456 – When Publishers Say No to Your Idea But Yes to Your Voice

by | Jun 2, 2025 | Author Tips, Business, Marketing, Platform, Podcast, Pursuing Your Dreams, Writing, Writing at the Red House

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What happens when everything about your book changes during the publishing process? In this episode, Kathi sits down with author Jill Baughan to discuss her remarkable publishing journey that took nearly four years and involved multiple pivots. 

Jill’s story began with a vision for 52 adventure essays and ended with “No Matter What: 90 Devotions for Experiencing Unexpected Joy in Tough Times” from Our Daily Bread Publishing. Along the way, she changed agents, switched from essays to devotionals, shifted from adventure to joy, and learned to write in an entirely new format—all while staying true to her authentic voice. 

Listeners struggling with publishing rejections or feeling pressure to completely change their message will find hope in Jill’s experience. She demonstrates how flexibility with method, combined with faithfulness to your core message, can lead to unexpected opportunities and broader impact. 

Whether you’re navigating agent relationships, considering different publishers, or wondering if you should adapt your book concept, this conversation offers practical wisdom about when to bend and when to stand firm in the publishing world.

 

Links and Resources:

“No Matter What: 90 Devotions for Experiencing Unexpected Joy in Tough Times”

Jill’s Podcast “Find Joy…No Matter What”

Our Daily Bread Publishing

Kathi’s Favorite Things:

The Collective
Susy Flory
Tonya Kubo
Kathleen Kerr

Links and Resources:

Connect with Us:

Jill Baughan at jillbaughan.com

and on Instagram:@jillbaughan

Kathi Lipp on Instagram: @kathilipp 

Learn more at www.writingattheredhouse.com 

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Meet Your Hosts

Kathi Lipp

Kathi Lipp

Author, Speaker, Writing at the Red House Creator and CEO

Kathi Lipp is the host of the Clutter Free Academy podcast, the Writing at the Red House podcast, and the bestselling author of The Husband Project, Clutter Free, Ready for Anything, and An Abundant Place. She and her husband, Roger, live in the mountains of northern California, where they run the Red House Writing Retreats.

Over the past 10 years, Kathi has helped hundreds of people increase their platform through teaching and coaching. She is a frequent teacher at writer’s conferences and has helped countless authors and speakers find their audiences.

Kathi’s desire to help fellow speakers and authors avoid the mistakes she made, increase their confidence, and be the person God made them to be inspired her creation of Communicator Academy. Her newest adventure is The Red House, where she offers writer’s retreats and Writers in Residence events. Learn more about the Red House at https:writingattheredhouse.com

Jill Baughan

Jill Baughan

Jill Baughan is an author, speaker, and podcaster who helps people find joy, no matter what else is happening in life. She first discovered that joy and tough times can coexist while riding the Tilt-A-Whirl at her hometown’s annual Street Fair, realizing it was possible to laugh and throw up at the same time.

After experiencing life’s challenges—including the sudden death of her father, infertility, chronic pain, and breast cancer—Jill learned to find unexpected joy during struggles. This discovery led to her podcast “Find Joy…No Matter What” and her newest book, No Matter What: 90 Devotions for Experiencing Unexpected Joy in Tough Times. After 30 years as a writing instructor at Virginia Commonwealth University, she now shares her message of joy and resilience full-time.

She lives near Richmond, Virginia with her husband, Ben.

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