Preach to Publish
Have you ever finished a sermon series and just knew it would make a good book?
My book Radically Normal: You Don’t Have to Live Crazy to Follow Jesus, started out as a series and went on to be published by Harvest House.
Here’s what I discovered. Turning a sermon into a book was a lot of work. You can’t just transcribe it and call it good.
Think of it like this: I’ve seen a lot of great movies and read a lot of great books, but I’ve seen very few great movies based on great books. That’s because movies and books are two different mediums and converting a story from one to the other takes a lot skill.
As a former pastor of fifteen years, who has preached hundreds of sermons and has a degree in Biblical Studies (minor in Biblical language), I understand the Bible and preaching. As a published author, ghostwriter, and developmental editor, I know how to turn great ideas into great books.
Whether you want to communicate an important truth to a wider audience or to build your platform, writing a book can be an important step in your ministry.
I’d like to offer you a complimentary coaching session. It won’t be a sales call. You tell me about your book idea, and I’ll give you some feedback. Based on past experience, I’m confident you’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of your project, regardless of whether you work with me further. I’ll also give you a copy of Radically Normal so you can see my writing style.
If you’re interested in a free coaching session, click here.
Are you wanting help with publishing and promotion as well? I’ve teamed up with Advantage Publishing, founded by Mike Acker. Mike is also a former pastor and best-selling author, as well as a speaking and leadership coach.
Costs
There are plenty of book services that will basically transcribe your sermon, clean it up, and format it. They will be a lot cheaper than I am. It all comes down to your goals. If you just want to create something for your church (and there is nothing wrong with that), then I’d go with them.
But if you want to see your sermons transformed into a book that is better than the original sermon and reaches beyond your congregation, then you should go with a published author. While my rates are a lot more than you’ll find on sites like Upwork, they are on the lower side for professional services that create publishable books.
So how much will it cost?
Each project is a little bit different, depending on the length and the completeness of the source material, but these packages cover most books between 120-200 pages:
1.Book Only: $6,500
This starts with a conversation. You tell me about your book and ministry. I help you clarify your idea and find the “hook”—that one thing that makes your book stand out. From there, I will create the structure and transform your sermons into a book, keeping you involved all along the way. At the end of the process, you’ll have a clear, engaging manuscript that is ready to be copyedited.
2.Publish and Promote Only: $8,000
If your book is already written, Advantage Publishing can publish and promote it, setting you up for a bestseller ranking in your niche and running the promotion for one month.
3.Book, Publish, and Promote: $11,000
This package includes everything from #1 and #2 and saves you $3,500.
4.Coaching: $500 a month
If you want to write your own book but would like some help, think of this like hiring a craftsman to help build your house. The more work you do, the cheaper it will be, but I’ll always be there to lend a hand. If you want to speed things up or are struggling with a particular item, hand it off to me. This package includes 10 hours a month (discounted from my standard coaching rate of $65 an hour). This time would be used as you see fit for coaching sessions and time spent working on your book.