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Questions:
- If a book is written by a Christian, does that make it Christian?
- If a book is published by a Christian Publisher, does that make it Christian?
- If a book is sold in a Christian Bookstore, does that make it Christian?
- What makes a story a Christian story?
- What makes a nonfiction book, a Christian book?
Links:
- James Rubart’s Website
- The Pages of Her Life (Affiliate Link)
Sponsor: Christian Writers Institute
Five Marks of a Christian Writer
Literary agent, Steve Laube, offers the core spiritual elements necessary for a Christian writer to persevere. An 80-minute keynote presentation.
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I’m a narrative non-fiction author and a Christian ( I think) though that, too, is sometimes difficult to determine based on how we see that word used in the world today. I really don’t care how my work is categorized, but I’m represented by a Christian agency and my work is directed to Christian publishers. This means because of someone else’s standards, certain things won’t fly. I cannot refer to someone having a drink in a restaurant. I cannot refer to someone screaming at one of my subjects calling him a bad name. This bothers me a bit. I don’t think we should throw bad language around in our work and i don’t think we should needlessly address sin promotion or bad habits … BUT these things do happen in the Christian world, and at times, I believe, can be relevant in the storytelling. Most people probably disagree, and my position may be unique to the way I tell stories. But if a military officer called the subject of my book a bad name 20 years ago and it somehow affected his future psyche or confidence, I think it’s okay to be transparent with the language. I don’t like writing around reality.
I’ve wondered about the same thing. I’m working on a story about my grandmother who lost three of five sons who served in WWII. In her later years, she never missed church. She wasn’t overt about her faith, and yet hers is a redemption story. I believe she was Christian, as am I. But is it a Christian book?