They Told Me I Need To Write A Blog

So I did! It seemed like a good idea at the time, a way to achieve my goal of being noticed. Trust me when I say I am not normally looking to be noticed but this was different. I had a book to sell. I had an agent to find. I had a publisher to impress. Somewhere out there was success and all I had to do was take the appropriate steps and my “baby” would be in the hands of Christians, in the libraries of pastors and on the required reading lists of church boards everywhere.

When I told my wife I was writing a book, she laughed.

Before you think she is heartless, mean or something horrible, she had every reason to laugh! She pointed out that I don’t often read books other than the Bible and devotionals. As the saying goes, “writers are readers” and I was attempting to become an author. I had had some success writing live theatre scripts and sermons but writing a book? The guy who had never written a book and did not read many books has now completed writing a book and writes a weekly blog. I think she is still laughing, I know I am.

It hasn’t gone like I had hoped.                        

It has been three years and a few months of blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking, Instagraming, LinkedIning and Pinteresting. I have both posted and commented regularly leading to more posting and commenting more regularly. I have friends all over the place who, this side of Heaven, I will most likely never meet. I have seen the world and more importantly my faith from different points of view, many of which I would never have considered. I have been agitated, encouraged, challenged and even angered by what I have read and I am sure I have been able to provide the same service to others through my posts. I am not complaining, as a matter of fact I am better for the experience. Still, it has not gone the way I had hoped.

What I set out to do has failed.

As my blogs and other social media platforms grew I hoped that it would birth a publishing opportunity. I tried to continue to grow my following because I was told this would make my book more appealing to a potential publisher. I tried until I realized that I didn’t want to be a social media household name or at least I didn’t want to spend every waking hour of every day trying to add to my followers. Then this happened. I had sent off a copy of my manuscript and a proposal to an agent seeking representation. His response went something like this. ‘If you had the best book in the world, it wouldn’t matter. Books like yours (Christian living/church life/church leadership) only sell because of the author’s name.’

It turns out my name wasn’t big enough to sell books like the big name pastors, surprise, surprise! Maybe with years of screen time I could grow an online audience that would translate into J David Peever becoming a name that would sell books but I am not willing to spend that type of time online and even if I did there is no guarantee it would translate into a publishing deal. What I set out to do has failed.

Where do I go from here?

I set out to get my book published when I started working on my online presence and I have had plenty of offers. As soon as you use author in any online description of yourself you are asking for “follows” from every self-publishing company that ever existed. I don’t have that type of money, as a matter of fact I really don’t have any money and, as you have may have guessed, I don’t have the desire/ability to work the social media sites so that I can sell my book if I were to self-publish. I have published abridged sections from my book on my blog and I have used the book itself to help in the transition of a church in trouble. I still believe that my book “Blueprint” has a place in the Christian book world and that although it needs a professional editor, it is well written.

So I am left with a weekly blog, an unpublished book and COVID 19 restricted ministry but no idea what to do next. I spend much more time in prayer these days seeking God’s guidance for my next move. Of course with the current pandemic it is not as much that I am such a great Christian always praying for direction but rather I have much more time on my hands to think about how this has all worked out, worry a little and then, because there is more time left, pray. Where do I go from here?

It has been a great journey.

I have enjoyed pushing myself beyond my past writing experience of live theatre scripts, music, sermons and reports. I look back and laugh. I wrote a book. I wrote at least one blog post a week for over three years. It isn’t a funny haha laugh but rather a giggle, well not so much a giggle, that would suggest a silly response, it is more of disbelief mixed with satisfaction type of laugh. I did that! Well in fairness God did that I just had the chance to be along for the ride. The question that won’t go away is, “What’s next?” The answer is, “I don’t know.” I am not giving up but I am giving in. My dreams of publishing my book are now fantasies and therefore my drive behind blogging has become less defined. So far it has been a great journey, I’m just not sure what is next.

Seeking God’s Plan – Done God’s Way – In God’s Timing – With God’s Chosen Resources

It’s finally here!

Thank you to those who encouraged me after I wrote this blog and to those who stepped in to do what I could not afford to do. I now have a fully edited book with a great cover – I am truly blessed.

For posts from my book Blueprint click on the following link Blueprint (my book) or click on Blueprint (my book) under categories on the right side of this page

33 comments

  1. Pingback: They Told Me I need To Write A Blog, I’m Glad I Did! | Live 4 Him
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  4. Best of luck in finding a publisher. God will lead you in the correct direction when its time. I started a blog for the exact same reason , however my book is christian fiction so a different audience. I do self publish through Christian Faith Publishing and they have a monthly plan that I can tolerate. Your style is easy to read and should be published, good luck.

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  5. Just a suggestion…seriously just a suggestion…How about self publishing through Amazon (at no cost other than your time) a sort of favorite post collection? There are some you have written that have such subtle humor in them. You already have an audience for your posts, why not just a collection of posts? And I think too, you could use an overarching title that is relevant to the worldwide health crisis that is going on, and will likely continue for some time. We LOVE your posts, and we don’t think they need any special editing at all. Those posts, especially the humorous ones are what a lot of people need right now. There are a lot of people who are estranged from church or would feel awkward in church (some say we have had three generations now of “un-churched” people in some families). With Covid-19, there are people searching for spiritual help, I think, but church outreach is very limited right now, it’s almost like church communities have become closed communities, so people who don’t feel comfortable in church under ordinary circumstances would be more hesitant now. Maybe your unique sense of humor and blogging experience of packing meaningful ideas into shorter units is just what those people need. Anyway, be encouraged. We all think so very highly of you. We really do. Chickens included! 🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥

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      1. You are very welcome, Dave. And if you do decide to self-publish and need help with a cover, I will be glad to work on one for you. No charge. You don’t even have to give me credit for it. I’m able to do a full “wrap-around cover” now (front, spine, back…all in one PDF). My proofs for the latest books came out amazing with both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Just have to fix some things on the interior files. (Color illustrations do not always do well when printed in black-and-white, so I have had to rework those in shades of white, gray, and black.) Anyway, I’d be glad to help you with the cover, and no hurt feelings if you don’t think my artwork would be quite what you have in mind.

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  6. Your experience has been much like my own, Dave. I was crushed when my health failed and I could no longer practice law. It felt as if I had lost my calling, along w/ my health. W/ enormous effort, I wrote two books relying on a “Christian” publisher ultimately prosecuted for fraud. I envisioned a writing career. Unfortunately, the publisher did little or nothing to market my books. They failed resoundingly before going out of print. I did not want to spend my life online, so never pursued social media. I did, however, begin blogging w/ the same outcome you’ve had. I am sure God will direct your steps, my friend. ” ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD” (Isa. 55: 8).

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  7. A good writer, enjoy eating your blog and parts of Blueprint….always a good read…I don’t know how our Lord puts it together…many great preachers out there as well who never get the exposure of others who are actually not as good….we will understand it better by and by

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  10. Dave, totally understand. One editor who liked one of my books said to come back when I had 25,000 followers. Seriously? All the “striving” doesn’t feel right to me. Prayer definitely is a major element in the process. Like you say, “Seeking God’s Plan – Done God’s Way – In God’s Timing – With God’s Chosen Resources”.

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  11. I feel the same way about promoting via social media. But as long as your book is published it will sell some copies with minimal effort.
    You can buy author copies at print cost ($3.77 USD for Honey Ko) and then sell or give them away to friends and family. Word of mouth is a good way to build a following too.

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  12. Dave, have you thought about do-it-yourself self-publishing via Amazon or Smashwords? It’s pretty easy. You can do an eBook only or eBook and paperback. There are no upfront costs. I self-published Honey Ko via Amazon. You can even design your own cover using Amazon’s templates.

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    1. I really need a professional edit – I had sample edit done on a small section and although the changes were small you could see my writing come to life with a dropped word here and a switch of order there – as a script writer, dialogue and stage directions come so much easier to me but the flow required to combine both information and ideas in an attractive and easy to read way is something I am unsure of

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      3. Dave, my English teacher friend is eager to exercise her editing chops on your book if you are willing. She already follows your posts and enjoys your ministry and your writing. Just say the word. I believe the three of us were brought together for a reason. Maybe this is it. LauraDenise is her blog handle.
        BTW, I’m intrigued by and concur with John’s (Dad4Gracie) suggestion about a collection of posts. An eBook would be just the thing. You have a fan base ready to help spread the word at no cost and a captive COVID audience eager for positive conversation. Your blog posts are absolutely positive bite-sized reads that can help lift spirits. The deeper the swamp grows the more we need spiritual guidance. You already provide that to 417 followers. Seriously, you can’t miss another opportunity to spread the Word.
        I’d be happy to look over your manuscript. I’m not an editor, but I can provide a Beta read.

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