The Author Journey
Briana Bass always had a gift for writing and storytelling. When she was a kid, she wanted to be a writer or editor when she grew up. She completed her Bachelor’s in English and was accepted into a MFA program. Everything was on track to pursue her dreams.
Sadly, the MFA program didn’t work out. It wasn’t the kind of program one could complete while living in the suburbs, and she couldn’t afford to live in the city.
Instead, Briana got a job working in higher education. She didn’t write anything other than emails for the next decade. She did, however, have a steady paycheck and health insurance.
After ten years it was time for a career change. Briana was blessed that she could take her time to discern what to do next. So, she started praying.
The answer came to her rather quickly-writing.
Briana immediately squashed that thought like a bug. There are no guarantees in writing. What would she do about health insurance? What about a retirement plan? She has bills to pay!
She kept praying, and the thought kept coming back. It was persistent, nagging, and eventually she grew frustrated.
Fine. She will consider it. It won’t work out, and then she can dismiss the idea and move on.
So, Briana thought about it. And she thought some more. And she prayed some more. And the Lord revealed His plan for her.
Embracing God’s Call
She wouldn’t write secular stories. She would write for all the young Christian women who don’t feel represented in secular media, or even some Christian media. She would let them know they are seen and heard and valued.
Thus began a months long journey mapping out exactly what that would look like. Briana knew she would have to self-publish. Traditional secular publishers wouldn’t be interested in her stories, and traditional Christian publishers wouldn’t agree with her theology.
Self-publishing meant starting her own business. She never imagined becoming an entrepreneur, and had a lot to learn about bookkeeping and taxes!
Briana also had to learn about self-publishing itself, from formatting books to marketing them. There are so many amazing resources available for self-published authors and the most supportive community.
Soon she had a business plan. She knew when she would form her LLC, Perfect Peace Publishing. She knew when she would begin publishing my stories. She outlined multiple series and began writing on nights and weekends.
Throughout this journey Briana never stopped praying. She stayed in constant communication with God. She recognized how difficult the transition to full-time writer would be and that she would need to rely on His strength.
God has been very good to Briana Bass, showing her the way and assuaging her fears. She’s thrilled to continue on this writing journey supporting her sisters in Christ and glorifying God!