Dear Self-Published Christian Author

by Bart L. Denny, Ph.D., Th.M. 

Dear Self-Published Christian Author,

I’m rooting for you.

Truly, I admire your courage and commitment. You believe God has given you a message worth sharing, and you’ve put in the work to get it into book form. That’s no small feat. I want to see your book succeed—and if I’m buying inventory for a Christian bookstore, then your win can be our win, too. So allow me, with both candor and care, to echo the words of Jerry Maguire: “Help me help you!”

But I want to share with you what I learned working as a buyer for a Christian bookstore. I hope it will help clear up a few common misconceptions I’ve encountered from self-published authors over the years—and that it will help you have realistic expectations.

1. Being Local Isn’t Enough

I often hear, “My book should sell well—it’s by a local author.” I never saw that happen. I understand the sentiment, but unfortunately, that alone won’t move books. There's too much competition by high-quality, professionally published books by well-known authors. Simply living nearby doesn’t make your book sell. I mean, I'd never heard of anyone who approached me with their book. Unless you’re already well-known in the community and have a plan to let people know the book is available, most shoppers won’t even realize your book exists.

2. A Good Book Doesn’t Automatically Sell

I wish great content guaranteed strong sales. Sadly, some of the best books—even those from respected traditional publishers—don’t sell well. Unless you already have some kind of platform (whether online, through speaking, ministry leadership, or community presence), you’ll need to work even harder to market yourself. That’s doubly true if your time and resources are limited. Bookstores, even large ones, can only do so much to promote your title beyond the store walls or website.

3. Your Book Probably Isn’t Finished Yet

Let’s talk editing. I’m not just referring to copy editing (grammar, typos) or proofreading (those pesky final spelling issues), though you absolutely need both. I’m talking about developmental editing—the kind that looks at the overall structure, flow, logic, and audience impact. Developmental editors are common in traditional publishing. They’ll ask hard questions, make bold suggestions, and challenge you to shape the book for maximum clarity and market fit.

If you’re self-publishing, you’ll likely need to invest thousands for this level of editing. It’s worth it. Most self-published books are under-edited, and it shows.

4. Looks Matter More Than You Think

People do judge a book by its cover. I can spot a self-published book from across the room—and so can your readers. Invest in a professional cover designer (not just the cheapest option on Fiverr). Study recently published books in your genre and note their cover design standards. Your interior layout should also meet today’s expectations for readability and aesthetics. Amateur-looking books won’t sell—no matter how brilliant the content.

5. Use the Right Distributor

Your book needs to be available through a major distributor—namely, Ingram—which supplies books to most retailers. If you’re only publishing through Amazon, most bookstores can’t order it (I sure couldn't). On Ingram, be sure to set a retail discount of at least 42%—that’s what makes your book attractive to retailers. And make your book returnable. Yes, it’s risky for you, but necessary for the bookstore: if your book doesn’t sell, the bookstore needs to reclaim the shelf space.

Price your book realistically. New authors can’t command premium prices. Don’t compare yourself to Beth Moore or Max Lucado—at least not yet.

6. A Word About Vanity Publishers

Let’s talk about WestBow Press and Xulon Press. These are “vanity publishers” that charge authors for services under the umbrella of major Christian imprints. WestBow is associated with Zondervan and Thomas Nelson. They’ll give you an “editorial evaluation,” do your interior formatting, design a basic cover, and distribute via Amazon and Ingram.

Here’s my take: you can probably get better quality—and a better return on investment—by managing your own project. For what you pay WestBow or Xulon, you could hire a developmental editor, a quality designer, and still save money.

Yes, WestBow claims that Thomas Nelson and Zondervan will consider your book for traditional publication. While that’s technically true, and I have seen it happen, don’t expect an inside track. Their acquisition editors already receive more proposals than they can read.

As a retailer, I could order Nelson or Zondervan titles directly from HarperCollins with better terms than I was able to get from WestBow. That says a lot.

7. A Better Option: IngramSpark

If you want the best combination of control, quality, and distribution, I recommend IngramSpark. Ingram is a major book distributor that also prints books. They offer free training, help you obtain ISBNs, and provide print-on-demand services (saving you from storing hundreds of books in your garage).

IngramSpark also connects you to partners who specialize in editing, interior layout, cover design, and marketing. It’s more work, but it’s a better value and far more professional.

And it's still no guarantee of success.

8. Find a literary agent

Not a popular suggestion for the author who wants to self-publish. But I think you should consider it. And yes, that will send you down the traditional publishing route, guided by a person who will help you successfully navigate that path.

Final Thoughts: Keep Your Expectations Grounded

Even with everything done right—editing, design, distribution, marketing—your book might still not sell well. That’s the hard truth. Traditional publishers know this, and their business model accounts for it. As a self-publisher, your margin for error is much smaller.

So be realistic. Go into this journey with your eyes wide open. Don’t print hundreds of copies before you’ve tested the waters. Be willing to invest in quality. And above all, steward your message well—it’s not just a product; it’s a calling.

And if you really do the hard work to get your message out with excellence, and really persist, you could eventually land a traditional publishing contract. I recommend ChristianBookProposals.com as a place where you can learn how to do a proposal right and then submit it for consideration by many traditional Christian publishers. I've met "unknown" authors who have picked up traditional publishing contracts there.

Keep at it. I am praying for you!

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About the Author
Dr. Bart L. Denny is a pastor, author, and veteran of the Christian book industry. With decades of leadership and ministry experience and a heart for local churches and Christian communicators. He serves as lead pastor of Pathway – A Wesleyan Church and holds a Ph.D. in Christian Leadership.