Ep 104: How Christian Writers Can Make the Best Use of AI with Cara Ray & Thomas Umstattd

Ep 106: The Art of Book Cover Design: What Christian Authors Need to Know with Cara Ray and Kaycee Parker

Your manuscript could be flawless, and readers still might not give it a chance—because the cover never invited them in. This week on The Writer’s Bloc Podcast, I’m joined by graphic designer Kaycee Parker of KP Communications, who’s spent over a decade helping authors and churches communicate with clarity through design. Kaycee brings a rare dual perspective to this conversation: she’s a working designer and a self-published author who’s hired out her own book covers, even though design is her day job. We talk about why so many writers pour thousands of hours into their manuscripts and then try to save a few hundred dollars on presentation—and why that trade-off rarely pays off. Kaycee makes the case that good design isn’t vanity; it’s stewardship. It removes barriers so a God-given message can actually reach the reader it’s meant for. We dig into how author branding actually gets built, the most common (and avoidable) mistakes self-published authors make with their own covers, and where a tight budget should go first if you can’t do it all. Kaycee also gives us a preview of what she’ll be unpacking in much greater depth with our paid community on Thursday: five practical, no-design-degree-required ways to strengthen your book’s design. If you’ve ever felt like the writing is the “real” work and design is just an afterthought, this episode will change how you think about that. What’s in this episode: * Why presentation can make or break a book—and why skimping on it to save money usually backfires * A theology of design as stewardship: removing barriers so your message can be received * The #1 mistake self-published authors make with their own cover design * Why Kaycee, a professional designer, still hires out her own book covers * Realistic pricing, timing, and what to invest in first on a limited budget * A preview of Kaycee’s upcoming Writers’ Bloc teaching: five practical ways to improve your book design Connect with Kaycee at:kpcommunications.net [http://kpcommunications.net/] 🎙️ Subscribe to The Writers’ Bloc Podcast. 🖊️ To access Kaycee’s teaching, and many others, join our Premium community at mywritersbloc.com [http://mywritersbloc.com/] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersblocpod.substack.com/subscribe [https://writersblocpod.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Ep 105: Songwriting, Worship, & The Words We Give The Church with Cara Ray & Joshua Sellers

What does it look like to offer your words as an act of worship — not just to an audience, but to the church? In this episode of The Writers’ Bloc podcast, Cara sits down with her own worship leader and songwriter, Josh Sellers — Director of Worship at Christ Church in Mesa, Arizona — for a conversation that moves from Canadian Idol to a leper colony in India, from co-writing in Nashville to the four women who accidentally wrote “I Speak Jesus.” Josh shares how God redirected his hunger for fame into a calling to lead people into the weight and richness of God’s presence through biblically rooted songs the church can actually sing. Along the way, he talks honestly about what it takes to write well — for the church, with a team, and from a place of theological conviction rather than platform ambition. Whether you write words on a page or words set to music, this episode is a reminder that what you put your life to matters — and God will use it. In this episode: * Josh’s journey from Canadian Idol to full-time vocational ministry * How getting saved in India changed everything * The theology behind writing songs for the church (not just for yourself) * Practical wisdom on co-writing, publishing, and building a songwriting culture * Why you don’t have to be famous — or even a good singer — to write something God uses Connect with Josh: Vintage Worship on Spotify | Wings Music This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersblocpod.substack.com/subscribe [https://writersblocpod.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Ep 104: How Christian Writers Can Make the Best Use of AI with Cara Ray & Thomas Umstattd

I’ve been sitting with this conversation since we recorded it — and I keep coming back to the moment Thomas compared a well-written AI prompt to the book of First Timothy. Paul opens with identity (I, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ), then establishes the recipient and their role, then gives detailed instructions. Thomas’s point was quiet but clarifying: the better you can articulate who you are, what you want, and what faithful execution looks like, the better any tool — human or AI — can serve your goals. That’s the spirit of this whole conversation. Thomas Umstattd Jr. is the CEO of Author Media, host of the Novel Marketing Podcast and The Christian Publishing Show, and someone who has spent nearly two decades helping writers build platforms and sell books with integrity. He’s also become one of the most grounded, practically wise voices I know on AI — not because he’s enthusiastic about every new thing, but because he understands the landscape clearly and isn’t afraid to name what’s actually happening. We talked about why AI is already embedded in every tool you use, why the question isn’t whether to engage with it but how, and — most helpfully for the writers in this community — what tools are actually worth your time and trust. A few things that stayed with me: the “paragraphs, not sentences” principle (most of us are prompting AI the way we Google, and it’s producing weak results because of it); the very real theological bias built into ChatGPT and Claude and why Grok’s commitment to truth-seeking makes it behave differently; and the story of Cosmo — an AI trained so thoroughly on the Western canon that it quietly became Christian without anyone intending it to. There’s also a sober, helpful section on ethics: what publishers allow, what none of them do, and why wisdom in this space requires thinking beyond permissions to what actually serves your readers and preserves your voice. Thomas shares where to find his Patron Toolbox (AI tools built specifically for authors), his free Micaiah Mode prompt, and the practical steps for moving from ChatGPT to a model that works better for your writing. Find Thomas at: * authormedia.com [https://authormedia.com/] — his main hub, including all three podcasts and the Patron Toolbox * novelmarketing.com [https://novelmarketing.com/] — the Novel Marketing Podcast * thomasumstattd.com [https://thomasumstattd.com/] — his personal site * social.authormedia.com [https://social.authormedia.com/] — where you can find the free Micaiah Mode project instructions This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersblocpod.substack.com/subscribe [https://writersblocpod.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Ep 103: How Collaboration Can Change Your Life with Cara Ray & Becky Beresford

What If the Key to Growing Your Platform Is Linking Arms Instead of Striving Harder? Becky Beresford never planned to be a writer. A special needs mama navigating postpartum depression, she found herself with a passion for discipling women and no way to get out of the house to do it. So she picked up her pen — and everything changed. In this conversation, Cara sits down with Becky Beresford — writer, speaker, coach, and author of She Believed He Could, So She Did (Moody, 2024) — to talk about one of the most underutilized tools in a Christian writer’s toolkit: collaboration. Becky shares how intentional partnerships with other writers helped her grow her platform, build her email list, land a literary agent, and launch her book — not through hustle, but through the simple, biblical conviction that we are better together than we are alone. In this conversation, you’ll discover: * How writing became a ministry when Becky couldn’t leave her home * Why your email newsletter outperforms social media every time * Practical, low-pressure ways to start collaborating — including email swaps, giveaways, bundles, and launch teams * How to find trustworthy creative partners who share your values * Why collaboration is obedience, not just strategy “We don’t have to do it alone. We’re not supposed to.” Whether you’re just starting out or years into your writing journey, this conversation will encourage you to take one small, faithful step toward another writer this week. 🎧 Listen now — and don’t miss Becky’s extended solo teaching inside the Writers’ Bloc Teaching Archives, where she goes even deeper into the practical architecture of Christian collaboration. Follow Becky at www.beckyberesford.com For more information on the Writers’ Bloc, visit: www.mywritersbloc.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersblocpod.substack.com/subscribe [https://writersblocpod.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Ep 102: What Writers Must Get Right First With Cara Ray & Kimberly Grabas

What if building your writer platform didn’t have to feel fake, forced, or exhausting? In this conversation with Kimberley Grabas, we talk about: • Why most writers approach platform-building backward • The difference between platform, branding, marketing, and tactics • How to identify your ideal reader • Why “niching down” can feel impossible for creative people • How to market your work without becoming pushy or performative • and why the best brands are built from authenticity, not imitation One of my favorite moments was when Kimberley said creative people naturally resist being squeezed into “a tiny little box.” Instead of flattening your personality, a healthy platform helps you clarify what threads already run through your work. This episode will especially encourage writers who feel overwhelmed by social media, unsure of their message, or afraid they have “too many interests.” Watch now and let us know in the comments: What part of building a writer platform feels hardest for you right now? To connect with Kimberely about how to position your writer platform, visit her at: https://yourwriterplatform.com/ [https://yourwriterplatform.com/]   This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersblocpod.substack.com/subscribe [https://writersblocpod.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]