At my very first ACFW conference—several years ago—I sat in a class with a well-known and much-loved author. When I asked her for her number one piece of advice for a green, newbie like me, she replied, “Always remember your books are not your babies.”
Her admonition took me off guard. I had heard numerous writers, both fledgling and prof
essional, refer to their stories as their babies. Some even celebrated release parties by calling them “their book birthdays”. It sounded sweet. Protective. But over time, I realized why that wise, prolific author gave me the advice she did.
As my own writing career has grown and developed, I’ve realized my book is not a baby. It is a product.
That statement might feel jarring at first, especially for authors who pour months or years of prayer, research, tears, and hope into their work. But separating your identity from what you produce is one of the healthiest and most freeing shifts you can make as a creator.
Products are meant to be refined, edited, marketed, evaluated, and yes—sometimes rejected. Babies are not.
When we treat our books like children, every critique feels personal. Every rejection feels like someone is judging our worth. Every poor review can land like a blow to our identity. But when we understand our book as a product—something created through our calling but not equal to our value—we gain emotional and spiritual freedom to grow, improve, and continue creating without devastation.
Should an author’s book be their baby? @TaraMinistry #writingcommunity #ACFW #ChristianFiction Share on XYour identity was never meant to rest in your output. It rests in who you are and, more importantly, Who you belong to.
You are not validated by sales numbers, awards, contracts, or reader applause. You are already named, known, and loved by God. Your creativity flows from that identity—it does not create it.
Books are simply vessels. They carry truth, beauty, entertainment, and sometimes healing. They are tools God may use, but they are not the source of your worth or calling.
When we release our grip on seeing our work as an extension of our identity, we become braver storytellers. We take risks. Fear ceases to rattle us. We accept feedback with humility. We write again after disappointment. We create from freedom rather than fear.
And those truths will outlast anything we create.
Tara Johnson is an author and speaker, and loves to write stories that help people break free from the lies they believe about themselves. Tara’s debut novel Engraved on the Heart (Tyndale) earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and was a finalist in the Carol and Christy awards. She is multi-published in both fiction and nonfiction, and has several of her books translated into Polish and Dutch. Tara is a certified body language expert and is president of the Author Development Agency. Visit her on her website at https://tarajohnsonstories.com/.
Comments 10
Thank you, Tara. This is a keeper. A powerful message that needs to be proclaimed.
__MaryAnn
Thank you!
You are most welcome. 🙂
Well said.
What a wise and meaningful perspective. Perfect timing for me, as my book—many years in the making—is releasing tomorrow! Thank you!
How exciting!
“ You are already named, known, and loved by God. Your creativity flows from that identity—it does not create it.”
An encouraging truth! Thanks for this inspiring article!
An excellent point to bring about a healthier perspective! Thanks for sharing!
This hit hard. What great advice! I believe it in my head–may it trickle down into my heart.
“Books are simply vessels. They carry truth, beauty, entertainment, and sometimes healing…” Thank you! So good, so true! And you are right, when our books are our babies, everything is personal in a manner which ultimately hinders our growth. Again, thank you!