49 | I Lost 2,000 Subscribers When God Redirected My Writing

What do you do when God asks you to walk away from everything you’ve built?

In this week’s episode, I’m getting real about the season that changed everything for me as an author—the moment God told me to pivot from writing archaeological thrillers for the general market to Christian mystery suspense for faith-based readers.

It wasn’t an easy transition.

But what I gained in obedience and purpose was worth far more than any number on a screen.

If you’ve ever felt God tugging your heart toward a new direction—especially after you’ve already invested years into your current path—this episode is for you. We’re talking about:

• How to know if a pivot is really from God or just your own restlessness
• The difference between divine redirection and distraction
• What to do when obedience costs you visibility, readers, or income
• How to rebuild your author platform with faith at the center
• Why nothing you’ve built is wasted when God is the one leading the change

This isn’t just about writing. It’s about surrender. About trusting that God’s plans for your creative calling are bigger, bolder, and more eternal than the brand you’ve built on your own.

If you’re standing at a crossroads, wondering if you should follow God into a new season—grab your coffee and join me for an honest, hope-filled conversation about obedience, loss, and divine purpose in your writing journey.

👉 Listen now to uncover the secret to becoming an anointed scribe!

Transcript

Seven books,

5,000 subscribers.

Two years of building a solid brand as an archaeological thriller writer for the general market.

My readers knew exactly what to expect when they picked up one of my thrillers.

Adventure Artifacts, Action and Ancient Mysteries.

But then God completely flipped this script.

It was 2019 and I was riding high on the momentum of my established platform when I felt this unmistakable pull to write something different.

Not just different,

specifically, faith filled fiction.

Christian mystery, suspense for Christian readers to be exact.

It was a complete departure from the general market I'd been serving.

My first thought was God. You've got to be kidding me. I finally have traction. I have 5,000 loyal readers who trust me for archaeological thrillers, and now you want me to potentially lose all of them by adding faith content they never signed up for?

If you've ever felt God nudging you in a new direction after you've already invested everything into your current path, this episode is for you, friend.

Because today we are talking about one of the scariest things a Christian author can face.

We need to have an honest conversation about what happens when God calls you to change direction in your writing career, when he asks you to pivot, after you've already established yourself,

when the very thing that brought you success becomes the thing he's asking you to transform or completely leave behind.

So grab your coffee, maybe some tissues, because this might get emotional.

We're diving into the messy, beautiful, terrifying territory of following God's new direction when you've already built your author platform going the opposite way.

This is episode 49 and you're listening to the Anointed Scribe podcast.

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.

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, Urcelia. And welcome to this week's episode of Anointed Scribe.

I'm glad you tuned in today, friend, because I have a feeling the timing of this episode is perfectly Synchronized to where you might be in your journey right now. And I trust that by the end of this episode you'll have the encouragement and insight you need to take the next step.

Okay, so I want to get straight into it because there's a lot to unpack here today.

Today we are talking about what to do when God suddenly wants you to pivot.

How do you know if it's God? How do we handle it? How do you step out of fear and into obedience?

What are the challenges that come when God asks you to change something drastically in your writing?

How do we overcome them? And how do we actually make this massive change?

Because truthfully, it is not easy.

Perhaps you already know what I'm talking about here. Or maybe you're in that terrifying place right now where you're thinking God is telling you to switch something drastically in your business, switch genres or rebrand or to do something completely different with your writing.

And frankly, it scares you. Right?

I get it. I was faced with it back in 2019, which I'll tell you all about in a second. But. But if you're facing this situation right now, then I want you to take a deep breath and clear your heart and mind.

Because I think by the end of today's episode, you're going to have courage and you're going to have new direction and you'll know exactly where you should go and what to do next.

See, friend, I know firsthand the fear attached to this.

I know what you've invested.

I know what it takes to have to give it up.

When God called me to pivot. From general market archaeological thrillers to Christian mystery suspense, I had seven books already.

Seven.

All with cohesive covers,

all with established read through,

all with readers who expected the next adventure. I had it all planned out. I was on a roll. I had a great plan and a timeline all set out and ready to go.

I had just over 5,000 email subscribers who'd signed up for archaeological thrillers,

not Christian fiction.

I had a website branded around adventure and mystery without a hint of faith content.

I had social media followers who knew me as the female Indiana Jones,

Jason Bourne of fiction, not as a Christian author.

The money spent on those covers, the time building that list,

the reader relationships cultivated around a completely different expectation.

And now God was asking me to risk it all by adding the one element that could make many of them run.

Faith.

He asked me to stand up for him.

He asked me to say yes.

He called me to a kingdom purpose.

And here's the truth bomb that changed everything. For me. Because trust me, truth be told, I was scared. I had fear gripping at my throat.

But this changed it for me. What you've built is not wasted.

If God is the one redirecting you,

it's not starting over, it's building upon.

Think about Joseph for a moment.

17 years old, when he receives dreams about leadership.

Where does he end up?

As a slave in Potiphar's house,

then prisoner.

Each role seemed like a complete departure from the last.

But every single position was preparing him for his ultimate purpose.

The servant heart of a slave, the confinement of being in prison.

It all mattered for managing Egypt during famine.

My skills in crafting archaeological thrillers,

the research, the pacing, the mystery elements,

book building, writing routines, creating systems, developing my craft. I call it my training wheels. They all transferred into writing. Christian mystery, suspense. The platform I'd built wasn't destroyed. It was refined.

Yes,

some readers left, more than half actually.

But the ones God intended to reach through my new direction, they stayed.

And new ones found me.

Two years later, I had double the subscribers I had before. And yes, it was. It wasn't easy. It took courage and a lot of trust in God. But I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God had called me to make this change.

I knew God was asking me to stand up for him. To serve the kingdom, to serve people, his kingdom. Grow it, minister.

It was my great commission.

There wasn't a doubt in my mind. And here's the thing.

We do need serious discernment.

Because not every new idea is God.

Sometimes it's comparison making you think you should write what's selling.

Sometimes it's good old fashioned distraction from the enemy. Who knows you're about to break through in your current genre.

Sometimes it's fear dressed up as inspiration.

So let's just go there. How do you know if this nudge towards something new is God or just your own restlessness or frustration?

First,

God's redirection comes with peace. Even in the uncertainty,

when God was calling me from general market to Christian market,

I felt nervous about losing readers, but deeply peaceful about the calling.

There was this settledness in my spirit, even while my mind was racing with what ifs. What if I lose my 5,000 subscribers? What if I lose everything? Of course there was fear.

But above it all, I had peace. I knew I was doing the right thing. I knew God was calling me.

Distraction, on the other hand, comes with anxiety. It feels urgent and panicky.

It whispers, you're missing out, you're behind. You chose wrong. You'll never make money, you'll never get where the others are.

That's not God's voice.

Second, God's redirection aligns with Scripture and confirms through multiple sources.

When God is redirecting, he doesn't just whisper it once during an emotional moment.

He confirms it through his word, through prayer, through trusted believers, through prophetic words, as was the case with me,

through circumstances.

Third,

God's redirection usually involves serving others, not just advancing ourselves.

When God called me to write Christian fiction, it wasn't about me.

It was about readers who needed mysteries with hope,

suspense with spiritual truth,

entertainment that also edified strong themes of faith that lifted them up, encouraged them, drew them into a deeper relationship with God.

Ask yourself,

who would this new direction serve?

If the answer is primarily your ego or your bank account, it might not be God.

But but if you can see how this new direction would minister to people in ways your current writing can't pay attention.

Okay, so you've discerned that, yes, God is calling you in a new direction. Now what?

Let me be real about the practical challenges, because nobody prepares you for this part.

Challenge number one is what I call the reader revolt.

When I announced I was moving to Christian fiction, I lost about 2,000 subscribers in the first month.

2,000.

These were people who had been with me from the beginning, who had bought all seven books, who'd championed my work, who was chomping at the bit for the next book.

Some unsubscribed silently. Others sent emails telling me they felt deceived,

that I'd been a closet Christian all along,

that they didn't sign up for religious books.

One particularly painful email said, I thought you were better than this,

and friend, this will hurt.

These are people who supported you, and now they feel let down.

But here's what I've learned.

The readers God has assigned to you will follow you.

The 3,000 who stayed,

they became the core of something beautiful. And new. Readers found me Christian readers who'd been praying for exactly the kind of books God was calling me to write.

Challenge 2 the algorithm punishment Social media algorithms don't like change.

Amazon's algorithm doesn't like change.

When I pivoted from general market to Christian market, my books essentially disappeared from the also bought and recommendations.

I had to rebuild visibility from scratch. And that took a lot of time and a lot of patience.

My Facebook engagement tanked when I started sharing Bible verses alongside my book content.

My ads flatlined. The algorithm didn't know what to do with me anymore.

But you know what?

God's economy doesn't run on algorithms, right?

Challenge number three the Identity Crisis I'd been the archaeological thriller author for two years.

That's how I introduced myself.

That's how others introduced me. That's how readers found me.

I had even shared an author panel once with Joanna Penn and started forming alliances with some pretty big authors in the industry.

Moving to Christian fiction meant letting go of all of that and rewriting everything.

My bio, my taglines, my elevator pitch.

But more than that, it meant wrestling with who I was as a writer.

Was I betraying my original readers? Was I limiting my reach?

Was I committing career suicide?

But here's the thing.

This is where you remember that your identity isn't in what you write.

It's in who called you to write.

Let's talk about biblical figures who had major pivots. Because, friend,

you're in good company.

Moses spent 40 years as an Egyptian royalty,

40 years as a shepherd,

then became a prophet and deliverer.

Talk about career pivots and notice the shepherd years weren't wasted. They prepared him to shepherd Israel.

Paul went from persecutor of Christians to the apostle to the Gentiles.

His knowledge of Jewish law,

which he'd used to persecute, became the very thing that helped him explain the Gospel to the Jews and Gentiles alike.

Nothing was wasted.

David,

shepherd boy to warrior to fugitive to king to psalmist.

Each season required different skills, different focus,

but every experience poured into the psalms that still minister to us today.

And lastly, Matthew,

tax collector to gospel writer,

his attention to detail, his recordkeeping skills, all transferred into documenting Jesus life and teaching with precision.

See the pattern?

God doesn't waste anything.

Every skill you've developed, every reader relationship you've built,

every lesson you've learned, it all transfers into the new thing God is doing.

So,

practically speaking,

how do you pivot without losing everything you've built?

Here's what I learned from my own transition Number one Don't burn bridges.

Build them.

I didn't immediately abandon my archaeological thriller readers. I created a bridge with a final book in the series.

It still had all the original characters and archaeological elements, but I gently incorporated a faith theme.

This gave readers time to adjust and decide if they wanted to continue the journey with me.

Some stayed, some left,

but the transition was gentler than if I just dropped a completely different book on them with no warning.

2. Communicate with vulnerability. I sent a heartfelt email to my list explaining my journey. I didn't preach or try to convert anyone. I simply shared that my faith had become such an important part of my life that I couldn't keep it out of my stories anymore.

The response was mixed, but more positive than I expected.

Even some non Christian readers said they respected my authenticity and would give my new direction a try,

which was awesome.

3.

Start with a soft launch I didn't rebrand everything overnight. I gradually introduced faith elements into my social media.

I started a separate newsletter for those interested in my Christian fiction while keeping my original list for those who wanted updates on my backlist.

This gave people choices rather than ultimatums.

Practical Step Number four Trust the Remnant When Elijah thought he was alone, God reminded him there were 7,000 who hadn't bowed down to Baal.

When I lost 2,000 subscribers, I grieved. But the 3,000 who stayed?

They became my most passionate supporters because they journeyed with me through the transition.

These Remnant readers often become your strongest advocates because they've seen your authenticity and courage to follow God's calling.

These four strategies help me navigate the practical transition. But I know what you might be thinking as you hear all this.

You might be wondering why God would redirect you after you've already built something.

Why not make it clear from the beginning? Why let me write seven general market books before calling me to Christian fiction?

While in all honesty, in my case I didn't start off writing with God,

God actually never called me to be a writer. If I'm honest,

when I wrote my first adventure novel, I wrote it for fun because it was on my bucket list. I never asked God if this was what I was meant to be doing full time.

In hindsight, if I had asked him first, I would have saved myself all this trouble and anguish, right?

But God is gracious and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. For those who are called according to his purpose. Right,

friend? I believe God is doing something significant with Christian authors right now. The publishing landscape is changing rapidly. The divide between secular and sacred is blurring.

Readers are hungry for hope, for meaning, for stories that entertain and edify.

But more than that, I believe God is calling his writers to greater flexibility and obedience.

He's breaking us free from the boxes,

even the successful boxes we've built.

He's reminding us that we are his scribes, not the markets.

Hence calling me to doing this show. This podcast itself is part of that calling. To walk alongside Christian authors like you who are navigating these same difficult but beautiful transitions.

And here's the truth.

The very fact that you've successfully built in one area proves you can build in another the skills transfer, the faith transfers, the anointing transfers.

But I'll be honest, even knowing God's bigger purposes doesn't automatically eliminate the fear that comes with obedience.

So let's talk about fear and let's be honest about it, because it's real.

When God called me to Christian fiction, I was terrified.

I was scared of losing all 5,000 subscribers,

having to start over from zero.

My books I had already written becoming irrelevant,

being seen as a religious fanatic, never reaching the same level of success.

But here's what God showed me. The safest place to be is in the centre of his will.

Even when it looks risky to everyone else.

Staying in general market when God was calling me to Christian fiction wouldn't have been safe.

It would have been disobedience.

Dressed up as wisdom and friend. You cannot outrun God's calling.

You can delay it, resist it, try to compromise with it. But eventually it will find you.

Here's what nobody tells you about following God's redirection.

The blessings are beyond what you imagined.

When I moved to Christian fiction, I found my true voice.

No longer holding back the faith that informed everything I wrote. There was authenticity.

I connected with readers who needed exactly what God was giving me to write.

My writing took on eternal purpose, not just entertainment value.

Opportunities opened in the Christian market I never could have accessed before.

The joy returned to my writing because I was finally aligned with God's purpose.

My writing felt natural and resonated with my spirit.

Let me put this in perspective for you. Yes, my platform looked smaller on paper,

but its impact was infinitely greater.

So where does this leave you? If you're sensing God might be redirecting your writing,

if you're sensing a nudge towards doing something that is opposite of what you're doing Now,

I've got five steps you can take.

1. Get quiet.

Spend serious time in prayer and word study.

Not rushed morning devotions, but deep listening prayer.

Ask God to make his direction crystal clear.

2. Look for confirmation. Don't make major pivots based on one feeling or idea.

Look for God to confirm through his word,

circumstances and trusted believers.

Number three.

Count the cost, then forget it. Yes,

consider what pivoting might cost you.

Then remember that obedience to God is never a loss. Even when it looks like won temporarily.

Decide to trust God in your provision.

4. Start small. You don't have to blow up everything tomorrow.

Take one small step in the new direction and see how God leads.

Number five.

Document the journey. Keep a journal of God's leading You'll need it on the hard days when you question whether you heard right.

Friend, if God is redirecting your writing, you're not crazy.

You're not committing career suicide. I don't care what the naysayers are telling you. You are not being unfaithful to your readers either.

You are not throwing away everything you've built. You are following the same God who redirected Abram from Ur,

Moses from Midian,

Paul from persecution, and countless others from that established path into his greater purpose.

Your established platform isn't a chain,

it's a launching pad.

Your current readers aren't a limitation, they are witnesses to God's unfolding work in your life.

Your pivot isn't a failure, it's faith in action.

Friend, I pray that if you're sensing God is calling you in a new direction,

that he gives you courage to follow, wisdom to discern, and peace in the transition to show you that God wastes nothing, that every word you've written has prepared you for what's next.

I pray that you trust that God, who began a good work in you, will complete it,

even when completion looks different than you imagined.

If this episode resonated with you, Friend, if you're standing at the crossroads of redirection,

share this with another Christian author who might need to hear that following God's new direction isn't betrayal,

but obedience.

Remember friend, for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's anointed scribe,

even when he rewrites your assignment.

Keep listening, keep following, and keep writing whatever he puts on your heart,

your brand belongs to God.

Let him redesign it as he he sees fit.

Friend, before I let you go, I want you to use the send me a message link in the show notes and let me know where you need God to show up for you today so I can pray for you.

It's 100% anonymous. I can't see your name or your email or your phone number. I can't even reply to you. But I can read your request and I can pray for you.

So I encourage you to use this feature to send me a private message to to let me know what you are struggling with right now so we can come together and take this to the Lord in prayer.

And if you found today's episode helpful, please consider subscribing and leaving a review.

You know firsthand the impact this has on discovery,

so please help me get this show into more listeners ears. I have a mission and I cannot do it without you.

Oh and if you want more tips outside of the show, see sign up to my monthly 5 minute manna emails. The link is in the show notes. Okay, so that's it for today's show.

Thank you for listening. And remember, for such a time as this,

you have been called to thrive as God's anointed scribe.