On Wednesday August 15, our new book, Living With Less: An Unexpected Key to Happiness, will officially launch. Needless to say, I’m really excited. And with less than two weeks before its release, I wanted to take a moment and explain everything you need to know about the new book… and then give away a few advance copies to help with its promotion.
The Background
Publishers are very interested in the existing audience of their authors. They want to know the size of a potential author’s platform and the specific demographics. Publishers are, after all, in the money-making business and want to know their investment is going to result in profit. In this way, many publishers just pay authors for access to their audience.
But this book is completely different.
Group Publishing first approached me last spring. They had heard our story and the work we were doing at Becoming Minimalist. They believed in the message. And saw a valuable partnership opportunity. Over one year ago, they asked if I’d consider writing a book about minimalism for Christian teenagers – an entirely new demographic for me.
Shortly after the initial conversation, with little hesitation, I said yes. And I did so for several reasons:
- The invitation of minimalism is important for teenagers and young adults. The practical benefits are highly relevant to their lives today and in the future. And finding life in owning less at an early age will save many heartaches down the road.
- The book provides great opportunity to expand the reach of this life-giving message. Statistically speaking, Christian teenagers and young adults make up an incredibly small percentage of readers on this site. But utilizing the size and reach of Group Publishing’s network, Living With Less will provide an avenue to bring inspiration to a brand-new segment of the population.
- I feel uniquely qualified to write this book. In many ways, I have been preparing to write this book for years. I have worked with Christian teenagers in a variety of churches over the years (most recently leading one of the largest youth ministries in New England). I have communicated with teens specifically for the last 13 years. I have intentionally lived with fewer possessions for the last 4 years. And this book will combine both my full-time job and my favorite part-time hobby for the very first time.
The Book
Description: As I mentioned previously, Living With Less: An Unexpected Key to Happiness, is written for a brand-new, relatively unreached market: Christian teens and young adults. The book invites teenagers and young adults to discover the practical benefits of living with fewer possessions. And I believe it approaches the subject from a fresh, new angle.
Most religious books written on the topic of materialism discuss the evils of consumerism and seeking the world’s pleasures. I wanted to write a book that didn’t just discuss materialism from a negative view, but praised minimalism from a positive view by clearly articulating the practical benefits of owning fewer possessions: less debt, less distraction, more freedom, more opportunity. I wanted to invite teenagers to embrace a more abundant way to live. I wanted to encourage them to rethink the teachings of Jesus Christ. And I wanted to use it as a springboard to call the American Church to start taking Jesus’ teaching on money and possessions more seriously.
It is important for me to note that the spiritual/religious undertones of this book are very prevalent throughout. I work hard keeping Becoming Minimalist free from specific religious philosophies and will continue to do so. I understand the message of minimalism holds benefit to all who accept it… regardless of spiritual preference. Because of that, I may allude to spirituality on this website, but I always steer clear of speaking in specific terms concerning it.
But again, this new book is different. It embraces many of the spiritual conversations and beliefs concerning Jesus Christ. If you hold to the same, you will greatly enjoy this book. If you are unfamiliar with Jesus’ teachings on possessions, you’ll probably enjoy seeing how they have shaped my view of minimalism. But if you are hostile towards religion, this book is probably not for you. And that’s perfectly okay.
Length: Living With Less contains 16,000 words which translates to 100+ pages in the physical book. It is short enough that teenagers and young adults who pick it up will be able to finish it quickly. But it is long enough to cover all facets of the conversation that I believe to be necessary. While it contains some material that can be found elsewhere (previous books, blog posts), almost 50% of the book is entirely new. And the sections that can be found elsewhere have been rephrased to connect with a younger audience.
Publisher: Group Publishing is based in Loveland, CO. Group Publishing is a respected leader among publishers who seek to equip and train church leaders and youth around the world.
Distribution/Price: Along with other book distributors, Living With Less: An Unexpected Key to Happiness will be available through Amazon as both a physical copy (paperback) and a digital download (Kindle). The physical copy of the book will sell for $7.99 while the digital download will sell for $6.39.
Release Date: Living With Less: An Unexpected Key to Happiness will be released on Wednesday, August 15.
Video Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sU3EDIk0t-E
—-
Get Notified by E-Mail When the Book Launches
If you would like to receive the most current information about the book’s launch and information about intentionally promoting simplicity in a world that desperately needs to hear it, sign up for our Becoming Minimalist newsletter by providing your e-mail address below:
Sam says
Hi Joshua, I loved watching your trailer — you did a great job letting it communicate your passion and earnestness about this topic!
I teach high school English and love to see teenagers’ idealism. Can you point me to any resources that are not faith-based that I could share with my students? If not, I hope you’ll be creating some of those, too. :)