I finished writing my 25th book only a few minutes ago. Its working title is Out Loud with Words: How to Naturally Share the Gospel with Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime.
Although I’ve written no bestsellers (that’s actually super rare), we’ve been able to sell hundreds of thousands of my books over the last 25 years. I’ve never personally taken a penny from any of the royalties or profits from the books. All the revenue goes to Dare 2 Share to mobilize a generation of teenagers around the world to share the Gospel.
So why do I write? Because God burns something on my heart. He gives me a holy itch down deep in my soul that I must scratch. And that itch doesn’t stop until the last word is written.
People often ask me: How do you write a book? Here are the five keys that work for me:
1. Ask God for the subject and the pathway.
The longest part of the process is when you ask God for the subject He wants you to write about and the basic pathway to get there. This takes time and patience. You don’t just sit down and write a book. I don’t, anyway. The subject has got to be burning in my heart, and this one was.
2. Outline every chapter in detail (usually based on one Scripture passage).
Because most of my books are nonfiction Christian books, my general strategy is to attack every chapter as a sermon in a series. I usually base each chapter on one passage of Scripture, use an opening illustration, and include practical applications at the end. Because I’m used to doing this as a preacher, this is how I write books.
3. Get away and focus.
I’m not one of those guys who can write 30 minutes a day in my home office. One, I don’t have a home office. Two, that doesn’t work for me. There are too many distractions when I’m at home or in my office at Dare 2 Share. My primary place to get away is Estes Park, Colorado. The views inspire me to write, and the lack of distraction keeps me focused. (Although an elk just charged a lady in the parking lot minutes ago, and the lot is now full of cops and ambulances. True story!)
4. Write like crazy till you’re done.
People have asked me: How do you write when you are on your writing retreat? My answer? Like a madman. It’s more like the writing scene with Jack Nicholson in the movie The Shining. I’m locked in for hours at a time. I’ll usually take a break to walk around Lake Estes or go on a short hike and, of course, for meals. But then I’m back at it from early morning until well past dark—until it’s done. For this book, by God’s grace and through the prayers of God’s people, I was able to finish 20 chapters in 7 days of writing.
5. Get a good editor.
Jane Dratz has been my editor for this and many books for years. A good editor knows not only grammar and linguistics but also how I write. She knows when I could do better and when it’s just right. She gives me painfully honest feedback and helpful ideas to make my writing stronger. In other words, she makes me sound good. A few months ago, I tried using AI to write a book. It actually tanked pretty hard. I discovered AI is a great tool for ideas on illustrations, insights, and such, but you should write your own book in your own words.
Well, those are my five keys to writing a book. Feel free to use them to get your own God-given ideas out into the world.
