Sooo… Christian fiction writing.
What can we say about it?
Since this week’s writing Definition, Challenge and Rule are going to be filled with some fairly harsh criticism, it’s probably only right to add in a quick note of personal commentary on the subject.
Maybe even two.
Editor’s Note: Innovative Editing’s commentary on Christian fiction should in no way, shape or form be taken as commentary on Christianity in general. Despite the writing Definition below, the literary genre and associated religion are not automatically compatible. One is supposed to be inspired by the other, yes, but that doesn’t mean one automatically reflects well on the other.
Editor’s Note 2: Innovative Editing Chief Executive Editor Jeannette DiLouie is a Bible-believing, born-again Christian who does genuinely try to live out her faith. She just can’t stand most Christian fiction.
So there. You’ve been officially warned.
Proceed at your own risk.
Truth be told, Christian fiction should be a great genre to work within. There are so many possible premises, plots, characters, settings and sub-genres to explore, as explained in Innovative Editing’s writing Definition right below.
Christian Fiction:
Christian fiction is fiction that’s written from a Christian perspective with a distinct and intentional Christian message.
The main character(s) either starts out believing in the biblical God, which drives his/her ultimate actions, or comes to find him by the end.
Christian fiction can easily be broken up into sub-genres: from Christian historical fiction to Christian romantic fiction to even Christian fantasy! How cool is that?
That last one, Christian fantasy writing, is catching on more and more it seems. And then there’s also Christian science-fiction writing and Christian YA, to name a few more.
Again, there’s clearly a lot to work with when it comes to Christian fiction writing. There’s even a lot of room to work with well.
It’s just that far too few writers actually seem to manage that goal these days.
We’re going to explore this in greater detail this week, starting with tomorrow’s guest blog post.
But for now, consider this way of looking at it. It’s from our previously posted romance Writing Challenge, of all things:
… true love… is such a deep and all-around intimate subject matter that it’s impossible to truly capture it in words. Oh, we can write about our skin tingling from someone’s touch or our eyes lighting up when we see that special someone.
But those descriptions don’t even come close to describing the utter onslaught of emotion and connection and attraction that plays out in real life when a boy and girl or man and woman truly come together, heart, mind, body and soul.
Words just fall flat.
Well, the same thing is true with God’s love for us, just times a billion. When we’re really in tune to him, it’s indescribable. Which means that any attempt to try to describe the sensation will fail.
And any attempt to think we can avoid that fact will fail indescribably.
Hopefully, we have bigger aspirations for our Christian fiction writing than that. Hopefully.