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Janet McHenry

Janet McHenry

Author Mentor

Janet McHenry is an award-winning author of 28 traditionally published books, including the following genres: Christian living, Bible studies, devotionals, gift books, and fiction for children and adults.

Get To Know Janet


Janet McHenry is an award-winning author of 28 traditionally published books, including the following genres: Christian living, Bible studies, devotionals, gift books, and fiction for children and adults. Two of those were on bestseller lists: PrayerWalk and 50 Life Lessons for Grads. With a journalism degree from Berkeley, she formerly worked as a newspaper reporter and editor. However, she says she learned to write books at Christian writers conferences and has become an expert at helping others understand writing form and create structure for any kind of writing. Janet is a former educator, writing coach, book editor, creator of the Teachable course Prayer School, and host of the Sierra Valley Writers Retreat. She and her husband, Craig, a cattle rancher, live in the Sierra Valley in northern California, where they raised their four kids. She serves as the prayer ministries director at The Bridge Church in Reno and on the California leadership team for the National Day of Prayer. Besides kayaking on mountain lakes in the Sierra with her husband, Janet’s favorite thing is watching lightbulbs go on in writers’ eyes.

Pre-Conference Session


Developing a Well-Crafted Christian Living Book

Writing a Christian living book that attracts the attention of an agent, editor, and audience requires careful planning. It requires a shift from our personal experience to an understanding of those needing help and hope. In this pre-conference session Janet will teach the following:

  • Understanding potential audience and felt need
  • Crafting a winning title, hook, and summary
  • Evaluating the potential competition
  • Planning the chapter outline from a problem through a process to the promise behind the book
  • Understanding how to design chapter material through a hands-on practicum
  • Preparing correct citations
  • Storyboarding an entire book through a dynamic group exercise

15-Minute Appointments


Janet McHenry: Structure Specialist

Janet has written 28 books for traditional publishers, including Christian living books, devotionals, Bible studies, gift books, as well as children’s books and fiction for adults. She can review your proposal, one sheet, or outline and give you counsel to make your project winningly more effective. A seasoned writers conference speaker and the host of the Sierra Valley Writers Retreat, she loves encouraging writers as she helps them understand the form of various genres.

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