Our Role vs God’s Role in Building a Platform
Another topic that we struggle with when it comes to building an online platform (and many other aspects of writing and life in general) is trying to figure out where God’s sovereignty and and our choices come together. Where is the line between what is our role versus God’s role? Do we sit by and expect God to do the work for us? Or do we plow ahead on our own and hope He’s in there somewhere?
I have found that many times, where we humans tend to make things an all or nothing situation, black or white, yes or no, the answer is frequently more of a both/and.
Scripture is clear that God is sovereign and in control of all things. It’s also clear that He has given us free will and the ability to make choices that impact our lives. How are they both true? I don’t know - they just are. He’s God, so He can work that all out in ways that my finite mind can’t comprehend.
Consider this as you try to discern what is your role and what isn’t:
God doesn’t typically circumvent the usual ways of doing things for our benefit.
Just as He usually doesn’t circumvent the laws of nature in order to work in our lives (although He can and sometimes does), He usually works on our behalf by blessing our efforts as we go through the normal ways of doing things.
For example, God could heal us without the help of doctors or medications and sometimes He does that. But usually, He employs medical professionals. If we refuse to ever go to doctor or seek medical intervention because God doesn’t need to that work, it’s generally considered a cult.
In the same way, to publish a book, writers need to do the expected work to improve their writing craft and build an online platform of people who are interested in their writing. It’s not reasonable to expect that God will supernaturally make us amazing writers and plop readers on our laps without our putting in the work to get there. I’ve heard many stories of publishers who have received manuscript submissions from people who have not followed the directions for submitting a manuscript, don’t write well, and have no platform, but claim that God has called them to write this book and therefore the publisher needs to publish it and God will provide all else that’s needed. Those books don’t get published.
Typically, the way it happens is that we put in the work to do the things that are commonly expected of writers. We seek to grow in the craft of writing, we do the work of growing a platform, and we follow the directions given by publishers and agents on how to submit a manuscript or proposal. God can then choose to bless those efforts and multiply them. As we are faithful to do what is in front of us, God, in His timing, causes fruit to grow from those efforts.
When it comes to building our platform specifically, there is work to be done. We shouldn’t expect God to bring people to our door to read our words without any effort on our part. He may bless our efforts and bring in more readers than we expected, or fewer than we expected. But He generally doesn’t circumvent the typical ways of doing things.
One way of looking at it is this: we do what we have control over and trust God to do what we don’t have control over.
Our role is to pray, walk with God, and be a person of biblical integrity. Write. Grow in the craft. Learn how to write well and how the publishing industry works. Even if God did tell you to write the book, you still need to do the work. God’s blessing doesn’t mean that you are an instant expert and a perfect writer. In platform growth, do the things that should lead to a larger platform. Pray and ask God for guidance, then move forward, trusting God to steer you.
Sometimes fruit comes not as a direct result of our efforts, but as side result of being faithful. I have a bachelor’s degree in music performance - not education. After college, I was attending a small church that had an even smaller Christian school attached to it. One day, the church leadership approached me and said that the music teacher in the K-8 school had to leave for the remainder of the year and would I consider being the replacement for a few months. I had ZERO classroom teaching experience, but it felt like the Lord wanted me to say yes, in spite of how nervous I was about it. I learned all I could about teaching classroom music and jumped in. The pay was extremely minimal, but I enjoyed the experience. Soon after, I got married, moved out of state, and applied at a local music conservatory to be a private teacher. That position was full, but they offered me a contract position to teach music classes in various private schools they worked with, all because I had “classroom teaching experience” on my resume. That position was quite lucrative and helped get our finances on solid ground early in our marriage. One act of faithfulness led to a bountiful provision that I didn’t expect.
My young adult kids have worked at internships or taken classes they didn’t enjoy, but were faithful anyway, which led to far greater and more enjoyable jobs. I have friends who were faithful in their writing efforts and then saw connections made that led to agent relationships and eventually publishing deals. As we are faithful to do the work, God blesses and leads as He sees fit.
Our job is to be faithful to do the work. The results are up to Him.