FaithGateway and WestBow Press host live webinar for aspiring authors

NASHVILLE, July 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Aspiring authors need guidance.  Since 2009, WestBow Press, the self-publishing division of Thomas Nelson and Zondervan, has guided more than 4,000 authors in publishing their first book. Now, together with FaithGateway, WestBow is sponsoring a live webinar to see more authors answer the call to publish.

On July 31, FaithGateway will have its first ever live chat to inspire and inform new authors, discussing, "7 Keys for Publishing Success." Special guest Matt Baugher, SVP and publisher for W Publishing Group, will cover topics such as the importance of a platform, the myth of great content equaling publishing success, marketing as a partnership, and the components of a good outline.

"As a publisher, we want to support new writers as much as possible," Baugher notes. "By giving advice about the publishing industry and how to navigate the industry's complexities, we hope to encourage inspirational writing that could be the next bestseller." Baugher's publishing portfolio touts some of the most renowned Christian voices and bestselling authors in the book business including Billy Graham, Andy Andrews, Jennie Allen and Emmerson Eggerichs.  Baugher was also behind the "New York Times" bestseller, "Heaven Is For Real" by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent, which has sold more than 10 million copies.

The "7 Keys for Publishing Success" webinar will take place on FaithGateway, an online Christian community launched by HarperCollins Christian Publishing in 2013. "In a recent survey to over one million FaithGateway subscribers, twenty-three percent of our audience indicated a strong interest in publishing a book," says FaithGateway's general manager, Mark Smith.  "These aspiring authors are looking for a trusted source of information for writing, editing and marketing their faith-based book … a source that will help aspiring authors along their entire journey."

In the summer of 2013, HarperCollins Christian Publishing launched FaithGateway.com, an online community for readers to discover great content and engage with their favorite Christian authors.  This platform, like no other in the company's profile, provided a new avenue to take publisher-reader relationships to a higher level.  Creating engaging Bible studies, providing daily devotionals, offering free downloads, and connecting authors face-to-face with their audiences curated Thomas Nelson and Zondervan content in a new format for the digital world.  The community's adoption rate has proven that readers wanted more—and connecting directly to an author via web-chat proved to be an instant win.

FaithGateway Live, the platform that showcases author chats, provides an additional resource not only to connect to new readers, but to new authors as well. 

"7 Keys for Publishing Success" is now open for registration and the webcast will begin at 2:00 p.m. EST.  For more information or to register for the first session please visit http://www.faithgateway.com/interview-with-matt-baugher/.

For more information on WestBow Press, please visit www.WestBowPress.com.

To engage further with FaithGateway and to receive its newsletters please go to www.faithgateway.com/email/.

About WestBow Press:  WestBow Press is a strategic self-publishing alliance between HarperCollins Christian Publishing and Authors Solutions, Inc. (ASI) — the world leader in the self-publishing segment. Titles published through WestBow Press are evaluated for sales potential and considered for publication through Thomas Nelson and Zondervan.  For more information, visit www.westbowpress.com or call (866)-928-1240.

About FaithGateway: FaithGateway.com is an online community for readers to discover great content and engage with their favorite Christian authors.  Its mission is to help readers grow and share their faith.  Part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, FaithGateway brings content together from Thomas Nelson and Zondervan authors, in a new an engaging format.  For more information, visit www.faithgateway.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140728/130620

SOURCE HarperCollins Christian Publishing