RealmMakers 2026
What I Brought Home from Realm Makers
Last week I attended my first RealmMakers conference in St. Louis. This conference is a gathering of hundreds of Christian authors who write various genres to many different markets.
I expected to come home with pages of notes on writing craft. I did that and much more. I had a short block of time with author Ann Fryer. She really helped me hone in on what I need to be focusing on in my career. Amazing stuff.
What surprised me was that I came home thinking even more about publishing than writing.
The conference reminded me that writing a novel is only half the job. Getting it into readers’ hands is an entirely different discipline. I discovered that so many authors struggle on this point, and that there is a real opportunity to help my fellow authors grow.
Lesson 1: Readers Want to Know the Author
The sessions were great. I particularly enjoyed Z.S. Diamanti’s (https://zsdiamanti.com/free-fantasy-fiction) talks on Social Media and Reader Magnets. Some of it was new, but some of it reaffirmed that what I was doing was good.
Z.S. (or Zach) helped me remember that people aren’t just buying my stories. They are buying me. If I am authentic and open, people are drawn to that.
Based on some of the conversations I had during and after these sessions I’ve redesigned my author and publishing websites to be more focused. I’ve accentuated the important things and made it easier for potential readers to get what they came for–my books.
Lesson 2: Small Improvements Compound
Here are some of the things I worked on improving:
- overall aesthetic – I want my reader’s eyes to naturally drift to what they came for
- newsletter improvements – This shall hence forth be referred to as the Reader List
- better branding – My brand does as much to sell my book as any paid ad
- direct sales – I really want to press into this in the last two quarters and into 2027
- Kickstarter – I’ve been punting this ball all year. It’s time to run with it
- “Boxed Set” production – I really need to get this ball on the tee ASAP
I went to RealmMakers looking for a silver bullet to propel me forward. But instead of chasing one magic solution, successful authors were making dozens of little improvements. Check out my site improvements: https://honorboundbooks.com/
Lesson 3: Publishing Is a Long Game
I met authors with zero books published, and I met authors who have published dozens of books in just a few years. No matter the pace you write, just keep at it.
Ann Fryer repeated the same thing to me over and over during my mentoring session: You need more books. Every release helps the next. The best marketing tool I have is the next book. I should get this tattooed on my arm.
Also, every reader matters. I need to do everything I can to make their path to my books as easy as possible.
Lesson 4: Community Matters
One of the biggest surprises at Realm Makers is how amazing the people were.
We prayed before sessions and total strangers showed interest in my life, as well as my career as an author.
In a fit of bravery I invited myself to supper with a group of guys. They were so gracious. I may even end up finally joining a critique group because of that encounter.
One a Personal Note
I was surprised by my anxiety as the conference grew nearer. Suddenly, I was afraid of meeting new people. If you know me, that’s never been something I’ve struggled with.
It got bad enough that my introverted wife had to challenge me to make new friends.
Before the conference I signed up to volunteer stuffing bags. A lot of bags. I showed up when I was supposed to and the fear of people hit me again. It was weird.
Thankfully, I was working with a great group of Realmies and began to relax after a while.
I met Ezra Ferguson, and his lovely wife, who went on to win the Realmie Award for best new debut. They are great people and y’all should go read his book. He described the genre as “Noble Dark”. That’s a term I had heard but hadn’t understood until his explanation. I Bought his book as soon as I got back to the room.
My conversation with Ezra reminded me why I came in the first place—not just to learn about writing, but to become part of a community.
