People think publishing starts with a book idea.
For this publisher, it started with a family problem.
(Get ready to read an inspiring story)
The Problem
They were living in Australia.
Their parents were in Singapore.
And the hardest decision came first: their eight-year-old son moved ahead to Singapore alone, to live with his grandparents, while the rest of the family stayed behind to figure out work and income.
At that point, publishing wasn’t a dream.
It was a contingency.
There was no guarantee of a job waiting back in Singapore.
And every extra month without options meant the family stayed separated longer.
That changed their first publishing approach.
Not as “What’s my calling?”
But as “How can I build a reliable publishing income that reunites my family and proves this path can work?”
The Solution
They felt strongly about publishing faith-based books, something that had been on their mind for years but never felt “commercially safe.”
That idea resurfaced during a trip to Italy, while visiting churches and museums, and it crystallized during Holy Week at the Vatican—surrounded by pilgrims, rituals, and the sense that stories of faith could still move people.
They filled pages of a notebook with outlines, titles, and prayers, convinced this was the direction they were meant to take, even though they had no publishing experience yet and no clear plan for how to make it profitable.
But there was a problem.
At that moment:
- No books published.
- No sales.
- No proof publishing could support anything.
Surprisingly, the book they wanted to write wasn’t the one they started with.
(Good choice by the way)
They didn’t start with the meaningful book because meaning alone doesn’t pay for time, editors, or covers.
They started with the practical one because it could be finished fast, tested on Amazon, and prove that publishing could actually fund the next step.
One book on simple productivity systems for parents working abroad.
Then another on managing family transitions between countries.
Then bundled offers combining both into a “family resilience” niche that spoke directly to expats balancing work, faith, and parenting.
The Turning Point
Once they had proven they could publish and earn from it, the original idea—the faith-based book—returned with more confidence and resources behind it.
At one point, exhausted by indecision, they made a private commitment.
Not on social media.
In a journal.
During prayer.
The deal was simple:
If either publishing hit its income goal or a job opened up back in Singapore, they would move forward with the faith book.
They asked for one outcome: a clear sign that publishing was the right path forward.
They decided to become our client right after that turning point.
The publishing income goal—to earn $1,000 in a single month from book sales—was reached that morning, proving the model worked.
That same afternoon, a confirmed job offer arrived from Singapore.
Two answers in one day convinced them it was time to double down on publishing, but with guidance and structure.
That’s when they reached out to us, wanting to turn a fragile win into a repeatable system.
THIS CHAPTER ENDS WITH:
- First-ever December report
- 3 books published
- Working on a new book brand for 2026
- Made over $1,600 net in royalties
A lesson for new publishers:
Publishing rarely takes off when you’re simply inspired.
It takes off when you decide that waiting is no longer an option.
Clarity doesn’t arrive through endless planning.
It shows up when something real is on the line.
Momentum doesn’t come from belief alone.
It comes from finishing what you start, one book at a time.
If you’re still hesitating, it’s not because you don’t know enough.
It’s because you haven’t yet made publishing essential to your story.
And once you do, everything changes.
PS: The first job of your first book isn’t to be meaningful. It’s to give you leverage so the meaningful one can exist.
PPS: And to you, Yohan—thank you for trusting us with your story. May this be the start of something lasting, and may every page you publish bring your family closer to the life you’ve been building toward 🧡
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