Mind-Mapping with the Holy Spirit: Discerning a Book Launch Strategy, by Natasha Woodcraft

Jack of all Trades

I’m a bit of a Jack of all trades. Mostly because I get bored easily. But I also like doing everything I do well, and the problem with being a Jack of all trades, of course, is that you are often a Master of none. 

When I started writing, (seriously, I mean) and deciding to publish books, I realised I couldn’t fit everything into my life that I wanted to. I'd spent some years building up a reputation on the amateur dramatics circuit in my town, but I couldn’t do that (a huge commitment) and my books on top of family and church life, so I gave it up. I did songwriting before I wrote books, but with only a mediocre musicianship I hadn’t got much further than lyrics and chords. Going further meant finding a band, having regular practices, committing to recordings, and I couldn’t do that and publish my books. So reluctantly, very reluctantly, I put it on pause.

Master of None

We can’t do everything. This can sometimes be incredibly frustrating, especially if you’re like me and like to have multiple hobbies.

This principal applies to book launches too, which I spoke about in the recent ACW day on "How to sell more books". I talked about how a book launch is a series of promotional activities that take place around the publication of your book. It's not one day. If you want a "successful" launch that will have long-term results, you need to set aside at least a month (preferably 6) to really give it your best shot. Sounds exhausting, doesn't it?

During the seminar, I presented many, many ideas for how you could run a successful book launch online and in person so that you can raise awareness, honour those who've been part of your journey and hopefully sell some books! (I won't share them all here, because that wouldn't be fair to those who paid to attend!) But my main point of the session was that you can’t do everything. If you try to do everything, you will likely end up being a Jack of all trades and a Master of none. What you do will probably be ineffective because you won’t have given it enough thought and time.

So how do you decide what to do?

The Mood Board

I suggested thinking of all the things you hear that "you should do" as a mood board. In Art and Design, you begin a project by creating a mood board, which is essentially a visual mind-map of everything that you might think about putting into your design; everything that inspires you. The intention is never to put all of these things into your design, it’s to establish what could go in, to organise, and, from there, to select a small proportion of ideas to develop further.

You can apply this to your launches. Chuck on a huge piece of paper everything you could do, and then begin the process of narrowing down what you should do. Because they are not the same thing!

I've just about recovered from the book launch I did in April, which really ran from January to May, and was full on from the beginning of March to mid-May. It went well in most ways (except the ones I didn't give enough time to!) Thanks for asking.

Mind Mapping with the Holy Spirit

Learning from my successes (and mistakes) I taught the process of "Mind-Mapping with the Holy Spirit" for your personal book launch strategy. I start the process this way, scribbling down each answer as I discern it (it often takes more than one session!):

– Asking God to remind me what the message of my book is (it's easy to forget!)

– Asking God how He wants me to share that message.

– Asking God who He wants me to share with and where those people are (will also require some research!)

– Asking God to reveal my spiritual gifts and talents – what am I good at? What has worked before?

– Considering which methods will be easy for me because they align with the above, and committing to focusing on those.

– Considering what I really don't like doing and if the reason is fear or conviction, then committing to combating fear with the Spirit's power. “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).”

Apply the answers above to your 'mood board' and you should start to see patterns and actionable strategies emerge. That is the fun of mind-mapping with the Holy Spirit! And it doesn't need to stop there. This process can be carried forward into your entire marketing plan as you share the message of your book with the world. Then go do it!

Natasha Woodcraft lives in slightly crumbling farmhouse in Lincolnshire with her family of boys and animals. She believes stories have power to communicate deep truth and transform lives. Her published novels explore God’s redemptive purposes for ordinary, messy people living in biblical times. Natasha is on the team at Broad Place Publishing, a new, exciting enterprise offering publishing and self-publishing services to those who write for the Kingdom of God.