Writing Christian Fiction Well: Be Real - Without Being Raunchy
Write stories that mirror real-life situations - broken relationships, betrayal, adversity, tragedy. Write so that readers can say "Yes, I've been there; this story feels real."
Show life as it is: that even Christians struggle with daily challenges and their own human failings. Here's what one reader says of the characters in Karen Kingsbury's books: "Each of them faces temptations, whether it is lust, anger, unforgiveness or waning faith. I wish more writers had Ms. Kingsbury's honesty about the life of faith." (Karen Kingsbury is a Christian writer whose bestsellers include the following series: Above the Line (4 books); Sunrise (4 books); Firstborn (5 books); and Redemption (5 books)).
But - you may say - if we are to be true to life, how do we deal with scenes involving sex, rape or violence? Should we be discreet, gloss over them? Or should we be explicit in our writing?
We're not talking here about sex or violence for its own sake, but where it's an integral, unavoidable part of the story; as, for example, in Redeeming Love, the story of an "irredeemable" prostitute, that unflinchingly reveals the horrendous side of human nature, complete with child rape, child and adult prostitution,
abortion, adultery, violence, murder and much more. By showing the worst that human beings are capable of, the author Francine Rivers delivers a powerful message of God's forgiveness and redeeming love.
Does dealing with so many "sordid" issues make Redeeming Love sound like a cheap sex story? Not at all. Francine Rivers does not go into explicit details, there's not a single four-letter word in the book, yet the scenes pack a punch. It's all in the treatment: the building up of tension, a few well-chosen words to pen a lightning sketch - and knowing when to stop, knowing the drama and power of silence. Read the book yourself to see how it's done.
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