Prophetess Reverend Rita M. Henderson is a 4x best-selling author, speaker and self-publishing coach who helps Five-Fold Ministers plant the seeds of confidence, harvest their self-faith and clarify their life’s vision so that they can birth businesses that serve, scale and succeed.

Known as The Spiritual Midwife, Rita has taught hundreds of ministers how to birth their purpose and monetize their God ordained gifts by building successful faith-based businesses.

From coaching women on how launch membership communities to providing hopeful entrepreneurs with the foundational tools to build profitable businesses. Prophetess Rita continues to answer the call to assist fellow ministers in pursuing profit-generating, purpose-driven paths.

Her own blossoming stemmed from a magical moment in 2011 that drove her away from the roads of hardship – $100K in debt, a foreclosed home and car repossession despite having a good yet unfulfilling government job – and steered her straight into her own profitable faith-based business that allows her to live the emotionally, spiritually and financially free life she has always dreamed of.

Today, Prophetess Reverend Rita is a renowned speaker and three-time best-selling Amazon author of 30 Days to Increased Faith: Increase Your Faith Attract Gods Attention and Achieve Your Dreams and coauthor of the 31 Ways of Influence, Volume 2 anthology. With a bachelor’s degree in Management and a master’s degree in Theology, she delivers soul-stirring sermons, workshops and bible study courses that wash away the muddy waters of hesitation and self-doubt, all so the divinely inspired can pave the path to passion and purpose.

Connect with Reverend Rita if you are an aspiring Christian Author who has the desire to write and self-publish your book JOIN my private Facebook community of 1,200+ aspiring Christian authors – The Aspiring Christian Authors Academy at www.aspiringchristianauthors.com

1) First, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me! When did you know that writing is what you were called to do? What is it about being a writer that you love the most? What about being a writer frustrates you the most?

Thank you again for this amazing opportunity, in all transparency I never thought of myself as a writer, and I still don’t. It was not something that I had ever thought about doing. It was in 2011 when I heard the voice of God, and He said you are going to write a book until then it had never entered my mind or heart. What I love about writing the most is that it sets you apart from so many others in your same field, area of influence is what I like to call it and what frustrates me the most is knowing where to start. Often, I have so many ideas running through my mind that often just knowing where to start is the most difficult.

2) Can you tell us a little about your book(s) and where our readers can find out more about them and you?

My “30 Days to Increased Faith: Increase Your Faith, Attract God’s Attention and Achieve Your Dreams Program, is designed to help you build up your most holy faith. It uses scriptural references and daily prayer points, to guide you on how to diligently seek God, and how to connect with Him through faith in order to please Him and cause Him to act on your behalf. The program includes both the 30-Day Spiritual Devotion and Journal, the devotion which was released initially in 2017 became AMAZON’S BEST-SELLING SPIRITUAL DEVOTION in 2018. bit.ly/mostholyfaith and bit.ly/mostincreasedfaith

Facebook Personal Page Link: https://www.facebook.com/prophetesrita.henderson

Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aspiringauthorsacademy

www.purposedtopublish.com

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuPRKEvWccUw1yHc__yTiqg

3) Where do you draw your inspiration from for the stories that you manage to weave together and the characters that you create?

My inspiration comes from my tribe, The Christian Authors Self-Publishing Support Group is my private Facebook Group of over 1,500 aspiring and emerging Christian authors. They are the ones that told me that they wanted a 30-Day Spiritual Devotion, and I asked them did they want it on gratitude, thanksgiving because I remember it was around the holidays and they said they wanted a 30-Day Spiritual Devotion on Faith and I have sold hundreds of copies because I listened to what they said they wanted and then delivered.

4) Do you have a schedule for when you write? Do you outline your novels? How long does it generally take you to finish a novel? What projects are you currently working on?

Yes, outlining is a must for me otherwise how would I know where to start and just as importantly where to end. So yeah, I must have an outline and a writing schedule. I have created 2 types of writing schedules just depending on how I am feeling and what is going on in my world what my writing schedule looks like. My 1st book I finished in 3 days.

True story: I have a sister friend and one of the things I wanted us to do was write a book, we started out building our business together and I thought okay this is what is next for us and so I begin writing and every day I would ask her if she had started on her book and every day, she would say no. This went on for several days and then one day I asked again if she had started writing her book and she said yeah, and I’m finished. Lol. And I couldn’t believe it right because I was still writing just a little, I might’ve had 3 pages written but because she had finished her book, it gave me the motivation to finish mine and so I locked myself in my home office and wasn’t coming out until I finished the book, it took me 3 days to complete it.

Currently, I am working on my signature book still don’t have a name for it yet, but it is going to teach you How to Write and Self-Publish Your Book In 90 Days, it will launch on my birthday June 19th.

5) What’s the first book you ever read that really moved you emotionally? Who is your favorite author to read? What book are you currently reading?

The Holy Bible, I first read it through when I was 18 years old and then I read it through again later in life it is my favorite book to read. Currently I am reading the 12 Week Year by Brian P. Morgan and Michael Lennington.

6) What has been your most significant achievement as a writer thus far? Where do you see yourself within your career in the next five years?

My 30-Day Spiritual Devotion when I think about it, it brings me to tears this book has been instrumental in bringing young black men into the Salvation of Jesus Christ. It has gone international when I look at the stats on Amazon, I can’t help but to think who is reading my book in India? Like really that just blows mind, even now it brings me to tears. It’s so humbling!

In the next 5 years I am going to be a sought-after speaker for conferences, workshops, summits etc. I will have positioned my business Five-Fold Christian Publishing LLC to be a leader in Christian publishing with our services being sought after by Christian ministers and leaders.

7) How have you dealt with rejection within your writing career? What is your advice for other writers to better be able to cope or navigate their way through the publishing process, be it traditional or self-publishing?

Emotional Intelligence for authors is so needed. During the writing process you really must be smart about your emotions and not allow them to control you, but you control them. When you are writing your story on paper it no longer controls you, you control the narrative you control the story. Writing can be a good form of therapy if you approach it right. The more you hold on to the emotions the more the unhealthier they become. If you have a story to tell, tell it! Writing is good for the soul.

8) Do you find it hard to juggle the creative side of being a writer against the business side of being a writer, in terms of marketing and promotion and things of that nature? How hard has it been (or easy) for you to build up your author platform?

Building up an author platform takes a lot of work. I started in my local community attending any events that aligned with my book. Such as prayer breakfasts, women events, faith-based events, I also hosted local book signings at my local Bible Book Stores. I also, built up a platform on social media mostly on Facebook I even started a group 30 Days to Increased Faith where those that purchased the book can come into this container with me. In addition, I will do 30 LIVES in 30 Days around holidays that again align with my book.

9) So many writers say that they hate reading their own work. Do you ever enjoy reading your own work back to yourself after it’s out there for the rest of the world?

That is so funny, I don’t enjoy it. I hate reading my own work too, Lol.

10) Do you believe that there is ever a point in life where it’s too late for an aspiring writer to become successful in this industry? Do you feel a late start would hinder their chances?

Not at all, it is never too late. I was 47 years old before I wrote my 1st book, and it couldn’t have happened any sooner because those experiences made me into the person, I needed to be for me to write the book. I hope that makes sense.

11) I feel like writing is a remarkable tool to help people not only express themselves, but also to cope emotionally and mentally. I know for me I write to be and feel more authentic. What unique quality is there about you, about your art, that you feel represents your authenticity? How does writing help you to be more empowered in your purpose?

Writing helps me to be seen as the go to expert in my area of influence and it gives me the confidence I need to serve, servant leaders. It helps to align me with my ideal clients.