The Credentials: Show You’re Qualified to Write Your Book

Award-winning writer Kathy Widenhouse has helped hundreds of nonprofits and writers produce successful content and has gained 600K+ views for her writing tutorials. She is the author of 9 books. See more of Kathy’s content here.

An online devotional for writers

A Word From The Word

You yourselves are proof that I am the Lord’s apostle. (1 Corinthians 9:2, NLT)

A Word For Writers

Credentials are a form of social proof. They demonstrate that an individual has competence in an area of expertise.

A college professor’s credentials include his degrees and publications that qualify him for a teaching position at a university. A federal agent’s credentials are a badge and an identification card that demonstrate she is qualified to represent the government in a law enforcement matter.

Your author’s credentials, too, are proof – proof that you are the person qualified to write your book.

But you don’t need advanced degrees to speak authoritatively about a topic. Your credentials can include relevant life experience, abilities, skills, awards, certifications, prior publications, reputation, or fitness.

You’d think the Apostle Paul would continually pull out his “Pharisee of Pharisees “credentials as he writes to young churches. Yet throughout his epistles, Paul lists other qualifications.

• His skills and activities (2 Corinthians 12:12)
• The testimonials of others (Colossians 2:1)
• His experience (2 Corinthians 11:22-27)
• His strengths and weaknesses (Philippians 3:5-6)
• His impact (1 Corinthians 9:1-2)

Paul understood that his readers did not care so much whether or not he knew The Law inside out. They wanted to know if he had personal experience walking with Jesus … his skills … what impact he could have. Those credentials gave him spiritual authority.

What kinds of credentials do your readers need to look on you as an authority?

A Wise Word

Your credentials demonstrate why you are qualified to write your book.

A Word To Pray

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for experiences, skills, strengths, and activities you give me. Let me use them to cultivate competence as I write.

In Jesus’s name, Amen.

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