Not Seeing Success in Your Author Business Yet? Do this!

Are you in a season where everything feels slow, fruitless, or just plain stuck? Maybe you’ve been faithfully showing up—writing your books, building your platform, and trusting God with your author dreams—but you’re just not seeing the kind of growth, sales, or traction you hoped for. 

In this episode, we’re talking about what it really means to bloom where you’re planted—especially when you're in a dry, waiting, or pruning season in your author business. These moments aren't setbacks; they’re part of God’s refining process. And while they can feel frustrating, they’re often the most spiritually significant and foundational seasons for long-term fruitfulness. 

We’ll explore how to identify the spiritual and practical season you're in, how to trust God's timing, and what intentional, faith-based steps you can take right now—even if success feels far off. You'll learn: 

✅ What the Bible says about seasons, fruitfulness, and patience 

✅ How to recognize when you're being pruned, prepared, or planted 

✅ Why "small beginnings" matter and how to tend your current assignment 

✅ Simple ways to keep showing up with faith when growth feels hidden 

✅ How to partner with God in your author business without striving 

Whether you're just starting out or feeling stuck between book launches, this episode will give you perspective, peace, and practical tools to keep going—rooted in God’s purpose and timing for your writing ministry. 

Friend, just because you're not blooming yet doesn’t mean nothing’s happening. God is growing you. Right here. Right now.

Transcript

Have you ever heard the saying bloom where you are planted?

Contrary to popular belief, it's not from Scripture. It's actually a quote attributed to a 16th century saint. But I've had it on my inspiration wall for a few years now because to me, when measured against scripture in totality, it speaks of contentment and making the best of every opportunity God places before me.

It's a reminder to accept where God has placed me, both geographically and in whatever circumstance I'm in.

But as I thought back to where I was at in 2023, it got me thinking about the different seasons we move through in our author business.

Some are fruitful, others are heavy with trials. And as I prayed and meditated on these seasons that shape us, I felt the Holy Spirit highlighting this:

Where are you planted?

Where is your business planted?

That's what we are digging into in today's episode Friend. So if you find yourself asking this question or wondering how to cultivate a fruitful author life, you're going to want to turn up the volume and get comfy because you're about to get a dose of encouragement I think you'll love this is episode 20.

I'm Urcelia Teixeira, ex real estate agent turned award winning Christian fiction author. When I wrote my first novel on a bucket list whim, I had no idea it would spark a spiritual journey that would redefine my calling.

But you know what, friend? Self publishing wasn't easy. I got caught in the hustle, chasing rankings and sales while desperately trying to stay rooted in Christ. Now, by God's grace, I'm building my author business his way.

And now he's called me to help you do the same, saying, welcome to the Anointed Scribe Podcast, where faith meets business for Christian writers. Let's write, publish and grow our author business God's way.

Are you ready? Well then, let's get started.

Hey, it's your author friend, Urselia. And welcome back to the Anointed Scribe Podcast.

You know, spring is in the air and everywhere I look new shoots are coming up, flowers are starting to bloom, and here in England, the lawnmowers are starting to come out of storage, which is always the first sign that summer is around the corner.

Because yeah, the grass only grows when the sun shines, which is really only about three or four months of the year.

But anyway, I'm not here to talk about the weather today. The point of this not so smooth transition into today's topic is that the season is changing and it's oddly aligned with what God has put on my heart to talk about year over the last month or so, and so I know someone listening to this episode right now needs to hear this, but before we get into it, I just want to welcome all my regular subscribers. Thank you for choosing to hang out with me again this week. It is always awesome to be in your company, and if you are not yet a subscriber and this is your first time tuning into the show, let me personally welcome you to the Anointed Scribe Tribe.

I pray you'll find today's episode helpful and encouraging. And I thank God for helping you find your way here because I am a firm believer that everything in life, big or small, happens exactly as God predestined it to.

And so yes, I know he brought you here for a reason.

Okay, so as you've heard me say at the start of this episode, we are asking some serious questions today as we dig into our lives as Christian authors.

Are we mindful of the seasons God has placed us in?

More importantly, are we even aware of the kind of spiritual soil we are planted in?

When I first began my author journey as a Christian author, my heart was beating, bursting with enthusiasm, dreams and big plans.

But looking back, I realize I struggled tremendously with impatience.

Now, ordinarily, I'm an extremely patient person when it comes to my children or traffic or anything else, but I was definitely lost in line when God handed out the other kind of patience.

You know, the one you need when you're an action taker, a doer like I am. It's the patience you need when wanting to see instant results, from rapid book sales to wanting more readers on my list. And when it didn't happen right away, I doubted myself, questioned my calling, and even felt disappointment with God.

Maybe you've been there too. Maybe you are there right now. And friend, if that's the case, I want to encourage you today that every season you are in is one of preparation for something bigger and better.

God takes us through seasons to grow us. It's the crawling before you can walk and and run seasons. They are necessary, they are good and they can be very fruitful.

Like the tree planted by the water that blooms no matter the season it's in.

Jeremiah 17:78 says, Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes. Its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit Isn't that a beautiful visual?

When I went through this lesson early on in my journey, this passage profoundly shifted my heart.

I suddenly realized I was desperately trying to grow fruit without nurturing strong spiritual roots first.

I was focused on visible success instead of invisible, deeper growth in Christ.

In fact, God's hand in this teaching was so profoundly timely that even my word for that year was the word transform.

Because trusting God in my impatience took total transformation.

And make no mistake, it's my Achilles heel and the enemy knows it. So I am being tested and transformed in this area over and over when I face slow seasons and I want to run ahead of God.

You see, before we can ever bear lasting fruit as authors, fruit that changes hearts, fruit that glorifies God, we must first intentionally cultivate deep spiritual roots.

Practically speaking, this means daily, deliberate time in God's presence, meditating on Scripture, praying over your writing, and inviting God intentionally into your writing sessions. And every decision in your Author business, even 5 focused minutes in the Word before writing or launching a book, changed everything for me. These small acts cultivated patience and peace, laying solid foundations for future fruitfulness.

But maybe you've been at this author thing for a while.

Perhaps you've grown weary questioning why, despite your fruitfulness, you are not seeing the abundant fruit you expected.

I've experienced this too. I went through this deeply challenging season back in 2022.

The demands of running my author business, managing multiple projects, and striving for continuous productivity and sales left me utterly exhausted.

Honestly, I was burnt out and I felt spiritually dry, like a plant that had stopped receiving water altogether.

I was trying to bloom where I was planted, but there was this disconnect, and I just didn't know how to get back to that place of enthusiasm and joy I had when I first stepped into my calling as a Christian author.

But you know, God is merciful and he is patient.

I didn't have the patience, but he did. And so in his grace, patience, love and mercy, God brought me to John 15:5. You'll know the verse, you'll recognize it.

I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me, and I in you, you will bear much fruit apart from me. You can do nothing, friends. It was a wake up call. I realized that I had subtly begun operating in my own strength, my own wisdom, and I had lost sight of the one who called me to write in the first place.

God introduced me to the painful yet necessary concept of pruning.

Pruning means letting go of and letting God cut away distractions, wrong Priorities or even opportunities that seem good but aren't his best.

It's uncomfortable, it's painful, but it's incredibly freeing.

Practically, pruning for me meant surrender and intentionally pausing to re evaluate everything. In our author business, it meant taking deliberate times of rest, true rest, to sit quietly with God, inviting the Holy Spirit to clarify God's direction.

But it started with surrender.

In order to be transformed, you have to surrender first. Then allow God to prune away the things that stint your spiritual growth and your business from moving into abundance.

So, friend, ask God today what needs pruning in my life right now? Lord, be courageous enough to listen to God and respond.

Whether you new and eager to see rapid growth or seasoned and needing fresh strength, I invite you to reflect today.

What season has God placed you in right now?

What's he cultivating beneath the surface?

Friend, each season matters deeply to God. He never wastes your waiting or your weariness.

Instead, he uses them to draw you nearer to him, shaping your character and preparing you for future fruitfulness.

But I mean, let's be real. No one likes the waiting seasons, right? The ones where it feels like everyone around you is blooming, launching, selling and growing and you're just stuck in the soil.

But what if that's exactly where God wants you right now?

Seasons of pruning and preparation aren't punishment, friend.

They are protection and positioning.

John 15:2 says, he cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit. We want that. We want God to remove those things that are just sapping all our strength and our energy and our productivity.

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

So if you are being pruned, it means you are bearing fruit.

God sees potential in you enough to prune you. That pruning is not the end. It's the beginning of a better, more fruitful season.

And I get it. Knowing that doesn't always make it easier.

So how then do we practically practice patience as Christian authors and business owners in these in between spaces? Well, I'm going to share with you a few tangible steps I took back then and still take today to make sure my impatience doesn't get the better of me.

Are you ready?

Stay rooted in the word, not the world.

It's easy to start scrolling and comparing when things feel slow. It's like our subconscious is programmed to go to Facebook just to see if there's someone there who might be going through something worse than us.

So that we can feel better about where we are at right?

Only to find the opposite. Because you see, the enemy has already spotted your weakness and he is going to use every opportunity to throw you deeper into despair.

But Romans 12:2 reminds us not to conform to the patterns of this world instead of consuming what others are doing or copying it, which is a big no.

Carve out quiet time with God and ask him: What are you preparing me for, Lord? What is my unique purpose? What is this unique thing you need me to do next in my business?

Show me what I should be focused on then. Journal that Always have a journal with you when you're meeting with God.

Meditate on it, let it shape your next steps, and for the love of all things heavenly, quit scrolling your socials.

Then number two Tend the soil of your current assignment.

Don't despise the small beginnings if you are in your early season. Zechariah 4:10 encourages us to not dismiss the seemingly insignificant seasons, but to remember that the Lord rejoices in those early beginnings.

It's when you are the most open to learning and hearing God.

Linger there for as long as God needs you to and soak in everything he's doing beneath the surface because you know he is going to do something great on the other side of it.

Maybe you are not writing a bestseller this month, but you could create a short devotional, encourage a fellow writer or steward your email list with more intention.

Instead of asking God when it will be your turn to bloom, rather say what can I cultivate right here, right now with what I've been given?

Be prepared to hearing. Be prepared to listen and obey and jump into action.

3. Practice obedience over outcomes Sometimes, which is now actually falling in line with number two. Practice obedience over outcomes. Sometimes we get so focused on the harvest that we forget to water the seeds.

Be faithful in what God has called you to today, whether it's editing chapter three, sending that follow up email, or praying over your next project. Obedience builds momentum and it builds trust between you and the Lord.

4. Guard your heart from hustle disguised as growth.

Not all growth is Godly, friend.

Proverbs 4:23 tells us above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it.

Growth driven by striving, jealousy, comparison or panic won't be lasting fruit, but growth that comes from abiding in Christ. Wanting to serve the church will always produce impact in the right season.

Then lastly, number five. Speak life over your calling.

Your words matter. Instead of saying, ugh, I'm stuck or nothing's working.

Try saying God is preparing me or this is a season of rich soil, not wasted time.

Speak life into your business. Speak life over your writing. Speak life over your business. Speak life into your readers.

Proverbs 18:21 says, the power of life and death is in the tongue. So let's use our words to water what God is growing, even if we can't see the blooms yet.

You know, here's some food for thought that might put this into perspective for you.

We are actually not in the author business.

We are in the farming business.

You heard me right. We are not in the author business. We are in the farming business.

Our job is to take our word seeds, sow them, feed and nurture the soil, water them, and then in faith, practice patience while we wait for the fruit to grow.

So friend, if you're in a season of waiting or pruning, I want to encourage you today to bloom where you are planted.

Practice patience in your author business without getting weary. In the seasons when everything is happening under the surface, every season serves a specific purpose. Embrace the process and know this, God is not in a hurry, but he is at work and he is always on time.

I pray that God cultivates deep roots, prunes lovingly, and restores your joy and clarity in this beautiful writing ministry. May your author journey be abundant fruit for your good and for God's glory.

Friend, I would genuinely love to hear from you. What is God revealing to you about your current season?

Drop me a message and let me know so I can pray for you. There's a message link in the show notes and you can join the Anointed Scribe Tribe private Facebook group and post a comment.

I'd love to pray for you and honestly, it's the only way I'm able to personally connect with you. Otherwise I'm just the person on the other side of the microphone.

Or at least you are the person on the other side of the microphone.

Stay faithful, stay rooted, and trust that when the time is right, you won't have to force a single petal open because God will cause you to bloom exactly where you are planted.

Because for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's Anointed Scribe Friend. Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of the Anointed Scribe Podcast.

I would love, love, love to know what resonated most with you today. So do let me know by leaving a review in the show description, please. And if you want more biblical strategies and spirit led wisdom on how to build your author business God's Way.

Make sure you like or subscribe to the show so you can get regular updates of all the new episodes the moment they drop. Then head on over to anointed scribe.com for today's show notes and a link to sign up to my newsletter which will also give you free access to all the resources I personally use to help me in my writing life.

If you want to continue discussions on today's episode or just want to connect with me directly, I love if you join the Anointed Scribe tribe. You'll find the link to my private Facebook group in the show description.

So friend, I hope that you are leaving feeling inspired, encouraged and on fire to step boldly into your calling as a writer chosen and set apart to fulfill a unique purpose in God's plan.

I look forward to our next episode together and remember for such a time as this you have been called to thrive and as God's Anointed Scribe.