Writers Life | Young Christian Writers as Pauls

Young Christian Writers as Pauls: The Power of Retaining One’s Voice.

When I first started to write, I had a number of authors I aspired to be like. I loved their books so I subconsciously strove to sound like them. I even wanted to write in similar genres as they did. But I soon realised, after studying the traditional publishing market, very rarely did literary agents or publishers want a new author who was the exact replica of an existing voice. 

As we know, genre trends have an undebatable impact on demand, so this could influence how authors appeal to an audience. But whether or not we choose to follow a trend, we must have an edge that makes us stand out—specifically if we aim to get our books into the hands of a good number of readers. 

If You Must Stand Out, Your Authenticity Will Be Your Selling Point

If everyone spoke the same way, acted the same way, then where would our uniqueness come in? Paul, an apostle in the Bible, is known today for his very expressive writing style. Reading through the epistles, we can tell that he must have had a strong, opinionated personality—one you could describe as sharp, blunt and audacious. You read through Paul’s letters to churches and you could laugh at how he boasts about his walk with God. One time he even claimed to pray more than everybody else (1 Corinthians 14:18). At another time, he called some of his  disciples foolish because they could not grasp a simple truth in the Gospel message (Galatians 3:1).

While we won’t all have Paul’s type of personality and charisma, it’s important to note that his directedness was pivotal to bringing the Gospel to the gentiles. And this is where I’m headed:  that like Paul, your distinct voice as a young Christian writer, when honed and shaped within the Christian worldview, is useful tool to bring the Gospel to readers . 

What is Your Message?

Although we all have the ministry of reconciliation—to preach Jesus through our writing as young Christian writers, it is helpful if we know what our clear-cut message is. What would a reader expect from our books? What challenges do our books address? Answering these questions would help decide what genres we fit in and how we reach our audience. It would also help us stay consistent irrespective of the varying market trends. 

Christian Fiction Writers Also Have a Message

I was speaking to another author, Iyanuoluwa Olorode, on the Christian Fiction o’ Clock podcast, and she said something most profound: “When readers read a book, they lend the authors their mind”. Fiction particularly, when written well, possesses the capability of lowering mental defenses, selling a construct (which may not always be true), whilst introducing the reader to a world of possibilities. It’s no surprise that the Bible would therefore say to guard our hearts diligently. This goes to show that if such importance is placed by the word on what constitutes our thoughts, then as christian fiction authors, we must be more cautious and watch what we feed our readers. 

Writing is service to God and His people and we must steward this privilege of service with uttermost honor and dignity. 

Consider the Many Human Body Parts and their Functions.

Paul, speaking to the Corinthian church, explained that as there are different body parts with differing functions, so is the body of Christ. As we know, although not all body parts are equally relevant, they are useful. Take for instance, how losing a finger would impact on your dexterity.  

This is the picture of the christian fiction world. Readers are like a child standing by an ice cream truck, waiting to be served. The multiple ice cream layers and toppings are the unique writing styles and voices each young writer brings to the table.  

It’s Okay to Feel like an Imposter on Your Journey to Becoming.

In conclusion, it’s normal to feel like an imposter when one initially starts out writing. With every article or short story shared, you could get the recurring feedback that you sound like a famous author everyone knows. In my opinion, this shouldn’t be viewed negatively. In fact, I’d say consider it a privilege to be compared and likened to veterans. You will soon discover that on the journey to becoming, you will find your writing voice just as you learn to bend the writing rules without feeling being constrained by them.   

I hope you’ve found a blessing in this article. Please leave a comment.