Know Your Why

Before you dive in and start creating your devotional, ask yourself some important questions first. Why is this devotional beneficial or needed? What will readers learn after reading this devotional? How does this devotional differ from other currently published ones? Determine how your reader’s spiritual and daily life will be impacted once they complete the devotional, and what stressors or pain points you want to address. The answers to these questions will be your guiding force in ensuring each devotional entry works toward your final goal.

Define Your Audience

Do you have a passion to help busy working mothers? Young adults? New believers? Defining your audience before you sit down to write is one of the most important aspects of your devotional. Without a clear audience in mind, your devotional may not be practical or relatable for your ideal reader to complete. For instance, you’d format a devotional for a busy stay-at-home mom who only has a few minutes of free time a day differently from one for new retirees. The latter audience is likely looking for in-depth study and has the time to devote to it. In addition, you’d use a different writing style if you were speaking to young adults than you would to middle-aged professionals. If you want to reach new believers, pick a subject that deepens their relationship with Jesus, not one that bogs them down with theological points that even biblical scholars debate. If your devotional includes artistic or creative elements, leave plenty of space for journaling, drawing, and reflection. Also consider whether it should be completed as a group study or individually.

Time it Out

Devotionals are meant to be short, quick ways to engage with God and His word in a regular rhythm. Before you start writing, determine the structure and how your readers will engage with it. Will readers be able to complete each devotional in five minutes or less, or will they need to devote more time for in-depth study? Will they complete devotional entries every day, week, or month? Note that most devotional entries are designed to be completed in 15–20 minutes (or less), including reading and associated discussion questions or activities.

Get in the Word

Now that you know why you are writing, who you’re writing to, and finalized its structure, it’s time to dive in and write! Our minds thrive on structure and predictability, so each devotional entry should follow a similar pattern to help your audience know what to expect each day. Not sure where to start? Try the Hook-Book-Look-Took method. This method is commonly used by teaching pastors and preachers when developing sermons and also works well in written form in devotionals. First, hook your reader with a relatable anecdote or humorous story. Then, transition the story into how it relates to that day’s scripture reading. Include the reading, as well as interpretations for modern audiences that help them connect further. After that, have your audience connect the scripture with a spiritual insight or teaching moment. Next, provide a practical takeaway or reflection point that is memorable and will stay with the person throughout the day. Lastly, provide a space for prayer and reflection, including journal pages, action steps, and discussion questions.

Edit and Refine

Once you complete your draft, hire a professional editor to review and edit it. Ensure you use an editor who is experienced in editing devotionals, as they require a different writing style than longer novels and non-fiction works. Not sure where to find an editor when learning how to write a devotional? Our team at EABooks Publishing can help! We offer editing services as part of our self-publishing packages, so you get your book professionally edited before it is published and distributed.

Publish and Promote!

Self-publishing is the quickest, easiest way to get your devotional published. You have complete control over the entire self-publishing process, including when your book will launch, distribution methods, and how you’ll market it. This provides incredible flexibility, but the options can be overwhelming. That is why a self-publishing partner, like EABooks Publishing, can guide you through these steps and take the guesswork out of publishing your first book. We collaborate with you to select the optimal distribution methods tailored to your genre and target readers. Our services include formatting your work for digital and print publishing. Once you are ready to launch, we offer a variety of marketing services to help promote your work.

Self-Publish Your Devotional with EABooks Publishing

Our team at EABooks Publishing is here to partner with you through every step of your self-publishing journey, whether you are looking to publish your first devotional or fantasy novel. We are committed to helping you share the story God has placed on your heart, and we believe everyone deserves a chance to share their story with the world. For many, self-publishing is the most flexible, convenient way to publish your works without jumping through the hoops of traditional publishing.

Ready to take the next step and publish that devotional? Contact us for a free 15-minute consultation to see how we can help you self-publish your devotional today!