equip the Church

The traditional publishing model operates on a high-risk gamble: invest months or years developing a book manuscript, pour time and money into editing and production, then hope it sells. For publishers working with new and unknown authors, this approach carries enormous risk and often leads to disappointing results.

I recently studies lean methodology in a course I was taking, and thought, this is a helpful model as we think of publishing new authors while elimating the risk. Lean methodology is a framework borrowed from startup culture that can revolutionize how publishers discover, develop, and launch new authors. By testing authors through shorter content formats first, publishers can validate both market demand and author capability while simultaneously building the audience foundation that will make their eventual books successful.

The Problem with Traditional Author Development

Most publishers still follow the old playbook: find an author with a interesting book idea, sign a contract with them, then cross fingers during the 12-18 month development process hoping that enough copies will sell to cover their costs and make a bit of money. This approach has several critical flaws:

• This approach takes a high upfront investment while offering uncertain returns. A significant amount of resources are spent before even knowing if readers actually want what the author offers.
• There is no audience validation. Authors often start with zero platform or awareness, meaning even great books struggle to find readers.
• Binary success metrics. Books either succeed or fail completely, with little opportunity for course correction.

Unknown authors face an even steeper challenge. Without established platforms or proven track records, they must overcome both content and credibility barriers simultaneously. We believe many of these voices need to be published, however publishers investing on these authors need a smarter approach to risk management.

Applying Lean Principles to Christian Publishing

Lean methodology centers on the build-measure-learn cycle: create minimum viable products, test them with real users, then iterate based on feedback. In publishing, this translates to testing authors through progressively longer content formats while building audience engagement at each stage.

The lean publishing funnel works like this:

• Blog articles and social media posts validate initial concepts and writing voice.
• Teaching videos and webinars test the author’s ability to explain complex ideas clearly.
• Email newsletters and podcast appearances build direct audience relationships.
• Short-form digital publications (short ebooks or courses) prove market demand for the author’s expertise.
• Full-length books represent the final stage, launched to a pre-validated, engaged audience.

Each stage provides valuable data about both author performance and market reception while requiring minimal publisher investment. More importantly, each stage builds the marketing foundation that traditional book launches desperately need.

Starting with Micro-Content: Blog Articles as Market Research

Blog articles serve as the perfect testing ground for new authors. They require minimal time investment, allow rapid iteration, and provide immediate market feedback through engagement metrics. Publishers should look for authors who can consistently create compelling blog content that generates comments, shares, and return readers.

The key metrics to track include time spent on page, social media engagement, email list growth from blog traffic, and most importantly, reader comments that demonstrate the content sparked genuine interest or solved real problems. Authors who can’t engage readers in 1,000-word blog posts are unlikely to hold attention for 80,000-word books.

Smart publishers create formal blog partnerships with promising authors, offering editorial guidance and platform access in exchange for exclusive content. This relationship lets publishers evaluate writing consistency, receptiveness to feedback, and ability to meet deadlines—all crucial factors for book success.

Video Content: Testing Teaching Ability and Screen Presence

Teaching videos reveal capabilities that blog posts cannot. They demonstrate whether authors can explain complex concepts clearly, maintain audience attention, and project the confidence necessary for media appearances and book promotion.

Publishers should encourage authors to create a video series around the subjects they are passionate about. The format matters less than consistency and delivering value. Authors might create YouTube videos, courses, or webinars. The goal is understanding whether they can translate written expertise into engaging visual content.

Video performance metrics provide direct insight into book marketing potential. Authors who struggle to maintain viewer attention in 10-minute videos will face challenges during hour-long podcast interviews or conference talks. Conversely, authors whose videos generate strong engagement and subscriber growth demonstrate the platform-building skills essential for book marketing success.

Building Direct Audience Relationships

Email newsletters represent the most valuable asset authors can develop. Unlike social media followers, email subscribers provide direct access to engaged readers who’ve specifically requested the author’s content. Publishers should prioritize authors who understand newsletter strategy and can grow their lists organically.

The newsletter testing phase serves multiple purposes. It validates sustained reader interest beyond single pieces of content, demonstrates the author’s ability to maintain regular publishing schedules, and creates the direct marketing channel that will drive excitement for their eventual book.

Publishers can accelerate this process by featuring promising authors in their own newsletters, cross-promoting content across their network, and providing newsletter template guidance. The investment in helping authors build email lists pays dividends when book launch time arrives.

Pre-Validating Book Concepts Through Digital Publications

Before committing to full-length books, publishers should test concepts through shorter digital publications. These might include short ebooks, mini-courses, or workshop materials. The goal is validating market demand for the author’s work. Does the church trust this person to teach them?

Digital publications provide crucial data about price sensitivity, topic appeal, and reader commitment. An author whose 30-page guide sells 500 print and digital copies, even for a low amount, has demonstrated stronger market validation than one whose blog posts generate thousands of free readers but no conversion to paid content.

This stage also tests the author’s ability to create cohesive, structured content rather than standalone articles. Publishers can evaluate organizational skills, depth of expertise, and commercial viability before investing in full book development.

The Marketing Advantage of Audience-First Publishing

The lean approach creates a fundamental advantage: by the time the book launches, authors already have established audiences actively waiting for their content. This transforms book marketing from interruption-based advertising to community-based evangelism.

Authors who’ve built audiences through blog posts, videos, and newsletters can leverage pre-orders, launch-week promotion, and word-of-mouth marketing in ways that traditional author development cannot match. Their audiences become co-marketers, sharing content because they’ve already invested time and attention in the author’s journey.

Publishers working with audience-first authors see higher pre-order numbers, stronger launch-week sales, and better long-term performance. The book becomes the natural next step in an established relationship rather than a cold introduction to unknown readers.

Implementing Lean Publishing: Practical Steps

Publishers ready to adopt lean methodology should start by identifying authors who already demonstrate micro-content success. Look for bloggers with engaged audiences, video creators with growing subscriber bases, or newsletter writers with strong open rates.

Create formal development partnerships that provide editorial support, platform access, and promotional assistance in exchange for exclusive content and eventual book rights. Structure these relationships as progressive commitments—additional support unlocked as authors hit audience and engagement milestones.

Develop standardized metrics for evaluating author progress across content formats. Track not just vanity metrics like page views or video views, but engagement indicators like comments, shares, email signups, and conversion to paid content.

Most importantly, resist the urge to rush successful authors into writing books. The lean approach requires patience, allowing authors to build genuine expertise and audience connection before tackling full-length manuscripts.

The Future of Author Development

Lean publishing methodology represents more than risk management—it’s a fundamental shift toward sustainable author careers. Authors who build audiences through progressive content development create lasting platforms that support multiple books, speaking opportunities, and related revenue streams.

Publishers who master this approach will discover and develop talent that traditional methods miss, while building more predictable paths to commercial success. In an industry where most books fail to earn back their initial investment, lean methodology offers a smarter way to invest in new voices.

The publishers who figure this out first will have significant competitive advantages in discovering and launching the next generation of successful authors.