Christian Authors & Readers discussion

I'm new to the group and a new writer as well. I have only (self) published one book so far. I have read a lot of Christian fiction though, but everything I have read is very very blatantly Christian. Meaning, there are a lot of references to the Bible or to Jesus' teachings. I wonder how much Biblical reference constitutes classifying a book as Christian? I wouldn't say my current novel is though it mentions church and some Biblican principles. My next one though quotes the Bible and talks a LOT about creationism. But it's really more of an adventure story with a little romance (YA - very mild). Thoughts? Thanks!

I don't think it is possible to really quantify what makes certain fiction 'Christian'. I guess I would say that it is fiction that is 'on our side', meaning, it is not just friendly to or indifferent to Christianity, but actually supports it in some way. I've self-published a fantasy novel that makes no references to the Bible or anything specifically Christian, but which is meant to support certain Christian ideas. A great example of this kind of thing would be C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces, which is written in an entirely pagan setting, but which has very deep Christian themes.

Although I am a Christian the book I am writing is not overtly Christian. It does, however, support Christian morals and lifestyle. I am deliberately writing this for the crossover market. I deliberately want it to be read by anyone. Although I enjoy specifically Christian fiction much of it tries so hard to ram Christianity down your throat that it outs people off including many Christians

I agree with Wendy that to load a book with Christian messages and Bible verses may be off-putting to many, too earnest and slow the pace in some cases. It works best for me to inject a few grains of salt into the leaven. But if our books can be read by a wider crossover market, they will literally 'go out into all the world and preach the gospel' however subtle those words may be. A good example; Christ told stories and challenged people to look for the meanings within.

I agree with Ruth and Wendy. The message needs to be subtle and intrinsic to the story, otherwise non Christains will simply stop reading if we bash them over the head with it.Even as a Christian it can be annoying. This is part of the reason I stopped reading christian fiction for a lot of years.

I agree with those posts. I was recently reading a Christian book which had a lot of good features, but I found the Christian content was too heavy and wasn't woven into the plot well. The main Christian character would quote scriptures at non-Christian characters and it was cringe-worthy. But then another book could go the other way and be so subtle that it's indistinguisable from non-Christian works. I think a lot depends on the audience you're aiming for. Are you hoping to reach non-Christians or build up Christians? But even if aimed at Christians, I think we need to watch the cringe factor. I've just finished reading a novel that I felt had the balance right - Vienna Prelude by Bodie and Brock Thoene. It dealt with the plight of Jews in Germany and Austria in 1936/1937 and was very powerful. Faith was woven seamlessly into the story - not too much was mentioned early on, but when faith issues did come up, it fitted the plot perfectly. I'd be happy to recommend it to non-Christians.

I can't say I'm trying to reach Christians OR non-Christians. But the way the story is written is just the way I think which has Christian undertones. I'm not in-your-face when I write or in real life, but the influence is always there. I suppose my biggest question is - will that turn readers off? Will even the slightest reference make people stop reading or wonder why this book isn't classified as "Christian"? I guess it's a mark of our society today that we have to worry about offending someone with even the slightest show of our beliefs.

I don't think it will turn people off. A lot of secular books even have certain Christian themes woven into them. The last Harry Potter book even has a quotation from the Bible in the beginning, but nobody would consider it a Christian book. The Wheel of Time fantasy series, which definitely is not Christian, has a savior prophesied to shed his blood to save the world from the dark one. I think that as long as the Christian themes are not forced into the story you should be fine.

I have had Christians and Non Christians read Streets on a Map: Journey Through Changes and enjoy it. Several non Christians who read it commented that they thought it was all handled in a non preachy way. They would have stopped reading if it had been too heavy. And one Christian lady commented that it,'had a strong Christian message in a non preachy way' and she liked that 'hope came across through several of the characters.' I was happy to hear those comments from both lots of people and hope it will cause people to think about where they stand with God and the difference God makes in a person's life.

Jake, you've made a good point. I recently read The Light Between Oceans which is a mainstream book, but it had some Christian themes woven into the story. It was a book full of moral dilemmas and the way different characters dealt with the issues often intersected with faith. A great example of how it can be done well.

I so want to read this one.

I think people who want to hear a sermon go to church or call Mom. Those of us who follow Jesus communicate His story in many different ways. A book where good triumphs over evil, the protagonist risks or sacrifices himself/herself for the good of others, or love prevails in the face of all obstacles is compatible with Christianity. However, tossing in a verse of scripture or a moral lesson cannot compensate for deficient writing.