What a joy to introduce my guest today, my friend and fellow AWSA sister, Elaine Miller. Be sure to read her bio below, but let me tell you right now she’s a writer and speaker and author of three books, so when she speaks, I think we should all listen. 
And friends, don’t forget to leave a comment and you’ll be in the drawing for a free book! (Thanks, Elaine!)
Okay, let’s jump right in. Elaine, you’re the author of three books. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I never planned to be an author. Writing a book was not on my bucket list. Psalm 102:18 says, “Let this be written for a future generation so that a people not yet created may praise the Lord.” So, I wrote journals of my spiritual journey, hoping one day a future generation will praise the Lord! In my 50′s, I heard a sermon on the parable of the talents. In that parable God is angry with the lazy servant who buries his talent. God spoke to my heart that day, What good are all those journals doing buried in your file cabinet if no one reads them? I knew I was to write a book. I didn’t have a clue how.
So how did you learn to write a book for publication?
Your question is my most asked question as a published author. Here’s how:
- Go to writer’s conferences and learn the publishing business. At conferences I met my agent, my current publisher, editors, and writers who encouraged me on my journey.
- Study writing books. My favorites are On Writing Well and The Elements of Style.
- Join a critique group. Other readers will spit shine your manuscript.
- Become published in magazines and build your resume.
- Speak on the subject of your books. If you write a book, you will be asked to speak. Nervous about speaking? You join the other 80 percent of the population who fear speaking. Speaking conferences taught me to speak with confidence, and communicate the Gospel message with power.
Great advice. The two resource books you mention are two of my favorites, too. Now let’s go in a little different direction. You’re a speaker as well as an author. How does this benefit you and your audience?
Speaking encourages me when I meet people face to face, pray with them, and hear them say, “God used your book (or your talk) to change my life.”
Speaking sells books. When people meet you, they see your heart, and they want to read your book.
Speaking gets your books into the hands of people who otherwise might not read them. No writer goes through the hours of labor to birth a book so no one will read it. We want our books to be read, to matter, to make a difference in lives.
Q. What do you feel is the key to effective Christian communication?
A. The key to effective speaking and writing is Jesus living in us and filling our minds and hearts until God’s love overflows from our tongues, our pens, and our lives into the hearts of people. Then we will be writers and speakers who make a difference in the world.
We can write great books, prepare amazing talks, be articulate Bible scholars; but unless our audiences see love in our lives, unless they see Jesus in us, we are only resounding gongs. No one wants to be a resounding gong.
I absolutely loved the title of your current book from the moment I first heard the title. We All Married Idiots: Three Things You Will Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can immediately drew me in and made me want to read it. Did we ALL marry idiots?
Well, I married an idiot and so did my spouse. Years ago during an argument I thought, I must have been an idiot to marry this idiot. Then I burst out laughing realizing that makes me an idiot too! Later I learned the word “idiot” is derived from the Greek word “common man.” Aren’t we all common man? There is only one uncommon man — Jesus Christ. When we look to our spouses to fulfill needs that only Christ can fulfill, we become dissatisfied with our spouse.
I packed my husband’s bags three times the first year of our marriage. We’ve been married 42 years, and I shudder thinking I almost threw away this man I adore. We All Married Idiots encourages couples to run a marriage marathon like an idiot, but not like a fool. An idiot may stumble or fall, but a fool runs the wrong way.
Would the readers of this blog like a free book? Leave a comment. A random drawing from all the commenters determines the winner of your choice of Elaine’s three books: Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms, Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Wives, or We All Married Idiots: Three Things You Will Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can.
Thank you for this interview, Vonda, and for the encouragement you are to Christian communicators.
And thank YOU for joining us today! We love talking about writing here at The Christian Writer’s Den, and we especially enjoy hearing from writers who are willing to share their journeys with us.
And readers, don’t forget to leave your comment and then be sure to return next week to see if you’re the winner!
Elaine W. Miller is a popular author and speaker known for sharing biblical insights with warmth, enthusiasm, and humor. A member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, she has been encouraging audiences for over 25 years. Elaine and her husband, an ordained minister, have been married 42 years. Together they have led many marriage retreats and counseled numerous hurting couples. They travel to Europe annually as Pastoral Care Couple to missionaries in Bosnia.
Residing in upstate New York, Elaine and Dan enjoy a beautiful and sometimes idiotic life together. Elaine is the author of three books. Her latest release, We All Married Idiots: Three Things You Will Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can is listed on Amazon’s Best Selling books on Relationships. She also authored Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms and Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Wives.
Check out Elaine’s website and blog at or connect on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest at Elaine W. Miller.
Happy writing!
Vonda
