Writing a book, or for that matter a blog, can be a difficult task these days. When it comes to getting people to read your work it is much harder than it used to be. You feel like you are fighting against computer algorithms that reward controversy, negativity, and basically anything that creates strong emotions. But those algorithms are fed by what WE read, click on, like, share and review.
If I had one plea to anyone reading this article it would be this: Make it your goal this year to REVIEW, Like and SHARE content you like. You would be amazed how few reviews or likes it really takes to get content seen by more people. So few people review books they read that you can massively influence the amazon algorithm just with your own review. Please do think about writing more reviews this year.
This video encourages us to like, share and review content we have found helpful. But it also speaks about how life can be really tough and when suffering hits we don’t want to feel alone. I discuss the story of John Newton and William Cowper and how they gave the world two amazing hymns the same 36 hours that also contained a catastrophic mental health breakdown. How Newton helped his friend over years and the compassion that is found in those two hymns is hopefully encouraging for you today.
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Transcript
Well hi there, I’m Adrian Warnock. I’m filming this on the morning of the 5th of January.
The first thing I want to say is thank you so much to all of you who’ve taken advantage of the current offer to get both my books. That’s Raised with Christ and Amazing Grace. They’re free on Kindle, and if you don’t have a Kindle you can read them on your phone or on your computer. In the case of Raised with Christ, it’s also available in paperback and hardback. Amazing Grace isn’t yet, and I’ll come on to why in a moment.
Thank you so much. Lots of you have taken the opportunity to do that.
I should say this. The Raised with Christ offer expires today, the 5th of January. If you’re seeing this after the 5th, you can still get it free on Kindle Unlimited. If you don’t have Kindle Unlimited, which lets you borrow lots of books for a monthly subscription, the price will still be very low. I’m going to try to keep it as low as possible.
The same applies to Amazing Grace. Because of how the dates worked, that offer expires tomorrow, the 6th. So if you’re watching this on the 6th, you’re not too late to get hold of Amazing Grace: How Faith Grows in the Human Heart.
I’ll talk more about both books in a moment.
Before that, if you’re observant and looking behind me, you’ll notice we’ve got a light dusting of snow here in the UK. We’re all very excited about that because it doesn’t happen very often. We’re also slightly apprehensive, because even a few millimetres of snow can cause complete travel chaos here. I’ve got to drive somewhere local this morning for an appointment, so I’m a little apprehensive about what the roads are going to be like. But there we are. Such is life.
I want to take you back for a moment to why I started writing in the first place.
Believe it or not, I’ve now been writing online since 2003. That’s more than twenty years ago. I still remember it quite well. I was a little bored one day, and I was in a work situation that was a good job but not quite as challenging as I wanted. I was about to move into the pharmaceutical industry.
I remember thinking I’d like to write something that my children might be interested in one day, or that other people might be interested in. Or simply something I’d be interested in myself.
At first, I just gathered a few quotes and wrote down a few ideas. I didn’t think of myself as a writer back then. I was a blogger, writing very short-form content.
Fast forward a few years, and I was offered a book contract. I suddenly discovered that writing a long-form book is very different from writing lots of short articles. That said, the short articles were good practice.
If you’re thinking about writing a book, I’d recommend the discipline of blogging, or what people now just call writing articles. It helps you build that ability. It also encourages you to read more.
On that note, for all of you who very kindly got hold of my books for free, I have a request. It’s not a demand.
Would you consider writing an honest review?
If everyone who downloaded the book wrote a review, it would be incredibly successful on Amazon. Amazon strongly favours books that people review. In this age of algorithms, whether that’s Amazon, Facebook, X, or Google, we all play a part in shaping what gets seen.
It’s easy to complain about algorithms. We say, “Why are you sending me stuff I’m not interested in?” But the algorithm thinks you are interested. It looks at what you click on, what you watch, what you scroll past, what you like, what you share, and what you review.
If you do none of those things, it will default to other people’s behaviour and opinions.
One challenge for someone like me is that algorithms tend to favour content that stirs people up. Content that provokes anger or outrage often gets more engagement. Neutral content doesn’t. People don’t tend to comment on it.
So if you’re trying to write something that speaks the truth in love, aims at understanding rather than outrage, and seeks peace rather than division, the risk is that people think, “Oh, that’s nice,” and move on.
We’re far more likely to comment on things we disagree with.
That’s why I want to encourage you to think about this, not just for my books or my content, but for everything you read and value.
Would you consider becoming a regular reviewer?
You’ve probably read several books over the last few years that helped you. Like me, you probably didn’t review them. I’m now going back to books I’ve found helpful and thinking, “I should write reviews on Amazon or Goodreads.” Maybe even write about them on my blog or share them on Facebook.
I’d encourage you to do the same.
If you’ve downloaded my book for free, I’d love you to review it. But even more than that, if other books have blessed you, please review those too. See it as a gift to other readers, not just to the author.
A like, a share, or a short review sends a signal to the algorithm. It says, “This mattered.” And that helps other people discover it.
It’s not enough just to follow. I’ve learned this recently. Over the years I’ve gathered thousands of followers across platforms. And yet sometimes something I post gets ten views. The algorithm decides it’s not stimulating enough.
This isn’t just a Christian problem. I see it in my blood cancer work too. You can have thousands of people in a group, and hardly anyone sees what you write.
We need to ask ourselves what engages us. If it’s only content that makes us angry, that’s worth reflecting on.
So don’t just scroll past this video.
Think about what has blessed you. Was it my book? Something I wrote? Something someone else wrote? Maybe a book you got at Christmas that you couldn’t put down.
Before you move on to the next thing, why not write a short review? It doesn’t have to be long. Just say what helped you and why others might benefit.
I honestly think that by doing this we’re serving God’s purposes.
We live in a strange age, where truth feels like it’s in retreat. Later this month I’ll be releasing an early-access version of The Traitor Within. I may not have finished it by the release date, but that’s okay. With Kindle, as with Amazing Grace, early access lets readers give feedback and help shape the final book.
In The Traitor Within, I talk a lot about the lies we tell ourselves, the lies others tell us, and the lies that live inside us. I think that’s a huge part of our problem today.
Years ago, John Piper said you can look at the internet and retreat from it, or you can say, “Let’s fill it with good content.” Content that blesses, teaches, builds up, comforts, and encourages.
I’ve been encouraged recently because I’m able to read a bit more again. For years my concentration was badly affected by illness. I’m still nowhere near where I was eight years ago, but things are a little better.
Books like PJ Smythe’s See No Evil deeply encouraged me. I want other people to find that too.
Maybe for you it’s as simple as sharing a Bible verse that blessed you today. Copy and paste it. Say why it helped. Or just share it.
Let’s fill our social media this year with content that builds up rather than tears down.
That, I think, should be our goal as Christians.
Ultimately, more than anything else, I want to point you to Jesus. He understands suffering. He was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He understands our weakness. He knows our frame.
And he is for you.
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