If you’re looking for Christian writing work, you’re about to join a writing niche that’s by no means small.
The faith economy The annual value is $1.2 trillion. A lot of that is thanks to the writing. Christian writers contribute to the world of writing in a variety of ways, some through personal blogs, journalism, and the writing of faith-based books.
Contributing to Christian publications can be a fulfilling way to use your talents. Additionally, if you’re looking to leave your traditional 9-hour job behind, there are specific ways you can pursue Christian writing work full-time. In this article, I first define Christian writing and then discuss five specific steps you can take to get started.
Christian writing defined
Christian writing focuses on writing, composing and editing Christian texts for online or print publications. Whether you’re naturally interested in online journalism or writing faith-based books, if you’re looking to get started in Christian writing, you’ve come to the right place.
It takes writers of all backgrounds and talents to create a well-rounded market. In fact, there are many names you may know who make a living from Christian writing and whose work spans a variety of genres and writing styles.
You may know the name of Jerry B. Jenkins from his well-known series: Left behind. Katelyn Beaty is also a Christian author, but she eschews fiction and takes a more journalistic approach. John Piper’s Christian writing spans every continent in both book and digital form.
Wherever you are, below are five ways to get started in Christian writing.
6 options to get you started
Entering an industry can be intimidating, especially if you don’t know where to start. The good news is that there are many different paths you can take to begin Christian writing. No one option is better than the other, it just depends on what is best for you and your writing goals.
1. Freelancing
Freelancing is a great first step into Christian writing because it is available to writers at different stages of their journey. If you’re just starting out, you may want to create a simple website and list your services. This way, when you survey potential customers, your website adds legitimacy to your query.
There are also many Blogs that hire freelancers and pay per word. Other publications pay per article. For example, Chicken soup for the soul reportedly pays $250 per 1,200-word articleas well as free copies of the book itself.
Getting started in Christian writing may be difficult, but once you’ve sent your initial query, you’ve taken the first step. Freelancing is an extremely safe way to test the waters.
2. Start your own blog
In the age of influencers, blogging is another opportunity to give Christian writing a boost. Sadie Robertson Huff (Duck Dynasty) is a prominent influencer who uses blogs to reach her audience. Sarah Young (Jesus calls) contains a blog about her Author’s website.
However, you don’t have to have sold 30 million copies of your book to start a blog. In fact, both Sadie and Sarah lacked writing skills platform earlier. While you can always interview established bloggers and ask to guest blog, starting your own blog is one way to get started with Christian writing. This small investment with big impact potential is an almost fail-safe entry.
Don’t forget to blog regularly, whether monthly or once a week, so your growing audience knows what to expect from you. As your audience list grows, your chances of monetizing your blog also increase.
3. Submission to paid publications
Billy Graham began with the vision behind the now well-known magazine: Christianity today. This publication allows freelancers to solicit ideas and get paid for their article if accepted. There are many other paid publications that you can check out while you pursue your Christian writing work. Here are a few tips for this:
- Query at the same time
- Send you the best ideas
- Provide some important credentials
- Be brief but efficient
- Track your progress
A simple Excel spreadsheet or even a good notebook can help you document the answers you get and the dates you queried which publications.
4. Write a book of faith
Sharing your story or writing about faith topics is another great way to get started in Christian writing. You can publish your book traditionally or self-publish and even start a speaking career if your book is well received.
Authors often use books as a launching pad for their careers, compiling quotes for social media, specific topics for speaking events, and even creating entire online courses to accompany the book.
5. Christian journalism
For those with a more journalistic mindset, Christian journalism can be an exciting niche to explore. You can use a to offer your work in book form Publisher of Christian bookshost a podcast or write research articles on current Christian topics.
There are so many ways to use journalism in Christian writing, and many people are leading the way in this area. If you have a background in journalism or are currently studying this form of writing, you may want to explore the opportunities in this niche.
6. Collaborate with authors
With Millions of books are published every year You can be sure that ghostwriters and editors will be needed. Collaborating with authors offers authors a unique look at individual stories, allows a behind-the-scenes look into the authors’ lives, and can add credibility to their own Christian writing.
If you’re interested in collaborating with an author, whether editing their manuscript or drafting their manuscript, you can get started in a few ways:
- Sit down with an editor and ask for advice
- Look for editorial jobs at Christian publishers
- Add this service to your website and start freelance editing
Collaborating with authors is a way for many established authors to break into the business, and an opportunity that you can benefit from too.
Your new job in Christian writing
Getting into Christian writing is an exciting prospect. If you are a person of faith, doing this type of work is not only a helpful transition to a new career path, but also an extremely fulfilling task.
Here comes the hard part. How do you take advantage of the opportunities above and translate them into steps you can take today? Below are some options that you can pursue with little time and financial outlay:
- Create a free website with a template
- Email Christian authors in your network and ask them for advice
- Browse the links above for paid freelance work
- Follow this step-by-step process to write your book
Remember that like any career change, it takes time to establish yourself in the industry. Use your credentials to build your credibility and remember that going slow and steady can lead to great results over time.
Before I leave you to begin, here is a simple thought tip to focus on as you begin your journey: Treat your pursuit of Christian writing like the day job you want one day. Prioritize it, give it your all, and pursue it relentlessly. Best wishes out there!