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How to Write a Christian Devotional Book
Simple tips to get you started in this booming niche market
If you are a Christian who wants to share your faith with others through writing, then you may want to consider writing a devotional book. A devotional book is one that helps Christians grow in their faith and connect with God on a daily basis. If this is something that interests you, then keep reading for tips on how to get started!
What is a devotional?
According to Kathy Widenhouse, author of Writing Devotionals that Stick, a devotional is “a short, inspiring illustration with a biblical takeaway” that is “structured in three distinct parts (scripture, illustration, and a takeaway)” (p. 3). Widenhouse also mentions that devotionals should be decidedly upbeat, authentic, and relevant to your target audience.
The market
The Christian book market is booming. In the United States, there are about 1,500 to 2,000 independent Christian bookstores. According to Statista, in 2020, religious books generated 667.2 million in sales revenue. And according to a 2017 Gallup poll, about three-quarters of Americans identify as Christians, so that’s a lot of potential customers!
Christian books have been around for centuries, and they continue to be popular today. Some people might think that the digital age has made print books obsolete, but that’s not the case at all. In fact, many Christian authors are seeing their sales increase online. To be clear, the evangelical market is only one segment of the Christian publishing industry, which also includes Catholic and mainline Protestant publishers.
A quick search in the “Christian Books & Bibles” category for Amazon best sellers reveals some heady numbers for monthly royalties:
Lastly, the Bible itself encourages its readers to think deeply about their faith and share what they have learned with others. “Take my yoke upon you,” Jesus said in Matthew 11:29, “and learn from me.” He also said that his followers should make disciples (students) of all nations as a…
