Part of a series of interviews with experienced Christian writers—of academic and popular theology, fiction, and those writing for a non-Christian audience.
How did you decide to take writing more seriously? Did someone encourage you to do so?
I remember the exact moment I decided to take my writing more seriously. It was before my husband and I went overseas to work with International Nepal Fellowship and TEAR Fund Australia. I was at a Reach Out Conference at Katoomba Christian Convention Centre and remember thinking to myself, ‘I’d like to do more to help. Maybe I could make money from my writing and give it away?!’
I have a bit of a chuckle when I think about that now, because the money part never came true. But the writing part did, and I like to believe my children’s and YA writing has helped children and families grow as they consider the wonder of God, the relevance of his word to our lives, and the ways we can live out Micah 6:8 in our everyday.
Since then, a lot of different people have encouraged me along the way to continue taking my writing seriously. Most of these people probably don’t even realise the impact of their little comment, or offhand remark, but these encouragements have kept me writing when I might have been tempted to give up.
Right from the start, my husband Richard has been a huge support. From making sure I had a laptop to take to Nepal in the early 2000s; to supporting me through my writing courses, master’s, and now PhD; to buying me chocolate when I get yet another rejection; to telling me ‘yes, that story is worth working on!’ There could be another whole series about the people who support creatives! We certainly couldn’t do what we do without the backing of our people.
How do you think about your explicitly Christian writing? As a ministry? A hobby? A vocation? A side hustle?
I definitely see it as a ministry; but also a vocation I believe God has wired me for. The amount of time I invest in my writing pushes it beyond being just a hobby.
One of the reasons I started writing for children was because I wasn’t terribly happy with the Christian children’s books that were available at the time. I wanted books that taught children about the wonder of God without belittling God or them. Books that acknowledged the child’s stage of development, their sense of fun and personality, while also inviting them into a genuine life of faith. These ideals became the standards I set for my own Christian children’s books. When I’m writing about God, I see it as serving him and his people.
How do you think about your less-explicitly Christian writing, whether fiction or non-fiction? A hobby? Part of the cultural mandate? Cultural engagement? Pre-evangelism?
I write children’s and YA books for the general market under two pen names: Penny Jaye and Ella Shine (an author name I share with Cecily Anne Patterson), however I don’t really consider these as a different vocation to my more explicitly Christian writing.
I’m currently waist-deep in a PhD at Deakin University in which I’m researching the role spiritual questioning plays in short fiction for teens. I’m writing short stories for the general market. My protagonists are asking questions about faith and belief, they’re not necessarily finding answers, but they are open to spiritual searching. Is this pre-evangelism? Maybe. But maybe it’s just being willing to say to my reader, let’s think about this together for a time.
Where do your ideas and inspiration come from?
I’ve found my best ideas come from questions. Often those questions are found in the intersections between children’s books, my Christian faith, and how we attempt to live a faithful life in this wonderfully complicated world.
For example, my Tania Abbey stories (a series of explicitly Christian novels for 7-to-10-year-olds) explore how a growing faith might impact friendships, generosity, and a young person’s response to the world’s poor. In a similar way, my questions about modern-day slavery and how young people can respond to difficult issues, have led to a variety of projects: from a YA novel about sexual slavery (Out of the Cages, Rhiza Edge, 2018) to a children’s picture book about the cotton industry (Honeysuckle Gold is due in September 2026 through Wombat Books). The Dig-in Discipleship Bible study series was written to answer my question, ‘are there any Bible study resources for tweens that aren’t sappy and shallow?’
No matter what I write, my aim is always to find age-appropriate ways to educate, empower, and encourage my readers.
Do you have any advice for those starting to seek publication? What insights can you give into the mysterious publication process?
There are a lot of great resources to help emerging kids’ writers in Australia, but children’s publishing is an extremely competitive field (especially when writing picture books). For anyone starting out, I’d recommend buckling in for some deep research, learn as much as you can about children’s literature, read what’s being published, and network with other Christians who write (Omega Writers is a good place to start). We need Christians writing excellent books for kids, in both the general and Christian markets.
If you want to write explicitly Christian books, the local publishing options are often limited, simply because there are very few Australian Christian publishers who are producing kids’ books. Have realistic expectations, play the long game, and develop a tough skin.
How do you think and feel about getting feedback and editorial input? Has that changed over time?
Feedback and editorial input are very important for writers, but sometimes it can be hard to accept. When I started taking my writing seriously, I didn’t have many opportunities to get feedback on my writing. I became quite independent, working and reworking my writing extensively before I even thought about submitting to publishers. The benefit of this early experience is that when I receive feedback now, it often makes sense. I’ll have an ‘Oh yes, I should have listened to my gut!’ feeling when an editor picks up a change that needs making. Or, if I disagree, I’ll have a solid reason why because I’ve already thought through the issue that prompted the feedback. The downside, however, is that I can get a bit precious about my work and hold back from getting feedback when I probably need it; or negative feedback can leave me feeling enormous waves of self-doubt that I struggle to recover from. Still, I know feedback is good for me and always makes my writing stronger. So once I’ve stopped feeling sorry for myself, I pick myself back up, sit back down, and keep writing.
Is it difficult for you to promote yourself and your work?
Yes, it can be. There’s an invisible line between self-promotion and good stewardship that can sometimes be difficult to navigate. Being a children’s writer brings its own challenges too, because the people I’m writing for are often not the people who purchase my books. I’ve written more than thirty books for kids, and the children who grew up with my first books are now having children of their own! That’s a rather special thought, but it also means I need to constantly connect with a new generation of parents, grandparents, and teachers. How exactly do I do that without getting sidetracked from the writing itself? It’s tricky—a constant work in progress.
There are some ways I’ve enjoyed promoting my work: author visits to playgroups and schools; developing my newsletter list (it’s still small, but I enjoy keeping it real); acting like a goose for my YouTube channel; and occasionally speaking at larger events.
What are particular temptations for writers? What are some strategies to resist them?
Comparison and self-doubt are two temptations I’ve noticed in my writing life.
It’s too easy to look at the number of many reviews another author is receiving, or the size of their newsletter list, and then feel discontent in my own life. Keeping tabs on my social media intake has helped with that, as has praying for and encouraging my fellow authors when they get wins. I’ve also been convicted about being thankful for what God has allowed me to do. We can get so wound up in the ‘not yet’ and the ‘what’s next’ that we forget to be grateful in the ‘now’.
Self-doubt is probably part of any creative person’s journey. But when it becomes all-consuming, self-doubt can undermine our writing and settle our attention on ourselves, rather than on God’s provision. It’s a tricky balance to hold between striving for excellence, so we can be good witnesses in the literary world, and writing from our weakness. I’ve found verses like 2 Corinthians 12:9–10 and Philippians 4:12–13 helpful to keep my eyes off my inadequacies when I sit down to write.
How can friends support Christian writers?
The writing process can feel very personal, and sometimes hard to explain to others. There are so many ups and downs, dead ends, hopes, and disappointments too. It’s wonderful to have friends who ask how projects are going, pray for your writing (when in doubt, just pray for wisdom), let you know they appreciate what you’ve written (a small honest comment or email can be a huge encouragement), recommend your work to others where appropriate, and leave reviews (they don’t need to be long and they really do make a difference). Having someone offer to take the kids to the park one afternoon, or drop off a meal when deadlines are looming is another very practical way of saying ‘I believe what you are working on matters!’ Hearing that from the people you love and trust is a powerful encouragement.
How can ministry leaders support Christian writers?
Sometimes people view writers as people with yet another creative hobby. Especially when they are not making a living from their work. But for me, being a Christian writer is a weighty responsibility. Considering how our faith influences our words, and how our faith might reach our audience, aligns the Christian writer more with the teacher than with the hobbyist. Ministry leaders can understand this responsibility and can support the Christian writers they know by checking in with them; offering prayer support and accountability; and helping with ‘word of mouth’ promotion where appropriate.
