Episode 5 – How to Wait Well

Episode Summary In this episode of Writing to Win with Mya Kay, Mya speaks to Christian women writers about how to wait well between writing projects. Drawing from her own journey — including her experience with Kindle Unlimited pressure, her novel The Essence of His Soul, and a season off social media — she unpacks why rest between projects is a spiritual discipline, not wasted time. Listeners will learn how to use the in-between season to consecrate themselves, let their work do its work, and rediscover who they are outside of writing.

Key Points

• Why disciples of Christ can't write on the world's production timeline.
• The spiritual warfare that happens after you finish a God-given assignment.
• How God used The Essence of His Soul to touch on gaslighting, generational trauma, and God-ordained relationships — without chasing trends.
• Why downtime is actually God's best download time.
• Three practical tips for waiting well: consecration, letting your work work for you, and doing an identity audit.

Timestamp Overview

• Welcome back + why Christian women writers must wait on God's timing, not industry pressure.
• Sponsor spotlight: Rooted to Write devotional + a deep dive into The Essence of His Soul.
• Tip #1: Consecration — praying, fasting, removing distractions, and intimacy with the Holy Spirit.
• Tip #2: Stop watching trends and other authors; let your work work for you.
• Tip #3: Identity audit — finding out who you are outside of writing + rest of episode.

Call-to-Action

• 📖 Get the Rooted to Write devotional — a 30-day digital devotional for writers: Grab Devotional Here
• 🔗 Connect with Mya and her books at writermya.com
• Follow Mya on social @writermya.

In this episode of Writing to Win with Mya Kay, host Mya Kay teaches writers how to craft a powerful first chapter that immediately draws readers in and keeps them engaged.

After reflecting on the growth of the podcast and the decision to rebuild it with greater authenticity and obedience to God, Mya recaps the foundational lessons from the first three episodes—building a writing foundation, navigating the industry as a Black Christian woman, and outlining a book.

She then walks listeners through four key elements of a compelling first chapter, using both biblical examples (Genesis 1, John 1, Luke 1) and a detailed breakdown from her novel The Essence of His Soul. Mya shows writers how to start with action, reveal character through behavior, build intrigue without oversharing, and end with connection and curiosity.

She closes by challenging nonfiction writers to rethink how they approach their work, emphasizing that storytelling is just as essential in nonfiction as it is in fiction. Through a powerful real-life example, she demonstrates how to draw readers into transformation by starting with lived experience rather than simply presenting information.

Listeners will walk away with a clear, practical framework for writing first chapters that are engaging, intentional, and rooted in both craft and calling.

The Non-Fiction example starts at minute 24 and ends at minute 30.

Timestamps

• [0:00–02:00] – Why this season of the podcast feels different
• [02:00–06:00] – What the Bible teaches about strong beginnings
• [06:00–16:00] – The 4 keys to writing a powerful first chapter
• [16:00–End] – How to apply this to nonfiction writing

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In this craft-focused episode of Writing to Win with Mya Kay, Mya teaches Christian women writers how to outline a book without getting lost in the details. Using Noah’s ark in Genesis 6–8, her novel The Essence of His Soul, and a practical fitness-book example for busy moms, she shows how to build a story world or reader “home,” choose only the structural elements that truly move the book forward, and avoid overcomplicating the process. She then walks through how to design powerful character arcs (or target audience avatars for non-fiction) and how to create simple but effective character Bibles so you can see your characters clearly and guide them from chapter to chapter with purpose.

Timestamps

• [0:00–05:00] – Why this episode is the “fiction edition” and how non-fiction writers still fit in.
• [05:00–15:00] – Noah’s ark, “home vs. structure,” and how Mya built the world of The Essence of His Soul.
• [15:00–22:00] – How a fitness book for busy moms becomes a whole ecosystem, not just a list of workouts.
• [22:00–end] – Creating powerful character arcs, reader avatars, and character Bibles that keep your outline focused instead of overwhelming.

Mya uses her novel The Essence of His Soul to show how to:

• Define the “home” or world (in her case, the entertainment industry—basketball, music, arenas, red carpets, social media, blogs).
• Decide which structural elements (paparazzi, gossip blogs, fans, church culture, family secrets, studio spaces, mansions, etc.) will move characters from scene to scene and chapter to chapter. She then “blesses her non-fiction writers” with a parallel example: a book for busy moms building a healthy fitness routine while protecting their hair/edges, illustrating how to build a whole ecosystem around that reader (equipment, clothes, fabric choices, breastfeeding-friendly sports bras, hair protection strategies, etc.).

By the end of the episode, listeners will have:

• A biblical and practical picture of how to build a story world or reader “home”
• A repeatable framework for moving characters/readers from chapter to chapter
• Clarity on character arcs vs. reader avatars
• A simple structure for creating character Bibles that keep outlines focused and effective, instead of overwhelming

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