10 Book Contest Tips and Christian Indie Award Winner Announcement

From Edie: Discover 10 practical book contest tips to boost credibility, visibility, and sales—plus the 2026 Christian Indie Award winners announcement.

10 Book Contest Tips and Christian Indie Award Winner Announcement

by Susan U. Neal @SusanNealYoga

When your book wins a contest, its status elevates. It reassures readers that your book is worth their time, attention, and money. Book contests are one of the most effective—and often overlooked—marketing tools available to authors. Winning a contest can open doors to credibility, visibility, and sales. 

YouTube for Writers, Part 7: Why Captions Matter and How to Use Them

From Edie: Learn why captions are essential for writers on YouTube and how to use them to boost accessibility, SEO, viewer retention, and engagement.

YouTube for Writers, Part 7: Why Captions Matter and How to Use Them

by Samantha Tschritter @SETschritter

Boost accessibility, SEO, and viewer retention with accurate captions

Think about it. How often are you waiting in a doctor’s office or scrolling through reels beside a sleeping spouse, or sneaking a quick glance at your phone during a family function? What’s the first thing you do to the volume on your phone? Turn that sucker down. Or consider the millions of viewers who have hearing loss. In these cases, videos with captions get attention, while other reels are swiped off the screen. 

Before You Share That Post: A Writer’s Guide to Verifying Information and Building Trust Online (Part 2)

From Edie: Before you share that post, learn how writers can verify information in under 60 seconds and build trust online by choosing truth over viral misinformation.

Before You Share That Post: A Writer’s Guide to Verifying Information and Building Trust Online

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Before You Share, Read This

In Part 1, we talked about the Facebook copyright hoax and why it matters for writers (link at the end of this post).

Now let’s get practical.

Because the goal isn’t just to avoid misinformation—

It’s to become someone who consistently shares truth.

The Facebook Copyright Hoax Is Back: Why Writers Must Verify Before They Share (Part 1)

From Edie: The Facebook copyright hoax is back. Learn why writers must verify before sharing and how misinformation can quietly damage your credibility and platform.

The Facebook Copyright Hoax Is Back: Why Writers Must Verify Before They Share (Part 1)

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

The Facebook Copyright Hoax Is Back (Again)

If you’ve been on Facebook for more than a few years, you’ve likely seen it.

That post.

“I do not give Facebook or Meta permission to use my photos…”

It sounds official.

It feels urgent.

And every time it resurfaces, it spreads like wildfire.

Let’s clear this up right away:

It’s not true.

It never has been.

But for writers, this isn’t just about spotting one hoax.

It’s about something much more important:

How we handle words we didn’t write.

March Forward With God: Why Wise Writers Pause Before They Speak

From Edie: Discover why wise writers pause before they speak or publish. Learn how inviting God to guide your words brings clarity, purpose, and greater impact in writing and communication.

March Forward With God: Why Wise Writers Pause Before They Speak

by Kennita (Kay) Williams

March is often associated with movement.

March forward.

Move ahead.

Advance.

In leadership, ministry, and communication, we are often encouraged to keep going to write the book, post the message, record the podcast, send the email, or step onto the stage.

Momentum is important.

The Power of Goal Setting for Writers: How Clear Goals Help You Finish Your Book

From Edie: Learn how clear, intentional writing goals help authors stay focused, overcome obstacles, and make steady progress toward finishing a book and turning creative ideas into completed manuscripts.

The Power of Goal Setting for Writers: How Clear Goals Help You Finish Your Book

by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes @KHutch0767

Most of us have heard someone say, “One day I’m going to write a book.” In fact, if you ask around at a dinner party or among friends, you’ll quickly discover that many people have a book idea tucked away in their imagination. The surprising part is not how many people want to write a book—it’s how few actually finish one. The difference usually isn’t talent, creativity, or even passion. More often than not, the difference is structure. Writers who follow through tend to do one thing consistently: they set clear, intentional goals. 

Why Author Newsletter Replies Matter (and How to Get More Reader Responses)

From Edie: Discover why reader replies are the most powerful signal for a successful author newsletter. Learn simple strategies to encourage responses, strengthen reader relationships, and improve your email deliverability.

Why Author Newsletter Replies Matter (and How to Get More Reader Responses)

by Kate Huff @KateOliviaHuff

Most authors think of newsletters as something they send. The best newsletters, however, are conversations.

Yet many writers will spend a lot of energy thinking about open rates, click rates, and list size. But there's one engagement signal that quietly outranks all of them—and most authors completely ignore it.