The + Friday + Five: 07.18.25 | on writing

Your Friday Five: 07.18.25

The initial "So what do you do?" question has made me squirm more and more ever since I decided to leave full-time ministry and attempt to be a full-time writer and speaker. I mean, seriously, is there anything more cringey than "I'm a writer" response? TBH, the conversation either comes to a grinding halt with the other person's eyes darting around looking for the nearest exit, or it starts up a great conversation because people are genuinely intrigued by the idea that someone can make a living writing words.

The truth is, I am a writer.
And no one is more surprised than I am.
I am a writer. Period.

I say this often mostly to remind myself that people have trusted me with their time, expertise, reputations, and resources and I do not want to take them or myself for granted.

I have six books under my belt (four with publishers and two self-published), so I suppose I'm becoming increasingly comfortable with the moniker of "writer." After all, even with my contract work, writing about topics I believe are important and the access it gives me to engage with others striving to make the world better is my primary source of income and my deepest joy.

So with that, let me answer five questions that some have asked me, some I know folks have wanted to ask me, and some I ask of myself daily.

One // What is your writing discipline? Seriously, I wish I could do that because I do think there is something about challenging yourself to write even when the words do not flow, but like other creative disciplines, every person approaches them differently. I have found that when I try to force myself into a daily writing practice, the writing becomes too weighty and the words rarely flow. That said, I do force myself to write for my newsletter because the stakes are lower, but for books, I have found that going away for big chunks of time is where I can really get into a writing groove. I have generous friends who offer me space to write so I can get away for weeks at a time and crank out 10-15k solid words in a week.

Two // Can you really make a living writing (How much could you possibly make)? — The truth is, I do not make all that much on the actual sales of books. I am grateful for being in a place where I command an advance, but I am not a big enough writer for that advance to be more than a month's income max. And keep in mind that it's just an advance; authors don't receive any royalties until the advance is earned out. I make a higher percentage on electronic and audio versions, but at the end of the day, I probably do not even make minimum wage for the amount of time that it takes me to write a book.

I also earn some income from the newsletter you're reading right now, approximately $600 per month. I have approximately 2,500 subscribers, with around 160 of them having paid subscriptions. I'm not sure what other people's ratios are, but I am deeply grateful to those who have chosen to support me in this way. No joke, what I earn from this newsletter helps me stay fit and covers some of the expenses associated with producing content as an independent contractor.

Thank you, Paid Subscribers.

While the book-writing itself does not generate most of my income, the books, thoughts, and theology that I offer publicly provide me with access to events and gatherings that do generate more income. Right or wrong, if you have a book about something that folks may be interested in, you are more likely to be asked to come and talk about it. Always flexible; if you'd like to discuss my speaking fees, start here.

And thank you to all the groups, congregations, and organizations — large and small — who have invited me to spend time with them.

Three // Who is your audience? — This is a question that I am constantly asking myself because I often wonder this about other writers. I am often perplexed when liberal writers write blistering tomes directed at those with whom they disagree. I always wonder, "To what end?" because my guess is that those being addressed are probably not going to read it. To each their own. I approach this knowing that a majority of my newsletter readers, as well as those who have read my books, are likely similar to me in their ideological, political, and theological perspectives. I am deeply grateful for this, but it also means that I have a responsibility to NOT only offer thoughts that reaffirm and reinforce common positions and perspectives, but also to challenge and prod.

As I do with much of my life, I reflect on the four-fold nature of Jesus and how He treated the disciples and those around Him. In his complex nature as a prophet, priest, pastor, and poet, he prodded people when necessary, raised questions for the community to ponder, offered compassion and empathy when needed, and was a champion of creativity and curiosity when folks felt stuck. I hope to do the same with the people who read my words: I poke, I teach, I comfort, and I dream.

I have no delusions that those who might consider me a fake Christen or a false pastor read my words so I do not direct my energy their way, instead, I choose to think about those who do read me as a kind of congregation that I might serve who yearn for and are fed by challenge, thoughtfulness, vulnerability, and nuance.

Four // What are your writing aspirations? — My big dream is to have a book in an airport bookstore. Seriously, have you seen what is in the "religion and spiritual" sections of those places? Apparently, Prosperity Gospel, Christian Nationalism, and Jesus Self-Help sell. I would also like to have at least one hard-cover book, and my big stretch would be to write a novel.

There are a few projects that I would like to work on. I hope to restart a project exploring the four-fold nature of Jesus. Additionally, I aim to write an entry-level book for those who have recently been called to solidarity with Palestine. I also plan to write two or three books about activism, based on interviews with 100 activists from diverse backgrounds: Book 1, "Raising Activists," Book 2, "Activists Get Things Done," and Book 3, "Activists . . . TBD."

Four // What advice do you have for someone who wants to try and make a living as a writer? — If you feel like you have a book inside you (Quick go see a doctor, because that will be painful to pass 💀 ), write it, or at least most of it. Unless you have some cultural juice or celebrity status, most publishers are not going to take on a first-time author without a good chunk already written. Write a bunch, submit a proposal, rinse, and repeat.

It is also important to set realistic expectations about what kind of income you will or need to generate. Again, my guess is that most published authors have a regular source of income, so folks should embrace that privilege and write while there are no economic pressures. Write that first book, see how you do with the whole process of writing, editing, self-promotion, etc., and then you can determine if this is the life for you. Like most callings, it is both extraordinary and excruciating, often both before lunch.

One way to get started and gauge whether there is an audience for your writing is to start a newsletter. Of course, many are on Substack, but since I left Substack earlier this year, I am partial to Ghost. By writing via a newsletter, you can figure out your voice, build an audience for an eventual book, and discern if writing as more than a side avocation is the path you want to choose.

And with that, your Friday + Five on Writing is complete.

Peace,

BONUS: From the Camera Roll

Our dog, Vespa, is a weirdo. No matter where we put the blanket, she somehow manages to nose it under the table. I am sure it's a den thing, but to watch her do it now that her sight is going is both amusing and heartbreaking. Our 14-year-old pup is living the life. We don't have much more time with her, so we will enjoy the bundled-up cuteness while we can.

*The Original Friday Five was a weekly-ish post from my 2010s SF Gate’s City Brights blog. If you stumble across anything that you think would fit, please feel free to drop me a note.

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