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Luminous Voices invites you to a brilliant space where words illuminate the soul. Each episode delves into the heart of a remarkable individual, uncovering the singular, essential message they want to share with the world and with you.
From renowned theologians to everyday saints, these luminaries offer a beacon of hope, a spark of inspiration, and a glimpse of the divine. Join us on this journey as we explore the depths of the human spirit and the power of light filled words.
Tune in to Luminous Voices and hear a more light filled world.
Hi, I'm James frowning, and
this is luminous voices.
A bonus episode.
And this episode.
I speak with Becky Harling as she
shares about being an author and
the processes that go along with
that in particular, what happens
after you've written the book?
Let's listen to it.
James Browning: How many books
have you written at this point?
What is this for you?
Becky Harling: This is crazy, James.
I've written 15 and I am
under contract for 16.
James Browning: Wow.
So I, um, how long have
we known each other?
We've known each other two
years,
Becky Harling: years,
three years, four years.
I don't know.
Three years,
James Browning: And I'm starting to build
up my Becky Harling bookshelf now that
Becky Harling: Oh,
that's because I have my
publisher send them to you.
You're so great.
You know,
James Browning: No, I'm thankful that I
get to, like I said, I work with a small
group ministry and a small group network.
And I think this book in particular
is one that I'm sharing with
a lot of small group pastors.
Like, Hey, this
is a great Christmas gift for your,
for your small group leaders, because
number one, it's a little bit of
how to, it's a little bit of like.
Here's some of the things to watch for.
It's got practical advice, but also
I think it's a reminder of a higher
calling, like that we, uh, in who are
in small groups are being intentional
about community because it's important.
And necessary.
So thank you for sharing this message.
And I know that you enjoy writing
and that you enjoy speaking.
How do you feel about marketing your book?
Becky Harling: not great.
You know, there's a
problem with marketing.
I mean, it, we have to do it, but it,
um, it requires a different skill set.
You know, I've learned
through the years that I.
That I have to do it.
But my trick with marketing is I surround
myself with people who are better at it
than me because I'm just not great at it.
And it always, it always, um, Raises
this wonky question in me, you know,
am I shouting about my own product?
That's not great.
I don't want to be like that.
And yet I believe in
the message of the book.
I believe it needs to get out there.
So I kind of lean into my
community for marketing.
You know, I, I kind of, um, say,
Hey, I am not great at this.
So I need your help.
And I, I have been really
blessed to work with publishers
who, are very understanding
of me and who helped me a lot.
And I have good friends who help a lot.
James Browning: I, how did
you, how did you get into that?
How did you start that community?
Find those publishers.
How did you get started with all that?
Becky Harling: Okay, getting started.
My writing journey is wonky, James.
I, I brought a well known speaker to
the church where I was the women's
ministry director in upstate New York
and I brought her in to speak at a
conference and she and I really hit
it off and I asked her to mentor me.
She was about 15 years older than me
and and she said she would and she
saw within me this And, and I had told
her someday I want to write a book.
Well, she went home at the time
I was living in upstate New York.
She was living here in Colorado.
She called Navigators and said,
Hey, I have a new author for you.
So literally, NavPress called me and said,
Hey, we hear you want to write a book.
Turn in a proposal.
And I, Remember thinking this is nuts.
So I did turn in that proposal and they
said, well, we like the way you write, but
you're not writing about the right thing.
So they turned that one down.
Then I turned in another one.
And again, they said,
don't stop turning them in.
We like the way you write, but you're
not writing about the right thing.
At that point, I took some time
by myself and prayed through
what God wanted me to write.
And I hired, um, an editor.
Again, this was so crazy, James.
I, She's a very well known editor.
In fact, she edits for Max Lucada.
Why she even looked at me,
I have no idea, but she did.
It was God.
And she helped me get a proposal
ready that NAF press took, and then
they published my first three books.
So that's how I
James Browning: I ask you that?
Who was that editor?
Do you mind if I ask
Becky Harling: Liz, Liz Haney.
I will be forever indebted to her.
I cried my way through my first book.
I always say Liz Haney taught
me how to write because I, I
would say, I can't do this.
She would say, yes, you can,
you know, and she walked with
me through my whole first book.
He
James Browning: I've worked with
Max on a couple of different things?
He is great too.
I,
Becky Harling: is great.
I, he's got such a gentle spirit.
I think he's America's most loved pastor.
I mean, he just, he's
got such a gentle spirit.
James Browning: One of the things
that I was fascinated by him when
I was in publishing is I wanted to
know what his big breakout book was.
So I went and looked up his,
uh, his backlist, his catalog.
And do you know what it was?
Can you guess?
Becky Harling: I don't
James Browning: have one.
He
just wrote a book a year
for a million years.
Becky Harling: yes.
He's still, I think he's still doing that.
James Browning: He is, he is.
And
Becky Harling: And Liz
is still his editor.
I mean, if you look in the front
of his books, Liz Haney has
stuck with Max all these years.
James Browning: I will say from a
publisher's perspective, there's
few authors that make it as
easy to work with as Max Lucado.
Um, he is just up for anything
he can, and it goes back to what
you were saying about humility.
He makes it happen.
He makes it easy to be
a part of his community.
Um, but, and I think that that is,
honestly, I see that a lot of that in you.
I see the fact that you've got
Becky Harling: you.
James Browning: this catalog of books
that has just over a year, you're
creating like not a portfolio sounds too
businessy, but, uh, uh, magnum opus, like
a body of work that I think represents.
what the Lord has been doing through you.
And, and I really value
that in you as an author.
So my question for you is, do you
enjoy writing or having written?
Becky Harling: I enjoy writing.
I enjoy, I have gotten so that I
really enjoy the process, but I will
say this, any idea I have for a book
and I, I, I mean, this authentically
comes from my time on my knees.
So I pray a lot because I
don't want to just write a book
of it to write another book.
I have no desire to like, I know a
lot of authors say, Oh, before I die,
I want to write X amount of books.
I don't necessarily feel that way.
I want to write what God God gives me
to write so I ask him What's a felt
need that you want me to address and
I start there and then I go from there
James Browning: Do you, when you're
in that process of prayer, do you tend
to get the message or the seed of the
message that God wants you to give?
Or is God putting a burden for a
particular audience on your heart?
Which tends to come first for you?
Becky Harling: Um, not
usually the audience.
It's usually the need Like for
this book, it was loneliness.
Um for another one of my books.
It was anxiety and most of the time I mean
you speak best to your deepest need right
so you can You I, if I haven't felt the
need, I usually can't write to it, you
know, but God usually gives me the need
and then says, I want you to address this.
And then he kind of, I just work with him.
I, writing is the best faith
journey because you're dependent
on the Lord for every word.
Otherwise you don't want to do it.
James Browning: You do a
lot of author coaching?
What's one piece of advice for someone
who is aspiring to be an author?
Becky Harling: Get a coach because the
industry is, I mean, I don't say that
lightly, but it, the industry is tough.
Um, and the traditional publishers are,
are becoming more and more selective.
Um, and they want to know you have
a platform, which is kind of hard.
Um, But you have to get somebody
that's actually written that can
be a coach to you that understands
the publishing industry, because
every publisher is looking for
certain things in your proposal.
And so it is helpful to have somebody
coach you through that process.
James Browning: All right.
Well, thank you Becky for sharing.
Uh, I really appreciate your
time and I appreciate your
podcast, the connected mom.
So, uh, definitely check it out.
Um, for listening.
We will hope to have you back soon Okay,