Is your idea strong enough to become a book?

Writing online can feel like shouting into the void or slipping into self-promotion. In this conversation with Grant Herbel of The Writer’s Calling on Substack, we explore a different way: seeing writing as worship, serving readers rather than chasing numbers, and using Substack’s features to build a real, engaged community.

What if the most fruitful writing life isn’t about going bigger—but going smaller? In this conversation, author Kristen Couch (Deep Roots, Good Fruit) shares how “thinking small” has shaped her craft: trading platform chasing for prayerful presence, social scrolling for noticing, and grand gestures for steady obedience.

How do you write honestly about pain, without despair, and with real gospel hope? In this episode of The Writers’ Bloc Podcast, Vaneetha Rendall Risner shares her journey from childhood polio and profound loss to a ministry of writing that comforts the suffering. We talk about lament, journaling, discernment about what (and when) to share, and how God often calls “reluctant writers” to faithful words.

In this episode of The Writers’ Bloc Podcast, Cara Ray sits down with Lori Ann Wood, author of Divine Detour: The Path You’d Never Choose Can Lead to the Faith You’ve Always Wanted. Lori Ann shares how an unexpected heart failure diagnosis became the catalyst for her writing journey, leading her to process suffering through journaling and eventually publish a traditionally published, award-winning book.

Welcome to The Writers’ Bloc Podcast! In this episode, Cara sits down with Mary DeMuth—a powerhouse in the Christian publishing world. Mary is a literary agent, a daily podcaster of Pray Every Day, a Scripture artist, a speaker, and the author of over 50 books.

Common publishing myths (and what agents are really looking for)

Writing isn’t just about fighting distractions—it’s about facing the mindsets that keep us stuck. In this episode of the Writer’s Bloc Podcast, Cara Ray and Amy Simon (host of The Purposeful Pin Podcast and writer of the Pen Points newsletter) talk about building a sustainable writing routine rooted in discipline, grace, and truth.

Can you really pray for your writing? In this episode of The Writer’s Bloc Podcast, I sit down with author Jenn Soehnlin to talk about the power of prayer in the writing life.

What does it mean to adorn Christ’s work with our words? In this heartfelt episode of The Writers’ Bloc Podcast, I’m joined once again by my dear friend Cara Blondo. Together, we explore the biblical call to adorn the gospel—not through outward beauty, but through the hidden beauty of the heart and the good works that flow from it.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode