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October 1, 2021

Does Your Book Have Ripple Effects?



Susan Reichert





When a writer puts words to paper, those thoughts are like the “rocks” we fling out into the water that cause ripple effects. The ripples just keep enlarging.

Writers have opportunities to influence the reader.

We never know who is going to read something we’ve written. For the most part, we never know the influence the words may or may not have.

I like to think a writer’s words impact readers. At least I hope they do. Edward Bulwer-Lytton coined these words, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” I believe that to be true.

Perhaps it is more important than we first thought to know who our audience is as we write our books.

Whether we write inspirational or cozy mysteries, historical fiction or contemporary romance or other genre’s do we write them with a purpose in mind? Do we write a message in the story?

Let us not forget how powerful words can be.

What is the impact we wish for our book to have on the reader?

If it is an inspirational book, we would want the reader to know if they are going through hard times to know they can get through the storms that come into their lives. That it isn’t hopeless.

If it is a mystery, what message would we want to show? Maybe, how the right way is the best way after all and that the bad are caught and justice can prevail.

Do we not want something important for our reader to take away from reading the book? After all that is what makes our books memorable. That is what brings the reader back to read other books we write. That is also what causes the ripple effect, they like it, and they tell others about it.

I still remember books I read as a kid. They had an impact on my life and my thinking.

For sure we want readers to enjoy reading our books. We hope they will mean something to the reader, and they will remember them and tell others how much they book meant to them.

I know for me, (I write devotional and inspirational books) I believe God gives me the words to write for the person who would read my book. Words they would need at that particular time.

I call that writing with a purpose!


Susan Reichert, author of Listen Close, Between Me and You, God’s Prayer Power and Storms in Life. Published numerous magazine articles and stories in 9 anthology books. Speaker at writing conferences, seminars, and libraries.

She is the founder of Southern Author Services, and Editor of Suite T. She is the retired Editor-in-Chief of Southern Writers Magazine. Reichert has a passion for writing about God in devotionals, prayers, and inspirational works.

She and her husband live in Tennessee. They have four grown daughters with families of their own. Susan is a member of the DAR and a member of the First Families of Mississippi

Visit Susan at: https://www.susanlreichert.com/

https://twitter.com/swmeditorhttps://twitter.com/SouthrnAuthrSer

https://www.facebook.com/SusanLeeReichert, https://www.facebook.com/southernauthorservices, https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-reichert-55922a13/ , Amazon -

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54576850-god-s-prayer-power

4 comments:

  1. Susan,

    Thank you for this important reminder about how our words affect others with power and impact--ripples that often we will never see.

    Terry
    author of 10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Terry. I think sometimes we forget that words have meanings that touch all of us in one way or another.

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  2. Susan, thank you for this well-written reminder about the power of our words and their effect on others.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Kay. We all are so busy trying to write our very best we sometimes forget those words we are writing will in some way touch others.

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