How to Stay Motivated When Writing Gets Hard

How to Stay Motivated When Writing Gets Hard

Author: Thomas Umstattd Jr. April 7, 2026 Duration: 1:10:38
To say yes to something good, you often have to say no to other things. In the past, we’ve discussed that sometimes quitting writing is the right move for your career and life. But what about when you know you can't quit? What do you do when you feel called to write but the work is hard, success is nowhere in sight, and you're dragging your feet? What if you need the income from writing to feed your family? In this episode of the Christian Publishing Show, Brian Hicks joins me to talk about h...

For any writer of faith who has ever felt the call to put words on a page, the journey from idea to finished book can feel daunting. Christian Publishing Show exists to walk that path with you, offering practical, grounded conversations that demystify the entire process. Host Thomas Umstattd Jr. guides discussions that go beyond simple inspiration, digging into the tangible skills needed to thrive. You’ll hear detailed explorations on honing your writing craft, understanding the often-opaque world of publication-whether traditional or independent-and learning marketing strategies that resonate with a Christian audience. This podcast brings voices from across the industry: experienced authors, editors, and publishing professionals who share their real-world successes and setbacks. It’s a resource built on the belief that a well-told story, rooted in faith, can have a profound impact. Each episode aims to equip you not just to publish, but to communicate your message with clarity, integrity, and effectiveness, turning a personal calling into a shared conversation.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Christian Publishing Show
Podcast Episodes
Announcing the 2025 Novel Marketing Conference [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:35
I'm excited to announce that tickets are now for sale for the 2025 Novel Marketing Conference. The conference will be held in Austin, Texas, on January 17th and 18th. This event is not a typical writer's conference where…
Show *AND* Tell With Angela Hunt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:38
You've likely heard the advice that writers should show instead of tell. Sometimes, it's good advice and can make your scenes better and your story more compelling. But it can also be terrible advice that will make your…
How to Write Powerful Christian Stories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:34
Stories communicate truth in ways that facts and statistics cannot. They touch places in our souls that sermons cannot reach. When you open your Bible, the very first thing you find is not the Ten Commandments but a stor…
How to write dialogue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:22
If you've ever transcribed a conversation between two people, you know the resulting text is a bunch of incomprehensible, run-on sentences and fragments. Natural conversation does not translate well onto the written page…
Writing Conflict: How to Keep Your Protagonist on Their Toes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:24
Most humans try to avoid conflict as much as possible, but novelists love conflict. Without conflict, a novelist has no story. Conflict keeps your novel moving forward and your readers turning pages. As Vladimir Nabokov…
Platform Overrated? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:22
You’re probably tired of hearing that you need a large platform to be a successful author. Some industry professionals believe having a large platform is equivalent to having a large social media following. If you’ve bee…
Mistakes to Avoid at Your First Writers Conference [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:47
When authors attend writers conferences, they often have big expectations but make common mistakes that squash their goals and diminish the return on their investment in the conference. In this episode, you’ll learn 11 c…
The Key Ingredient for Timeless Christian Storytelling: Morality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:18
The stories we ingest shape the morality we develop, but only to a point. If a story’s morality strays from reality or gets too twisted, the story fails to resonate with readers. Moral confusion is why movies and TV show…