October, 2023 - T&R Independent Bookstore

Should I podcast is a question I am exploring right now. I have friends who either podcast or soon will be. But should I?

That is not an easy question to answer. Let’s take a few minutes and explore this question.

Should I Podcast Considering My Past Endeavors?

This is actually an argument in favor of podcasting. I used to have a show in talk radio that I hosted weekly. My studio was online, while I worked from my home. Every week for about two or three years I hosted the show.

My wife, being an unbiased soul, thought I did a good job and was getting better. Unbiased support is always welcome.

Should I Podcast Considering That I Eventually Quit?

Again, this is actually a positive question. I shut down the show because our finances were tight and my wife had cancer. It was a decision made due to circumstances we couldn’t control.

But she passed away earlier in 2023 (not of cancer), so I am alone. Which means I no longer have a live-in critique; a person who would point out areas where I could improve, or to compliment me. Having her back me like that meant more to me than I realized.

On the other hand, being alone brings more free time, or so I am told. In any case, I should have more time.

Did I Enjoy Podcasting?

Yes, I did. I do a weekly blog now which I enjoy, but being in front of a mike has a certain appeal. That show was strictly radio, but if I choose to do podcasting, it will probably be video, and I have found that I enjoy video.

The more I use video the more comfortable I become and the more knowledge I acquire.

This is a harder question. As far as the technical requirements are concerned, I think I can handle that issue. Probably require a learning curve, but given time I think I can do it.

Cost is another factor. But the host I have for my business provides within its site the necessary tools. Most are included in the overall website payment.

So, the real question is probably am I willing to make the commitment to it that is probably required? And I don’t have the answer to that question yet. It is going to take prayer and perhaps seeking other’s insights. Then, I will need to sit down, and make the decision, because if I do get in it, I will want to go in fully.

Today that service is available now. Simply click on the link and you can get started now: Writing – T&R Independent Bookstore (trbookservices.com)

To visit our bookstore, go to TR Bookstore and look around. You’ll find books by my late wife Tess, plus books by me, including Hurricane Ian Winds of Providence & Provision.

TR Ministry Publishing is now available for Christian authors who are or have served in the Christian Ministry. This particular article is a follow-up to my previous article on Ministry Publishing.

TR Ministry Publishing is for Who?

This blog has been and remains dedicated to helping people become published authors. But today I am singling out a particular group: Christian authors. This new publishing service is for you.

Who are you?

Very simply, if you are or have been a pastor, evangelist, missionary, Christian High School teacher, College professor, Church office worker, Church janitor or grounds keeper you are eligible. If I omitted a job, excuse me. The key here is that you have been involved the promoting of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Your job description only gives me a clearer view of you and how I can better serve you.

Here is a list of possible jobs:

Pastor – Pastors preach. They also write. I have read Bible study books which were really edited transcripts of sermons. Why not have the pastors transcribe their sermons into a document and then I would edit, proof, and publish it?

Evangelist – Evangelists also write. Plus they carry books along with them, which can be expensive. Why not edit, proof, publish, and ship the books to churches on their itinerary? I could also have a marketing plan, which would involve $1 per book or $0.50 per PDF added to basic cost, allowing the evangelist to pass the cost to the customer.

Teaching – I am not sure how a H.S. teacher would use this service, but a college professor could write a book that his students could download for whatever cost he charged. He would be putting something valuable in his student’s hands, make some extra money, and save a lot of time and effort.

Times Have Changed

The reason I am offering this service is because I still remember to this day my pastor up in Michigan. Aside from preaching the word, he also wrote books. Back them that meant the author would order a minimum of 5000 copies and store them wherever he could. The only feasible place for him to store them was at the church.

Thankfully, print-on-demand came along. Nowadays you can order at little as 1 copy or hundreds of copies or more. That’s demand.

Now, as I recall, he would go on vacation and take some books along with him. Or he may have shipped them ahead. But with print-on-demand you can now order them and have them shipped ahead to the church you plan on visiting.

Why Did I Found TR Ministry Publishing.

I have worked at two different churches. The one in Michigan from 1993 to 2008, while the one in Florida was from 2009 to 2018. During that time, I had the privilege of seeing evangelists and missionaries come by. Invariably they would come with books (if they wrote any) and other material to describe their ministry. If they had books, they would sell them to help support their ministry.

I also know of people in the ministry who want to get their books into the hands of people they minister too. One even wants to provide downloadable PDFs for students overseas.

So, I have been watching God’s servants for a long time. It has been impressed upon my heart that they should be able to benefit from print-on-demand technology.

TR Ministry Publishing is up for the task.

Whatever the task you have, you have access to a professional author who has experienced many trials and difficulties while learning to be an author. I started this publishing business to help you with the tasks ahead. I am ready to help you achieve the success you desire.

The Thinking Behind TR Ministry Publishing

Most of God’s servants serve at a cost to them and their families because they love God and He called them to serve. With that in mind, I began thinking about how I could serve them. Since I am in the publishing business it occurred to me that it was in the publishing business where I could help them.

Brilliant thinking, don’t you think?

Well, I wasn’t done.

My thought was: Wouldn’t it be nice if I could offer my services to Christian servants for a modest price? By modest I was meaning give away.

But such thinking was highly impractical for the long term. Plan B: Why not publish their books at a modest price?

That lit the fire under me, and I set about building the service.