When Success Doesn’t Follow You—Finding Identity as an Unpublished Christian Author

by Jeffrey Friedel, writing as Jefferson Riede @JeffersonRiede

Scripture: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” ~Philippians 3:7 (ESV)

There was a time in my life when I had the titles to back up my name. Lawyer. Executive. C-suite officer. I traveled the world. I stood in boardrooms. I rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. In the corporate world, I had arrived.

And then—I stepped away.

I retired from the career that had defined me and stepped into something far more uncertain: Christian fiction writing. I followed a calling to tell stories of faith, suspense, and redemption. Only this time, no one handed me a business card, no corner office came with it, and there was no applause when I sat down to write my first chapter.

Instead, I found something disorienting.

When someone asks me, “So what do you do?” I hesitate. Do I tell them I’m retired? That I was once an executive? Do I say I’m a writer, even though my debut novel hasn’t been published yet? There’s a subtle shame that creeps in when our outward success no longer validates our identity. But then I remember Paul’s words: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

Paul had credentials that demanded respect—scholarship, zeal, leadership. And yet, he saw it all as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. Why? Because Paul understood something I’m still learning: an identity that is rooted in Christ is never diminished by obscurity. In God’s Kingdom, value is not measured by platforms or publishing deals. It’s measured by obedience.

For those of you juggling a day job while writing in the quiet hours of the night, you know this tension. You feel the divide between what pays the bills and what feeds your soul. You wonder if your work matters when no one sees it yet. You question calling yourself a “writer” when you don’t yet feel like you’ve earned it.

Let me encourage you: you are not alone in that tension. And more importantly, you are not forgotten by God.

Your identity is not “aspiring author.” Your identity is not “unpublished.” Your identity is not “just a teacher,” “just a nurse,” or “just a stay-at-home parent who writes in the margins of the day.”

Your identity is: Child of God. Faithful steward. Obedient servant. Beloved creator, made in the image of the Creator Himself.

So write—not for approval, but from identity. Let your work flow not from a need to prove something, but from the joy of reflecting the One who called you. Whether the world ever sees your name on a book cover or not, your Heavenly Father sees you. He sees your midnight typing. He sees your rejections and revisions. And He rejoices over you, not because of what you’ve accomplished, but because you are His.

Like Paul, we can count our former accomplishments as loss—not because they didn’t matter then, but because they don’t define us now.

So, if you’re writing in the shadows, unsure whether to call yourself a writer—go ahead and claim it. Not because of what you’ve done, but because of who you are and who He is.

Prayer:
Lord, help me root my identity not in titles or recognition, but in You. Remind me that being called by You is enough, even when the world hasn’t yet acknowledged the work You’ve given me to do. Strengthen me to be faithful in the hidden seasons. Use my writing—even in its unfinished form—for Your glory. Amen.

Questions for Reflection:
• Have you ever struggled with how to answer the question, “What do you do?”
• How do you reconcile your professional identity with your creative calling—or with the deeper truth of your identity in Christ?
• Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments. Your story might be the encouragement someone else needs today.

Jeffrey Friedel (writing as Jefferson Riede) is an Atlanta-based author with a passion for high-stakes, faith-infused storytelling. His debut novel, STRONGHOLD, was a semi-finalist in the 2024 ACFW Genesis Contest and is currently seeking representation. His second thriller, TWELVE WORDS (A Bitcoin Legacy), is set to be completed this fall. Visit Jeff on his website at: www.JeffersonRiede.com