Written by Ken Walker In the past, when someone asked, “What kind of year did you have?” my reply tended to center on one thing: how much money I made. A revenue increase meant a good year. If business had decreased, it equated to a bad year. After my second consecutive annual decline in 2025, […]
Written by Jayna Baas The world of editing, writing, and publishing changes at a sometimes alarming rate. From the rise of AI to the evolution of independent publishing, new opportunities and challenges require the ability to pivot and embrace change while remembering the timeless fundamentals of good writing. As you navigate this challenge, the annual […]
Written by Martin Wiles Alert! SEO and AI are not our enemies, just as the television wasn’t the “one-eyed” monster some originally called it. Instead, what we think about these and other things is a matter of perspective. Much of what is now written ends up, in whole or in part, on the internet. And […]
Written by Lisa Vest I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and is having a Happy New Year! Most of us will hopefully be ignoring emails and spending awesome time with family and friends. After the holidays my brain shifts gears as we begin the New Year. I get hyped up to get organized, […]
Written by Megan Ryan As we approach the end of the year, your social media feeds might be full of fellow readers sharing whether they met their reading goals for 2025. It seems common to set a goal to read a certain number of books, but that approach can lead to comparison and discouragement. There’s […]
Written by Jayna Baas “Marketing” is a word that makes some editors cringe. Christian editors often feel that self-promotion is a necessary evil. But that perspective needs to shift. If you have a skill that can truly benefit the writers of the world, why wouldn’t you want to share it? That’s where marketing comes in. […]
Written by Martin Wiles One by one, I filtered through the email submissions and then, sadly, returned three-fourths of them. Recently, this has become a somewhat common occurrence. Why? The writers did not follow the guidelines. For over a decade, I have served as the Managing Editor for a non-profit organization’s website. My duties include […]
Written by Lisa Vest Years ago, leadership expert John C. Maxwell taught me a simple but powerful truth: add value to people. That means being intentional about helping others feel better, become better, or do better—because you genuinely care about them. As an editor, I want to help my clients. Recently, after listening to one […]
Written by Jayna Baas Who doesn’t love a good discount? Retailers everywhere are gearing up for Black Friday, and with good reason. We all like deals. Editors are no exception. But discounts on editing software and subscriptions aren’t usually available on Coupons.com or at the mall. That’s where The Christian PEN can help. Plus, we […]
Written by Martin Wiles Neither my wife nor I had ever been on a cruise. My wife had always wanted to take one. Me? Not so much. Water and I have a love-hate relationship. I don’t mind it when it comes to washing my hands or taking a shower, but beyond that, I’m not interested […]
