Book Update: In Review and Seeking a Publisher

There is a particular kind of tension that comes with finishing a manuscript. You have poured months — in this case, much longer — into something you believe in. You have written and rewritten. You have prayed over chapters. You have cut things that were good because they were not good enough. And then, finally, you reach the point where the work is done.

That is where Principles to Live By stands today.

The manuscript is complete and is now in the review process. At the same time, I am actively looking at publishers — evaluating who the right partner would be to bring this book to readers the right way.

I want to be honest with you about what this stage looks like, because I think it matters.

The review stage is not a formality. It is the part of the process where the manuscript is read with fresh eyes — carefully, critically, and without the author's attachment to every sentence.

For Principles to Live By, this means making sure that every chapter does what it promises. That the principles are not just stated but demonstrated. That the Scripture is handled with accuracy and respect. That the writing is clear enough for a young man picking up a book for the first time, and substantive enough for someone who has been wrestling with these questions for years.

This is the stage where good books become great ones — or where a writer discovers that a chapter needs more work than he thought. I am not afraid of that. I would rather have someone tell me now than have a reader discover it after the book is in their hands.

Alongside the review, I am in the process of evaluating publishers. This is a decision I am not taking lightly.

The right publisher is not simply the one who says yes first. It is the one who understands what this book is, who it is for, and why it matters. Principles to Live By is a faith-grounded book written for young men who are serious about building a life of purpose and conviction. The publisher who carries it needs to share that vision — not just as a market category, but as a genuine commitment.

I am looking at both traditional publishing houses and independent options. Each path has real trade-offs. Traditional publishing brings distribution, credibility, and editorial infrastructure. Independent publishing brings control, speed, and a direct relationship with readers. Neither is automatically right. The question is which one serves this book — and the people it is written for — best.

I will share more as that process develops. What I can tell you now is that I am being deliberate, I am asking the right questions, and I am not going to rush a decision that will shape how this book reaches the world.

I know some of you have been waiting. You have asked about the book. You have subscribed to the newsletter. You have sent encouraging notes. That means more than I can adequately express.

But I want to be direct with you: a book that is released before it is ready is a book that does not serve its reader well. The principles in this book are meant to be lived by — not skimmed, not forgotten, not set aside after a week. That kind of book requires patience in the making.

The world already has too many books that were written quickly, edited lightly, and published before the author had fully thought through what he was trying to say. I refuse to add to that pile.

Principles to Live By will be released when it is ready. Not before.

Once the review is complete and a publisher is selected, the path to publication becomes much clearer. There will be an editing process, a design process, and eventually a release date. When that date is set, you will hear about it here first — and in the newsletter before anywhere else.

If you are not already subscribed, I would encourage you to do that now. The newsletter is where I share the things that do not make it onto the blog — the shorter reflections, the updates between updates, and the kind of writing that is better suited to a quiet Tuesday morning than a public post.

I have not talked much about the content of Principles to Live By in these updates, because I want the book to speak for itself when the time comes. But I will say this:

Every principle in this book is one I have tested. Not in theory — in life. In marriage, in fatherhood, in work, in faith, in the moments where the right choice was also the harder one. I wrote this book because I wish someone had handed it to me when I was twenty-two and trying to figure out what kind of man I wanted to be.

If that sounds like something you need, or something you know someone who needs — stay close. It is coming.

More soon.

— R.S. Ellis