This is the last episode of this season until the podcast starts up again in September. In this episode, I recap what we talked about regarding what to do before starting to write your nonfiction book.

I also talk about what happens AFTER you finish your book proposal:

* Options for editing and evaluation of your proposal

* How writing conferences can fast-track your proposal through the submission process

* Additional resources to help you make progress

If you have ideas for future episodes or season themes, email me at amysimon@amylynnsimon.com.

I will still be taking coaching clients in August. Book a free discovery call here.

Sign up for Pen Points, the weekly email that accompanies the podcast here. That email will also pause for the month of August but you can still sign up any time.

You can find additional free writing resources on my website here.

I’ll see you back in September when we’ll dive into common unbiblical mindsets we typically struggle with as writers and how to counter them with truth from God’s Word. See you then!

The Purposeful Pen is a weekly podcast for Christian writers designed to help you build a writing life with eternal impact. Each week you’ll hear practical tips and Biblical truth on topics such as improving your writing, honing your message, and managing your time. I always respond to listener emails and I’d love to hear from you! Amysimon@amylynnsimon.com

Writing a book is a huge endeavor, as we’ve discussed this season. But what would it look like to write a book as a family? The Bryant family has done just that! This homeschooling family of 5 decided to turn a dream into reality and write and publish a children’s book together.

In this interview with Bobby and his three kids, BJ, Ava, and Joseph, we talk about where their idea for the book came from and what the writing and publishing process looked like. You’ll hear about the lessons they learned and be encouraged by the close bond this family has together.

You can find their book, “Trusting Timothy: a Story about Cheating” here.

About the Bryant family:

The Bryants are a Christian homeschooling family, who deeply believe in the power of God's Word and the importance of growing into the best version of yourself. Their debut children's book, "Trusting Timothy: A Story about Cheating", not only delivers a powerful message, but also serves as a testament to the creative freedom and flexibility that homeschooling provides. They are deeply driven by the desire to instill in today's youth principles of excellence and to remind them that with God, all things are possible.

You can find them on their website and on Instagram.

Additional resources mentioned in the episode:

Stuck to Steady

Pen Points

The Purposeful Pen is a weekly podcast for Christian writers designed to help you build a writing life with eternal impact. Each week you’ll hear practical tips and Biblical truth on topics such as improving your writing, honing your message, and managing your time. I always respond to listener emails and I’d love to hear from you! Amysimon@amylynnsimon.com

Have you ever had a chapter idea that sounded amazing in your head, but when you sat down to write it, you realized you didn’t have much to say?

That’s exactly the tension we’re working through in this episode. We’re talking about how to move from the big picture vision of your book to the ground-level work of chapter summaries, one of the key elements of a book proposal.

In this episode, we cover:

* Why your book’s big picture transformation should shape every single chapter

* Two different ways to structure your chapters (step-by-step journey vs. sub-topic exploration)

* What a typical chapter length actually looks like, and why that surprises a lot of writers

* Why you shouldn’t write your whole book before your proposal is done (with one common exception)

* How going back and forth between the 30,000 foot view and the chapter level helps you catch problems early

If you’ve been staring at a blank table of contents wondering where to even start, this episode will give you a clearer path forward.

Ready to move from vague idea to clear direction? I’d love to walk alongside you. Schedule a free 30-minute discovery call to see if coaching together would be a good fit.

Sign up for Pen Points, a weekly email to encourage you in your writing.

The Purposeful Pen is a weekly podcast for Christian writers designed to help you build a writing life with eternal impact. Each week you’ll hear practical tips and Biblical truth on topics such as improving your writing, honing your message, and managing your time. I always respond to listener emails and I’d love to hear from you! Amysimon@amylynnsimon.com