30+ African American Churches to “Visit” Virtually

I asked on social media for recommendations for some outstanding preachers, pastors, and priests who also happen to be African American. If you are white, might I humbly suggest skipping your regular church service to join one of these churches on Sunday? Or at the very least, listen to one of the sermons an evening this week?

Sometimes God cracks open kairos moments in history. Kairos in Greek means “an opportune moment.” For the first time in history, we can visit one another’s churches all around the world to listen, lament, and learn–virtually. This is kairos, an opportune time.

These links will take you to the latest YouTube channels, Facebook Lives, or pre-recorded sermons for various African American-led churches around the United States. Many services include worship through music, dance, and the spoken word. Some of these churches have podcasts, so perhaps subscribe so you can supplement your own church sermon each week. If you’re easing up on social distancing, you could gather a small group of friends to watch in a backyard so you can discuss afterward.

White Christians have an opportunity to grow in empathy through virtual proximity. Below this list are preachers who may not pastor a church, but guest preach or speak. Both lists are far from exhaustive, so feel free to share more in the comments.

Check out these men and women of God, their churches, and their messages of hope:

Ricky Jenkins, Southwest Church (Indian Wells, CA), Podcast

Dr. Derwin Gray, Transformation Church (Indian Land, SC)

Dr. Eric Mason, Epiphany Fellowship Church (Philadelphia, PA)

Thabiti Anyabwile, Anacostia River Church (Washington, DC)

Sr. Pastor Rev. Dr. Traci Blackmon, Christ the King UCC (Florissant, MO)

Efrem Smith Midtown Campus, Bayside Church (Sacramento, CA)

Edrin Williams, The Sanctuary Covenant Church (Minneapolis, MN), Podcast

Dr. Dharius Daniels, Change Church (Ewing, NJ)

Dr. Charlie Dates Progressive Baptist Church (Chicago, IL)

Michael Todd, Transformation Church (Tulsa, OK)

Derwin Anderson & Dhati Lewis, Blueprint Church (Atlanta, GA)

Leslie D. Callahan, St. Paul’s Baptist Church (Philadelphia, PA)

Robert L. Scott, Jr., Quench Life Christian Fellowship (Dublin, CA), Podcast

H.B. Charles, Shiloh Church (Jacksonville, FL)

Dr. Dwayne Bond, Wellspring Church (Charlotte, NC)

Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes, III, Friendship West (Dallas, TX)

Albert Tate, Fellowship Church (Monrovia, CA), Podcast

Rev. Jacqui Lewis, Middle Church (New York, NY)

Chris Brooks, Woodside Bible Church (multiple locations in Michigan)

Robert Galinas, Colorado Community Church (Denver, CO)

Paul Sheppard, Destiny Christian Fellowship (Fremont, CA)

John K. Jenkins, Sr., First Baptist Church of Glenarden (Upper Marlboro, MD)

Richard Allen Farmer, Crossroads Presbyterian Church (Stone Mountain, GA)

Rich Villodas, New Life Church (New York, NY)*

Dr. Tony Evans, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship (Dallas, TX)

William H. Lamar, IV, Metropolitan AME Church (Washington, DC), Facebook

Hart Ramsey, Northview Christian Church (Dothan, AL)

Elbert McGowan, Jr., Redeemer Church (Jackson, MS)

Dr. Renita J. Weems, Ray of Hope Community Church (Nashville, TN), Audio

Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, Trinity Church (Chicago, IL)*

Leonce B. Crump, Jr. Renovation Church (Atlanta, GA)

Other Speakers/Preachers:

Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil

Dr. Chanequa Walker Barnes

Micky ScottBey Jones

Natasha S. Robinson

Trilla Newbell

To follow all of these preachers, visit my Twitter thread.

If you are new to the discussion on race, start here. I also recommend these three podcasts by women of color.

*Only live streaming available

I asked on social media for recommendations for some outstanding preachers, pastors, and priests who also happen to be African American. If you are white, might I humbly suggest skipping your regular church service to join one of these churches on Sunday? Or at the very least, listen to one of the sermons an evening this week?

January 27, 2020January 27, 2020

Advice for Writing a Book

[In the style of Verlyn Klinkenborg, one of my favorite authors on writing. I wrote this after writing and publishing my first book so I wouldn’t forget–just in case a next book wants to be written.]

1. Your book proposal is the blueprint of your book, but it will change.

2. Save at least 15 percent of your advance to use for marketing your book later.

3. Your final draft should bear little resemblance to your first draft. Tell (lie to) yourself: “It’s okay to write terribly. No one ever has to read this.”

4. You’ll be tempted to quote people smarter and more eloquent than you. Don’t let this become a crutch. Say it your way (and ignore all The Voices telling you why you can’t or shouldn’t do this work).

5. When you revise, print out your pages and mark them up. Highlight your verbs and nouns—are they vibrant, active, and concrete?

6. Schedule days (and maybe even weeks) to rest and let your manuscript sit, like dough rising.

7. Carve out space for solitude and listening. Go on long walks, runs, or bike rides alone. Pay attention.

8. Build up a support network years before you publish.

9. Count the cost of writing a book.

10. Print out your entire manuscript and bind it like a book. Do this after every major revision. Read your entire manuscript aloud several times over many months.

11. Use scissors to revise. Sometimes cutting, rearranging, and retyping the entire thing will help smooth out the wrinkles in your transitions.

12. Spend 80 percent of your social media real estate promoting others, 20 percent promoting yourself.

13. Save the stories you cut to use for articles and essays later.

14. Don’t apologize for writing, selling, or marketing your book. If you’re not excited about it, no one else will be.

15. Figure out how to use Scrivener. It will save you tons of time in the end.

16. Social media is not writing.

17. Platform building is not writing.

18. Reading books about writing is not writing.

19. Fans aren’t doing you a favor by buying your book. You did them a favor by writing it.

20. For inspiration, read books about writing or listen to podcasts about writing. (But remember: this is not writing.)

21. To tame anxiety, read poetry.

22. Be a generous writer, reader, reviewer, and fan of others.

23. Be yourself. Trust you have wisdom, words, or wit to add to the conversation.

24. A book launch doesn’t end the day the book releases. This is not a finish line, just another starting line.

25. Your book is not you. Let it go out into the world to be what it will be, then write what’s next.

26. Stay rooted in love.

Have you written a book before? What advice would you add?

Photo by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

November 1, 2019November 1, 2019

How to Lead a Book Launch Team

Why You Need a Launch Team

When I launched my book, my platform was small: I had about five hundred followers on each social media platform, including my email list. I needed help.

My launch team spread the word about my book to their virtual and real life friends and churches. They asked their libraries and local independent bookstores to order my book. They pre-ordered, did giveaways of my book on their blogs (I offered twenty-five of my author copies to them for this purpose), and they recommended me to podcasts.

But more than all that, they rallied around me and reminded me I was not alone in launching my book into the world. They gave me confidence, encouragement, and believed my book would and could make a difference in neighborhoods and communities. They were my people.

This was not the only thing I did to launch my book (you can see the rest of my book launch plan here), but I do think the team was an essential component during the weeks leading up to my book release and after.

I have only launched one book into the world (so far), but I’ve been a member of at least a dozen teams. Here is everything I know about launch teams to get you started on this new endeavor. Best of luck!

Launch Team Tips:

Ask an enthusiastic friend to help you lead it. My friend Annie Rim did this for me and was amazing. Some people, like Anna LeBaron and Amy Oden, do this for pay. If you can, find a friend who is savvy on social media and not afraid to lead a group, and ask them to spearhead your group for you. This way it doesn’t feel so smarmy and like you as the author is constantly asking people to share about you.

Begin early. I started my team eight weeks before my book launched. I was afraid my group would lose momentum, but since I only had digital copies available, it took awhile to work out some of the kinks in downloading my book. And by the time my book released, they had plastered it all over social media for weeks and weeks.

Focus on Goodreads. Encourage your team to share their reviews on Goodreads as soon as they complete the book. This makes it very easy for them to copy and paste the reviews on Amazon on launch day.

Create forms for people to sign up for your launch team using Google Forms. It’s free and easy. Don’t forget to collect email addresses and add them to your mailing list (you can upload them from the spreadsheet you generate from your google form).

Do weekly Facebook Lives. Even if you hate yourself on video (which is ME–I loathe myself on video), do a weekly Facebook live. These weekly FB lives were always a technological disaster for me, but I think they helped me and my launch team to bond over the weeks. I usually asked them if they had questions ahead of time, but also had a mini-agenda.

Find fans, not other writer friends. I recruited my launch team from Instagram, Facebook, the writing groups I’m a part of, other Facebook groups (i.e. Sorta Awesome hangout), Twitter, and my email list. I didn’t require them to purchase the book or have a certain number of followers. Anyone could join. I had 206 sign up and about 160 ended up joining the Facebook group.

Think about doing a pre-order bonus. I did this, but I’m still not sure how effective it was. I figured it couldn’t hurt! I also added these emails to my newsletter list, so it helped my list to grow.

Offer the launch team tasks via email AND Facebook. I emailed my group every Monday with some specific tasks (below). Annie shared them in the Facebook group.

Make sharing easy for your team. Provide images, memes, and lots of photos of your book for them to share. These can also be stored in the “files” or “photos” section of your FB group.

Be sure to foster community within your group. I asked my group to share about themselves and their businesses, books, blogs, podcasts, or artwork as well. And be engaged–reply to your launch team when they ask you questions! Facebook favors engagement.

Have your group follow your book’s hashtag. This seemed to be the most useful on Instagram, but if they followed the #InvitedBook hashtag, then it was easy for them to like and comment on one another’s posts about the book.

Launch Team Checklist

This is a list we shared with my launch team and kept it handy in the “files” section. I also emailed it out and posted it within the Facebook group.

DOWNLOAD: Download/read the book
JOIN: Join the Facebook group and introduce yourself! (Set notifications to “all posts” and check out the “files” section for lots of useful info.)
PRE-ORDER: Pre-order the book. Here are some reasons why:

Pre-orders help with Amazon algorithms and will put the book in front of more eyes in the days to come.
Pre-ordering a book locks you into the lowest price (you won’t be charged until the book actually ships).
Pre-orders ensure that Amazon will have enough books in stock after the book releases.
Pre-orders convince bookstores that enough people are interested in the book to make it worth their while to purchase it.
You will be eligible for some bonuses only available to those who pre-order the book.
If you’re a blogger, consider using the pre-order as a giveaway on your blog or on social media to grow your email list or blog subscribers. For the rest of you, you’ll have a copy to share with your friends, family, or church who might be interested in discussing the book. Leslie won’t be offended if you want to give away her book;-) Here’s a useful article that explains more about why pre-orders are important.

4. SPREAD THE WORD: Share about the pre-order bonuses wherever you are active on social media. Be sure to tag Leslie and use the #InvitedBook hashtag any time you share about the book. If you’ve already started reading and are enjoying the book, then tell your followers that (if you say you like a book, people WILL buy it!)

5. GOODREADS: Log in to Goodreads (or open a free account) and mark the book as “want to read” or “currently reading” (small box below the image of the book). Goodreads has over 65,000,000 members. It’s the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations (so it’s a big deal to have some reviews on there!). Go ahead and writer your review as soon as you finish reading the book (see #12 for more on that)!

6. SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow the author on all social media channels, then “follow” the hashtag #Book on any social media where you hang out (especially Instagram). (add links to social media)

7. READ: Aim to finish reading by ____ if you can so we can start discussing in the FB group!

8. SHARE: Highlight parts of the book you like as you read and share short quotes on social media. Tag the author on social media and use the book’s hashtag. When you see posts related to this hashtag in the future, like, comment, and share them. Check to see if she’s posted anything related to Invited and “like” and share those posts! Feel free to make your own memes at Canva or use some provided in the file on the Facebook page. You can also find premade tweets in both of those places. If you are a blogger, consider writing a review of the book on your site, or sharing one of the posts or interviews in the “files” section of the FB group (coming soon!)

9. REQUEST: Did you know you can ask your local library, church library, and independent bookstores to order books? You can! 😉

10. ORDER: Call or visit your local bookstore or church library and ask them to order the book. Be sure to have the full book title and ISBN # in front of you (Invited: The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness by Leslie Verner ISBN# 978-1513804330). For your library, all you need to do is fill out an online form and they’ll likely be able to order the book!

11. RECOMMEND: Can you think of any podcasts, newspapers, blogs, church groups, conferences, or other speaking venues you could recommend this book to? Here is the link to Leslie’s speaking page on her website.

12. REVIEW ON GOODREADS AS SOON AS YOU FINISH READING THE BOOK: Here’s how: Log in to Goodreads or start your own free account. Go to Invited in Goodreads. Once you’ve finished the book and are ready to write your review, mark Invited “Read” by using the green pull-down arrow underneath the book cover photo. Select the number of stars. When you do that, Goodreads will open up a popup box where you can write your review. (Pro Tip: write this review in Word or notes and you can use the same one on Amazon, your blog, or on social media later on!)

13. REVIEW ON AMAZON ON _____ : Set a timer on your phone or calendar so you will remember to post. We’re shooting for fifty reviews (there are 200 people in this launch team, so we think this is a realistic goal!). When you write, use the author’s last name or “the author,” not “my college roommate” or “my best friend” 😉 You can copy and paste the same review you used on Goodreads or on your blog. This is a helpful article about writing Amazon reviews.

14. TELL: Tell your friends about the book—word of mouth is still the best way to share about books!

Thank you so much for your help! We’re so grateful for your enthusiasm and support.

Additional Resources:

How to Create a Launch Team (Ep. 157) Create If Writing Podcast. I like how the host of this podcasts advocates for doing two kinds of teams–an ARC team and a launch team. In my writer groups, I asked if anyone would like a copy of my book for review. My publisher allowed me to buy ARCS of my book, so I offered these to my writer friends who I knew couldn’t commit to my launch team.

All About Launch Teams with Anna LeBaron (Ep. 68) Declare Conference Podcast. This was SO HELPFUL. Anyone about to launch a book needs to listen to this!

10x Profit Podcast with Jeni B: How to Create a Thriving Online Community with Tonya Kubo (ep. 26) This podcast was really helpful for me as I began thinking about leading my Facebook group.

Have you led a launch team for your book? What would add to this conversation?

August 4, 2019August 5, 2019

How Can We Show Hospitality to Different Enneagram Types?

I met Lisa Russell, an Enneagram coach and spiritual counselor, for drinks a few weeks ago. Before meeting, I had thought we would discuss how each Enneagram type practices hospitality.

“Why don’t we talk about how we can show hospitality to each Enneagram type instead?” she suggested, taking a sip of her drink. “That seems less self-focused and more empathetic to me.”

Lisa described the Enneagram types as differing shades on a color palatte—there can be many shades of blue, green, and grey.

We often know about ourselves, but what happens when we become students of others?

How does this transform our communication, community, and hospitality to each Enneagram type? Here are some ideas for understanding and loving individuals as we show hospitality to each Enneagram type in our life (along with a collection of quotes from some of my social media friends.)

Type 1: The Reformer (rational, idealistic, perfectionistic, principled)

According to Lisa, this type is caught up in “holy goodness.” They believe God is good and they want to be right. They have a strong inner influence and the mantra “am I good enough?” often goes through their minds. Type Ones often hold themselves to a higher standard. To welcome a One to your home, have things structured and lined up for them.

M.W. : “Invite me into your fun. Help me play!”

Jacob Robinson: “Showing “hospitality” to a One is a tough ask because of the perfectionist standards. Thus, as a One, I don’t really need “hospitality’ but friendship.”

Annie Rim: “Having a really sweet/personal detail is the best. At dinner, a bottle of wine with a story behind it. As a house guest, a bar of soap or something thoughtful. Anytime someone has done that, I’ve felt especially seen and welcomed.”

Type 2: The Helper (caring, generous, interpersonal, possessive)

As a Type Two herself, Lisa had many thoughts about how to show hospitality to helpers. When you host, Twos are usually the first ones to offer to wash your lettuce or set the table. But sometimes what the Two needs is permission to receive instead of give. They sometimes need to be given “space and time to recharge and rejuvenate and have solitude.” They want to be able to serve out of overflow, not obligation. They want to feel loved for being, not doing.

Andi Cumbo-Floyd: “Hospitality to me is often making it known that I’m wanted just for me, not for the help I can bring.”

Abby Norman: “Either give me a task or tell me everything is taken care of.”

Tanya Marlow: “I like it when people give me quality time and we have a chat about emotions and Real Stuff. I also like it when people ask me for wisdom that will help them out, especially if they’re in crisis. “

Type 3: The Achiever (success-oriented, driven, image-conscious)

To show hospitality to a Three, Lisa advised being punctual and sticking to the set time. Threes get antsy with inefficiencies in gatherings. They appreciate being praised and affirmed for what they can bring to the table. Lisa mentioned a dinner she attended where the host prepared name cards in advance. On the back of each card, the host had written encouragement in the form of “I see this in you” for each specific person. Lisa thought the Type Three would feel especially loved by this gesture.

Sue Fulmore: “The times I have felt most seen and loved is when someone asks questions which help me get more in tune with my emotions. Those people that listen with their whole heart and seek to understand me – this is where I feel most welcome.”

Marci Yoseph: “I want you to sit with me and give me the space/time to sit and relax. If you are up doing stuff I feel obligated to be up and productive too. I need permission to just sit.”

Type 4: The Individualist (sensitive, expressive, dramatic, self-absorbed)

Type Fours “feel all the feels.” Lisa recommended allowing Fours the space and freedom to experience their feelings without shame. They often long for the space to express themselves and have perhaps experienced rejection for their sensitivity. To show hospitality to a Type Four might look like inviting them to share their unique gifts.

F.J. : “Take time to understand me. Be happy to see me. Pursue me. No small talk—only meaningful talk.”

A.M. : “Ask me questions and listen well. Put pretty flowers in my room.”

Type 5: The Investigator (cerebral, perceptive, innovative, isolated)

Lisa said the best way to show hospitality to a Five is to give them space. They tend to be more introverted and sometimes need to isolate and cave up. They appreciate knowing what to expect in advance. They often need to get to a meeting early and observe. But just because they linger on the margins doesn’t mean they don’t want to be invited.

Adam Verner (my husband): “Hand me a good book and tell me to go into another room by myself for three hours before joining the crowd.”

M.D. : “It’s not always easy to articulate deep feelings when you live in your head 99.99% of the time. Having someone who makes it calm, safe, and ok for you to unravel yourself is critical … I need room and empathy to unravel and rewind and figure it out. I need demonstrated empathy which often can mean a strong hug and quality time or asking me specifically about how I am regarding an issue you know I’m struggling with or working through. Presence. I simply need presence.”

Type 6: The Loyalist (committed, security-oriented, responsible, anxious)

Sixes often have a million plans in order to be prepared for the worst case scenario. Lisa mentioned they have the “Mary Poppins bag” of resources “just in case.” They need reassurance that things will be okay. To show hospitality to a Type Six, offer them security, stability, and consistency by following through with promises you make.

A.S. : “Be consistent with invites to hang out. Not with an agenda, but just to chill.”

A.K. : “Consider my children’s needs too. It makes me feel like all of the bases are covered so we can relax and talk.”

Juliana Gordon: “If there is a party, make sure there is plenty of seating so I can make the crowd smaller.”

Cara Strickland: “I love it when people let me know what to expect in advance/anticipate concerns I might have.”

Type 7: The Enthusiast (busy, fun-loving, spontaneous, scattered)

Lisa described this type as the “Joyful Epicurean.” She said they love to go all out and indulge. They are always worried they’ll be deprived and often suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). What Type Sevens need from their hosts is permission to be spontaneous and fun-loving. They want friends to join them in their joyful spontaneity.

Jamie Bagley: “Let me know it’s okay to curl up on the sofa with a blanket or prop my feet up. Also, offering me tea and talking about all things quirky or deeply philosophical is the way to my worn out heart. Cookies help, too.”

Roxanne Engstrom: “I love when families from other cultures invite me to go places with them or do things that they are doing to celebrate religious or cultural moment. And my love language is also food, lots of ethnic food.”

Type 8: The Challenger (self-confident, confrontational, decisive, willful)

Type Eights are strong and powerful. They appreciate honesty and “have a nose to sniff out BS,” Lisa said. They don’t like empty flattery or appreciate people gushing over them. To show hospitality to a Type Eight might look like giving them an opportunity to lead and make decisions. They enjoy people bringing confrontation into the group and feel it’s live-giving.

Courtney Skiera-Vaugn: “If someone were to just take charge and allow me not to have to lead – start the convo, have coffee ready, show up and serve without me asking or even agreeing to (a dear friend did this the other day knowing I was super busy, she showed up, took my kids, loaded my dishwasher and made me coffee IN MY HOME.)”

E.D.: “Invite me into a trusting environment. A few friends goes a lot further than a ton of people.”

Type 9: The Peacemaker (easygoing, agreeable, complacent, people-pleaser)

Lisa said Nines are similar to Sixes in that they need to know that they will be okay. They often camouflage themselves and blend in to please others, so they may need to be drawn out with questions like, “What do you really think?” They may need prodding to do something that engages their body like hiking or going for a walk.

Mallary Covington: “People can show hospitality to me by engaging in good conversations. I love asking good questions and listening, and also love it when people ask me good questions and listen to me in return. Something that makes me feel super disconnected from others is when people ask questions but don’t actually want a real answer. Also, keeping an environment low key and low stress really makes me feel welcome and comfortable.“

A.U.: “Make me know I’m really wanted there and that you are ok with me being there. I crave deep conversations, however I always worry that if I talk about something deeper than the weather that I’m rocking the peace.”

***

Although we are each unique, most of the responses I heard sang a similar tune. Most people feel loved when they are welcomed to be themselves. To do this, we put aside our phones and encourage our guests to relax. We arrange smaller groups, ask good questions, and listen for the answers. We affirm our belief that the person we are talking to right then is the most engaging and important person in the room.

About Lisa Russell:

Lisa is a spiritual counselor and Enneagram coach at Restoration Counseling in Fort Collins, Colorado. She teaches large group workshops and team and individual counseling on the Enneagram. Visit the Restoration Counseling website for more details or to sign up for an Enneagram coaching session.

More on the Enneagram:

Enneagram Institute Website (has a test and descriptions of the different types)

Typology Podcast

That Sounds Fun Podcast with Annie Downs series on the Enneagram

The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth, by Christopther L. Heuertz

The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery, by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile

Invited: The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness releases August 13. Pre-order now and you will be eligible for some outstanding pre-order bonuses.

**Sign up for my newsletter and I’ll send you Chapter 1 of Invited: The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness:**

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links

March 29, 2019March 29, 2019

Tools for Writers and Bloggers

Since I began writing online several years ago, I’ve discovered many tools along the way that I use daily, weekly, or monthly to share content on my blog and on social media. As a former teacher, I’m a huge believer in not reinventing the wheel, so if you, too, are a writer, I hope you can save yourself some time, money and effort by using this list. Feel free share other ideas in the comments!

Websites

Be Funky Collage Maker

I use this when I want to feature several different books and need to include them all on the cover. You can I see examples in this post on race resources and this one on book recommendations (for the Pinterest image on this one I also used Canva–see below).

Canva

I mainly go to Canva to create Pinterest images. If you’re new to blogging or writing online, then you may not know that your Pinterest images should all be oriented as portrait, not landscape. Canva can also be used to create images with text for any type of social media.

Facebook Debugger

When Facebook is not showing the correct image for my blog or if it’s not showing any image at all, this site will help reset it so it will display the correct image (I have NO IDEA what “debugging” means, I just know it works!)

Google URL Shortener

When links are too long to include on Twitter, this will make your link a more reasonable length. For example, Amazon links are incredibly long, so when I want to share about a book, I usually shorten the link before posting it.

Pixabay

This is a great site for free images where you won’t have to worry about impinging on copyright laws.

Power Thesaurus

I use this a ton when I’m writing. I think it offers more options than just using thesaurus.com.

Unsplash

I prefer this to Pixabay mainly because I think the images are a bit more artistic, but it tends to have more upright (portrait) images, which is good for Pinterest but not best to use for blog images.

Programs & Apps

Editpad Lite

This free little program strips away formatting before you copy and paste text to use on your website, in emails, or social media posts. I use it daily.

Mailchimp

I started a newsletter list in 2018 using Mailchimp and I think it’s been a great tool for connecting with readers. It’s free up to the first 2,000 subscribers (which I am far from hitting, so this is not an issue for me).

Scrivener ($45 one time fee)

I wrote my book using Scrivener last year and LOVED it. You can easily move between Word and Scrivener. The advantage is that you can see your whole book at once and move pieces around like a puzzle. As a visual person, that was super helpful as I wrote.

Voxer (app)

Though this seems to be unrelated to writing and blogging, I have connected with many writers using Voxer. Most people don’t have the time to sit down and email you, but they are usually more than willing to leave you a five minute message about their writing process, tools they use, or to share their expertise.

WordPress

I started my blog with a free site in Blogger and wish I had started it in WordPress so it would have been easier to transfer over when I started paying for my site. It’s been fairly intuitive and I haven’t had any issues in the three years I’ve used it.

Which websites and programs make your life easier as a writer? Let me know in the comments! For more writing resources, check out this list of books on writing and podcasts for writers.

Sign up for my monthly(ish) newsletter here and I’ll send you a list of hospitality resources for uncertain hosts!

Online tools (websites, programs and apps) for writers and bloggers. #writingcommunity #writinglife #bloggers #blogger #wordpress #writingtools #writingsites

February 21, 2019August 24, 2020

Places to Publish (for Writers of Faith)

I compiled another list! Surprise, surprise. (Perhaps a procrastination technique to not actually write. . . ?) There are millions of online journals, but sometimes it’s hard to know which ones are worth your time. I’ve published at some of these places listed below, but the rest come by recommendation from writing friends. Can people of faith publish in secular journals? Of course–and I hope you do! But for those of you looking for a niche, I hope this list nudges you to submit your work to the world.

Most do not pay, but maybe I’ll share in a future post about why publishing for free is still valuable for new writers. Please let me know if there are some sites you would recommend that fit the flavor of this list and I’ll consider adding them. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter for more helpful information like you see here. (I don’t always curate lists, I write sometimes, too.)

You’ll notice the list runs the gamut “side”-wise, and not every publication listed is a site for people of faith, so read each publication before submitting to ensure that it’s a good fit for you! These links will take you to their submissions pages. Happy writing and publishing. May your rejections be few and your acceptances many.

Online Publications:

$ Offer payment (in some cases)

* Online and print options

The Art of Taleh

Barren

By Faith (Presbyterian PCA magazine)

Catalyst

Charisma ($?)

Chicken Soup for the Soul ($)

Christ and Pop Culture (both unpaid and $)

The Christian Century ($) *

Christian Courier ($)

Christianity Today ($) *

Comment ($)

Crosswalk ($)

Daily Paradigm Shift (DailyPS)

Evangelicals for Social Action

Everything Mom

Faithit ($)

Fathom Mag

For Every Mom ($–for previously unpublished work)

Geez ($) *

Good Letters (blog of Image Journal *)

Her View from Home ($)

iBelieve ($)

(In)Courage

In Touch Magazine ($)

Joy of It

The Joyful Life Magazine

Plough Quarterly ($) *

Really (Elisa Morgan’s blog–former CEO of MOPS)

RELEVANT

Risen Motherhood

Red Letter Christians

Trochia ($)

The Well (Intervarsity)

**This list will be updated periodically.

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Places to Publish for Christian Writers and Writers of Faith. The links on this post will take you to the submissions pages for each of these sites. #getpublished #submitwriting #writingsubmissions #placestopublish #blogs #onlinejournals #onlinemagazines #collaborativeblogs

Photo by Joyce McCown on Unsplash

January 3, 2019May 31, 2019

Rockin’ New Books (by Female Authors) to Read in 2019

Did you know books with traditional publishers almost always release on Tuesdays? You’re welcome for that random bit of trivia you can use to wow strangers at your next party. Until I entered this publishing gig, I had no idea. According to this article, the main three reasons may be “ease of distribution, a level playing field for booksellers and a better shot at the bestseller list.” Who knew?

I’m marking my Tuesdays for the following books coming out in 2019. Be sure you do the same (and offer up some book/writer-love by sharing this post and pre-ordering a few of these amazing new titles!).

January

True You: Letting Go of Your False Self to Uncover the Person God Created by Michelle DeRusha (Baker Books)

The Bright Life: 40 Invitations to Reclaim Your Energy for the Full Life by Jen Wise (Zondervan)

Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land (Hachette)

Taste and See: Discovering God Among Butchers, Bakers and Fresh Food Makers by Margaret Feinberg (Zondervan)

Hermanas: Deepening Our Humanity and Growing Our Influence by Natalia Kohn Rivera, Noemi Vega Quinones, Kristy Garza Robinson (IVP)

February

Uncluttered: Free Your Space, Free Your Schedule, Free Your Soul by Courtney Ellis (Hendrikson Publishers, Inc.)

The Waiting Room: 60 Meditations for Finding Peace and Hope in a Health Crisis by Elizabeth Turnage

The Louder Song: Listening for Hope in the Midst of Lament by Aubrey Sampson (NavPress)

The Color of Life: A Journey Toward Love and Racial Justice by Cara Meredith (Zondervan)

Becoming Coztōtōtl poems by Carolina Hinojosa-Cisneros (Flower Song Books)

And Social Justice for All: Empowering Families, Churches and Schools to Make a Difference in God’s World by Lisa Van Engen (Kregel Publications)

March

Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others by Barbara Brown Taylor (HarperOne)

Placemaker: Cultivating Places of Comfort Beauty, and Peace by Christie Purifoy (Zondervan)

A Brave Face: Two Cultures, Two Families, and the Iraqi Girl Who Bound them Together by Barbara Marlowe, Teeba Furat Marlowe and Jennifer Keirn (Thomas Nelson)

Latch, poems by Jen Stewart Fueston (March/River Glass Books)

April

Loving My Actual Neighbor: 7 Practices to Treasure the People Right in Front of You by Alexandra Kuykendall (Baker Books)

Brave Souls: Experiencing the Audacious Power of Empathy by Belinda Bauman (IVP)

Glorious Weakness: Discovering God in All We Lack by Alia Joy (Baker Books)

The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions by Emily P. Freeman (Revell)

May

The God Who Sees: Immigrants, the Bible and the Journey to Belong by Karen Gonzalez (Herald Press)

We Will Feast: Rethinking Dinner, Worship and the Kingdom of God by Kendall Vanderslice (May/Eerdmans)

Surprised by Paradox: The Promise of “And” in an Either-Or World by Jen Pollock Michel (IVP)

WAIT: Thoughts and Practice in Waiting on God by Rebecca Brewster Stevenson (Light Messages Publishing)

July

Open Hands, Willing Heart: Discover the Joy of Saying Yes to God by Vivian Mabuni (WaterBrook)

Risk Resilience: How Empowering Young Women Can Change Everything by Jenny Rae Armstrong (Herald Press)

August

All Shall Be Well: Awakening to God’s Presence in His Messy, Abundant World by Catherine McNiel (NavPress)

Invited: The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness by Leslie Verner (Herald Press) [shameless plug 😉 ]

September

When You Love a Prodigal: 90 Days of Grace for the Wilderness by Judy Douglass (Bethany House)

October

Separated by the Border: A Birth Mother, a Foster Mother & a Migrant Child’s 3000-Mile Journey by Gena Thomas (IVP)

Stronger Than Death, how Annalena Tonelli Defied Terror and Tuberculosis in the Horn of Africa by Rachel Pieh Jones (Plough Publishing House)

Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison (WaterBrook)

Miracles and Other Reasonable Things: A Story of Unlearning and Relearning God by Sarah Bessey (Howard Books)

Signs of Life: Resurrecting Hope Out of Ordinary Losses by Stephanie Lobdell (Herald Press)

November

Making Peace with Change: Navigating Life’s Messy Transitions with Honesty and Grace by Gina Butz (Discovery House)

Life-Giving Choices: 60 Days to What Matters Most by Lucinda Secrest McDowell (New Hope)

The Following Are Still Waiting for Their Lovely Covers:

A Prayer for Orion by Kate James (October)

Mythical Me: Finding Freedom from Constant Comparison, by Richella Parham (October/IVP)

Deconstructed Do-Gooder: A Memoir About Finding Mercy the Hard Way by Brittany Winn Lee (November/Wipf and Stock)

And a Few Children’s Books:

Gracefull: Growing a Heart that Cares for Our Neighbors by Dorena Williamson (Feb/B & H Kids)

The Backwards Easter Egg Hunt by Meadow Rue Merrill (March)

The Boy with Big, Big Feelings by Brittany Winn Lee (Beaming Books)

*This post will be updated periodically

Please share this post to spread the word on these fabulous new books!

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New books to read (by female authors) in 2019. #newbooks #2019books #christianauthors #creativenonfiction #nonfiction #bookstoread #bookrecommendations

**This post includes Amazon affiliate links

April 27, 2018October 23, 2019

10 Podcasts for Writers & Creatives

As a writing teacher and writer, hearing writers share about their process fascinates and inspires me. Here are ten podcasts I recommend for writers and creatives.

#AmWriting

This podcast covers all things writing and also offers a free Facebook group for writers. They sometimes invite guests to share, but the hosts themselves have a ton of wisdom and experience which they offer to listeners.

Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach

I chased Ann Kroeker down the hallway once at the Festival of Faith and Writing, then cried all over her boots. The word that comes to mind with this podcast is “generosity.” In short, weekly podcasts, Ann offers her knowledge of the craft of writing as she coaches writers, suggests resources and offers advice to stuck writers.

Beautiful Writers Podcast

The host, Linda Sivertsen, has had fantastic guests on the show such as Anne Lamott, Arianna Huffington, Tom Hanks, Brene Brown, Mary Karr, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Seth Godin. I’m always amazed that she doesn’t fangirl all over the guests, like I would be prone to do …

Become a Pro Blogger

This is a practical podcast for those who view their blog as a business. While I personally see my blog as a vehicle for testing out writing ideas and connecting with readers, this podcast has helped me make a few shifts to be more productive and strategic in getting my content to the right readers.

Magic Lessons

In this podcast, writer Elizabeth Gilbert helps struggling writers and creatives to find their creative mojo. When I listened as a brand new writer, it helped me overcome the insecurity of calling myself a “writer” and admit that writing was a calling and gift claiming me (and not the other way around).

Creative If Writing Podcast

This is a bit more focused on blogging, and I’ll often turn here if I have a specific blogging-related question, like “How do I get the right image to show up on Facebook?” She has episodes on anything from non-smarmy marketing, tips for building traffic, to the top tools for bloggers. This is a very practical podcast for bloggers and online writers.

The Hope Writers Podcast

This podcast is hosted by the founders of the Hope Writers writing group as a teaser to encourage you to join Hope Writers. That said, it still has value as a stand-alone venture as the hosts discuss their genius and idiot moves, how to make money writing, book launch secrets, and how to organize your writing ideas, among other topics of interest to writers.

Rewrite Radio

This podcast was put out by the Festival of Faith and Writing and I’ve listened to many of the episodes more than once. My favorites are Barbara Brown Taylor (2004), Frederick Buechner (1992), Memoir as Feminist Testimony (2016), and Katherine Paterson (2004). They offer recordings of the sessions from the festival over the years.

Writers on Writing

This is a fabulous podcast where the hosts usually interview two professional writers each week about their writing process. I’ve gotten tons of ideas about what to read, new writing routines to try, and the constant encouragement that comes with realizing the writers I admire are real people with some of the same doubts that I have.

Writing Class Radio

The hosts invite writers to read their nonfiction essays and then they discuss what made it work. I appreciate the honesty and generosity of these women and have learned about the craft of writing from them.

10 Minute Writers’ Workshop

This podcast not only increased my “to read” list, it also gave me exactly what I needed as a new writer–the reminder I wasn’t alone in my questions, quirks and hesitations. I mean, if great writers were distracted by social media, then I didn’t need to feel so guilty. This podcast also provided me with practical ideas for editing, finding inspiration, and books on writing to hone my craft. I’m sad it ended, but if you are a writer, you should check it out. I think I listened to every single episode (you can read ten tips I learned about writing from this podcast here).

What are your favorite podcasts on writing or creativity?

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Our theme for April is “Books and Writing,” and I hope to share my favorite books, podcasts and resources for new writers. Click here if you’re new to the series and want to catch up on old posts. Be sure to follow me on social media and sign up for my newsletter below so you can be alerted of new posts. Please get in touch at scrapingraisins (dot) gmail (dot) com if you are interested in guest posting on this topic!

**This post includes Amazon affiliate links

10 Podcasts for Writers & Creatives: As a writing teacher and writer, hearing writers share about their process fascinates and inspires me. Here are 10 podcasts I'd recommend for writers and creatives.

April 20, 2018April 20, 2018

Places for (Edgy) Faith Writers to Publish

Anyone who’s read my blog for any length of time knows I love lists of resources. Perhaps it’s the teacher in me? For those of you who might be new to writing, I wanted to give you a leg up and let you know some places to submit your work.

I’ve written for many of these, but some are on my bucket list of places to submit one day in the future. Let me know if you have other information for me to add to this list and feel free to contact me via the query form on my blog or other social media to ask questions.

Here are some places for writers to submit their work:

Online Collaborative Blogs (you’ll be paid in readers & community)

SheLoves Magazine

I’m one of the editors, so I can speak most specifically to this site. SheLoves is about Jesus, justice and juicy living. The best submissions are personal narrative, not preachy. We love stories that share your heart, not just quotes and Bible verses. You can email your submissions to Kathleen Bertrand at shelovesmagazine@gmail.com. For more submission info, go here. They only accept previously unpublished pieces. Here are the themes for 2018–usually due the 15th of the previous month:

June: Transitions
July: Territories
August: Fire
September: Edge
October: Warrior
November: Gathering
December: Glory

The Mudroom Blog

The Mudroom is gritty, raw and real. The women here are world changers and justice-seekers. They love Jesus, but aren’t afraid to ask the hard questions. I’ve published here several times and have had a really great experience. Visit here for submission guidelines and monthly themes (which are usually amazing). They only accept previously unpublished pieces.

Altarwork

Altarwork is a collaborative blog featuring fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, music and visual arts. I’ve published several pieces with them and they don’t mind republishing previously published work. To submit a piece for Altarwork, visit this page.

Scraping Raisins, by me;-)

This year I am using themes for each month, so take a look at the themes here and let me know if you’d be interested in submitting a guest post! I’m looking for personal stories from 500-1000 words.

(In)Courage

Okay, so I wouldn’t normally consider (In)Courage “edgy,” but they just announced 10 new writers that are edgy, so we might begin to see a bit more of that! 😉 Submissions to (In)Courage are quarterly, so you have to watch for the two-week window. You can usually submit the first two weeks of December, March, June and September. Visit this page for more submission info.

Literary Mama

Not for faith writers, per se, but I’ve always wanted to write for them. They put out info about places for writers to submit their work on the first Wednesday of every month.

RELEVANT (online)

RELEVANT will publish previously published work, so if you have a blog post that’s done well, you might want to think about sending it along to RELEVANT. Be sure you keep an eye out, though, because they most likely won’t inform you whether or not they decided to run it. This year, I had a surprise birthday present when they ran my piece without my knowledge. Visit here for more submission info.

Red Tent Living

I’ve been meaning to submit here for a long time because I love their vision and the authenticity of their writers. Visit here for more submission info. Submissions are theme-based and due the first of the month. Here are the current themes.

Sojourners

This is also a site where I’ve wanted to contribute because I respect and admire their work. For submission guidelines, visit here. This link also includes info about submitting to their print magazine.

For Missionaries and Expats:

A Life Overseas

This was the first place I ever had a piece published, so I have a fondness for this site (it was also the place I had the most engagement and visits to my personal blog as a result of publishing). This is a fabulous online community of thoughtful missionaries and expats. To submit a post, email Elizabeth at emarietrotter@gmail.com and write “Guest Post” in the subject line.

Velvet Ashes

I wish Velvet Ashes had existed when I lived overseas. This is a vibrant, active, and encouraging community of women who are mostly all living away from their passport cultures. VA offers online small groups, an online retreat (the next one is the 19-22!), and a weekly link-up on Thursdays for bloggers, called “The Grove”. For current themes and submission guidelines, visit here.

Writing about Motherhood:

For Every Mom

This site will also publish pieces that have been published before, so I’ll often send the editor, Jenny Rapson, any pieces that have done well on my blog. They will also take pitches for paid pieces, though I haven’t done that yet, so I don’t have any tips. For submission info, visit here.

Coffee + Crumbs

This is a lovely blog featuring quality essays that is still on my bucket list to submit to. Check here to see if they are open for submissions (they rarely are).

If You Prefer to Get Paid, Try These:

iBelieve

This is a Christian site that features articles about faith, relationships, calling, health, beauty, devotionals, motherhood and career. They do pay for articles, though it’s not a lot. You can submit queries here.

Think Christian

From the website: “Think Christian serves the devout faithful who are also fans of popular culture. In music and movies, television and video games, we seek to find—in the words of the Apostle Paul—“whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.” Our task as a digital magazine is to consider how popular culture and its cultivators interact with God’s story, and we do this with grace, appreciation, and discernment.” Email editor Josh Larsen with pitches and queries: jlarsen@reframemedia.com

Christianity Today

From their site: “Articles for CT should be factually sound, well researched, and pertain to modern Christianity. We are interested in profiles, interviews, feature stories, book reviews, and opinion pieces that are expertly written and well supported, provide a fresh perspective, and connect the eternal message of the gospel with current trends, culture, events, and news. First-person articles should apply your personal experience to a broader concept of faith and biblical truth.” Visit here for guidelines on submitting to CT.

Washington Post, Acts of Faith

From their site: “The Washington Post’s Acts of Faith offers breaking and ongoing news, analysis and opinion about major religion stories. We tackle anything where faith, spirituality, ethics and values live, from politics and culture to science and education. Please note that we are considering a limited number of submissions right now. Acts of Faith is edited by Sarah Pulliam Bailey (spulliam@gmail.com).” Visit here for more submission info.

Print Magazines (some pay, some don’t)

Faithfully Magazine

Editor-in-chief & founder: Nicola A. Menzie

Faithfully Magazine is a news and lifestyle publication that covers issues, conversations and events impacting Christian communities of color. It’s also the first print magazine I was ever published in! For detailed submission info, visit here. They do not currently pay.

Image Journal

Editor & founder: Gregory Wolfe

Image Journal is a beautiful magazine featuring fiction, nonfiction and poetry. For submission info to either their print magazine, Image Journal, or their daily blog, Good Letters, visit here. They also have a yearly week-long writer’s workshop called The Glen that I’ve had my eye on for a while.

Plough Magazine

Managing editor: Shana Burleson

This is a quarterly magazine featuring poetry, book reviews, fiction, creative nonfiction, and visual arts related to faith, culture, justice and community. (I really need to write for them…) For submission info, visit here. The site says they will pay an “honorarium” (I’m not sure what that means) for their print articles, but are unable to pay for online articles.

Ready Publication

Editor-in-chief & founder: Gail Dudley

Ready is a quarterly print and digital publication designed with the beautiful diversity of women around the world in mind. To submit an article, visit here.

Relief Journal

Editor-in-chief: Daniel Bowman

This is an annual print journal that accepts poetry, fiction, graphic narrative, and creative nonfiction. Their reading period is October 1 – March 31. For more submission info, visit here.

Ruminate

Editor-and founder: Brianna Van Dyke

This is a gorgeous magazine that publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry and visual art. To find more info about submitting to the print magazine, visit here. They also have a blog, so visit here for info about submitting there. They pay a little for pieces for the print magazine, but I’m not sure about the blog. Ruminate also runs contests throughout the year. (Side note–they are located in my city in a renovated barn!)

St. Katherine Review

Managing editor: Angela Doll Carlson

The guiding principle at Saint Katherine Review is “Inquiry seeking Wisdom.”This print magazine accepts poetry, creative nonfiction, reviews and fiction. Contributors receive three copies of the issue in which their work appears, plus a one-year subscription. For more submission info, visit here.

Have you signed up for my newsletter? New subscribers will be entered to win a free copy of this gorgeous magazine, Ruminate. If you’re already a subscriber, head over to my Instagram post and tag up to four friends to be entered to win there! Giveaway will be open until this Friday at midnight (MT). Sorry, only U.S. residents and no bots, please!

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