​Publishing a book is one of the most powerful authority-building and client-attracting tools you can use to grow your practice and expand your influence. Here’s why every transformational leader should consider becoming a published author.

1. Establish Credibility & Authority
Your book becomes a tangible representation of your expertise. When potential clients see your name on a published book, it instantly elevates your status from “service provider” to trusted authority. It tells the world, “I know my field well enough to teach it.”

A book gives you credibility in a way that no social post or webinar ever could. It’s your professional proof of mastery, a powerful foundation that builds confidence and trust with your audience.

A book positions you as the go-to expert, not just another voice in your niche.

2. Share Your Story & Philosophy
As a coach, healer, or consultant, your personal journey is part of your brand.
Your story, your challenges, your growth, and your breakthroughs holds the key to someone else’s transformation.

Your book allows readers to connect emotionally with your journey. They’ll understand why you do what you do, and they’ll see themselves reflected in your story. That emotional connection turns casual readers into loyal followers and paying clients. People don’t buy coaching; they buy trust and transformation.

3. Expand Your Reach
A book travels farther than any business card, social post, or email ever will.
It can reach people across the world who’ve never heard of you before, creating new opportunities for:

• 🎤 Speaking engagements
• 🎙️ Podcast interviews
• 📰 Media features
• 🤝 Collaborations and summits

Your book opens doors that ads cannot. It works as a silent ambassador, spreading your message and credibility long after it’s published.

4. Generate Leads & Clients
A book is one of the most effective marketing funnels available.
When structured correctly, it can guide readers naturally toward your next offer. Include links, QR codes, or calls to action inside your book that lead to:

• A free consultation call
• A free resource (ebook, course, or assessment)
• Your coaching, consulting, or healing program

Readers who resonate with your message already trust your process — which means they’re more likely to become clients, students, or advocates for your brand.

5. Create Passive Income & Evergreen Impact
Unlike social media posts that vanish within hours, a book is evergreen.
It keeps working for you, inspiring people, teaching, and generating revenue 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

A well-written book not only brings in sales, it also builds legacy. Your words will continue to change lives long after you’ve stopped marketing them. Your book becomes a legacy asset, one that carries your message, your mission, and your heart into the future.

Ready to Turn Your Message Into a Movement?
If you’ve been saying for years that you’re going to write a book, but you don’t have the time, the guidance, or the structure, now is the time to make it happen.

At Williams DocuPrep, we specialize in helping coaches, healers, and consultants turn their message into a professionally published book that builds credibility and grows their business.

Visit williamsdocuprep.com or call 470-713-4503
Let’s get you published and positioned for impact.

Publisher record
When you register your book with a free ISBN, the entity that provided the ISBN is recorded as the publisher. This might not look as professional as if you were listed as the publisher. Also the publisher of record receives the money from the book sale and distributes what they want the author to receive.

Non-transferrable
Some free ISBNs are non-transferrable, so you might not be able to use them with another publisher or self-publishing service. For example, Amazon's free ISBNs can only be used for distribution to Amazon and its distributors.

Control
​With your own ISBN, you have complete control over what's entered in your book's metadata, which can help readers, bookstores, and libraries decide if they want to buy your book.
 
However, if you're self-publishing a one-off book with low sales and aren't serious about publishing using a free ISBN might be good for you. If you are a serious author and planning to self-publish several books then it would be a good idea to purchase your own ISBN number.
 
Currently, the cost for one ISBN is $125. The cost for 10 ISBNs $295. IngramSpark has teamed up with Bowker to offer a special rate on single ISBNs to IngramSpark United States publishers. Once you have an IngramSpark account, you can purchase single ISBNs directly from Bowker through your IngramSpark dashboard for just $85. Purchasing an ISBN through your IngramSpark dashboard offers you a discounted rate on that individual ISBN and the benefit of having your publishing imprint attached.

However, if you’re likely to publish more than one book or more than one format of the same book, we encourage you to consider purchasing a 10-pack of ISBNs directly from Bowker.com (US publishers only). It’s recommended that you make your book available in more than one format, and you can save money by buying a block of 10 through Bowker. Remember, you're likely to sell more books if your title is available in a variety of formats.

There could be several reasons why your book isn't selling as much as you'd like, or at all. The good news is that there are many things you can do to fix this. The primary reason your book isn’t selling could be because you haven't advertised it, so not very many people know it exists. In order to make book sales, people must first be aware of your book's existence.

If you are advertising, and you’re still not making sales, it might mean that you are advertising to the wrong people. You want to figure out who your target audience is and where those people “hang out.” The goal is to get your book in front of people who will actually enjoy it. Don't be shy about your book. You need to ask readers to buy your book, and you shouldn't be afraid to do that. Shout it from the rooftops. Whenever you can, use good old-fashioned word-of-mouth to get the message out to as many people as possible.

When it comes to marketing your book, the best cost is always free. Here are some other free and low-cost ideas you can use to get your book sales moving.

1. Create a Twitter profile and tweet book updates from it.
2. Create an Instagram author account and use it to post updates from your book.
3. Follow book lovers and social influencers.
4. Follow Christian authors and writers in social media.
5. Create Instagram Reels to engage your audience via short video promos.
6. Post to Instagram every day in the run-up to your book launch.
7. Engage in Instagram takeovers to leverage other authors’ followings.
8. Create a Facebook author fan page, and invite your social network to join.
9. Run a contest or giveaway for your Facebook fans.
10. Join book lover groups and author promotion groups on Facebook.
11. Create a TikTok account and upload videos
12. Use Christian hashtags in social media: #christianbook #christianbooks #christianauthor #christian #christianbookstagram #jesus #bookstagram #christianity #bible #faith #christianblog #christianwriter #book #christianwriters #devotional #christianblogger #butfirstjesus #faithblogger #god #authorlife #christ #christianliving #booklover #books #christianbookclub #christianlife #bookworm #proverbs #devo #author #christianbusiness #lesshustlemoregrace #woman #biblestudy #shewritestruth #authorsofinstagram #christianbookstore #gritandvirtue #newbook #holybible #holyspirit #raptureready #signsofourtimes #endtimes #bibleprophecy #jesusiscoming #reading #israel #jesuschrist #wordofgod #christianparents #biblebeliever #momslife #love #christianfiction #christianwomen #prayer #biblejournaling #tokobukukristen #churchHashtags #biblestudy #readmorebooks #christianliving #mustread #dailydevotional #newbooks #bookstoread #readmore #christianblogger #newbookalert  #youngadultbooks #booksigning #greatreads #biblegram #biblicaltruth #christiantestimony #christianmemoire #christianfiction #christianauthor #devotions #christianwriters #christiansofinstagram #christianauthors #christianbook #authorlove #hopeinchrist #christianspeaker #bestsellingbook #readersclub #bookoflife
13. Create a book trailer on YouTube.
14. Record yourself reading from your book and upload it to YouTube.
15. Interview other authors on YouTube.
16. Build an author website and include links to your author website and your book sales pages on YouTube.
17. Add your book as a publication to your LinkedIn profile.
18. Add an events calendar to your website to share where you will be on your free book tour.
19. Always include the same author photo across all promotional materials so that people can recognize you and associate you with your book. Your face + your book = your brand.
20. Create an Amazon Author Central account and a related Amazon author page.
21. Populate your Amazon author page with your author bio, headshot, and book data.
22. Add an RSS feed to your Amazon author page with a link to your blog
23. Ensure your book is tagged under the correct category (provided by Amazon), and write a full description, including your genre and relevant keywords.
24. Create a Goodreads author profile so that people can review your book
25. Include quotes from your book on Goodreads.
26. Answer interview questions on Goodreads to engage with your audience
27. Run a Goodreads book giveaway.
28. Encourage people to review your book on Amazon and Goodreads. These reviews really do matter!
29. Reach out to relevant blogs and websites and offer to write a guest post, with a link back to your website and/or book.
30. Offer to contribute to relevant newsletters in exchange for a link to or short promo of your book.
31. Comment on other people’s blogs and articles. You can leave a link to your book, but don’t make it spammy.
32. Visit relevant forums and comment on threads; again, make it natural and not salesy!
33. Create a press release and send it out to free press release distribution sites.
34. Create an author newsletter and send frequent communications.
35. Add your book to your email signature with some nice graphics, and include a link to purchase.
36. Ask your writing community, friends, family, teachers, co-workers, and dentist (basically anyone you know who has a website) to link to your book on their social media and website.
37. Contact your local newspaper or magazine and ask if they will run a feature.
38. Host a launch party that speaks to the theme of your book. Invite friends, family, and church members.
39. Host a virtual launch party livestream.
40. Go “live” via social networks or use webinar tools like Zoom to host live Q&A sessions about your book.
41. Contact Christian book clubs and offer to join their club for an author Q&A.
42. Go on a free book tour. You can reach out to coffee shops, consignment stores, schools, book clubs, writing groups, and more. Most will be happy to host you.
43. Reach out to your local library and offer to do a free reading.
44. Reach out to your local independent bookstore and ask if they can host a book signing.
45. Offer samples & free copies. Readers looking for a new title may be hesitant to invest when they know nothing about the author or their writing. Offering sample chapters or timed free downloads is the friendliest way to make your work known.
46. Encourage another author to host an “in conversation with” session with you. Two authors attract more audiences than one.
47. Get involved in your niche. Keep yourself relevant. Reminding readers that you ‘exist in the now’ is a sure way to retain their interest, and keep your books at the forefront of relevancy, even if they were written a year or more ago.
48. Contact relevant podcast hosts and ask if you can appear as a guest.
49. Send Facebook event invites for all your in-person appearances.
50. Join meetups & local writing groups.

These ways will work to increase your book sales if you use them.

For me, I just started putting what was in my heart into a Word document, and I just kept doing that until the book was done. I think sometimes we make the task that God gives us much more difficult than it actually is because we overthink things. In each book He gave me the title for the book and as He spoke, I wrote. My writing may not have been in chronological order like some might think. Sometimes it might have been a chapter that was in the middle, near the end or the beginning. The key is to just write what you hear. You may think you don’t hear anything, but that is not true. You just have to trust what you hear.
​
You will probably hear some primary ideas, which will be chapters or sections, and then fill in each primary idea with the smaller ideas that come. This will give you either subheadings or a full chapter. Before long, if you keep at it, you will have a rough draft. As you’re writing, you’ll encounter self-doubt, lack of motivation, and maybe even writers’ block. This is normal. Don’t give up or think you can’t do it. Whenever you feel stuck, try reading over what you’ve written, and the juices will begin to flow again. You may need to walk away for a day or two, but don’t stay away too long. Stay persistent in your writing. It does not have to take several years to write a book.

Another way to get your book down is to record your story. You can find an app to record on your phone. When you record your story, just talk as if you're telling it to someone. Be sure to speak slow enough where the voice recorder can pick up what you're saying. Then once you get the story down, you will then transcribe or hire someone like me to transcribe it and clean it.
​
You can also hire someone like me who will write the story for you. I called this service "Assisted Writing." The way I do "my assisted writing service" is done through recorded interviews. I then transcribe and pull the interviews together into a book. If you want to know more about this process, click here for more information. So you see, there are several ways that you can get this book out of your heart and published. I would be honored to help you in any way I can.

Occasionally, Amazon discounts some of the print books listed on their site. Amazon doesn't give authors advance notice of the temporary price cuts, so when authors see the price of their book lowered, some think the lower price affects their royalties and/or makes the book look cheap. Neither of these is true. Your royalty is based on the list price you set, not on the price at which Amazon chooses to sell it or the price the customer pays.

Keep in mind that Amazon’s goal is to make money. The more books you sell, the more money Amazon makes. ​​Just as you might decide to offer your book at a lower price, Amazon may do this for you. Some reasons why Amazon might reduce print book prices for a period are:

• Its knowledge base indicates that you will sell more books at that price than the one you chose.​
• The book is doing well, and it thinks it will sell even better with a discount.

So rather than getting upset, capitalize on Amazon’s print book price cut. Sometimes the discount is so low that the price is less than the cost of author copies. If this is the case, you can buy as many copies as they will allow at the sale price, and your royalty will be the same as if it were a regular price for each book - so Amazon will literally pay you to have copies of your own book!

Another way you can capitalize on Amazon’s price cut is to announce the sale. Think about it. If you were running a sale, you would tell people about it, right? So do the same in this situation. Announce the price cut on your FB Facebook page. Tweet a link to the book's Amazon page and alert your mailing list. Let Amazon’s sale increase your book sales. There’s no way to predict how long such a discount will last, so be sure to say in your post "limited time offer" or "offer ends soon."

A well-designed book cover assures the reader that the book is of a high quality, in both content and delivery. A poorly designed cover creates preconceptions in the reader's mind that the book is poorly written and badly formatted, no matter how powerful the message is. It sets them in “critical” mode, rather than “enjoyment” mode. Most of the time they will bypass this book.

Book descriptions are entered when you set up your title. A book description is only a few sentences long, but it is one of the most important book marketing tools you have at your disposal. A good book description increases the visibility of your book online. Most readers today make their book-buying decisions via the Internet, by the word of mouth and book review and suggestions sites, like Goodreads, and similar sites. Every major retailer that lists your book for sale online includes your book description and the cover.

Librarians and retailers can't purchase a book if they can't find it. Your book’s metadata helps consumers, booksellers, and librarians find your book whey they type in search terms relevant to your book.

Metadata
Book metadata comprises all the information that describes your book, including: your book’s title and subtitle, the series name, trim size, author name, price, book description, and more. There are two metadata fields for your book description: the long book description and the short book description. Both play a significant role in driving traffic to your book. Both need to be full of what readers are looking for.
​
When creating book metadata, In just a few words you want to provide the information needed to help consumers, booksellers, and librarians understand what they're about to purchase and whether they want to. Having the right information helps you attract the attention of the right audience. Therefore, your book cover and your book description are critical to the success of your book sales.
 
Short Book Description
The short description is short and sweet. Consider it a blurb, elevator pitch, or hook. It tells enough about your book to keep readers interested and delivers enough punch to have them searching for the long book description to read more. The short book description appears in publishing catalogs, trade show copy, online websites, marketing materials, press releases, and more. It's your book's calling card for the world to see.
 
Long Book Description
You could probably write several pages clarifying what your book is about, but when writing your long and short descriptions keep in mind that your space and the reader’s attention span are limited. Your long book description is a synopsis. When writing this description, think like a buyer, and not an author. Show and tell. Show enough to paint the picture and tell enough to get them interested in what’s coming. Any specific highlights should immediately jump off the page.

If you had to write your author bio in 200 to 300 words, what would you say about yourself? How detailed would you be? If you're hoping to build a connection with the person reading your bio, you'd most likely reveal the best or most interesting aspects about yourself. You wouldn't tell them every minute detail; you'd tell them enough to let them know whether they wanted to get to know you better. Your book description should do the same.

Strong book metadata is necessary for your book's success. Before writing either of these pieces, do your research. What are the keywords that your potential buyers search for? Make sure you write your book descriptions using words your ideal consumer would search for so that you can attract the right attention more efficiently. 

Look at other long and short descriptions you find engaging and get tips from the ones them. The first step is getting discovered, and the second is keeping them engrossed in what you've written. Remember to stay relatable, and highlight any awards you may have won to enhance your selling points. Everything else will fall into place.

Below are some tips to help you create a good book description:

1. Keyword and phrases: Keywords ultimately tell the reader why this book is for them. Consider what people might Google that would lead them to your book. What words would you use? You can also Google power words to find some good ones. Power words are persuasive words use to trigger a response. This is especially true for nonfiction works.  
2. Keep it short. Your description should be at least 150-200 words long and no more than three paragraphs.

 

• Describe your book in simple, straightforward, and consumer-friendly terms. Give readers enough information to understand what your book is, what it’s about, and if they’ll like it—key factors in deciding whether to buy your book.

 

• Use paragraph breaks, bold and italic fonts, and other structural elements like ordered lists (bullet points) to provide emphasis and highlight key aspects of your book. Short paragraphs and bulleted lists are better than a single block of text.

 

• Avoid time-sensitive language, so that your description does not become outdated. For example, do not say “latest,” “soon,” “forthcoming,” or “most recent,” and do not refer to “last year” or an author’s “next book.”

The tips should help you create good book descriptions. To get ideas for good descriptive copy, read the consumer reviews for some titles comparative to yours. Great reader reviews often are very effective at explaining books in an enticing and engaging way.​

If you need assistance with your book, I am honored to help you publish ​your book. Write the book, or let me write it, ​but let's share your message with the world! Let's get you published.

I don't believe reading or writing a fictional story is a sin. Remember, Jesus often spoke in parables. Parables are stories that reveal spiritual truth. Fiction is supposed to reflect real life. Sometimes there are happy endings and some there aren't. Thinking about your own life, do things always go the way you want them to? No, there are crooks and turns, unexpected occurrences that you have no control over.

Readers love stories that they can see themselves in. As a writer, think about your journey of coming to know Jesus. There were rebellious times, and times when you did and dealt with things that were so far from being a Christian that you now shudder when you think about them. Sometimes you had no clue you were being led to Christ, but as you look back, you see the gentle leading of God's hand. This is the story that will reach unbelievers.
 
Although the characters may start out living a sinful life, the story need not be full of sinful content to be entertaining. Let your characters get the message of redemption across through actions and symbolism without preaching.
Christian books need not be limited to devotionals, self-help, Bible studies and commentaries. Christian fiction book genres can include:

• Action and Adventure,
• Romance,
• Mystery and Crime,
• Science Fiction,
• Historical Fiction,
• Urban,
• Western,

and any other genre, as long as the characters somehow show the mercy and love of God and share the message of the Gospel. Pray and trust the Holy Spirit to help you write a beautiful, helpful, powerful message that will be remembered long after the book is closed. Don't be afraid to deal with the tough issues, this is exactly what a good book should entail.

These are my thoughts and my goals with my stories. As a reader or a writer, what are you looking for in a Christian book?

I often speak with would be authors who are unsure of what self-publishing is. Unsure of whether or not to sign a contract with a publisher who has contacted them, or they have contacted about publishing their book. Sometimes after multiple rejections from traditional publishers would be authors seek out vanity publishers to publish their book. After a great sales pitch, many settle for someone else taking control of their hard work. Unfortunately, for these reasons the publishing world has its fair share of scammers and disreputable companies. I’ve talked to many authors who have fallen prey to such people who take advantage of first-time authors. 

Authors owe it to themselves to be very clear on the difference between self-publishing, vanity publishing, and traditional publishing before making any decisions. If not, they could find themselves spending thousands of dollars trying to get your book published with nothing to show for it.
 
Traditional Publishers
Traditional publishers are book investors, therefore they only take on work they believe they will make a return on when the book hits the market. They purchase manuscripts and rights, pay advances, and royalties. Their financial investment is recouped from the sale of books and from the exploitation and licensing of subsidiary rights. There’s no cost to the author with traditional publishers, but it's difficult for new authors to get published through a traditional publisher. As with any contract, be sure to read the small print and ask lots of questions.
 
Vanity Publishers
The vanity publisher also called a subsidy publisher charges a large fee for the author to sign over the exclusive right to distribute their work. Costs include production services, printing and binding and distribution, and the publisher's profit and overhead. Once the manuscript is published by a vanity publisher it becomes their property, right down to the ISBN. Vanity publishers assign an ISBN to your book and publish your book under their imprint, which gives them certain rights to your work. Vanity publishing is usually much more expensive than self-publishing. 

You should know that the company that publishes your book, will forever be the official publisher on record. You cannot transfer the ISBN, or buy the ISBN from the company. Regardless of what they tell you, the book is linked to them. If you want to break your contract with the publisher and go to a different company, the book will still be registered to the first company. To unlink your book, you will need a new ISBN and start from scratch. I have talked with prospective clients who tell me they have offers from publishers and then tell me they are being asked to pay a significant amount of money. I encourage them not to sign any contract and to consider true self-publishing, which is much more cost-effective.
​
True Self-Publishing
Like vanity publishing, self-publishing requires the author to bear the entire cost of publishing their book. Self-publishers do all the editing, design, printing, distribution, marketing, and publicity themselves. True self-publishers own all their rights and receive 100% of the profit. They own their own ISBN and have access to all the digital files associated with the production of their work. Their imprints are displayed on their books’ spines and title pages. The truth is self-publishing companies don't do anything you can't do yourself with a little patience. There are many, many books on Amazon and other online bookstores that look homemade, inside, and out. This is a huge turnoff for book buyers, no matter how good the story is.

If your intent is to sell books, don’t sabotage your pricing, profits, and efforts by using a vanity press or attempting to produce the book yourself if you don’t have the skills. Do everything you can to ensure your book is excellent from cover to cover. Hire a reputable book production service or a book coach to guide you through the process. If you want to truly self-publish a professional quality book Williams DocuPrep offers a one-stop-shop for all your publishing needs including book design, editing, and worldwide distribution setup. You keep your rights and royalties.

If you plan to sell your book in bookstores, to libraries, or through online retailers, you will need an ISBN. Each country has an agency that issues ISBNs. Bowker Identifier Services is the official ISBN Agency of the United States and its territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, as well as military bases and embassies). 

Authors in the UK can approach Nielsen. To learn more about applying for an ISBN in your country, click here. If an ISBN is obtained from a source other than the official ISBN Agency, it might not identify the publisher of the title accurately. This can have implications for doing business in the publishing industry supply chain.
 
Using a Free or Assigned ISBN
You do have the option as a self-publisher to use a Free ISBN. Self-publishing and first-time authors are often tempted to use a Free or assigned ISBN thinking it is more cost-effective. However, using an assigned ISBN will cost you more in the long run. If a self-publisher wants to be identified as the publisher, the self-publisher must get his or her own ISBN.
 
ISBNs are nontransferable. When you use a Free ISBN or assigned ISBN, the publisher of record for your book is that company, not you. So, when a book is sold, the proceeds go to the publisher on file, not you, the author. The publisher can then distribute whatever amount you have agreed to with them as your royalties, which is usually a small percentage. Why would you pay a company to publish your book and then allow them to take most of the profits of your book sales?
 
Also, when an individual or organization has special orders or inquiries regarding your book they will approach the publisher of record, rather than the author. Do you really want someone reaching out to another entity with large orders for your book, and then that entity earn the bulk of your profits and give you what they want you to have?
 
A free or assigned ISBN may also limit where you can print and distribute your title. If you want to be the publisher of record in book databases and catalogs, make sure you purchase your own ISBN. At WDP we work with U.S. self-publishers only, and we set authors up for publishing through KDP Amazon and IngramSpark, Both entities offer free ISBNs, however we believe it's in your best interest to be recognized as the owner of your work and a publisher in your own right, which is why we encourage publishers to purchase their own ISBNs.

Currently, the cost for one ISBN is $125. The cost for 10 ISBNs $295. IngramSpark has teamed up with Bowker to offer a special rate on single ISBNs to IngramSpark United States publishers. Once you have an IngramSpark account, you can purchase single ISBNs directly from Bowker through your IngramSpark dashboard for just $85. Purchasing an ISBN through your IngramSpark dashboard offers you a discounted rate on that individual ISBN and the benefit of having your publishing imprint attached.

However, if you’re likely to publish more than one book or more than one format of the same book, we encourage you to consider purchasing a 10-pack of ISBNs directly from Bowker.com (US publishers only). It’s recommended that you make your book available in more than one format, and you can save money by buying a block of 10 through Bowker. Remember, you're likely to sell more books if your title is available in a variety of formats.

Other Facts: 
If you plan to self-publish the same title in more than one format, then you will need an ISBN for each format  (hardback, paperback and audiobook) For example, if you have an eBook, a paperback, and a hardcover version of the same title, you will need 3 unique ISBNs. It is better to buy 10 or more ISBNs if you plan to self-publish more than one book or in more than one format.
 
If you are making substantial textual changes, that would qualify as a new edition, and you will need a new ISBN.
 
If the book is translated into a different language, you will need a new ISBN.
 
If you are changing your publisher, you will need a new ISBN if you are using an assigned ISBN.

If you are changing your book title, you will need a new ISBN.
 
An ISBN cannot be re-used, even if the book in question goes out of print.
 
ISBNs are issued to publishers, who then assign them to individual books. Companies often purchase large blocks of ISBNs and then assign them to authors and offer them as free ISBNs in their packages.

​
Should you decide to republish your book or print it at an off-set printer, you cannot without the publisher of record’s permission.
 
You have complete control over what is entered in your book’s metadata—the descriptions and categories that help libraries, bookstores, and readers worldwide discover your book and decide whether they want to purchase it. In today's digital world, your book’s metadata can hugely impact its chances of being found and purchased by your target audience. This would mean a lot to a self-published author, who do not have the marketing and distribution capabilities of a traditional publisher to fall back on.
 
ISBNs are not necessary to sell eBooks. Printed books, however, cannot be sold without an ISBN. Remember that each version of your book would need a separate ISBN, and purchasing a block of 10 would be more cost-effective than purchasing one.
 
So, there you have it. It is my opinion that it is in your best interest to be recognized as the owner of your work and a publisher in your own right. This is why I encourage the authors I work with to purchase their own ISBN. If you plan to write several books, it makes sense to take on the mantle of a publisher and have your own constant publishing imprint on your books.

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

I completed my first book Put The Word In Your Mouth in 2004, then life began to happen, I became distracted and I procrastinated on launching the very book that God had told me to write. Then in 2008 my computer was wiped out and I lost the book. After I got over the devastation of the loss the desire to publish the book burned even more. ​

Not long after that Beth Moore published her book Praying God’s Word and I told God that it was no use in publishing the book now because Beth Moore’s book is so popular, and people will think that I’ve just copied her book. Although I’ve never read her book, I believed she had said all God had to say on the matter and there was nothing I could add to the subject. I gave God many other excuses for why I couldn’t be obedient to His will. Many say as I’ve often said, “I’m waiting for God’s timing.” Have you said that before? But are you waiting or procrastinating?
 
One day, as I was sharing with a potential client about Jonah and Moses on why they should be obedient and publish their book, the words I was speaking to them started slapping me right in the face. I realized that I was doing what I was telling them not to do. I was giving God an excuse after excuse and running away from what He had called me to do. I had a message to share with people who needed breakthroughs that could encourage and help them walk in the blessings God has for them, and I was keeping it to myself. Like the servant in the parable of the talents, I was burying my talent and the message God gave me, and honestly, things were not going right in my life (Matthew 25:14-30). Once I did what God told me to do, things turned around almost immediately.
 
As a writer, I know many times, we are waiting on God to prepare us for the assignment, to make things clear, to give us the words, and to unlock a door. However, sometimes, we convince ourselves that we are not worthy, that we don’t have the skills or the time to do what God has asked of us, and we use “waiting” as an excuse to cover up our fear and procrastination.
 
Scripture says in Psalm 27:14, “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Truly, there are times when God calls us to a season of waiting, but it is not a time of doing nothing. When you know there is something you should do, doing nothing is more draining than stepping out on faith. If God has ordained you to wait, there will be expectation and excitement in your spirit that God is in it and something spectacular is about to happen, things are about to change.  Fear and procrastination bring dread.
​
Why am I telling you this story this morning? I don’t know who I am talking to, but I know this word is for someone. Every Believer is called to share the Good News. God is releasing so much revelation from Heaven right now. Christian writers with the help of the Holy Spirit can write and publish books that genuinely bring change in the lives of readers. This must be our goal. If God is calling you to be His witness through writing, He will equip you with the power and anointing to fulfill that task.

Obedience is the key. Obedience is better than sacrifice. The key lies in getting out of God’s way and allowing Him to use you. There is power in the words of your story and testimony—Revelation 12:11. The calling to write is every bit as important as the calling to the pulpit or the mission field.

God’s plan for you is always bigger than what you can see. There is a lot of turmoil in the world today, but God’s word declares where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. Jesus will help and enable you every time you ask. There will be a lot of new books being written and published over the next couple of years and yours should be one, two, three, or four of them. Now is the time to publish your story; to position yourself for the future. I would love to help you publish and change your life and the life of others. I’ve helped people from 15 to 75 write and publish books, and I would love to help you too.

So, tell me, are you waiting on God, or are you afraid and procrastinating?

Dear Christian Writer when I woke up this morning you were the first thing on my mind. I was reminded of the warfare Christian Writers go through. I am a Christian Writer who helps other Christian Writers, share their God-given message to the world through books. Almost every time I speak with some who says they are ready to write and publish their book, something happens, and they become discouraged, their finances are attacked, or some type of chaos appears in their world.

I want to remind you today. We are not just Christian Writers. Being a Christian Writer is a high calling. We are anointed with the gift to share with the world that God is alive and well. To share that He loves all people and He is there to help us get through whatever the world tries to throw at us. To share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a tangible way so people can see how He works in our lives today. We have the capability to reach thousands to millions with our message the moment we publish our books. What a wonderful and powerful gift God has given us!
​
Because of this high calling, Satan sends much warfare to prevent us from fulfilling this calling. Satan battles against all Christians, but for those in the fivefold ministry, the intercessors, and the scribes such as you and me Satan works harder and quicker. Because we are God’s witnesses in the world he comes immediately to steal, kill and destroy the plan God has for us. The Bible has many warnings to Believers not to let the enemy steal what is ours, or to stop us from moving forward in what God has called us to do.

Is Satan hindering you from writing that book or starting your book ministry? Jesus points out that, “When the word of the kingdom comes to anyone, and the sense of it is not clear to him, then the Evil One comes, and quickly takes away that which was put in his heart. He is the seed dropped by the wayside is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. (Matthew 13:19 BBE)

Indecisiveness (Uncertainty) and fear are huge tools Satan uses to stop Believers from moving forward in what God calls us to do. Indecisiveness and fear are big time wasters. Although some people have a powerful story and can't get the idea of writing and publishing a book out of the heart, they become paralyzed at the thought of writing it. Can I really write well enough to help someone? Some get lost for hours doing research and never really get a chapter written.

When you are unsure, Satan sees it and tries to undermine the truth of what God said you can do, to cause you to doubt or question it your ability. A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can't make up his mind about anything. An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8 HCSB).

Indecisiveness and fear lead to disobedience really. Obedience is key to receiving from God. Back in the first week of June 2010 I posted a prayer request: Pray for the United States and Korea. On that morning when I arose, I clearly remembered a dream I had during the night. In the dream I was praying regarding some situations I was facing.

At that time, I was in desperate need of a financial breakthrough and was about to lose my car and shelter. In the dream I looked off to my right and there were Angels of God working and doing things on my behalf. I knew they were working out the situation I was praying about. As I watched them a man came out from among them, he was not an angel of God, but he came out from the midst of them. He had his head down, he looked tired and beaten. As he walked toward me, I could see that this man was President Kim Jong-il of North Korea. He walked past me and lifted his and sadly said “it is done.”

Like I usually do when I wake up and clearly remember a dream, I prayed and asked God what this dream meant. This is what I heard: 

I have given you instruction to pray for America and Korea. The situation you have been praying about concerning your finances is already done. Walk in obedience to what I have asked of you. Gather the people together to pray for North Korea and America. As they pray the windows will be opened and what has been held up will be released.

This is what the Lord told me that morning. A few days prior I had indeed felt an urgency to pray for North Korea and America, but my personal situations took precedence in my prayers and I did pray as instructed. This dream reminded me that God always has my situation worked out (Matthew 6:25-30) and that whenever He instructs me to do something​ He has a reason and a plan (Proverbs 3:5-6). It also reminded me that we are to lay our lives down for others (1 John 3:16). Prayer is but one way we can lay our life down and the least that we can do for others.

That day I did pray and post the request to pray for the United States and North Korea on several network groups that I belong to. Once I did the answers to my personal needs manifested almost immediately.

• On June 10th I got a call from someone who wanted to bless me with a car. It was delivered to me on June 18th.
• A week later I received close to $2000 in unexpected funds to help pay my bills.

There have been many times when God instructed me to do something and once I was obedient, I immediately saw why obedience was so important. ,The task God has given you will require you to be obedient. You are going to have to be tenacious, walk in your authority, and stand on the Word and Promises of God and forge forward daily until you complete the mission. Yes, we face three enemies every day: the world, our flesh, and the devil (Ephesians 2:1–3). However, God reigns over all. The enemy is a defeated foe so, our primary problem is not Satan, but us.

We must remember, “Greater is He that is in You, than he who is in the world!” (1 John 4:4) If God gives you a task and a Goliath shows up, know that just like David you have everything you need to defeat Goliath. God will perfect everything that concerns you and your destiny. He will give you helpers to get the task done. Ask Him for help and He will send help. Put God’s Work first. Whatever He has called you to do for Him, make give it priority. God called you to write, so write. Obey your calling. Do not allow Satan to distract you from what you should be doing. 

This is a common question that I get from aspiring authors often. If you are self-publishing, you are in control. My answer is it depends on the genre. Your final page count in the final book can vary greatly depending on formatting choices: margins, fonts, linespacing, graphics, white space, and so on. Here is a guideline that you can use:

A typical manuscript page is considered to be 250 words. This is based on is an 8.5×11 paper, with 1-inch margins, standard 11- or 12-point font, double spaced. So, a 25,000-word manuscript is about 100 pages. A 50,000-word manuscript is 200 pages.
Non-fiction books tend to be shorter and written in a way that they can be read in chunks; with good section structure and use of bullets and numbers.
 
Books can be as little as 20,000 words, if you’ve said what you need to say. But if you leave your readers confused or with critical questions due to gaps in content, it’s not enough. Most of my clients are non-fiction writers: Christian living, business, autobiographies, self-help, or professional-development books. For my clients, which includes experienced consultants, coaches, and speakers a nice book length is somewhere in the 40,000- to 70,000-word range, which is 160-280 pages.
 
I suggest people target 50,000 words to start. Long enough to feel substantial, short enough not to intimidate potential readers. If your book is shorter than 20,000 words, strategic formatting can stretch your print book to reach 100 pages.

​When you are ready to publish contact me. I am happy to assist you in self-publishing your book. 

Missing contact information – Always have somewhere to send potential customers. At the very least, the contact information on your business card should include your business name, your name, title, address, phone number, website and email address.
 
Long email address – Long email addresses such as longnamebetty@reallylongerbusinessname.com are difficult for customers to remember. A professional email address is like a handshake to clients. You should also have a professional email address (yourname@yourwebsite.com) on your card to be taken seriously, but just having an email address of any kind is essential.

Mystery Business Card – People should be able to tell immediately what your business does (I.e., Joe's Limo Service.) Otherwise, you're not likely to get many calls or referrals. Be sure to include your logo, and tagline. Potential clients should be able to identify your brand and instantly recognize it wherever they may see it in the future as well. Your business card’s color scheme, fonts, and graphics should match the tone of your website and other company assets. Your brand’s aesthetics should be reflected throughout your printed materials.

No Unique Selling Proposition – Your card should state why a customer should do business with you; i.e., "complete automotive repairs" and "all work fully guaranteed," lets people know that the auto mechanic center handles all types of repairs, and builds trust by mentioning the guarantee.

Typos and misprints – You want to double check spelling and grammar. If you want potential customers to think you don’t care about your business or them? Be sure your business card contains typos and grammatical errors.

Poor paper quality – I know a lot of people use free business cards, but personally I think this is a huge mistake. Your card says a lot about you and you don’t want to come off as being generic, flimsy and cheap. Professionally printed business cards are not as expense as one might think, and an unprofessional-looking business card will cost you more. A poor-quality card implies a business that will have poor quality products and services. You want good stock paper, print that doesn't bleed from a drop of water, an attractive logo, and the card should feel substantial and pleasing to the touch.
14 pt. Gloss Cover: This long-lasting, heavy paper is our most popular stocks for business cards and postcards. The UV gloss coating has high color saturation for exquisite contrast and range, plus provides protection against stains and damage.
16 pt. Premium Matte Cover: Choose this uncoated paper stock if would like to hand write appointment reminders or personal notes on the back of your cards, or if you would like your business cards to have a softer, vintage-inspired appearance.
 
Oversized Card – The standard business card size is 3.5 by 2-inches because it is convenient and fits in wallets or most business card holders.  You can always utilize the back of the cards to add more information. Printing on both sides of the card is a small upgrade that pays off in multiple ways. Use the back of your business card for appointment reminders, social media handles, mission statements, or anything that will give your card – and your business – a competitive advantage.
 
Text Too Small or Hard to Read – Potential customers should not need a magnifying glass to be read your card. Although it will vary depending on the typeface, a good rule of thumb is to use a type size no smaller than 7-8 point. Your name point can be a little larger; i.e., 9 point, and the company name usually looks good at about 12-15 point. We also recommend avoiding light colored text and making sure the text and the background are contrasting shades. You don’t want to use a dark font on a dark background!

Cards That Don't Get Distributed – So now that you have these beautifully designed cards, what good are they if they're just sitting there collecting dust? Always have a supply of your cards wherever you go. Give them out when appropriate, and while you're at it, don't hesitate to give out more than one. Invite people to pass the extras along to others who might need your service. You might be surprised at how often this can result in a referral.

Finally, you can include your photo, address or social media information if you want to, but people simply want to know who you are, what you do and how to get hold of you. They also need to have the impression that you’re a professional who delivers quality work and a business card can go a long way in creating that impression.
WDP offers some great deals on business cards. For any more information email us at info@williamsdocuprep.com

The back cover copy you write for your book is an important marketing message for your book. In few paragraphs it should express the essence of your book to the reader. It may also serve as the basis for your online book descriptions, as well as any press releases or pitches you make to the media and other purposes. These words, if written well, will hook the reader and compel them to purchase your book. This is why most authors find it so hard to write the back-cover copy.  Here are some tips that will help with that:

Non-Fiction
For non-fiction books your back-cover copy should answer why and how the reader will benefit from your book?
 
When writing the copy don’t focus too much on a description of the book’s content, but focus on how the content will help, inform, or entertain the reader. Share your credentials and or how your experience helps them expertly address the subject matter.

• You can include a headline at the top that briefly sums up the key benefit or selling point of the book.
• About a 100-200 word summar that expands upon the headline and demonstrates the value of the book
• A bullet list of features and benefits the book provides to readers
• A final sentence or two to close the message, with a mention of the author’s credentials if not earlier described
• (optional) Praise for the book from recognizable authorities
• (optional) A brief author bio and author photo at the bottom of the cover

For Fiction
For fiction books the back cover can convey:

• Who is the main character(s)
• What do they most deeply desire
• What challenge do they face? 
• The setting or context for the story​

​Ultimately, you want to make the copy intriguing. Non-fiction or fiction, I encourage my clients to read the book marketing copy for books in their genre, and pay attention to length, point of view or voice, as well as how much of the story is described. 

If you need assistance with your book, I am honored to help you publish ​your book. Write the book, or let me write it, ​but let's share your message with the world! Let’s get you published.

With the increase in self-published books many great writers think they can edit, format, and create a great cover their own book only to end up with a book that looks homemade and unprofessional.

​As an author and self-publishing assistant I get it! Self-publishing authors usually don't have deep pockets so to save money they do their own editing, interior and cover design. A book riddle with grammatical errors as well as poor interior design makes your story difficult to follow and distorts its message. A cover that is crowded with unreadable type, low quality images and misspelled words makes your book look amateurish.

Yes, you are self-publishing, but your book does not have to look home-made. You've spent precious time writing your masterpiece, don't ruin the reading experience for your audience by presenting them with an unprofessional looking book. If you want to be taken seriously as an author and business professional, make sure your book presents professional.

If you want a professional cover, but don't want to spend a lot of money on it let me create one for you. I work directly with you to design your book's interior and its cover exactly the way you want it to ensure it presents professional. I design book covers for all book genres. You supply the wording for the front and back cover and the photos or art desired. If you don't have an idea for your cover, I can take your book's description and come up with a cover to match your story. The cover I design will be to your printer's specification, and I will upload the final file to your printer to ensure dimensions are correct. My rates are very affordable. >>learn more

If you need other assistance with your book, I am honored to help you publish your book. Write the book, or let me write it, but let's share your message with the world! Let’s get you published.​

As far as the book cover it would depend on the type of book you are redoing. For instance, if it is a business book and your book cover no longer matches your business message, look, and feel, then I would say a new cover is best, so everything looks consistent and more uniform. If the information you originally shared has updated, say technology has changed, chapters have been deleted, or you are adding chapters, or you just got the rights back from a previous publisher then a new cover makes sense. 

If the majority of the material is the same, and you are only correcting grammar, punctuation, etc., then a new title and book cover isn’t necessary. Also, rather than calling the new version a "second edition" you might call it a “revised edition​.” A second edition would generally have the same title as the first book. Also, a new or revised edition is considered a different product and needs its own ISBN.
 
So, are you considering doing a second edition of your book? Why? Do you have a publishing question? Feel free to ask here as a comment and I will answer, or join my Facebook Group “Anointed Scribes Café Christian Writers Self-Publishing Support Group“ and fellowship with other kingdom Writers.

Glory to God, it’s the end of the month. The time we pray for our authors who have new releases coming out this month. My name is Angeline L. Williams, bestselling author and founder of Williams DocuPrep. I am so thankful for all of the readers who show their support for our authors purchasing their books and praying for them. At WDP we pray with and for all of our authors. To learn more about why we do this go to this post.
 
VERSE OF THE MONTH: “And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food..”— Genesis 1:29
 
Feel free to use the text of this verse to guide your prayers for these authors, as well as other people in your life who you want to remember in prayer today.
 
We have one new author this month:

J ROUSE - 4 New Vegans: 10 Day Vegan Tryout Cookbook
– February 16, 2019   

1. For the author’s physical health and strength.
2. For the author’s family, home and finances.
3. Pray that doors for speaking engagements will open.
4. Pray that God will give her ideas and people to help her accomplish the call on her life.
5. For abundant book sales through retailers, groups, speaking engagements, and other avenues.
6. For God to give us all a closer walk with Him.
7. For more authors to come to Williams DocuPrep and Redemption Books.

​Thank you so much for so faithfully joining with us in prayer for these authors and others in your life. Trust that God is at work to accomplish His will in all of our lives!

Angeline

​The biggest POD platform options are the ones I use for my clients: Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and IngramSpark. KDP is owned by Amazon. Both companies are gateways to selling your print book on popular online retailer websites. 
 
There are many similarities between these two companies as well as some key differences, which is why I choose to use both. Both IngramSpark and KDP offer many options for ink, paper, trim sizes, including color printing, however hardcover books are not available on KDP. If you want to sell a hardcover edition of your book on Amazon, you need to use IngramSpark.
 
Distribution
Both companies publish books to retail websites and make them available to bookstores. Both IngramSpark and KDP distribute to libraries, as well with online and brick-and-mortar retailers, but keep in mind that in most cases distribution does not happen automatically. Retailers and libraries need to know that your book exists, and they can order it. IngramSpark sends out a catalog of books distributed through them. Once libraries and retailers know about your book, they can order it through the IngramSpark catalog. Even still, it is the author’s job to promote the book to readers so that readers will look for it online or request it at their bookstores and libraries.
 
The publisher compensation for your KDP Kindle book is higher than IngramSpark and the process is more streamlined. The benefit of uploading your eBook to IngramSpark is to manage all your eBooks on one platform, both ePub and Kindle.

There are two types of distribution: standard distribution and expanded distribution with Amazon. Standard distribution means the book is available for sale only on Amazon websites worldwide, and only really matters for print titles uploaded to KDP. The wholesale discount for KDP standard distribution is 60% and 40% for expanded distribution. However, in my opinion their expanded distribution is limiting. 

Example:
If your list price for a 5.5 x 8.5 size book of 142 pages is $15.00,

• the wholesale discount is 60%,
• your print cost is $2.55,
• your royalty will be $6.45.

These numbers change with page count and book size.

Wholesale discount is the discount offered to retailers to carry your book. The higher the discount, the more appealing your book is to retailers. Your book will be available to other online retailers, as well as bookstores, libraries, and academic institutions through KDP’s expanded distribution only.

With IngramSpark, there is no difference between standard and expanded distribution. Your paperback and/or hardcover book is available for ordering by retailers and libraries around the world. Instead of tying distribution to a specific wholesale discount like KDP, authors can select different wholesale discounts. If you use KDP’s expanded distribution, you cannot use IngramSpark for your book.
 
A 55% wholesale discount makes books more attractive to bookstores and libraries. Some authors decide to focus on online sales only by selecting a 40% wholesale discount at IngramSpark.

KDP charges the author more for expanded distribution than IngramSpark because KDP runs its expanded distribution through IngramSpark and charges an additional amount. At a 40% wholesale discount, KDP is the better choice for standard distribution to all Amazon sites worldwide. IngramSpark is the better choice for expanded distribution, which is why I choose both distribution platforms for my clients.

There are specific requirements for trim size, paper choice and ink color for KDP’s expanded distribution. Your ISBN must never have been distributed through another company (i.e., IngramSpark); additionally, if you have in the past used a “free” ISBN through a self-publishing company, you may not distribute that book using that ISBN through either KDP or IngramSpark. 

Royalties (Publisher compensation)
The wholesale discount you choose impacts your publisher compensation, or what you get paid. Publisher compensation equals the retail price less the wholesale discount—less the cost to print and any other handling fees. The higher the wholesale discount, the less you earn.
 

Title Set-Up Fees
Title set-up fees are free for both IngramSpark and KDP.

eBooks
KDP Amazon distributes eBooks to Kindle only. Through IngramSpark, you can distribute your eBook, in the ePub format, to many eBook retailers, including Walmart (Kobo), Apple, and Barnes & Noble. You can sell your Kindle format eBook to Amazon via IngramSpark as well. If you have published ANY eBooks to Amazon Kindle 12 months prior to when you want to publish a new eBook, you cannot use IngramSpark to make your eBook available on Amazon Kindle.
 
WDP’s Recommendation
As I have been indicating throughout this post, I recommend using both! With my clients I recommend KDP’s standard distribution for paperback books. Your paperback available only on Amazon and you will receive the highest possible publisher compensation for Amazon sales. Then, I recommend using IngramSpark for expanded distribution of paperbacks and ePub eBooks. Using both companies gives authors the widest distribution at the lowest cost and the best publisher compensation. Note that neither IngramSpark or KDP does not provide services to authors to prepare their books for publishing or assistance with uploading and metadata.

As a publishing services provider, Williams DocuPrep specializes in preparing books for publication. We offer authors expert book design (covers and interiors), editing, typesetting, eBook formatting. If we provided the design work, we prepare your files to meet IngramSpark’s and KDP’s specifications, and we upload them and handle all the metadata for you. Your accounts with KDP and IngramSpark are under your own name with your own ISBNs ensuring that your publisher compensation goes directly to you. We don’t insert ourselves into your revenue stream, so you will receive the highest possible publisher’s compensation.

If you need to prepare your book for publishing, Williams DocuPrep is your one-stop self-publishing option. Contact me today and tell us about your book.

​

VERSE OF THE MONTH: “My heart overflows with a good theme; I address my verses to the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer..”— Psalm 45:1
 
Feel free to use the text of this verse to guide your prayers for these authors, as well as other people in your life who you want to remember in prayer today.
 
We have one new author this month:

ANGELINE L WILLIAMS - ​I Don’t Believe in Fairytales: Breaking Anti-Marriage Strongholds
– JANUARY 30, 2019

1. For the author’s physical health and strength.
2. For the author’s family, home and finances.
3. Pray that doors for speaking engagements will open.
4. Pray that God will give her ideas and people to help her accomplish the call on her life.
5. For abundant book sales through retailers, groups, speaking engagements, and other avenues.
6. For God to give us all a closer walk with Him.
7. For more authors to come to Williams DocuPrep and Redemption Books.

​Thank you so much for so faithfully joining with us in prayer for these authors and others in your life. Trust that God is at work to accomplish His will in all of our lives!

Angeline