you don’t believe it is true and has the power to change people’s lives. The same is true for your book. You have to believe in your book, that it has information that people need to improve their lives to be able to promote it.

Many of you know that my companion site, for Christian authors and readers, is focused on this exact position. God doesn’t call a person to make money, but to serve people. Not surprisingly, this truth also applies to non-Christians.

You need to believe your book will change lives

Many people are tired of fluff and base entertainment. Increasingly they reveal their core value of making money. They have no other benefit.

Life has gotten very serious in recent years. How many areas of our lives concern us because of their existential threat? Colleges and universities flail about and many now provide safe spaces for their students’ increasingly traumatized lives? Politicians do nothing but try to manipulate us by fear anymore. The sexual revolution and entertainment increasingly demonstrate their antagonistic and base foundations.

All of us need to produce meaningful content which helps our readers—fiction or non-fiction. This not only changes their lives but enables true satisfaction in your life.

SaveSave