Welcome to the Australasian Christian Writers Tuesday Book Chat, where we encourage book lovers to answer our bookish question of the week.
Today’s question is:
What’s one thing you’d like to see less of in Christian fiction? Why?
We look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please join in the conversation in a comment on this post or in a comment on the blog post shared in our Australasian Christian Writers Facebook Group.
Let’s chat!
When I first read this question, I thought hmm… there is one thing I’d like to see less of in Christian fiction. I’d like to see books labelled Christian fiction actually containing authentic Christian content.
In the romance genre, clean and wholesome romance is a big market segment. I get frustrated when I read a book labelled as Christian but the characters don’t have any kind of obvious faith or a spiritual story arc. I want to see a faith journey of some description, either subtle or more overt, in the story. Authenticity in the characterisation is important to me. I’d like to see fewer ‘clean’ reads, with little or no faith elements, labelled as Christian fiction.
What do you think? What’s one thing you’d like to see less of in Christian fiction? Why?
And don’t forget: if you’d like to participate in our weekly Book Chat by posting the question and your answer on your blog, drop us an email via our Contact page and we’ll send you the list of questions for 2019.
My first thought was secret baby stories. I know Christians are not perfect but I do struggle with some of these stories especially when both involved are Christians and then they go their separate ways and seem to meet each other again and bam the hero finds out he is a father. A couple of stories that worked were when the couple were married and had to separate due to safety. (A suspense story.) It worked because the hero had left to save her although she didn’t know at the time.
Where I get frustrated is one comes home (normally the heroine) and then runs into the father. In some they assume the heroine was married and is now a widow only to find they are the father. There was a run of the stories for awhile and I just over them.
Hi Jenny, I agree, the secret baby trope is hard to pull off in Christian romance. Firstly, because the underlying premise is often based on secrets and lies that aren’t well motivated. Secondly, in 2019 when women have so many supports and options, it can be hard to feel empathy for a heroine who intentionally withholds the identity of their child’s father unless there’s a compelling reason. It’s a more plausible trope in romantic suspense than some of the other romance sub genres. The coincidental meeting with the baby’s father is an overused storyline.
I’d like to see characters who are less sanitised. In today’s world a good looking bloke in his thirties who is living a worldly life will NOT be a virgin. In the church maybe but not in the world. I hate it when sanitation happens thats inconsistent with character just so Christian niceties can be observed.
Hi Susan, The characterisation should include a realistic and plausible back story. Or, at least include enough information to let the reader ‘fill in the gaps’ and make up their own mind on the character’s back story. Some authors do this really well, and they tend to be the authors who attract a wider audience of readers.
Hi, I would like to see less of things that don’t have anything to do with Christianity, I think stores need to be inspirational and always show how God is always here for us and that needs to be in the story, that we can Always put our trust in God.
Hi Alicia, yes, I like to see at least a few hints in the story to show how God is working in the lives of the characters. The characters may be going their own way and turning their back on God, but the story will show that God is there and that He doesn’t leave us or forsake us. Grounding the story in Biblical truths is important to me.
Alicia, that’s my view as well. Less sanitised Christianity, and more real faith: https://www.iolagoulton.com/bookish-question-117/
Hi Iola, When you talk about ‘sanitised’, are you talking about cultural Christianity ie. characters going to church because it’s part of their weekly routine rather than seeking a relationship with Jesus? I read a news article yesterday that talked about Netflix removing the graphic suicide scene in their hit tv series ‘13 Reasons Why’. The debate is centred on whether or not that scene is important to the story and is it potentially damaging for viewers to see the graphic scene. Christian fiction has traditionally erred in the side of caution and the stories haven’t needed to include trigger warnings for readers in the book description. I personally prefer not to read all the graphic details of a violent situation, for example. If a book has graphic content, I’d like to know this before I start reading.
I think books where the hero/heroine struggles with worldly choices but makes the Godly choices without overtly pushing the Christian agenda. Sure, put it in there, but don’t push it otherwise non-Christians will not bother to read it. Make it subtle 😉 and gather non-Christian followers, then the writer can continue to feed them the Word and Christian ethics which result in good outcomes, whcih may unconsciously have the reader considering lifestyle changes and maybe even ask questions.
But also write full-on Christian books full of virgins and right choices, because we are all individuals and some want full on Godly books.
Hi Susan, yes, I agree it’s good to have a variety of stories within the genre. I like to see the consequences lived out from the choices and decisions made by the characters. I’m not a fan of preachy stories that tell the reader stuff (author intrusion in the story). The subtle faith content as well as more overt faith content can reach different readers in different ways. A great story should challenge readers, and Christian fiction has the potential to challenge all readers to consider faith issues.
I’d be one of those who would like to see less preaching to the converted and more addressing real life issues that occur in and out of the church. Like life, I’d like to see stories that preach the gospel of love through actions rather than wordy sermons and trite advice. And of course, I’d like to see less of the clean and sanitised churchy person, and more of people in the real world. That is not to say that God is not there or a major influence, but I’d like it to be real rather than contrived.
Hi Meredith, I think we’ll see this change take place because the gatekeepers of ‘appropriate’ Christian content in Christian fiction are now the readers rather than book buyers for Christian stores. In romance, ‘clean and wholesome’ is the market segment for those looking for nice and safe stories. Christian fiction, especially indie, has the opportunity to include more gritty elements that were previously considered too risky for the market. The challenge is for the authors who write those stories to find their tribe of readers. They may get blackballed by the few remaining Christian stores with conservative Christian values and receive 1* reviews from more conservative readers, but those critical reviews are important because they will help their target audience of readers find their books. Christian fiction that encourages Christians to grow in their faith is important. We’re watching the ‘choir’ shrink in size with each new generation, and meeting their needs is becoming more important as the years pass by. I’m finding it harder to find those types of stories because ‘clean’ fiction with little or no faith content is being labelled as Christian fiction.
” ‘clean’ fiction with little or no faith content is being labelled as Christian fiction.”
… and a lot of that is coming from the major CBA publishers.
I agree – I think this is a real opportunity for indie authors, because the reader becomes the gatekeeper, and there is less of a profit motive. Sure, the indie author wants/needs to put food on the table and pay their editor/cover designer, but the book doesn’t have to sell 20,000 copies in Walmart to be considered a success.
Iola, I totally agree. Hallee Bridgeman is an author who comes to mind. She has a large reader following of her books that push some of those traditional boundaries. Janet W. Ferguson’s latest release, The Art of Rivers, deals with the realities of addiction in a way that’s not sugar-coated. There are many others authors writing true-to-life stories.
I can see a theme coming through with these comments! Please give us the readers real people that live in the real world, and experience real life experiences. This include fractured relationships, aging parents, love and loss,of partners, siblings, and children, . Great opportunity to show God’s healing and restorative love in these situations but without the reality, of life’s sufferings these stories are just another “nice” Christian book.
Hi Kaye, All stories should include compelling conflict and struggles that are realistic, or at the very least relatable. Perfect characters who do everything right are not only unrealistic but are boring characters. We’ll only see God’s healing and restorative love if the characters have real problems and issues to overcome in the story.
Truly, I’d like to see fewer books out in the Christian category that have no mention of God and no message of hope and grace. Lately, I’ve read a couple of books printed by Christian publishing houses with zero hint of Christianity. For those looking for more real types of stories, Catherine West, Kara Isaac, Carolyn Miller, Katie Ganshert, Dawn Crandall, Joanne Bischof and Courtney Walsh might be of interest.
Great recommendations – thank you!
Hi Rachael, I totally agree with your perspective. Thanks for sharing your list of authors who write stories with realistic characters. 🙂
I dislike when the Christian theme seems too clunky and contrived, like it doesn’t really belong. I’ve read a few authors who obviously wrote a mainstream book, and later added in Christian elements to fit the market. It’s insulting to me as a reader, 😂
Hi Heather, yes, this is one of my pet hates, too. Real, authentic Christianity is reflected in how the characters choose to live their lives. Sending them to church and adding in a couple of prayers isn’t enough to ‘Christianise’ the story. Readers can sniff a fake from a mile away.
Took me a while to think of some because too many.
I’d like to see much less ‘romance’ that is worldly. By that I mean all about physical attraction. I’d like to see less good-looking and rich people in these stories. Most of us aren’t either of these things and I find it discouraging. Plus, it is sort of fantasy generating and not at all Christian in emphasis. I have read too many stories where a supposedly Christian guy (usually the male) is interested in a non-Christian and he is touching her in a non-brotherly way. My main bugbear with it is there is no mental battle about it.
I too long for authentic characters who actually think Christianly and struggle wtih temptation and fail but turn to God for help … I want my CF to be real CF not ‘clean’. I have no problem with people choosing to write for the general market but don’t put a CF category. If you’re writing CF make sure there is something in the blurb that tells us (it will protect you from a ton of 1-2 star reviews from non-Christians who felt tricked into reading a genre they didn’t want to read). I too would like less cheesy/superficial Christianity. Less health/wealth/success stories.