51 | How to Discern Your NEXT Book From God When You Have Too Many Ideas And Zero Clarity

Having seventeen book ideas isn't abundance—it's often paralysis dressed up as inspiration.

When every idea feels exciting but nothing feels certain, how do you know which book God actually called you to write? This episode reveals the five biblical tests that separate good ideas from God ideas to help you discern what to write next.

Stop chasing trends and start following the voice that brings clarity. Not every idea in your head came from Him—and some that did aren't for now.

You'll walk away with: A clear framework to evaluate every book idea you have, confidence to say no to good ideas that aren't God ideas, and the peace that comes from finally knowing which book to commit to. No more decision paralysis—just Spirit-led clarity.

👉 Listen now to uncover the secret to becoming an anointed scribe!

Transcript

There's a particular kind of stumbling block that hits writers who have too much inspiration.

Notebooks full of story ideas. Browser tabs overflowing with potential series, concepts,

notes, apps bursting with titles, premises and character sketches. And every prayer session or church sermon brings another idea.

And yet total paralysis about what to write next.

It's not that you lack inspiration. It's that you have too much.

And somehow having 10 good ideas feels just as paralyzing as having zero ideas.

Because how do you choose? What if you pick the wrong one? What if you spent months writing a book God never asked you to write while the real assignment sits buried in your notes app?

So you freeze, you research,

you make pros and cons lists. You start one project, then switch to another when a better idea shows up.

You ask other writers what they think. You check what's trending in your genre. You analyze best seller lists hoping for a sign.

But deep down, what you really want to know is this.

Which one of these ideas is from God?

And how do I know for sure?

Friend,

if you are stuck in decision paralysis, if you have more ideas than clarity and you are terrified of wasting time on the wrong book, I need you to hear this today.

Having too many ideas isn't a sign of God's abundance.

It's often a sign you haven't learned to discern his specific voice yet.

And there's a massive difference between inspiration and assignment. One excites you,

the other anchors you.

So in this episode we are going to talk about why having too many ideas can be just as dangerous as having none.

How to recognize the difference between a good idea and a God idea, and the five biblical tests that will help you discern which book God is actually calling you to write next.

Because here's the truth. Not every idea that lands in your heart came from God.

Some came from fear, some came from comparison,

some came from trends, and some.

Some are genuinely from Him. But they are for later, not necessarily for now.

So how do you tell the difference? That's what we are diving into today.

This is episode 50.

I'm Urcelia Teixeira, ex real estate agent turned award winning Christian fiction author.

When I wrote my first novel on a bucket list whim, I had no idea it would spark a spiritual journey that would redefine my calling. But you know what friend?

Self publishing wasn't easy. I got caught in the hustle, chasing rankings and sales while desperately trying to stay rooted in Christ.

Now, by God's grace, I'm building my author business his way. And now he's called me to help you do the same.

Welcome to the Anointed Scribe podcast, where faith meets business for Christian writers. Let's write, publish, and grow our author business God's way. Are you ready? Well then, let's get started.

Hey, it's your author friend, Urcelia. And welcome back to Anointed Scribe,

the podcast for Christian writers who are ready to go from stuck and striving to anointed and thriving.

If you're new here, welcome friend. This is where we are all about building kingdom centered author businesses where you follow God's voice, not the world's formulas.

So grab your coffee, get cozy, and let's talk about something I know. So many of us so struggle with too many ideas and zero clarity about which one to actually write.

Now, this might sound like a good problem to have, right?

I mean,

there are writers out there desperately searching for their next book idea, praying for inspiration,

and here you are with a dozen ideas competing for your attention.

But here's what I've learned After eight years of writing and publishing.

Having too many options without discernment is just as paralyzing as having no options at all.

Because when you have 10 ideas and no clear direction, you end up doing one of two things. You either freeze and write nothing,

or you start everything and finish nothing.

You become a serial starter, the writer who has seven half finished manuscripts,

twelve outlines, and zero completed books.

Not because you lack talent or discipline, but because you never learned how to discern which idea God is calling you to right now.

And listen, I'm not talking about this from a place of judgment. I'm talking about this because I've been there.

I've sat at my desk with a list of book ideas that all felt exciting, all felt possible,

all felt like they could make an impact. And I've wasted months,

sometimes years,

chasing the wrong ones.

I've written books because they were trending in my genre, only to realize halfway through that I had zero anointing for the message.

I've started projects because another author was crushing it with a similar concept, only to feel completely drained every time I opened the manuscript.

I've picked ideas because they seemed safer or more marketable, only to discover that safe and marketable doesn't equal called.

And here's what I finally learned.

God doesn't call us to write every good idea. He calls us to write his specific assignments.

And that changes everything, right?

So let's start by talking about why having too many ideas is actually a problem. Because I think we often miss understand what's really happening?

When you're drowning in ideas, it's easy to think, well, God must be blessing me with creativity.

Look at all these stories he's giving me.

And maybe that's true, but more often,

what's actually happening is this.

You haven't learned to filter your inspiration through discernment yet.

Because here's the thing. Not every idea that pops into your head came from God.

Some ideas come from your own creativity, which is beautiful and God given,

but not necessarily God assigned.

Some ideas come from what you see other writers doing successfully. Some come from fear of missing out or trends you are afraid you'll be left behind on.

And some. Some are genuinely from God, but they are seeds for a future season,

not saplings you are supposed to plant right now.

And when you don't know how to tell the difference, you end up trying to write everything. Or worse,

you end up writing nothing because you are so afraid of picking wrong.

Let me share a story with you. A few years ago,

I had three book ideas that all felt exciting. One was a thriller series I'd been toying with.

Another was a standalone suspense novel with a concept I was absolutely obsessed with.

And the third was a completely different genre, a police procedural novel based on a story God had laid on my heart during a really hard season. And I didn't know which one to write.

So I did what most of us do. I made a pros and cons list. I asked my husband which one sounded more marketable.

I researched what was selling in each genre. I even prayed about it. But honestly, I was praying, God bless whichever one I choose.

Instead of saying God, show me which one you are choosing.

Do you see the difference?

And eventually I picked the thriller series because it made the most business sense, it fit my brand,

it was the smart choice and friend. I hated every second of writing it.

The writing was a daily grind. And I'm not exaggerating.

Not because the stories were bad, not because I'm a bad writer, not because I didn't have the discipline,

but because God never called me to write those books in that season. I was operating in my own wisdom instead of his assignment.

And that series. It struggled. The launch was flat,

the sales were fine but not great,

and I felt zero joy in the process because I was writing out of strategy and instead of obedience.

In fact, it's still my least successful series.

Meanwhile,

that police procedural idea, the one God had actually put on my heart,

sat in my notes app for another year before I finally had the courage to write it.

And When I did, it poured out. It was anointed.

Readers connected with it in ways they'd never connected with my other books. And I felt God's presence in every word.

Not because it was more spiritual or because I'm a better writer,

but because I finally stopped trying to discern with my head and started discerning with my spirit.

So how do we do that? How do we tell the difference between a good idea and a God idea?

Let me give you five biblical tests that will help you discern which book God is calling you to write next.

Test number one, the peace test.

Colossians 3:15 says, Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

That word rule there literally means act as umpire.

Peace is supposed to be a deciding factor.

So here's the question. When you think about writing this book, do you feel peace or pressure,

not excitement? Because honestly, most God assignments come with a mix of excitement and holy fear.

But underneath that excitement, is there peace or is there anxiety?

This constant second guessing, this feeling like you have to make it work.

Because here's the truth. God's assignments come with his peace. Even when they're hard, even when they're scary. There's this deep settled knowing that says, this is right, this is what I'm supposed to do.

But assignments you've chosen for yourself, they come with pressure,

striving, the constant need to justify why you picked this idea over the others.

So ask yourself,

does this book bring peace or does it bring pressure?

The second test is the anointing test. This one's simple but powerful.

Do you have grace to write this book? Or are you grinding through every sentence?

When God calls you to write something, he gives you the anointing, the supernatural enablement to do it.

That doesn't mean it's easy. It doesn't mean you won't have hard days.

But there's a flow, a grace, an ease that comes from operating in your assignment.

But when you're writing outside of God's calling, it's like trying to force open a door that's locked. You can push and push, but it's exhausting. The words won't come.

The story feels flat. You dread your writing time instead of looking forward forward to it.

And I'm not talking about writer's block or normal challenges of the craft. I'm talking about that bone deep resistance that makes you wonder if you are even supposed to be doing this at all.

So here's the question. When you sit down to work on this book, do the words flow or are you constantly Forcing it.

Test number three is the fruit test.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, by their fruit you will recognize them.

So here's what I want to ask you. What fruit is this book producing in your life right now?

Is this producing peace,

joy, and deep intimacy with God? Or is it producing anxiety, comparison, fear and distance from Him?

Is it drawing you closer to your calling? Or is it pulling you toward performance and people pleasing?

Or worse, money?

Is it making you more like Christ, or is it feeding your ego?

Because here's the thing.

God's assignments always produce good fruit in us before they produce impact through us.

If an idea is making you more anxious, more insecure, more driven by fear,

that's not God's assignment.

That's something else.

So pay attention to the fruit this idea is producing in your heart.

That will tell you a lot about its Source.

Test number four is the confirmation test.

Proverbs 15:22 says, Plans fail for lack of counsel,

but with many advisors, they succeed.

Now I'm not saying you need to poll your entire author community before you pick a book idea, but I am saying this.

God often confirms his assignments through trusted godly counsel.

So here's the question for you. When you talk to people who know you well,

who know your calling, who walk closely with God,

what do they say?

Not just, oh, that sounds so good,

but do they say, yes, I can see God's hand on this. This feels like you. This aligns with what I've seen God doing in your life.

Because sometimes we are so close to our ideas that we can't see clearly, right? We need outside perspective. We need people who love us enough to say,

I think you're chasing a trend, friend, or I think you are operating in fear, or actually, this other idea feels more aligned with your calling.

Now don't give everyone a vote,

but find two or three trusted advisors. People who know your calling, who have spiritual discernment, who aren't just going to tell you what you want to hear and ask them what they sense the Holy Spirit is saying.

Test number five is the timing test.

This is the one we often miss. We assume that if an idea is from God, we should write it right now.

But that's not always true.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.

Some ideas are from God, but they're not for now. They are seeds he's planting for a future, future season.

And if you try to write them before the time, you'll struggle not because the idea is Wrong, but because the timing is wrong. Because he hasn't revealed the full story to you yet.

Because he hasn't prepared your heart properly yet.

So here's the question. Does this book idea fit the season you are in right now?

And if you're in a season of rest and restoration, like we talked about in the last episode,

maybe the book God's calling you to isn't the big, ambitious project.

Maybe it's the quiet, reflective one that doesn't require as much from you.

If you're in a season of transition,

maybe God isn't calling you to start something new at all.

Maybe he's calling you to finish something old.

If you're in a season of growth and expansion, maybe he's calling you to that scary stretching project you've been avoiding.

Pay attention to the season because the right idea at the wrong time is still the wrong choice.

So those are the five tests. Let me recap them for you quickly. The peace test. Does it bring peace or pressure?

The anointing test. Is there grace to write it or are you grinding?

The fruit test. What is this idea pouring into your heart?

The confirmation test. Are trusted advisors confirming this?

And the timing test. Does this fit your current season?

Now, here's what I want you to do with these tests. I want you to take that list of ideas, all those concepts floating around in your head, and I want you to run each one through these five tests.

Not in your head, on paper. Actually write it out.

Because here's what's going to happen. Some of those ideas are going to fail every single test.

And that's your answer. Those aren't God's assignments,

at least not right now.

So take them off the table, archive them, put them in a future maybe folder, and stop letting them steal your focus.

Some ideas are going to pass a few tests, but fail others.

Those might be good ideas, but they are not God ideas. Or they are God ideas for later, not now.

So honour them by acknowledging they exist, but release them for not now. And then,

if you've done this honestly, with an open heart and a willingness to hear God's voice,

one or two ideas are going to pass all five tests. And friend, that's your answer.

That's what you write next.

Not the idea that's most marketable, not the idea your author friends are excited about.

Not the idea that seems safest or trendiest or most likely to succeed and inflate your bank balance.

The idea that has peace,

anointing, good fruit, confirmation and right timing.

That's God's assignment. And when you write from that place,

everything changes.

Because here's what I've discovered. When you are writing the book God called you to write in the season he called you to write it with the anointing he's given you to write it.

The struggle isn't gone, but the striving is.

You're not fighting for validation anymore.

You're not second guessing every chapter. You're not wondering if you're wasting your time. You are just obedient. And obedience brings freedom.

Now, I know some of you might be thinking, but Urcelia, what if I run all my ideas through these tests and none of them pass? What if nothing feels clear?

Well, then, friend, the answer might be,

don't write any of them right now.

And I know that's scary. I know it feels like you're wasting time or missing opportunities.

But sometimes the most obedient thing you can do is wait, is rest, is be still until God makes it clear.

Because forced obedience isn't obedience at all. And writing a book just because you feel like you should be writing isn't the same as writing the book God called you to write.

And this is an area we need to pay particular attention to because we can so easily allow ourselves to be swept up with a pressure to release, to keep up with the industry,

or to feel pressured to release books because we're scared the income will drop or disappear.

So pay attention that you're not driven by fear.

Since learning this discernment, I will not write the next book unless it's cleared all five tests. I promise you, even if six months passes between books. And my readers will confirm this because I actually share it with them.

In fact, I've asked them to pray for God to give me inspiration. So never let the world put pressure on you to write for the sake of writing, to keep up with the industry.

And if you're in a season of waiting, don't fight it. Don't fill the silence with activity just because silence feels uncomfortable.

Trust that God's timing is perfect. Trust that when he's ready for you to write, he'll make it unmistakably clear.

And in the meantime, use that season to grow,

to heal, to deepen your relationship with Him.

Because the best books don't come from writers who are busy. They come from writers who are rooted.

So here's my challenge for you this week.

Take that list of ideas, run them through the five tests, and then, and this is the hard part, actually make a decision.

Not a perfect decision, not a risk free decision,

but a spirit led peaceful, obedient decision.

Pick the book God's calling you to write and then commit to it. Not halfway,

not with one foot out the door in case a better idea shows up, but fully, with your whole heart.

Because here's the truth. You will never know if it was the right choice until you obey.

But you will always know if it was the obedient choice. And obedience is what God honors.

So stop waiting for absolute certainty. Stop looking for a burning bush or an audible voice.

Start listening for peace.

Start looking for anointing.

Start paying attention to the fruit,

the confirmation, the timing.

And then write the book he's calling you to write. Not someday, not when you're more sure, not when conditions are perfect now.

Because the world needs the book God's put on your heart. Not the book you think will sell,

not the book you think you should write.

The book he called you to write.

And when you write that book, you'll know. Because it won't feel like striving,

it will feel like worship.

Stop chasing every idea. Start following the one God's voice is confirming.

You'll know it when you find it.

Friend, before I let you go, I want you to use the send me a message link in the show notes and let me know where you need God to show up for you today so I can pray for you.

It's 100% anonymous. I can't see your name or your email or your phone number. I can't even reply to you. But I can read your request and I can pray for you.

So I encourage you to use this feature to send me a private message to let me know what you are struggling with right now so we can come together and take this to the Lord in prayer.

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Thank you for listening. And remember for such a time as this,

you have been called to thrive and as God's anointed scribe.