When I first began writing, I fully expected and was prepared to get some bad reviews or criticisms about my books because of the fact that I’m a Christian.
But to my surprise, most of the criticism I’ve received hasn’t been because I’m a Christian author…
In fact, I’ve mostly been told that my books aren’t “Christian” enough.
Why?
Well, the most common answer has been that I didn’t mention God in all my books.
My main inspiration for this series was the fairytale called The Emperor’s New Clothes, but there was also another book that inspired me…
And this book also didn’t mention God.
Esther: The Book of Coincidences?
I’ve loved the story of Esther from the time I was a little girl.
It was exciting and dramatic—filled with intrigue and scandals.
I was fascinated by the constant back-and-forth battle between good and evil, and struck by Esther’s determination despite her fear, and the fact that she got caught up in the intrigue through no fault of her own.
And despite the heavy and serious tone of the book, there were a couple parts that still managed to make me laugh thanks to the irony of the situations.
But throughout the entire book of Esther, God is never explicitly mentioned.
Does that mean that God isn’t there?
Is everything in Esther just a coincidence?
Did Esther save her people all on her own with just a little bit of luck to help her out?
I would say no.
Esther didn’t just happen to get chosen and enter the palace.
Mordecai didn’t just happen to stop a plot against the king’s life.
The king didn’t just happen to hear out Esther’s requests—and grant them.
Haman didn’t just happen to receive the same exact punishment he had planned for Mordecai.
In the book of Esther, good won and evil lost—not by accident, but by design.
And sure, we might not see any burning bushes and angels, or hear a voice coming straight from heaven, but God’s presence is obvious in the book of Esther.
Even when we don’t see or feel it, God is still in control.
Writing “Christian” Books
And that’s the approach that I’ve taken with my books so far.
And if you read the New Testament, you’ll find that even Jesus used parables (stories) to get his points across…
Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Matthew 10:10-13 (ESV)
So, does this mean that all my books will never explicitly mention God?
Definitely not…
My author career has only just begun, and I’m sure plenty of my future books will feel more “Christian” to some people.
I just know that I want to write great stories with deep—but subtle—themes instead of shoehorning in sermons or slapping people in the face with scripture just to make my books appear more virtuous.
God gave me the desire to write, a fantastic imagination, and plenty of inspiration.
So at the end of the day, not one of my books will be written or published without his involvement, whether they’re “Christian” or not.
Before You Go…
This is something that I ultimately didn’t bring up in my article, but I always find it interesting when people say that something isn’t “Christian enough” because it’s such a subjective statement.
To one person “Christian enough” might mean making books that are purely allegorical to the Bible, or making sure that your characters believe in God.
While to another person, it might just mean including biblical themes or morals in the story.
My personal belief is that if God can use a donkey to speak to people (see Numbers 22), he can use anything.
But what do you think? What exactly is it that makes a book “Christian”?
Last Call!
Also, as a reminder, tomorrow (Nov 19th) at 6:30pm I’ll be leading a live online writing workshop for writers of all levels!
The workshop will feature:
An inside look into what it’s like to go from writing as a hobby, to becoming a part-time or full-time author.
Practical tips to help you motivate and re-inspire yourself when writing no longer feels fun or exciting.
Helpful insights into what makes a story interesting.
A simple writing exercise that will upgrade your storytelling skills and change the way you think about your stories.
An open Q&A session where you can ask about anything from indie or traditional publishing, to beta readers and novel planning.
Great points you raise here Thirzah!
I suppose though, if you’re following Christ’s example of parabolic writing, you might very well be writing in a Christlike manner, no?
He’s the best author ever, so carry on!!😊💖👏🏽