By Pamela S. Thibodeaux
When asked to do this post for Suite T
and teach, or explain, how I write my ‘Christian’ novels and grab a reader’s
attention “without decreasing the message,” I had to stop and think a while,
and I must confess….
I don’t
write Christian fiction.
Years ago I wrote an article titled, “Is
it Christian or is it Inspirational?” in which I detailed some of the major
differences in the two. I’ll recap here…
Christian novels (mostly) adhere to
strict guidelines such as:
The heroine never appears outside her
bedroom in her nightgown.
The h/h do not spend the night (or week
or time) in a house alone.
The h/h do not curse or use euphemisms
such as heck, darn, etc. and the use of God or Jesus except in a prayer is
unacceptable.
Premarital sex is a big No-No! as is
divorce, water & spiritual baptism, women preachers, etc.
Mentioning a
specific religion is frowned upon because CF wants to reach readers across
dominations.
Newsflash: So Do Writers of Inspirational Fiction!
Inspirational novels may incorporate
some of these rules OR the opposite of some, but still stay within Biblical
guidelines.
For
Example:
The heroes in my Tempered series may curse (not all the time and no F bombs!);
fight, and/or have a sensual encounter, but there is no premarital sex and
there is usually a lesson learned from the encounter. In Lori’s Redemption the bull-rider turned preacher gets in an
actual fist fight – then spends days in prayer and repentance and delivers one
of his best sermons ever afterward.
These are a couple of examples from my
own work and the reason my writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an
Edge!” ™
Other authors have written the ‘edgy’
style also. Julie Lessman’s writing is known as Edgy Christian Fiction. Julie,
whose tagline is “Passion with a Purpose” pushes the envelope in some ways but
still remains within Biblical guidelines in a way traditional CBA publishers
and fans adore.
One publisher I spoke with when pitching
my work years ago said they would accept a certain degree of ‘edginess’ in
Historical but not contemporary.
As if the things that take place in a
Historical novel don’t take place (and even more so!) in contemporary times.
Alas, I’ve come to the conclusion years
ago that, although I love God/Christ with all my heart, I’m not called to write
‘Christian’ but Inspirational books. Books that are (per reviewers) “steamier
and grittier” and have “the most realistic characters read in an inspirational
novel.”
So what would I say to writers who want
to write Christian (edgy or not) or Inspirational?
Stay true to YOUR voice and YOUR
calling. If you want to write and be published in the Christian market, don’t
push the boundaries too much and be willing to rewrite/revise if you’re asked
to. Think outside the box when submitting. Publishing is constantly changing,
guidelines aren’t black and white anymore. There are shades of gray (no pun
intended LOL!) and they get blurrier all the time.
Consider pitching to smaller
publishers whose guidelines may be a little more lax on some of the ‘taboo’ Christian
issues, or to an agent who represents both CBA and ABA markets, or
self-publish.
If you choose the self-publishing route, please hire an editor
and cover artist and present your work in a professional manner!
The most important advice I can give a
writer of any genre is to write the book of your heart and make it the best
book you can! Keep learning and growing, be teachable and flexible and don’t
ever give up. Writing is a talent, a gift given to you by God. Don’t bury your
talent or hide your gift. Trust in your calling, your voice and your God.
____________________________________________________________
Award-Winning Author, Pamela S.
Thibodeaux is
multi-published in fiction and non-fiction. Her writing has been tagged as “Inspirational with an Edge!” (tm) and
reviewed as “Steamier
and grittier than the typical Christian without decreasing the message.” She is the Co-founder
and a member of the Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. As a former member of
American Christian Fiction Writers (formerly ACRW), Golden Triangle Writers
Guild, Coeur de Louisiane and RWA, Pam won Coeur’s 1999 “Diamond In The Rough”
as well as their 2000 “Ruby” Award and received her RWA Pro Pin in 2001. A committed Christian,
she firmly believes in God and His promises. God is very real to her and she
feels that people today need and want to hear more of His truths wherever they
can glean them. Although her writing is Inspirational, she does her best to
encourage readers to develop a personal relationship with God. The deepest desire of her heart is to glorify God
and to get His message of faith, trust and forgiveness to a hurting world. Her
hope is that all of her stories will touch the lives of everyone who reads them
and – in some way – bring them a truer knowledge of God and urge them into a
closer walk with Him. Social Media links: Website: http://pamelathibodeaux.com Blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com
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