The Writers Bloc Podcast

Ep. 100: Lessons From Writing My First Book With Cara Ray

What does it really take to write, edit, and launch your first book while juggling real life, family, and faith?
In this special episode of The Writers’ Bloc, the tables are turned as Cara Ray is interviewed by writer and educator Keri Willis about her debut book, The Pursuit of Holy Leisure: Enjoying God in Everyday Places.
Together, they pull back the curtain on the real journey of writing a book from the first spark of an idea to the long road of proposals, rejection, revision, and ultimately, publication. This is not a highlight reel; it’s an honest, behind-the-scenes conversation about faith, perseverance, and the quiet work God does in the process.

✨ In this episode, you’ll discover: How the concept of holy leisure transformed Cara’s relationship with God What surprised her most about the writing and publishing process The realities of book proposals, rejection, and finding the right publisher How to navigate the “messy middle” of writing The role of community, prayer, and obedience in finishing a book What Cara wishes she had known before launching Cara also shares how this message grew out of her own struggle wanting to enjoy time with God, but feeling like she was constantly falling short and how a simple phrase changed everything.

Whether you’re dreaming of writing your first book, stuck in the middle of one, or simply longing for a deeper, more joyful walk with God, this conversation will encourage and equip you.

📘 Get the Book: The Pursuit of Holy Leisure: Enjoying God in Everyday Places
(Available April 14 – preorder now!)

🌿 Join The Writers’ Bloc Community:
Mywritersbloc.com

Ep: 99: Seasons Of The Creative Life with Bette Dickinson

What if fruitfulness in your creative life isn’t about producing more but about cultivating a deeper life with God?

In this conversation, Cara Ray welcomes prophetic artist, writer, and speaker Bette Dickinson to explore the surprising parallels between vineyards, creativity, and the spiritual life. Drawing from the rich imagery of John 15, Bette shares how learning from a real-life vine dresser reshaped her understanding of seasons, fruitfulness, and abiding in Christ.

Together, they discuss how writers and creators can move from a productivity-driven mindset to a flourishing approach, learning to embrace seasons of dormancy, pruning, growth, and harvest. If you’ve ever felt pressure to constantly produce, this conversation will encourage you to slow down, remain connected to Christ, and trust the deeper work God is doing beneath the surface.

You’ll discover how creativity, spiritual formation, and the rhythms of creation intersect—and why the health of the vine matters far more than the quantity of the fruit.

Whether you're a writer, artist, or creative believer seeking direction, this conversation will help you recognize your current season and learn to cultivate a life of abiding, creativity, and faithful growth.

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What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why do vine dressers focus on the health of the vine, not the fruit
• The four creative seasons: dormancy, pruning, growth, and harvest
• How abiding in Christ shapes your creative life
• The difference between productivity and flourishing
• Why creative “winter seasons” are necessary for deeper fruitfulness
• How writing and art become tools of spiritual formation

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Connect with Bette Dickinson:

🌿 Website: bettedickinson.com

🌿 The Art of Vine Making: theartofvinemaking.com

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About The Writers’ Bloc Podcast:

Hosted by Cara Ray, The Writers’ Bloc podcast equips Christian writers and creators to grow in their craft, deepen their faith, and build meaningful creative work that serves others.

Ep: 98: A Christian Author's Take on Cozy Fantasy

Is Cozy Fantasy the Genre We’ve Been Missing? A Conversation with Deborah Pettit

What exactly is cozy fantasy, and why is it suddenly everywhere?

In this episode of The Writers’ Bloc Podcast, Cara sits down with children’s fantasy author Deborah Pettit (author of The Heroes of Tuduma Forest series) to explore the rise of cozy fantasy, what sets it apart from epic fantasy, and why this genre may be filling a deeper cultural and spiritual need than we realize.

Deborah shares her personal journey through depression, how Scripture reshaped her thinking, and how that transformation now informs the character-driven stories she writes for young readers. Together, we discuss:

• What cozy fantasy actually is (and what it isn’t)
• The difference between epic fantasy and cozy fantasy
• Why many modern fantasy books leave Christian parents uneasy
• How classic stories like The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, and The Little Prince fit into today’s evolving definitions
• Writing moral, clean fantasy without relying on occult themes
• Why character arcs matter more than plot in cozy storytelling
• The spiritual hunger beneath the popularity of this genre

Whether you’re a fiction writer, nonfiction writer, homeschool parent, or simply someone who cares about the stories shaping the next generation, this conversation will help you think more critically about imagination, storytelling, and truth.

👉 Deborah will go deeper into the spiritual themes behind cozy fantasy in her extended teaching inside the Writers’ Bloc community.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Positive Trait Thesaurus and The Negative Trait Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi
• Deborah Pettit’s Heroes of Tuduma Forest series

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a writer who needs to hear it.

Ep. 97: How to Turn Your Book into a Powerful Signature Talk with Robyn Dykstra

If you’re a writer who’d rather hide behind your laptop than step on a stage… this interview is for you. 🙌

Join me for this fun and informative conversation with Robyn Dykstra—a national Christian speaker and bestselling author. We talk about one of the most overlooked (and most powerful) ways writers can grow their platform:

✨ Turning your book message into a signature talk.
In this interview, we talk about:
📌 Why writers can’t afford to stay invisible anymore
📌 How speaking builds trust faster than almost anything else
📌 How to stop viewing speaking as performance—and start seeing it as an offering
📌 The difference between a signature talk and “teaching your whole book”
📌 How speakers sell books effectively without being salesy

If you’ve ever felt nervous, unqualified, or intimidated by public speaking—this conversation will give you courage, clarity, and practical next steps.

🎧 Watch now and get ready to take your message from page… to stage.

Don't forget to hit Subscribe 🔔for more great content from the Writers' Bloc!

To learn more about Robyn's speaking training, visit: https://robyndykstra.com/inspirational-speaker-training/

Ep 96: Why Ministry Creatives Need Retreats with Angie Baughman

Why do ministry creatives — writers, teachers, and leaders — need intentional retreat time?

In this conversation, Cara welcomes Bible teacher, pastor, author, and podcaster Angie Baughman back to The Writers’ Bloc to talk about the spiritual and practical value of creative retreats. Together they explore how getting away — even briefly — can bring clarity, peace, deeper listening to God, and more sustainable creative output.

Angie shares from decades of ministry experience how structured retreat rhythms helped her plan, discern, and avoid burnout — and how writers and ministry leaders today can build simple, realistic retreat practices into busy lives. They discuss resistance, guilt, budget options, spiritual formation, rest vs. recovery, and practical retreat planning from food prep to scheduling.

If you’re a writer, ministry creative, or Bible teacher feeling stretched thin, this episode will help you reframe retreat as obedience and investment — not indulgence. Guest: Angie Baughman — licensed pastor, Bible teacher, author, podcaster, and founder of Steady On Ministries. Creator of the Step-by-Step Bible Study Method and Study On University.

Ep 95: Why Writers Should Consider Ghostwriting with Kent Sanders

Ghostwriting can sound mysterious—but Kent Sanders pulls back the curtain and shows how practical (and relational) it really is. In this conversation, Kent shares how he went from teaching ministry and theology at a small Christian college to building a full-time writing business, why ghostwriting is often misunderstood, and what it takes to become the kind of steady, professional presence high-level clients trust with their “book baby.”

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Kent’s winding road into writing—and why his shift started with a practical need to support his family
• A clear, everyday definition of ghostwriting (hint: you’ve “used” a ghostwriter before—think greeting cards)
• How ghostwriters capture a client’s voice through listening, patterns, and a collaborative revision process
• What the ghostwriting process actually looks like: outlines, Zoom interviews, transcripts, “brain dumps,” and intensive sessions
• How ghostwriting intersects with publishing: self-publishing, assisted self-publishing, hybrid, and traditional publishing
• The ethics question—and why Kent believes ghostwriting is a natural extension of how books are always made (teams, editors, designers, etc.)
• Why professionalism matters more than people think (reliability, calm communication, and emotional regulation)
• What clients are really looking for when choosing a ghostwriter: trust, steadiness, fit, and the ability to create psychological safety

• Kent’s 3 best tips for aspiring ghostwriters

  1. Publish your own book (and invest in a professional cover)
  2. Tell people what you do—build visibility and clarity
  3. Get your first client win quickly to build momentum and confidence

Memorable Moments

• “Ghostwriting happens all the time—we just don’t frame it that way.”
• The “Find the Ghostwriter” game: Kent looks for hidden credit clues in acknowledgements and encourages ghostwriters behind the scenes.
• A helpful distinction: author vs. writer—the ideas can be the author’s even when a writer shapes them.

Quick Summary of Kent’s Approach

Kent treats ghostwriting like high-level consulting: yes, the deliverable is writing, but the work also includes clarity, support, structure, and calm leadership throughout a complex process.

About Kent Sanders

Kent Sanders is a ghostwriter, entrepreneur, and author/co-author of dozens of books. He writes books for business leaders and hosts The Profitable Writer podcast. He also leads The Profitable Writer Membership, helping writers increase their impact and income through practical strategy, mindset, and professionalism.

Connect with Kent

• Website:kentsanders.net
• Community + Podcast:theprofitablewriter.com
• Amazon: Kent Sanders

Ep 94 Is Your Idea Book-Worthy with Ann Kroeker

Is your idea strong enough to become a book?

If you've ever wrestled with that question, you're in good company. In today’s episode of The Writers’ Bloc Podcast, I sit down with writing coach and author Ann Kroeker to talk about how to know whether your idea has the depth, clarity, and longevity needed for a full manuscript.

Together, we explore:
✨ How to test and validate your book idea long before you write the full draft
✨ Why sharing your idea early is a gift—not a risk
✨ How curiosity, calling, and stewardship shape the projects we pursue
✨ What traditional publishers are really looking for
✨ When self-publishing is the stronger path
✨ How to build a brand that supports your message—without losing sight of ministry
✨ Why experimentation, iteration, and “just making things” matters for every writer
✨ The surprising connection between platform, clarity, and long-term passion for your topic

Ann’s wisdom will encourage you to slow down, think deeply, and discern where God might be leading you as a writer. If you're standing at the crossroads of Do I write this book? or Is this idea enough?, this episode will meet you right where you are.

You can follow Ann at annkroeker.com and her podcast, Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach, wherever you listen to podcasts.

👇 Let me know in the comments:
What idea are you exploring right now—and what step will you take this week to test it?

Ep 93 Building Community on Substack with Grant Herbel

Writing online can feel like shouting into the void or slipping into self-promotion. In this conversation with Grant Herbel of The Writer’s Calling on Substack, we explore a different way: seeing writing as worship, serving readers rather than chasing numbers, and using Substack’s features to build a real, engaged community.

If you’ve wondered whether Substack is worth your time, how to grow there without “platform panic,” or how to think Christianly about promotion and audience-building, this episode will steady and encourage you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why your “failed” blogs and abandoned projects aren’t wasted in God’s hands
How a secure identity in Christ can free you to write boldly without making writing your identity
What makes Substack unique for writers who want depth, not just clicks.
How Substack Notes can become a top-of-funnel way to meet new readers
Practical ways to host a community using comments and Chat
Healthy ways to think about paid subscriptions and monetizing your writing

🔗 Find Grant on Substack:
thewriterscalling.substack.com

If this conversation encouraged you, like, subscribe, and share it with a writer friend who’s trying to navigate calling, community, and platform with a clear conscience before the Lord.