Many things change in publishing, but there are some things that stay the same. One of those constants is the hot button topic of Acceptable Content in Christian Fiction. What are the rules for Christian fiction? Should there be any rules? A more important question: What do readers expect when they pick up a book categorised as Christian fiction?
Last Friday on our blog, Kara Isaac shared a post from the note she’d sent to her newsletter subscribers. The post titled What readers need to know about One Thing I Know explained the subtle differences in the spiritual/faith content in her new release compared to her previous books.
Two weeks ago at the Inspy Romance blog, I asked the following question in my blog post: Can you trust a CCR (Christian Contemporary Romance) to be Christian? The Inspy Romance readers shared in the comments their reading experiences and thoughts on the spiritual/faith content in CCR books.
In November 2013, only a few months after we launched the Australasian Christian Writers (ACW) blog on the Blogger platform, I shared a post that discussed Acceptable content in Christian Fiction. There was robust discussion in the comments, and I’m sharing an updated version of my original post today.
For many years there has been a lot of debate among Australasian writers regarding what is acceptable content in Australian and New Zealand Christian fiction books. For the purposes of this post, I’ll define Christian fiction as the category of books that are labelled Christian and primarily sold either online or in Christian book stores.
Christian worldview
There is a distinction between a Christian who writes fiction from a Christian worldview for the general market and a Christian who writes books that are labelled Christian fiction. A Christian worldview can be very subtle or more pronounced. Readers usually prefer books with strong Christian themes and content to be labelled as Christian or inspirational fiction.
Christian fiction audience
Many Christian fiction writers have a heart for reaching the unsaved. Others want to entertain their readers with wholesome stories that are uplifting and provide hope and encouragement for the Christian journey. Some want to address issues from a Christian perspective and show their characters growing in their faith as they face tough situations. Each writer is different and needs to choose the publishing path that fits with their goals and aspirations.
Christian fiction in North America
The Christian fiction category is dominated by books from North America. Christian fiction readers have certain expectations regarding the content of Christian fiction books. The typical Christian fiction book is usually written from a non-denominational evangelical Christian worldview.
It is expected that Christian characters behave in a manner that upholds Biblical principles. When they fall down and sin, there are negative consequences in the natural world but also grace and forgiveness from God. Christian characters aren’t perfect and they struggle with real issues, irrespective of the genre.
Christian fiction publishers
Publishers of Christian fiction tend to take a conservative stance regarding content. They are running a business and can’t afford to alienate any segment of the Christian fiction readership. If book stores won’t stock their books due to customer complaints about content, this will have a negative impact on the publisher’s bottom line. Publishers want to maximise the size of their market, not shrink their sales.
Pushing the envelope
A lot of the discussion regarding the content of Christian fiction centres on how far writers can push the envelope. Common questions include:
- Can you include swearing, bad language, blasphemy, sensuality, violence, blood and gore, paranormal or supernatural elements in any of the Christian fiction genres?
If yes, where is the line in the sand? What is the Biblical foundation for deciding upon the location of this line?
- Can you include a love scene in a Christian romance? How far can a Christian romance writer go regarding the description of intimate moments between their characters?
Is the bedroom door open, closed, or are those scenes never acceptable in a Christian romance, even if the couple are married?
- Are swear/cuss words ever okay in Christian fiction?
If yes, which words are acceptable for a Christian audience?
- Why are violent or gory scenes okay in certain Christian fiction genres but even a hint of sexual content is often frowned upon in Christian romances?
Could this be considered a double standard?
- Is the Aust/NZ Christian fiction readership less conservative than the North American readership? Is there a desire for more edgy content from Christian fiction readers in our part of the world?
If yes, how can Aust/NZ writers reach this audience without offending the more conservative readers?
Writing guidelines on acceptable content
I was previously published with Harlequin’s Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in North America. They provided their authors with a list of guidelines regarding acceptable content.
I was happy to follow all the rules on their list. Why? Because Love Inspired readers trust the brand and know what the books will deliver.
I respect my readers and value their expectations. I don’t want to offend any readers and I would prefer to take a more conservative approach to the content in my books. For example, I’ve heard people complain about bad language in Christian fiction books, but I haven’t seen the complaints about a lack of bad language in Christian books.
My take on the discussion
The reality is my personal opinions as an author regarding what I think is acceptable in Christian fiction aren’t the most important issue. I’m writing to please my readers. I hope my books will entertain readers with a satisfying and uplifting romance story that encourages readers in their faith and inspires readers to consider faith matters.
Reader expectations of acceptable content
The market dictates the genre expectations of Christian fiction. Writers are wise to heed the voice of Christian fiction readers if they want to sell books to a large audience.
Indie authors have more freedom regarding content. The savvy Christian indie authors will find their niche and put content warnings on their books if they sit outside the box. Readers can then choose if they want to ‘go there’ before they purchase the book.
Readers are smart
Readers use their imagination when they read books.
For example, a writer might envisage that their character has a tattoo but choose not to mention this detail in the story. Readers who are comfortable with tattooed Christian characters will likely join the dots and envisage a specific character with one or more tattoos. Other readers who dislike tattoos will create their own visual picture and not be offended or thrown out of the story by the mention of a tattoo.
The same can be said for the back story of your characters. Give your readers the freedom to create their own version of the back story that sits comfortably within their worldview and doctrinal beliefs.
My questions for you
What content do you find either acceptable or unacceptable in Christian fiction?
Is unacceptable content a deal breaker? Would it stop you from reading the story or future books by the author or publisher?
Do you like edgy fiction books that push the envelope and go further than the typical Christian fiction book?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I still do not want swearing in a book. I have put books down for this. its just slang and only a one of I can accept it but if its strong language and often I will not read the book.
I don’t mind a love story but I want closed door ex scenes,
I have no problem with tattoos don’t like them but I remember Virginia Smith having a girl with tattoos, hair dyed etc and she used neighbours to witness to this girl in a very caring way.
I have also read books by Gilbert Morris which have had violence in it very tastefully done I know others couldn’t read a book where someone was scalped but I didn’t find it overly graphic cos it was so well written.
I want to read a clean book which I know I don’t have to worry about swearing, sex etc. That’s why I read Christian fiction.
Hi Jenny, I’m not a fan of swearing in any books. Great authors like Gilbert Morris wrote violent scenes without going into the unnecessary gruesome details. I expect Christian fiction to be clean and wholesome, and I’m surprised when it’s not.
Wow! So many thoughts. Personally, I like to read outside the conservative CF genre once in a while to get a take on how non-conservatives think. I have become aware that one of the prevalent perspectives of non-conservatives is that conservatives are judgemental and think they are better than others. Which may or may not be true, but it’s not really an idea I want others to think of me as a Christian. I would prefer that I would be know by my love for others. When I went to a left-wing liberal secular university to study (recently) I noticed the language used by lecturers and students, and it certainly would not have been accepted by Conservative CF publishers. Did that mean I should withdraw from the class and not have anything to do with the other students. How was I supposed to show the love of Christ to them if my sensitive ears were too offended by the ideals and language that was constantly in the air. This was my first experience outside the Christian sanitised bubble, and it was an eye-opener. I chose to try to connect with other students and lecturers, and tried to show the love of Christ, occasionally shared Christian ideals etc. But I did not squirm or balk when I heard bad language and secular ideals. I was not there to judge them. I was there to learn and if anything, to show the light of Christ. When writing this question always comes up. Of course, as you say, Narelle, the publishers are running a business and can’t afford to have their titles withdrawn from sale because of a complaint, so they have to stay within the conservative guidelines. To play the game and get published, I suppose I could manage that as well, but I can’t help thinking that the books will only ever inspire and preach to the converted. I doubt the books would ever really find favour among those who need to know the gospel. It is a conundrum of mammoth proportions.
Hi Meredith, I’ve never lived in a Christian sanitised bubble, and for this reason I love escaping into Christian fiction. You’re right – most Christian fiction books will not ‘crossover’ into the general market and I actually don’t see this as a problem. I know many Christians who write general market precisely because they want to reach the readers who’d never intentionally pick up a religious book. The trick for these authors is knowing how to write fabulous stories that include faith story elements and engage the readers who normally wouldn’t pick up a Christian book.
I remember being a little shocked when I read a very popular US Christian author using the word ‘crap’ in their book- it felt like their (traditional) publisher was being very brave! I do think there has been a bit of a shift towards more edgy fiction in the US market, but it will probably never be as edgy in mainstream (traditionally published) circles as some would like.
Hi Carolyn that word doesn’t worry me as much now although at one time it did more but in America it isn’t consider slang. Just like I struggle with the word bloody its not an issue for Americans.
Jenny, that makes sense.
Hi Carolyn, Is crap considered a swear word in the US? I lose track of the regional language differences and can’t remember what’s considered offensive in different countries. The big shift toward edgy in the US was in the mid-late 2000’s when the traditional Christian fiction market was expanding. I agree, the market will shift and move to satisfy the majority of readers, and there will always be readers who prefer either more edgy or more conservative Christian fiction reads than the sweet spot in the centre of the genre.
Narelle No crap isn’t but I struggled when US friends were constantly saying it as 15 – 20 years ago here it was slang. Its like I can say something sucks and here its not considered bad but in the states its bad.
Oh, I didn’t realise saying something sucks could be a problem. We almost need a dictionary to keep track of all these words and phrases.
“crap” isn’t always acceptable in the US. It really depends on the circle (it’s not even regional.) And the age of the reader. I consider it a swear but it’s a “mild” one and I do sometimes use it myself (but I know I’m swearing when I do it. So. ) And there are a TON of Americans who take issue with “bloody” as well — in fact I’d say the majority of us consider it a British swear word — but still totally a swear.
Hi Elizabeth, Thanks for the clarification. The regional language differences can be complicated. I had thought bloody was acknowledged as a swear word in the US. Ten plus years ago Tourism Australia launched an infamous ad campaign with the tagline ‘Where the bloody hell are you?’ The ads were banned in the UK due to the inappropriate language.
I remember reading that as well, and being surprised – especially as the book was from a traditional publisher (traditional in all senses of the word). I did actually think the word had been added for effect, as they could have said “trash” or similar and that wouldn’t have changed the meaning.
I read another book where I didn’t notice anything untoward, but one reviewer called it out for blasphemy – saying “G-d” (which I took to be two words … you can guess what). I was surprised – surely I’d have noticed that when I read it! I used the Kindle search function, and couldn’t find what the reviewer was talking about. After a while, it dawned on me that “G-d” was one word (God), not two. Yes, the author had said “God” three times, but the context was in prayer … hardly blasphemy. The other one was a non-Christian character who did take the Lord’s name in vain, but it fit the story. As it happened, I didn’t like the book but the language was the least of my worries.
Very interesting article Narelle. When I’m wearing one of my other hats I’m trying to choose Christian fiction to recommend to school libraries. I’ve recently joined a Facebook group Avid Readers of Christian Fiction to help me in this search process. I get the feeling that a lot of members are in the USA. And many of the books that members recommend (and rave about) as being specifically CF turn out to be what I would call just clean wholesome fiction. For me, Christian fiction has to contain characters with clearly defined Christian beliefs. It doesn’t have to include a redemption story (although that makes mist sense to me) but just being clean does not necessarily make something CF. However, wearing my publishers hat I’m quite happy to promote books to the CF market when the CF themes are very light, simply because I know the content is suitable and can not offend! But as you’ve shown, the lines are blurry!
Hi Rachel, I’ve noticed the trend in what I’d call Christian worldview books being labelled as Christian fiction. ie. If the faith element was removed completely from the story, the plot and characterisation wouldn’t be affected by the change. I sometimes think that there are readers who define all books with even a whiff of faith content as religious. There are Christian publishers who are moving their book imprints more toward the clean and wholesome side rather than ‘defiantly’ Christian with explicit faith content. That was the feedback I received from many of the Inspy Romance readers who commented on my post regarding CCR books.
sometimes when reading secular books I feel the sexual content has been deliberately overdone so as to please the expected audience. I’ve read many that made me feel there was no need for the ‘hot’ sequence. And in others I’ve put the book down in disgust. The author simply wanted to titillate their readers.
Yes, we as Christian authors walk that line of how much sexual content willingly because we believe our readers deserve to be considered by the content by writing whatever is lovely, and wholesome, and inspiring.
Sure our characters will be flawed, but clever writing can show that without going into gritty detail. Our readers can and do use their own imagination.
Hi Rita, There are general market romance ‘heat’ levels, and almost a requirement for X number of racy scenes per book depending on how the book is being marketed. I agree, clever writing by Christian authors can address many of the sensitive content issues in a way that doesn’t offend readers.
Some Christian fiction is fantastic – the CF I find unsatisfactory is CF with poorly drawn or overly sanitised characters. I hate that in mainstream fiction too by the way :). I’d like to see Christian writers and publishers be willing to tackle more justice issues. I think it’s sad that we are sometimes more offended by a bad word than with children going hungry. But the reality is that the market is the market and we have to live with that unless we want to go indie. My preference is to write for the general market. My faith inspires my writing but I don’t think my main call is to write Christian fiction.
Hi Sue, You’ve raised an important point. We each have a different calling, and following that calling is what matters.
I am grieved by sex outside marriage in any book and believe it should definitely not be a part of any Christian fiction book. If it is a true story/biography and is part of the history then it can’t be avoided, but should only be ‘behind closed doors’. It is acceptable to include struggles to abstain from sex outside marriage etc. during romantic encounters, because that is real life.
Hi Susan, I’d be disappointed to read a Christian fiction book with explicit content. I like Christian fiction books that realistically show both the struggles the Christians face, and the consequences of their choices.
Interesting post, Narelle. Sorry I’m a bit late to this discussion. It’s something I’ve thought about a lot, but it certainly is a conundrum. If I go into a shop like Koorong and buy a Christian book, I’m expecting that there is no really bad language, though I know that line differs for different people. I also expect that there aren’t explicit sex scenes, though I’m fine with knowing that characters haven’t led saintly lives. It all depends how it’s handled. However, I do cringe at the overly sanitised novels that just don’t convey people as real. My husband once burst out laughing while reading a Christian novel. The author had said something like: ‘Bob was in a particularly good mood this morning, and not just because he’d experienced God’s magnificent gift of marital love the night before’. Real people, Christian or otherwise, just don’t speak like that. However, being real is a tricky issue. I agree that we do need to respect readers and what they expect from a particular genre.
However, I think there’s a related issue to do with what we expect as writers. Some Christian writers really have a heart to reach non-Christian readers with the gospel, which is of course a worthy aim. However, they write a book that non-Christians just aren’t going to read. I agree with what others have said about being true to your calling, and really seeking God’s heart about the type of book you’re writing and the target audience you’re hoping to reach. Then seek God’s wisdom about how to go about that. Not easy though. Thanks for keeping this topic in discussion.
Hi Nola, My apologies for being late in replying. I agree with your thoughts on the expectation of writers. Most Christian fiction isn’t going to reach non-Christian readers, especially if the story is pushing a message and may come across as preachy. From reading book reviews and recommendations, I’ve concluded that I’m more sensitive to ‘preachiness’ in books than the average Christian fiction reader.
There is one author I will never read again because she is forever putting in fake blasphemy (so she isn’t technically using God’s name in vain but it’s so close you know that’s what it’d be in a secular book. E.g. “sweet baby Jane” as an exclamation. What else is that going to be? And maybe there are people who talk like that, but I don’t want to hang out with them either.) I could roll with one time (maybe twice) because the characters are from the deep South and it’s part if their makeup (although I have many Southern friends and they don’t talk like that but whatever) – but it was the character’s go-to expression and just no. Not for me.
Hi Elizabeth, The whole idea of fake blasphemy is just bizarre. What’s the point? Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
That is bizarre. I’ve been a Christian all my life, and am well aware that swearing is considered taboo, but I find it difficult to believe that there really are such righteous people who don’t find the need to explete sometimes. My giddy aunt is one of my go to words, or bother. And on occasion, I let slip something that would have some of these readers ditching my books in the bin. Honestly, I find that bizarre, and just a tad self-righteous, to be perfectly honest. And, I might say, that if I took that attitude with some folks I’ve hung out with who are not Christian at all, then they would be perfectly justified in thinking I was an unapproachable person, who thought I was better than them. I cannot afford to be flinching every time I hear an unacceptable expletive, or I would never have the opportunity to talk to anyone outside the church. Which some might say is just as well – however, I hope to be the light and love of Christ inside and outside the 4 walls of the church, and on occasion, there have been folks who’ve wandered into the church, and have let loose with an expletive or two, and I’ve never marched them out and told them to stay away. They need to know Christ. I think we need to stop being so super-sensitive. Just my opinion. However, I know I will never get published if I include it in a book, so I look for other ways to express high emotion, like, Good Gravy, or By George. Is that the so called fake blasphemy?
I’ve put books in the bin that had swearing and ‘door-ajar ‘ sexual references. There are some authors who’s books I will no longer purchase or read. I choose to read Christian fiction because I don’t want to have my mind polluted any more than it already is from living in this world. I’m even finding descriptions of kissing and PDA are getting too graphic, leaving nothing to the imagination, although as a single woman I can’t say I’ve personally experienced them myself. I don’t mind if in the book it says that someone used an expletive, but I don’t like it when the first letter of the word is used and the rest of the word blanked out. It’s like the beeps on TV shows – you still know exactly what was said. I know there are some words that are very commonly used, but I choose not to use them and don’t want to read them.
I don’t want blood and gore, but I do love a good mystery. I just wish there were more mystery/suspense books written that do not involve murder, rape or child abuse.
Hi Beth, Thanks for stopping by and sharing your perspective. I don’t read a lot of mystery/suspense but I do prefer to not read all the gory and graphic details. I’ll skim those parts of the story.