Over the past few years on Bookstagram, I’ve seen a few posts from readers where they ask authors how they can pray for us. As a Christian author of Contemporary YA books, I think the gesture is sweet and one that can genuinely help Christian authors of all genres. So today, as an author, I’ll be sharing 5 ways that readers can pray for authors.

1 | Pray for an Author’s Relationship with God

Speaking from experience, writing books that share God’s love with others comes easier for Christian authors when our own relationship with God is in good standing. On the flip side, at least for me, whenever I’m upset with God over something that may take me a while to get over (a recent example being praying for a family member to be healed of one medical issue, only for them to pass away from another), it makes it extremely difficult for me to write for His glory until I’ve opened my heart back up to Him and have laid my issues at His feet.

Therefore, praying for an author’s relationship with God can help intercede for them when they’re struggling with God, and help nudge them to commune with Him again.

2 | Pray for an Author’s Openness to Hearing God

God’s guidance is necessary for Christian authors in all aspects of authorship, as He will never lead us down the wrong path. When I sit down to write and pray before the writing session, asking for God to guide the pen, so to speak, I find that those writing sessions are much more fulfilling and impactful than going about them on my own.

Readers, praying for authors to be open to hearing God’s guidance is vital, so that we may be able to craft stories that better reflect and spread the gospel of the Author of all creation!

3 | Pray for Any Areas of Struggle in an Author’s Personal Life

While the world has a tendency to place more well-known authors on a pedestal, we’re all just normal people at our core, and normal people still struggle with issues in our personal lives. From losing a loved one to having financial struggles to enduring family issues, no one on this earth is immune to personal struggles in their lives. Christians are definitely not immune, as Jesus tells us in John 16:33 that we are guaranteed tribulation in life.

Authors who are more open with readers about their personal lives may hint around about their struggles on social media platforms, but others may be more private. Still, if readers notice that their favorite authors seem less present than usual or don’t seem like themselves in their posts, that may be a good indication that they are struggling in a personal area and need prayer.

4 | Pray for Any Areas of Struggle in Their Authorship

Again, some authors are more vocal about this than others, but contrary to how some highlight reels may seem, no author is immune from struggles in authorship. Whether it’s no-sales months, complications with cover design or formatting, bad review blues, trouble with writing, or the dreaded Imposter Syndrome, all authors go through them, and they each have the power to make an author consider giving up altogether.

Readers, please pray for authors to not fall into the temptation to give up authorship when things get hard. As an Indie author who has endured two seasons like this now, you don’t know how vital your prayers are for authors in this area. It’s because of the continual prayers from my readers that I haven’t given up, and you never know who else you could encourage to keep moving forward by praying for their writing ministry.

5 | Pray for an Author’s Work to Help Grow God’s Kingdom

Last, but certainly not least, as I wrote about in my nonfiction book, Writing by Faith, a Christian’s author main “why” for writing should be to glorify God and to make Him known. For the Christian author, if we’re struggling with our relationship with God, not turning to God for guidance, or enduring tribulations in our personal lives or authorship, it’s incredibly easy to forget why we’re spending time writing, marketing, and publishing books in the first place. Additionally, despite what book marketing gurus like to preach to us, our books’ reach isn’t something authors have ultimate control over. This is an issue I’ve had to continually lay at God’s feet, where I’ve had to learn to trust He will place my books in front of the readers who need them.

But more than that… what matters most is that the work of Christian authors should actively grow God’s kingdom, not just our own readership. Readers, the most important way you can pray for Christian authors is to ask God for our work to impact non-Christian readers and plant seeds of the gospel in their lives. Pray that our work can help introduce the lost to Jesus, encourage Christians who are struggling with their faith, and be lights of Christ to the book community.

Talk to Me, Arrowheads!

If you’re an author, can you think of additional ways that readers can pray for us? Drop your ideas in the comments!

If you’re a reader, thank you for your support, especially when you pray for us. You have no idea how much your prayers mean to us or help us along our author journeys.

Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.

-Allyson 😀