by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

Victory. When we are tempted to go back to an old habit. When discouragement tries to slow us down. When our spiritual enemy unleashes an assault of negative thoughts. Writing about victory in spiritual battles is my go-to topic. What’s yours?

What topic has nestled deep into your soul that you long to write about? What message needs a voice? If you could summarize the topic that your mind comes back to again and again, what would it be? Would you focus on holding on to hope through life’s storms? Do you want to share parenting tips to moms or inspire young people to be in God’s Word? Who’s your audience, and what do you want to share?

Once you’ve pinpointed your go-to topic, how can you write about it?

Here are five ways to give a voice to the message that lives deep within your heart. Often, this message becomes the foundation of an author’s brand—the theme upon which all (or most) of their writing is built upon. Have you ever thought of your go-to topic as your brand?

When you know your go-to topic, share it in these ways.

1. Create posts about your topic for your blog, and even make multiple series.

Your blog is your home on the internet, the place where you can share from the heart to the hearts of your readers. Make a list of posts you could blog about that are connected to your favorite topic. Can any of these be linked together in a series for the blog? Think about asking writer friends to guest post for you in a series. With multiple individual posts and series, create a “library” of encouragement for your target audience.

2. Create memes and discussion questions for social media.

I love using Canva.com to create memes with Bible verses from the King James Version (no copyright restrictions to worry about with that translation). Then I like to share the memes on Facebook and Twitter with a question to generate some discussion.

Make a list of Bible verses related to your go-to topic. What discussion question can you pair with each verse to get people talking on social media? Ask about their experiences related to your topic or how to live out what the verses say.

In addition to posting these on your personal or public page, you can build a sense of community by creating a private Facebook group to discuss the topic. In that group, you can also share inspiring quotes and links to other people’s blogs as well as to your own.

3. Submit articles to publications and websites that share about your topic.

Who else cares about your topic as much as you do? Search online for the websites, magazines, and book compilation publishers who are reaching a similar audience as yours with the same kind of message. Print their submission guidelines including the topics they are looking for, and make a list of possible article ideas and tentative titles.

Submit to at least one of these publications or websites once a month, and you may be able to broaden your reach with the message that means so much to you (and to those who need it).

4. Write scripts for videos that you can share on YouTube and social media.

Have you ever thought about turning your blog posts into scripts for short videos? Take some of your favorite posts about your go-to topic, and tweak them to be spoken instead of read. Find a tripod for your phone, and record yourself sharing about these topics. We can also create original content that addresses the felt need of our audience and offers practical takeaway.

Making videos gives us an extra edge in sharing our message. How much more likely are you to read someone’s book or blog if you’ve seen them in a video? When we create videos, we can create a special connection with our readers because they can see our faces, hear our voices, and know that we care about them and their struggles.

5. Create interview questions centered on your topic for podcasts, blogs, and radio and TV shows.

When we find someone who’s as passionate as we are about our go-to topic, we can see whether they conduct interviews on their podcast, blog, or show. We can then create a list of questions for them to ask us about our topic, and listeners or viewers can benefit from the conversation.

If we have a resource such as a blog or book that would bless that audience, we can mention that in our bio for the interviewer to share. Having a freebie ready to download, is an added plus for being picked for an interview.

Which of these five ways have you already put into practice, and which one do you want to try next? Share your thoughts, and may God reach many hearts with the message He has placed in yours. Keep writing!

Katy Kauffman is an award-winning author, an editor of Refresh Bible Study Magazine, and a co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies. She loves connecting with writers and working alongside them in compilations, such as Feed Your Soul with the Word of God, Collection 1 which is a 2020 Selah Awards finalist. She recently started The Lighthouse Connection, a monthly writers’ newsletter including writing tips, inspiration to write, and news of submission opportunities.

In addition to online magazines, Katy’s writing can be found at CBN.com, thoughts-about-God.com, and three blogs on writing. She loves to spend time with family and friends, take acrylic painting classes online, and do yard work in the morning sun. Connect with her at her blog, Winning the Victory, and on Facebook and Twitter.