3 Ways to Build a Christian Writing Platform Without Losing Your Soul
Many Christian writers struggle with the idea of building a writing platform. Some believe that promoting their work is an act of pride. Others get caught up in social media spending all their writing time trying to unlock the magic key to the algorithm. We’re told by publishers and agents that our “numbers” need to be astronomical in order to be traditionally published, leading to discouragement and a desire to throw in the towel.
However, Christian writers can build a writing platform without sacrificing their faith, relationships, or writing time by focusing on three things: identifying the specific readers they serve, choosing sustainable ways to reach those readers, and faithfully doing the work while trusting God with the results. A Christian writing platform doesn't have to revolve around social media or chasing followers. It can grow through writing articles, email newsletters, podcasting, speaking, and genuine relationships.
For Christian writers, an author platform is not simply about visibility or numbers. It's about reaching and serving people faithfully.
What is a Christian writing platform?
Let’s be clear about what a platform is and isn’t. Many people assume a platform only means social media, but that’s not the case. A Christian writing platform is the collection of channels, relationships, and opportunities through which a writer connects with readers and shares their work. It might include a website, email newsletter, podcast, social media presence, speaking engagements, or other ways of reaching an audience.
1. Know Your Readers Before Building Your Writing Platform
In my work as a Christian writing coach, one of the most common challenges I see is writers who struggle to grow an audience because they haven't identified specifically enough who their writing is intended to help. They may be writing and sharing consistently, but their topics are scattered and potential readers have trouble understanding what they'll gain by following them.
Other times, their posts are focused on a particular reader and a focused message, but their titles are vague or confusing. In that case, no amount of brilliant writing is going to attract someone new to read their words.
People read for a reason—to get some benefit for themselves. The benefit might be as simple as feeling seen and understood in their season of life and encouraged to keep going. But they won’t know that you see them until you make that clear through your titles and a history of talking about that topic to that reader.
For example, a writer out there might really understand me as a midlife, almost empty-nest mom, but if they write one article about that, one about healthy dinner options, and one about parenting children in the age of AI, I’m never going to know she exists. And, if the title for the one post I’m interested in isn’t clear and related to something I might be searching Google for, I’ll never come across it in the enormous sea of writing.
How do you figure out who you’re writing for and what you help them with? It’s a process of self-discovery that takes time. Typically, we write about things that we ourselves have overcome. Take time to explore your own gifts, passions, and life experiences. Where do those things overlap with something that will help someone else?
For more help, you can download 10 Questions to Ask to Uncover Who You Write for and How You Serve Them, listen to The Purposeful Pen Podcast episode 2 , or purchase the workbook, A Path to Purposeful Writing.
2. Build Your Platform Without Relying on Social Media
When many writers hear “platform”, the only thing they think of is social media such as Instagram or Facebook. There are several problems with relying on those platforms. The major problem is that you don’t own it or have any control over it. Either platform could be gone in an instant and all your followers will vanish along with it. Or, the platform might still be there, but a glitch can cause all your followers to evaporate into cyberspace. All that work for nothing!
The other problem with social media is that you are held captive to the ever shifting algorithm. You can put content out there, but only a small fraction of your followers will even see it. The platforms and algorithms exist to serve the owners of the platform—not those who provide content. So whether you invest any time there at all is up to you, but I encourage you to not get lost there or waste too much time chasing numbers on social media.
There are other options that you may find far more life-giving and honestly will better serve your reader. Substack is a great option, especially if you don’t have a website. It fills the role of a website (although limited) and email collection vehicle all in one. There are also no ads and many (myself included) have found the culture on Substack Notes much more pleasant and encouraging than Instagram or Facebook. Interacting with other peoples’ Notes can be a great way to grow your own subscribers as well. You can download any Substack subscribers you gain even if the platform disappears.
If you have a website, posting blog posts with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in mind can also draw readers to your content. SEO can sound intimidating, but at its core, it’s creating genuinely useful content that addresses what readers are searching for, using clear titles, headings, and relevant language. You can do this in a way that feels natural and doesn’t interrupt the flow of what you’re writing. If you also have a downloadable resource that relates to your content, you can link to that in your post so that you’re capturing the reader’s email address to serve them further.
Podcasting, podcast guesting, teaching, and public speaking are also ways to grow your audience while serving them at the same time. Publishers take those numbers into consideration as well when looking at your writing platform. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box for ways to serve your readers with your content.
For more ways to grow your platform outside of social media, check out the “Writing Off Social” podcast or my own podcast where I interviewed Sandy and Mary Kay (the founders of Writing Off Social) in episode 128. To learn more about SEO, listen to episode 44 with Jana Carlson.
3. Grow Faithfully and Trust God With the Results
Platform building, like most of the rest of life, is all about doing the work and then trusting God to bring fruit from our efforts. I’ve talked to some writers who want to only write and ask God to do all of the platform building for them, but I don’t think it works that way. Positioning our writing where our readers can find it, and writing it in such a way that it clearly answers a need they have is part of the writing process.
In 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (NIV), Paul writes, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” There is work for us to do, but then God is ultimately the One who causes growth. That reminder should give us peace and help us not get caught up in the hamster wheel of constant striving as we build our writing platforms. We simply need to do our part, whatever we decide that looks like, and trust God with the results. This mindset also helps us to remember that faithfulness is our goal, more than numbers and statistics. To learn more, listen to my podcast episode 156.
Do you need more help?
If you have been frustrated with the idea of building a writing platform, be encouraged that social media isn’t your only option. It doesn't have to be an option at all! You can serve your readers and expand the reach of your writing in a way that not only feels natural and life-giving, but it also serves those you’re writing for.
If you're writing consistently but struggling to attract readers, the problem might not be your platform. It might be that you need more clarity about your writing direction.
As a Christian writing coach, I help writers sort through their ideas, identify what's holding them back, and develop a clearer path forward.
If you're feeling stuck or scattered in your writing journey, I'd love to help you figure out your next step. Schedule a free discovery call.
FAQ
Do Christian writers need social media to build a platform?
No. Christian writers can grow an audience through their website, email newsletters, podcasts, speaking, guest writing, and relationships with other writers. Social media can be part of that picture, but it isn't the only way to reach readers.
How do I start building a Christian author platform?
Start by identifying who you want to serve and how your writing helps them. Then choose one primary place to publish your work and one way to stay connected with interested readers, such as an email newsletter. Focus on being consistent before expanding to additional methods.
Can I build an author platform before publishing a book?
Yes. In fact, that’s the wiser way to work. Developing an audience before publishing a book can help you understand your readers and generate interest in your writing. In most cases, if you plan to publish traditionally, you will need to demonstrate your platform first in order to be signed with an agent and publisher.