Purpose
The purpose of writing fiction is firstly to entertain the readers, capture their hearts, minds and imaginations, take them on an emotionally satisfying journey and have them quickly turning the pages out of an unquenchable desire to find out what happens next (not because they’re skipping all the boring bits). The purpose of Writing Christian Fiction is to entertain your readers in the same way, take them out of the daily grind with a story well told and characters they can relate to. The reader should come to the end of the book satisfied, perhaps relieved and hopefully smiling.
Christian fiction writers are not meant to be masquerading as ministers or pastors. We’re not trying to change the world by preaching to the general public. If you want to write theology, save it for your non-fiction books (and make sure the title accurately reflects the content). It’s a different readership and they appreciate the didacticism. They’re keen to find out how to live according to Biblical principles. When writing fiction, however, you are aiming at a different audience. Your message needs to be wrapped in a well told story. You have to master the art of storytelling. There are many resources available to assist you in this. Hone your skills – become a master storyteller.
By the end of a Christian fiction novel, the reader should be left with a profound sense of what the population is up against in our world. The purpose of Christian fiction, then, is to show human beings just as we are, struggling against the evil that is in the world. The source of the evil will vary depending on the writer’s choice. In my first Christian fiction novel, ‘Six Against the Darkness; The Coming of the Light’, the source of all evil is the enemy of mankind, the Devil (The Great Dragon) whose will is carried out by demon armies under the command of a reluctant demon overlord named Zeba’al. The rebellion against the demon stronghold is led by a chosen group of teenagers, especially equipped with the armor of Ephesians 6. The battles are fantasy, but the demonic deceptions are real.
Real characters.
Whenever a character is introduced in a story the reader needs to know all about them: their appearance; their personality; how they are dressed. Villains don’t need to be completely evil and protagonists don’t have to be saints. It’s worth doing a character analysis for each character which would include:
Their role in the story;
Occupation;
A physical description;
Personality;
Distinguishing mannerisms, habits, ink;
Anything in their background that could explain their behaviour;
Have they been traumatised which may explain why they react in a particular way;
Their spiritual (religious) life.
Characters need to be fully developed so that the reader can identify and sympathise with them. Their flaws should not be excused and how they react to challenges in their lives should be realistic. Do they have a strong faith in an all-powerful God or are they tired of organized religion? Have they been burnt out or betrayed? What are the issues they’re facing, for example, falling in love with a person from a different faith or even worse, falling in love with a person of no faith; or listening to the wrong voice in their head and making a disastrous choice? The list goes on.
Writing Christian Fiction necessarily involves references to a higher power, a sense of what’s right and what’s wrong. Characters could be struggling with guilt or fear the consequences of doing the wrong thing. Contemporary issues can be explored as the players negotiate the modern moral minefield – edgy and thought provoking but not
‘preachy.’
Setting
The setting should be as thoroughly detailed as the characters whether it’s the princess’s palace or a damp, rough hewn cell in the bowels of the demonic stronghold. What the setting’s unique features? Describe the sights, sounds and smells. For example, the sweet, distinctive aroma of freshly mown and manicured lawns outside the palace; the ever present smell of brimstone which indicates the presence of demons, the fire in the pit of hell which gives off neither heat or light.
Dark clouds, dark rooms, dark passageways, dark neighborhoods, dark cells all testify to the presence of evil. The temperature often drops and sends a shiver down your back as if an icy, clawed finger has run the length of your spine.
What sounds can you hear? In my first novel, the sounds of the wailing of prisoners who have lost all hope can be heard emanating from the aptly called wailing rooms in the deepest part of the demon stronghold.
It’s important to include the full range of senses when describing setting. If alcoholism is one of your themes, the clink of empty bottles would be an essential sound effect to include.
Plot
The Beginning
In the beginning (not Genesis 1 – the beginning of the novel) there is backstory as you introduce the characters and tell us what’s going on. Show your characters in action even if it is just lying in bed taking pain killers because of a massive headache as a result of a night on the booze. No misinterpreting such a scene. It’s obvious the character has a problem. In this case the problem could be alcoholism: what effect has this had on his family? Why is he/she drinking heavily? Is this an ongoing problem? Is the character wrestling with addiction or happy to get drunk on a regular basis?
The Middle
This is where a series of events pushes the action closer and closer to a climax. Does the alcoholism lead to crime? Is he/she an angry drunk or a happy drunk? How is the addiction affecting relationships?
The End
The events of the middle eventually lead to the climax, the resolution where all questions are answered in the denouement, the unravelling where loose ends are tied up and we find out what happens to the cast. In my first novel, the climax is a massive sword and shield battle which is won with the help of Brandon’s magic sword and an archangel. It’s fantasy and I get to write the fun stuff.
Writing Christian Fiction is very rewarding but as authors we are not meant to sermonise, rather to tell gripping stories exploring the big issues of the day.
Comments