Next in a series of posts featuring the winners of the 2026 Christian Authors Network (CAN) Excellence in Marketing Awards. Gretchen Huesmann won 2nd place in the Nonfiction Broadcast Media category.
Entries for the 2027 CAN Excellence in Marketing Awards will be accepted through Dec. 1, 2026.
CAN members, be thinking of how you can enter! See the guidelines at
https://christianauthorsnetwork.com/marketing-award/
Tame the Marketing Monster
By Gretchen Huesmann
Marketing—just typing the word produces shivers in me. Sure, I’ve met one or two people who love the concept, but I believe most share my aversion to promoting and selling. Yet, we authors know that writing without marketing amounts to a hobby. So, if our goals include serious writing and publishing, we must defeat the Big Scary Marketing Monster.
Last March, I earned 2nd place for the CAN Excellence in Marketing Award in the nonfiction broadcast media category. How did a scaredy-cat-writer like me overcome my fears? Here are a few lessons I learned to T.A.M.E the beast.
T—Together is Better
My local Word Weavers critique group provided my first lessons in marketing. They shared tips and techniques and demonstrated successful marketing methods. They invited me to attend the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference near Andalusia, AL. At this event and others like it, industry experts broke down the marketing process into manageable steps. I soon learned the battle is won together, and to tame the monster, I didn’t need to enter the arena alone.
A—Aim for Your Audience
“Marketing begins with finding your people—not just your friends, not just your family. You must identify your target audience.” Although I do not remember who said the phrase, the words stuck. They challenged me to grow my followers through my website newsletter and on social media. As a new writer, that task took time. Early on, I didn’t know exactly who I was writing for. In the meantime, I experimented with different social media platforms, honed my writing skills, and prayed for guidance. By the time I received my first publishing offer, I had a group of interested readers across several platforms.
M—Match Your Gifts
Those who know me well are familiar with my “gift of gab.” Although I was a shy child, my extroverted nature emerged when I began speaking about twenty-two years ago. From the start, I loved public speaking. Later, to my surprise and delight, I discovered I could leverage my speaking career to market my writing and advance my publishing future. In addition, conferences provided radio and podcast interview opportunities, which I found a total blast. Matching my gifts to marketing strategies elevated my efforts and became the reason I chose the broadcast media category.
E—Expect Change
Let me be clear, I am no marketing expert. I’ve managed to launch one book, my teacher devotional, It’s a Good Day to be a Teacher: 52 Devotions to Equip and Encourage Educators, with some success. Now I am preparing to launch my next book, A Time for Everything, a picture book based on Ecclesiastes 3.Will my strategies change? Of course! I’ve gained experience and learned new techniques since then. I’ve watched and participated in friends’ book launches and took note of their methods. I recently heard author and literary agent Michelle Lazurek state, “Everyone can use a marketing course at least once a year. Because marketing changes every year.” To keep up with technology and the ever-changing social media world, we must continue to learn and revise our efforts.
Friend, don’t let the fear of marketing keep you from moving forward in your writing. Find a group of writers, such as Word Weavers, and attend conferences. Aim for your audience when building your platform and learn where they hang out online. Then, with your toolbox full, sort through the marketing options and identify which ones marry up with your personal skills and interests. Finally, keep learning because the Marketing Monster morphs. However, once you’re familiar with the beast, who knows, maybe you’ll even become friends.
You can read more about my speaking and writing on my website www.gretchenhuesmann.com
